(Shabby Doodle Journal Pages - "Behind These Eyes")
(Distress ink, Sharpies, Circle Stencil, Lumiere Gold paint on a make-up sponge)
So The Creative Everyday Theme for the month of March is Dreams. Leah posted a really cool interview yesterday with Robert Moss, the author of Conscious Dreaming. I found the interview really fascinating and I plan on trying out some of the techniques Moss recommends for recording and even influencing what you dream.
I have always been a big dreamer and I often remember my dreams very vividly, though perhaps a little less so as I get older and have sleep patterns that are less regular. I have also always had nightmares and I remember those as well. When I do have a nightmare, there are times when I have a hard time shaking the fear or the icky feelings when I get up in the morning. I have to say that I prefer the vividness of non-nightmare-ish dreams !
Last night before I went to sleep, I did some deep breathing and as I was doing that, I made up a little mantra in my head - "I want to remember my dreams in the morning." I repeated it like a spell (too much listening to Harry Potter audio books before I go to sleep ! - Jim Dale is my hero !). Lo and behold, this morning when I woke up about 20 minutes before David's alarm, the first thought I had was "What were my dreams ?". And I remembered them ! What I remember sounds very weird and a little scary when I say it out loud but I do remember the feelings attached to the dream as well. I dreamed that I was looking for something that my "parent" (not one of my real parents) wanted and when I was distressed about it, my "parent" hugged me and told me it was okay. As the parent stroked my head, long strands of my hair were coming out on his/her hand. The 'parent" wasn't worried about that. It was almost like a dog shedding or something. But I remember thinking in the dream "Why is that happening ?"....
Told you - weird and a little scary, right ?
So what does this all mean ? Who knows ????
My mom/guru told me that she believes that all the aspects of your dreams, and all the characters in them, are different parts of you. I can apply this to my dreams a lot of the time and see things I can relate to.
So part of me may be searching for stuff to please others (This sounds like me !). Part of me may be the "parent" figure that knows that this is all okay. Losing hair ? Letting go of the unneeded stuff ? Or fears of health issues ? Again all kind of sounds like what I am going through right now.
So why do we dream ? To handle things we don't completely handle in our conscious time ? Maybe...It sure gives you stuff to build art and thoughts from, though, that is for sure.
Why do you think we dream ? Share thoughts if you feel like it.
If you need a sweet lullaby to send you or someone you love off into dreamland, try listening to this great song by a great Canadian band !
When You Dream - Barenaked Ladies
15 comments:
I love the image of the mother and baby -- giving birth to dreams!! I think dreams are an important part of our lives, of our psyches and of what we are living through, have lived through and what the future might hold. We tell ourselves stories all the time and within our dreams lie the truths that we don't always allow to come to the forefront of our minds. I'm a very big believer in dreams!
I find it difficult to remember my dreams - when I do I feel like I've been granted a gift. There was a wonderful book that I read in my 20's - can't remember the title - but the premise was that one needed to live the best, most honorable life so that one's dreams would remain positive and fulfilling. Wish I could remember the title. How strange it would be if we looked at life as a way to have better dreams!
Lovely post and beautiful page! Do you ever wonder if your "awake" life is really the dream?
Hi, Kim! I love dreams! I think the shedding hair thing was nothing more than showing that you felt vulnerable ... having let down your "parent" and there she was comforting you. Sounds like a nice, dream, actually! We could all use some comforting now and then!
Oh! And thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on my "before" post. :-)
I believe exploring dreams is a powerful way to see beneath the surface. I love to remember my dreams...this morning my mom and i woke up and compared dreams. Mine was delicious and altogether lovely, hers was annoying to her. It's funny how a dream can sometimes set the tone for the day, or reveal an issue we may need to work on, don't you think?
You did a lovely journal page, and the dreamy feeling and safety of the embrace is powerful.
xo arlene
Way to encourage invoke your dreams into the light! That's awesome :) Much continued success in your dreamscapes :)
Oh I love this page, it so wonderful, the image is beautiful, mother and daughter and dreams how wonderful is that.
Kate
Hi again, Kim! I meant to tell you how much I like your journal page, too! :-)
The journal page is incredible. I loved it so much.
I really try not to analyze my dreams too much because I am afraid of what I might decide:)
I think the hair loss in your dream was indicative of shedding, Kim. In this case shedding an old persona in the safe and loving arms of mother/Mother. Could you be going through a transformation of some sort?
Author and dream expert Roger Kamenetz has a great book about dreams that I highly recommend. He believes our dreams allow us to work out things that enhance our waking lives.
-- JeriAnn
hi kim~ loving the way your shabby doodle journal is coming along. i like your composition with the closed eyes across the spread.
i've read that people dream many times during a night but many don't remember them.
i rarely ever remember my dreams. but the dreams that i have remembered are rather odd and kinda scary too. i remember my teeth falling out in one of them. i was horrified. i guess it's a good thing that i don't remember them!
i would probably wake up very disturbed!
happy weekend getting your love therapy!
How kewl is this...love the dreams!
Oh my gosh! You won't believe this but I was just thinking about how to write my next blog post about my two dreams about...hair!
I have heard that as well, that the people in our dreams represent different parts of us. Wow!
Well I love your journal page...I love the idea of what dreams will give birth to. I'm glad you had a good parent in you dream:) Maybe you're being good to yourself :)
It's funny but I am reading this at 2:30 am because I have insomnia lately and I can't sleep. I miss my dreams! LOL!! When I do dream I don't remember much detail the next day. But I do have this dream where I am at college and it is final exams and I realize that I have not been to a class all year and now I don't even remember where the class is and I am so stressed and mad at myself. I usually have it when things are stressful/out of control in real life. I have read that dreams of losing things (hair, teeth, a class LOL!) is about feeling out of control about something in your life. I like that your "parent" was there to reassure you in your dream. I love your journal pages sweetie. Love, Jamie
First, I have to say that I am absolutely obsessed with Jim Dale's readings of Harry Potter.
Secondly, I love that you asked for dream help. It sounds like it was a powerful one!
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