The High Diver

     I dreamt this morning that I was watching a circus performer dressed in a glittery corset costume like a high diver. She was in a glass tank of water with a man who seemed to me to be like the ringmaster and he was being cruel, threatening to push her under. I felt anxious as I watched, feeling like the ringmaster was holding her hostage in the water. I felt powerless to help her. He holds her underwater and says, "Let's see how long you can stay under now." He held her under intending to drown her. She fought it at first and then I saw her go limp and stay under for what seemed like such a long time. He finally let go and disappeared. Suddenly she surfaced and exclaimed, "I never knew I could go so long but I did it! A record!"

     I understood, as I was watching, that the hardness and cruelty that was being forced upon her was intended to push her to the limit and beyond but she actually won by surrendering. She acknowledged the state of being immersed fully with nowhere to run and sat with it. Not fighting it, just being in it, one second at a time. After being so tested, she triumphed having found that her skill was beyond what she ever thought possible.

     In my dream language, the circus theme likely represents that performing facet of my life-- the one we all have as we show ourselves to the world. The feats we attempt and accomplish may entertain and amaze others; we push the boundaries of what we can do. We excel at what we've trained ourselves to do well and we risk it all attempting something new on a public scale.

     The water tank represents a pool of pure emotionalism. The glass tank allowed me the ability to look within; perspective.  I regularly dive in head first and immerse myself in the emotional realm in the work I do and there's always the danger of drowning in it; of losing myself. I used to be one who struggled in it; fought hard and exhausted myself. Now I'm practicing surrendering to the moment, allowing myself to feel fully, accepting the state of feeling for what it is knowing I'll always come up for air. Each test shows me that I can accomplish so much more than I ever knew.

     Surrender doesn't have to mean losing the battle. Surrender can also mean accepting and allowing the experience to lift you to greater heights of understanding... seeing where it can take you when you believe that there are no limits. If I can feel it, I will survive it. I can see just how much farther I can grow. My anxiety at watching the scene was because I doubted her too. I felt that she was subject to preconceived limits. She taught me otherwise.

     That ringmaster seemed like a villain at the time, didn't he? So often, tests and challenges do. Without the antagonists, however, I'd never know what I'm capable of.

The Lingo: What is an aspect?

In dream interpretations, the term 'aspect' is used a lot but what does it mean?

Most often, this term is used when there are people in the dream. So your interpretation might say something like, “This person in your dream represents an aspect of yourself.” Used in this way, an aspect describes a facet of your own personality or a set of traits often relative to the events, place, or feeling about the dream. It’s that part of yourself that deals with that area or concept in your life.

The people our subconscious picks to represent that part of ourselves are people we would describe as having the same set of traits. It’s kind of a weighty concept but basically the theory is that we can only recognize personality traits in others that we have ourselves. Therefore, our subconscious uses separate individuals to represent qualities in us we need to consider in the context of the dream.

Here’s an example: Say I dream that I’m having dinner with a friend that I would describe as being funny, lighthearted, and never takes anything seriously. That friend will represent that part of yourself having to do with your sense of humor and how you approach whatever situation the rest of the dream describes. The layers of significance can be, and often are, even more layered and complex depending on other factors but that’s the basic gist.

Sweet dreams!

Fare thee well, Dear Tedmund.

I've had the sneaking suspicion lately that Tedmund the Groundhog won't be returning to the young Oak across the road. The thought makes me a little sad but I'm grateful for our time together. He taught me a lot and apparently continues to do so. Everyday since the Equinox, I've been awaiting his sweet little visage. After all, most groundhogs are awake and making homes and families for themselves by this time. Then the other day it occurred to me that I've actually done a pretty good job of applying his wisdom in my life. I wondered what he could teach me if he showed up again and that's when it hit me: Maybe he's still absent because I don't need him to be there anymore.

