Dawn + Eve

The process of dream insight I practice is typically given a lot of breathing room, so sessions are scheduled for about 1.5-2 hours, where I guide the client, or dreamer, into a calm and meditative state. From there, we can explore the creative, intuitive, and less analytical parts of their brain through use of metaphors, themes, and symbols specific to the individual. This is a super gentle process and the more the dreamer is able to let go and get curious, the more we’re able to uncover.

For anyone interested in reading on about the process of self-discovery through dream insight, here’s a recent example (shared with permission) where we begin by recounting the dream and then exploring the messages hidden within:

The dream: The dreamer was standing along a cement barrier overlooking the ocean. There were other people with her, most of them nondescript aside from one of her coworkers who was pregnant. As she looked at the vast waters, the sun began to sink below the horizon and she became aware of a sense of encroaching danger. Down below were two men, one of whom was fishing. Her coworker informed her that once the sun disappeared, dark creatures would emerge from the water and attack anyone on the shore. These creatures were large and menacing, and appeared almost alien-like. The dreamer and her coworker were trying to get the attention of the men below to warn them, but the darkness was coming too quickly. Creatures were beginning to emerge and shadows of other dark things could be seen below the surface of the water. The dream continued on in episodes of sun-rising and sun-falling, and periods of threat and reprieve. At some point the dreamer saw that her partner (who suddenly materialized) had gone down below towards the water, which now included pathways that led to a series of houses and shop stalls. Her partner had needed to go down to look for and deliver a birthday gift for their sister. The dreamer knew she had to go down too to try and help her partner before the sun went down again. The dreamer eventually found and caught up with her partner, and they delivered the birthday gift. The dreamer knew they were going to run out of time while lingering at the sister’s house, and her partner made the decision to stay rather than return to shore where it was safe. As the dreamer was trying to decide what to do, she suddenly became aware of also needing to find her cat. She eventually left her partner at the sister’s place to go find her cat, and found her cat just before the sun went down again, and just before waking up.

Insight: The main takeaways from this dream can be summarized as the dreamer’s resistance to the darkness and the shadow parts of herself (represented by the creatures), and her emotions (represented by the ocean) that inevitably emerge, as well as her sense of duty and obligation to others. The majority of the dream occurs in episodes of light and very little time is spent in darkness, and when darkness does come there isn’t much activity or definition. While the darkness is perceived as scary and dangerous, and perhaps the deeper aspects of herself she is desperately trying to avoid by staying in the sun, a lot of time and emphasis is given to preparing for the dark rather than the actual arrival of darkness. Her pregnant coworker is there to help her and to explain the process of darkness and light, but beyond that the dreamer is the one who must put herself at risk. Pregnancy can often represent new life, ideas, and creative opportunities, and in the dream the dreamer is safeguarding these treasures by keeping them away from the darkness.

There is a strong sense of urgency in trying to respond to the needs of others (her partner’s, her cat’s, the fishermen) when it is light out, and trying to prepare for the arrival of darkness. There is a sense of tension between obligation and self-preservation and survival. Her partner’s commitment to getting and delivering a birthday gift to their sister, despite the danger, demonstrates a clear path and the choosing of others over self. The decision to stay with family represents companionship, love, and union, even at the cost of safety. But it also represents obligation, commitment, and duty. The dreamer is presented with another option to choose her cat, which she sees as an extension of herself. What emerges from the analysis process is that the cat hasn’t asked to be rescued, and is simply acting in its nature. The cat represents unconditional love, curiousity, and exploration, and does not fear the darkness and shadows in the same way the dreamer does. Because it is acting in its nature, it has no expectations and no concept of impending doom. In this way the cat may be a guide and highlights to the dreamer her tendency to rescue or save others. Throughout the dream, the dreamer is always presented with the opportunity to choose of her own free will, and is never directly asked to save or to self-sacrifice.

The dreamer concludes that the coming of darkness is inevitable, just as the return of the sun and of light is, and that she alone gets to determine how she wants to respond to her environment and the shadow parts of her that are waiting to be unveiled. She notes that she often keeps herself distracted by the needs of others in the form of doing and acting, but that this doesn’t suppress or prevent the natural cycles of light and dark, and that there can be space made and time spent in the darkness too.

As you’ve likely noticed, there is a lot yet to be explored here and the dreamer can spend more time with the remaining symbols should she so choose. The dreamer was able to identify some key messages that she’s taken from her dream and relate them to areas of her life where she desires continued growth and introspection, and dreams will always provide ongoing opportunities to engage with dominant themes that are ready to be revealed.

Check back as we continue to dive into the hidden depths of dream deciphering – or book a one-on-one session if you want to take a closer look at your own dreams and what they might be trying to tell you.