By Christine Pomeroy
Originally printed in the MAY-JUNE 2006 issue of Quest magazine.
Citation: Pomeroy, Christine. "Explorations: The Awakening Is at Hand." Quest 94.3 (MAY-JUNE 2006):108-109.
Everything you need to know is within you. Dreams are a gift. They open the door to the inner light. Dreams are a valuable tool to assist with daily questions. They reveal answers and offer understanding. During sleep, we are able to rest the physical body, while the mental body plays out the issues at hand. Dreams provide the healing, strength and insight necessary to cope with life's challenges and times of crisis. What is needed is provided at the most perfect time, and in the most perfect way. But it is also important to ask, and especially to listen
For those who listen, dreams can forewarn of events yet to come. But you must be able to discern the difference between being warned and working out a waking problem. For example, if you dream of changes occurring at your place of employment, you could interpret the meaning as either relating to changes taking place inside of you or changes that are soon to come at work, thus preparing the waking body for the changes at hand.
Interpreting dreams can be complex. Understanding a given dream is best left up to the dreamer. What may be understandable for you, does not necessarily place well for another. To the average person, dreaming of a house would represent areas to move through in daily activities. But to someone growing spiritually, a house may symbolize the consciousness and areas not yet discovered. The overall theme of a house represents the areas and levels of the mind. The idea is to keep moving through the house and open up the mind to new avenues of consciousness.
Dreaming of a kitchen could be symbolic of nourishing the self with spiritual food, i.e., wisdom, light, truth. But for another individual, the kitchen may be a literal warning about what one needs to change in terms of diet. Thus, the same dream theme for two different people does not have the same meaning. Once again such a dream interpretation is best left up to you to work out for yourself. Think about the dream. Work it out in your thoughts. Talk it out with the self. The revelation of the meaning will soon come in hand, if you are patient and persistent.
With all dreams, the use of symbols is for us to piece together like a puzzle; life in and of itself gives signs and symbols everyday. Pay attention to signs in everyday activities, during your waking hours. Sometimes the answer comes in other ways. For example, one such sign would be repeatedly hearing the same song on the radio. Listen to the lyrics for an answer. Our angels have a way of communicating to us through music. Another example would be seeing a bird not common to your area. A white dove would be symbolic of peace and love as well as purity. Smelling scents of perfume, flowers or incense might coincide with a person or event to come. The list goes on. It is up to us to see and look within for complete understanding. With time, patience and practice, you will put together your own puzzle. And as the picture becomes clearer, you will be most happy with what you see.
Over the years, I have found that the more you grow towards the light within, the greater the dreams that are given. Our state of mind plays a big role in the dreams that come to us. The more turbulent our life is, the more turbulent our dreams are. The more peaceful we are, of course the more peaceful our dreams become. That which you are, and focus on, is what comes to you during the hours of sleep. Think upon these things.
Remembering dreams can be difficult at times due to the hurried lifestyles we all live. Once you are in a receptive frame of mind, you must be patient in order to receive answers. To start recalling dreams, keep asking the same question before going to sleep. I find that more answers come to me in dreams when I take short naps. Choose a comfortable position, ideally with the head facing north, and ask the body to wake within one hour. The body will listen.
To further your growth in recalling dreams, as well as interpreting them, write down questions that you would like to receive answers for, and follow up with recording the dreams. If you are patient and persistent, the answers will come eventually. Be sure to notice feelings and thoughts that you have when awakening from sleep. These will also guide you to that which you seek.
Clear memories of dreams will increase as you grow spiritually. We are all spiritual in our own way. Today, many of us are striving for a deeper sense of connection and meaning in life. The answer is within. Each of us is on our own path in life: yet we are reaching for the same goal, the Light Consciousness within. The more you come to see the truth within, the more you discover how much there is to know. Nothing more will be revealed to you than you can handle at this moment in time.
Through dreams, we can all gain a more perfect understanding of our relationships with those in our lives, as well as God within ourselves. And, as our minds become nearer to that God-Consciousness within, the greater will be the visions and dreams that come will be . Interpret them in your own language and understanding, for when you do so, the awakening is at hand.
To further aid you in understanding of dreams, I recommend Dreams Your Magic Mirror by Elsie Sechrist (A.R.E. Press, 1995) and The Dream Dictionary by Jo Jean Boushahla and Virginia Reidel Geubtner (Berkley Publishing Group, 1993)
Christine Pomeroy has been a member of Theosophical Society for ten years, and is currently employed at the Theosophical Publishing House. Her interest in metaphysics has focused on dream interpretation, pine wisdom, and the consciousness of Christ. This is her first contribution to Quest.