See, sometimes animal totems appear to us as lifelong guides and sometimes they're with us for only a little while. They're spiritual friends that aid us in our time of need and then once we've learned what we need to know, they disappear back to the spirit realm. At the time that he arrived, I was very new to a true study of animal guides. I remember being rather surprised at his persistence. It was right about the time I was awakening to the thought of using my gifts to serve others openly. I saw groundhogs in fields during my commute. I even accompanied my partner to an appointment and found myself face to face with a wall full of groundhog ephemera; including a groundhog clock! Really, who has those??? Then Tedmund showed up where I could see him every day puttering around the oak tree in the grass directly across from where I always park. I had always liked the furry little guys but wouldn't have expected to find myself with one as a totem. With all the animal friends who were making themselves known at that time, how would I know if one was visiting or in it for the long haul?

Once I started reading up on them, I discovered that groundhogs were actually a pretty great totem to have. I know most wouldn't consider them the most graceful or majestic animal but they're without a doubt one of the most dramatic. Groundhogs time of power is the Winter. They slow down all their bodily functions to hibernate through the dark time-- Winter also being representative of sleep and dreamtime.-- Hibernation is symbolically a really big deal. It is death without dying. Many societies have used all kinds of substances and techniques to mimic this state of being that allows them access to dreamtime and to use it more powerfully. Groundhog medicine is one of initiation, resurrection, and delving into dreams; all completely relevant to me at that time. I was in a process of rebuilding myself in truth from the ground up. It's common for groundhogs to come into your awareness in times of beginning an in depth study of new subjects or projects. Dreams are very special to me and groundhog energy allows a deeper understanding, added vividness, and clarity to them.

Groundhogs aren't very territorial animals; however, they won't allow another to enter into their elaborate burrows. That spoke to me of boundaries; how to commune closely with others yet still maintain a clear and defined limit for my own well-being. I had always struggled with this concept. Tedmund taught me that it's alright and even healthy to say no sometimes and to have personal space. Groundhogs may move to another burrow but only when it's empty. When they inhabit one, a little pile of fresh dirt at the entrance lets others know that there's no vacancy. This showed me that having a clear signal ahead of time sets expectations with others and often reduces confrontation. Also when warnings aren't heeded, I'm entitled to and worth defending.

It was several months into Tedmund's residence when I became aware of another significant aspect of his presentation to me. I had realized by this time that I wanted to make a career out of helping others with my intuition and dream study but hadn't acted on it at all yet. There he was in the grass over yonder and here I was watching him from a second floor window; an expanse of concrete, a 6 foot chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, and a busy city street between us every day. I was feeling that cut off from my dreams at times. So what was I going to do about it? Since then, I took steps. I got a website and, most importantly, I began to talk about it and share.

I've come such a long way over the last year. Again, I ask myself what he would teach me if he did come back? I believe he's actually taught me more by not doing so. I understand better now the role of a visiting totem and I feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that if I hadn't "gotten it" he might have been back again. There may be other times I see him in situations where I might need to invoke his energy to help with dreams or journeying but we have an understanding between us now about what his medicine means to me. I'm learning the language of my guides and they know I'm listening. I'll miss his cuteness brightening my day but I get it. It is significant that I've thought this all through but part of my lessons are to bring Spirit out of the realm of thought and into practice too, so I'll leave an offering for him at the base of the tree in gratitude for his teaching.

You've Got This, Kid!

I was having an email conversation with my mom about a wonderfully vivid dream she had in which she felt watched over, loved and supported. This would be a big deal for most of us! She closed off her last email with a quip--and I'm totally paraphrasing--  about being glad she's not totally batty. That struck that soapbox cord within me because I hear this all... the... time...and I've wrestled with it myself! So, I had to tell her my two cents on the subject.

