- Siggy Leslie.
I had two dreams that showed me holding on to elderly people that were completing their end of life journey. These dreams came to me when I needed answers about my life's purpose. I realized these dreams were leading me down a path in nursing and it is one of the reasons I am so passionate about end of life care and spirituality.
Dreams are a tool to connect us with our conscious selves and our spiritual selves. They also act as a guidance system to connect us with our goals or to give us insight into things that may not be easily seen or understood in the physical world. Mostly, dreams attempt to enlighten our understanding of the world where we physically exists by helping us find answers to the the things that are burdening us.
I dream every night about things that have meaning, and things that don't seem to have relevance to my presence in the physical world. Dreams are subjective and can be tricky to interpret if we don't see obvious meanings or connections to ourselves and others. Don't let this distract you from trying to understand the meaning of your own dreams. Not only can you learn to interpret your dreams, you can also learn how to gain control in some of your dreams.
What is Lucid Dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is a journey into the depths of our psyche. It is our awareness of dreaming while in the midst of a dream. Everyone has the ability to lucid dream but it might take some practice.
The history of lucid dreaming was first recorded in a letter by Saint Augustine in 415. Even as early as the 18th century A.D, Tibetan Buddhists pursued the cultivation of dream lucidity and lucid dreaming was considered a prerequisite to seeking enlightenment.
The term "lucid dream" was coined by Dutch psychiatrist Frederik Willem van Eeden. He described his dreams as being fully asleep yet, he had the ability to fully recollect his daily life and he could act voluntarily within his dreams.
What is the purpose of lucid dreams?
Lucid dreams can be used in a therapeutic setting particularly for individuals suffering from nightmares, phobias, trauma, and post traumatic stress disorder. Or, they can be used as a means to gain insight into our own psyches.
How Do I Lucid Dream?
Meditation is one of the most effective ways to induce lucid dreaming as we tend to have cluttered and busy minds. A clear mind encourages new ideas and thoughts to emerge.
Journals are necessary and are encouraged even if you aren't practicing lucid dreaming. It is useful to track dreams nightly to see if patterns emerge. Start with a journal on your night stand ready to record anything and everything you remember from your dreams.
Next, you want to plant the seed. Throughout the course of the day, look at your hands and remind yourself "this is just a dream". Do this often and always look at your hands. When you induce lucid dreams, you will subconsciously look at your hands which will be a reminder that "this is just a dream".
In time, a lucid dream will occur and then you can start your journey of taking control of your own dreams. Good Luck!