First though, let me preface my response with this thought: We have imagination so that we can manifest our reality. When we have crazy awesome dreams or daydreams that inspire us to create new and never seen before things, good! That's what it's there for! Our whole modern world full of technology is the product of human invention. We're not of this world, we're only in it. Spirit/God is creation. We are of Spirit. We create our reality. Through dreams and our ability to see bigger and higher than our conscious perspective (imagination) we reconnect with the Divine and take a time out from this plane. Sometimes, if we're open enough, Spirit gives us a pep talk like a parent at half-time and says, "You've got this, Kid, and no matter what goes on out there I love you and I've always got your back." Why would we deny ourselves the reality of this just because it happened in our heads? Sadly, I so often hear people put more faith in a fear they've imagined than a message of love they've received. "Well, it feels so real though..." Did that feeling of love in that dream feel any less real? It's a conscious choice to discount one over the other; An unnecessarily painful and unproductive choice that I can attest to personally.

 I wrote Mom back: "I believe that one of the biggest problems the world faces is disconnecting and disregarding the imagination. Spirit is so much bigger than our everyday understanding and yet everything mundane is still a part of Spirit. Humans are blessed to have our imaginations to remind us that we are a part of Spirit and therefore a part of everything; to remind us that anything and everything is possible. Spirit uses our imagination to communicate what we need to know. I do feel crazy most of the time but I've come to appreciate it. I wouldn't give it up for the world. If my "delusions" give me peace, happiness, and centeredness in times of crisis, then I'm miles ahead of the average person in this world and that's a good thing. When more people quit fighting their flights of fancy that make them feel special and loved, the world will be a better place. People *and I'm raising my hand too* so often complain about how they wish they just felt truly loved and not alone and continue to look for it outside of themselves when it's so much more important that it come from within!"

Let yourself be loved. Create love for yourself and then create an environment around you in which that love can grow.

Earthquakes, Tornadoes, and Floods! Oh My!

 As a native of Tornado Alley, I've had more than my share of tornado dreams. If I lived on a coast, I'm sure I'd have hurricane dreams. I'm willing to bet my cousin in California has had an earthquake dream or two. Natural disasters have been a staple in human lives since the beginning of our age. The forces of nature were not to be trifled with. Often referred to as Acts of God, catastrophic natural events cause massive physical change to the landscape , suffering, and destruction on a scale that only a deity could wield. We may have made strides in understanding the elements and through technology harness their power but they are still the Great Equalizer. No matter how high and mighty we get, Mother Nature still comes along and knocks down our Legos to make us start all over again.

In our dreams, what better symbol to reflect chaos, confusion, frustration, and the feeling of helplessness than these events? What a perfect metaphor for the unforeseen challenges of life. Nature reminds us of our place in the big picture. It reminds us we're still just critters scurrying around with the rest of them-- smart critters-- but critters none-the-less. When you remember that a dream is one big metaphor for what's going on in our world, we can really see why our subconscious chooses this imagery to bring issues to our attention. These dreams are often scary stuff and nightmares are actually just ways to get our attention focused a little more quick-like :)

Aside from the disasters that occur naturally in the regions in which we're from, a look closer may reveal that a specific kind of catastrophe may correlate to an area of your life where you're experiencing difficulty. Look at the element of nature being represented. Tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones are all good examples of a disturbance in the element of air. Air is the realm of thought, ideas and inspiration, and perspective. When I've wrestled with some primarily intellectual issues in my life, it wasn't uncommon for some tornadoes to show up in my dreams as I'm trying to sort it out; especially when it comes at me suddenly.

Another really common example are floods. Water is the realm of life experiences, creativity, and emotions just for starters. When overwhelmed with big emotions, it's prime conditions for a dream flood, tsunami, or drowning dream.

If the Earth is shaking or cracking in your dream, take a look at your foundation. Not literally. Well, unless you live in an area prone to Mother Earth's shimmies. Then you might be getting a timely message to check your home before financial troubles arise. By foundation, I was initially referring to your core being; the rocks of your life, the cornerstones. How's your will power?

Forest fires or volcanoes making appearances lately? Think about the actions you're taking, or not taking, in your plans... Or have you acted rashly? Positively, are you experiencing an opportunity for rebirth?

There are some natural events which touch on a little more. Think about a thunderstorm. It can have elements of air, water, and fire within it. Consider the size of the storm. If I, a Missouri girl, dream of a hurricane it's likely that my issue is being felt on a larger scale than a tornado but there's more time to prepare for it. A volcano has both fire and earth. I could be making big changes in the foundations of my life. Look at the severity of the destruction and what was affected.

Really looking at the details around the event in your dream will help you to figure out what you can learn and apply in your waking life.  Use the clues to pinpoint areas of stress so you can jump back in and regain control. Remember, too, that these times of difficulty can be opportunities for creative expression, new beginnings, and renewal of your Soul Self. Just as in nature, what destroys also makes room for new life. A volcano makes an island. A forest fire thins the undergrowth that chokes out the trees. It's important to remember that although they can be disturbing, most often these types of dreams are simply messages in code and once you start deciphering them for yourself, an understanding can be developed and your intuition strengthened.

Let's start talking about dreams!

I've always been fascinated with symbols. I love to look beyond the surface to find the message in everything. Our whole world is full of symbols. Dreams are a wonderful and rewarding source for all kinds of symbolism and knowledge. They've been used for inspiration, divination, and self-growth.  Every dream can be a valuable tool in understanding what makes you tick. Let's look at what a dream really is.

Have you ever wished for a best friend who's precisely "another you"? Someone who came from the same background, has the same perspective of the world around you, and knows everything about you? That person who, because of everything afore mentioned, just knows what to say when life gets a bit complicated? Well, guess what? You've had that friend all along. Meet your sub-conscious! AKA your Soul Self. Your sub-conscious can fill that role. In fact, it is the real you. It tells you like it is, rarely pulls any punches, and genuinely has only your best interests at heart. Very few best friends can actually fit that bill. Dreams are the vehicle for communication with your newly re-discovered best friend.

Your sub-conscious, your Soul Self, has a link to the divine and has painstakingly gathered everything you've experienced in your lifetime. All that you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell is stored away for future reference. Most often these references are communicated back to you through dreams. Your Soul Self is building a vocabulary from the moment you enter this life. When we communicate with others outside of ourselves we begin with a thought. The mind forms images of that we wish to communicate and we then use our vocal abilities, physical gestures, and socially agreed upon symbols to convey our thoughts as accurately as we can to another being. It's a pretty complex system when you think of it that way and when you consider that for most of us this process takes place in microseconds. Obviously, some of us are better than others at getting their ideas out of their heads and to another person. Unfortunately, there can be many obstacles to prevent the message from coming through accurately. For example: different languages, different culture, and different experiences can affect the interpretation of meaning behind someone else's words.

Now, your Soul Self is you so it skips right over everything past the initial thought. It needs no words so it's almost like using flash cards to tell a story or those pictograph stories we did as kids. A pictograph uses an image or icon instead of a word or phrase to get the same meaning across. In our culture it's generally not as accepted to talk to ourselves with any seriousness and we tend to forget our own power so we often look outward for our answers. Dreams are a reminder to us that we are more than flesh and bone. For some this is an avenue for communication with our Creator, Spirit, or higher power. For others, it's a mind-bogglingly complex system of self-study that uses the extra power of the brain to consider our life interactions while the body gets healing and rest. (Whew! That's a mouthful!) Regardless of which camp we're in, there is the understanding that benefit can be gained from the consideration of our sleeping thoughts. Although I'm in the first, I felt I should reference both sides-- spiritual and secular-- because one doesn't have to be spiritual to recognize the complexity of our existence and find value in the study of our psychological processes.

Dreams are an incredible resource and a wonderful first step to beginning to realise our true potential and empower ourselves. Once we begin deciphering the language our Soul Selves are using, we can begin to gain insight from our dreams that we can apply to our waking life to help us lead a more fulfilling and enriched life.