Overcoming Self-loathing and Anxiety, Practices for Cultivating Love, Self-compassion, Uncategorized

Why You Should Listen to Your Dreams

Sometimes we nay feel like listening to our dreams is a waste of time. But that’s not true.

On the contrary, listening to our dreams is a wonderful use of time. Our dreams are often a more robust, loving version of ourselves inviting us to be more fully alive.

Such activity is a wonderful use of time. So imagine, dream, and listen.

Picture Courtesy of Library of Congress Use and Reuse

That doesn’t mean that your dreams have to come true in every detail as you imagine them. That’s not the point of dreams. Dreams are invitations, and they point us down an adventurous, loving path.

I often take time to dream and imagine when I am falling asleep at night or when I first get up in the morning. I am really relaxed at these times a day, and so it is easier to listen to my intuition, imagination, and desires in this state.

A Dreaming Adventure

Here is a process I use when I am taking time to imagine, dream, and listen:

1. I allow myself to become still and relaxed.

2. I ask myself, “What would I really like to happen now? What do I need?”

3. I listen to what my emotions,  mind, and body tell me without judgment. All of these parts of me are important and beloved.

4. I focus on one or two answers from myself that intrigue me the most.

5. I ask myself, “Is this loving for me and for other people? Does it bring more light and goodness to me and other people?”

This is an important step for me because a good and life-giving dream is one that brings more love to both ourselves and others. There is enough for all of us.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time worrying about whether or not your dream brings more love to yourself and others.

Set an intention to aim for dreams that do this and to be willing to tweak your dreams accordingly (see next step). If you set an intention like this, you are headed down the right path.

6. If my dream does not yet quite feel like it meets the criteria in #5, I don’t judge, I just tweak the dream a bit.

One way I do this is to ask myself, “What would help me feel more loving, peaceful, wise, and joyful?” Love,  joy, wisdom, and peace are extremely healthy emotions, and so things that bring these emotions are almost always good for ourselves and others.

7. I listen to what images or desires my intuition brings me in response to this question.  When I get an image or desire that I believe brings myself and others more love, I assume (pretend, believe, and accept) that this dream is already true, and I delight in the emotions that come from believing it is already true.

When I follow this process, I often soon get ideas or meet people that help me to bring my dream into existence, at least partially or completely. I think that listening to our dreams have a way of opening our eyes to resources that are right in front of us but that we may not have seen before.

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It is Okay to Let Go

It may feel initially like this kind of process is a waste of time, and it is understandable why we might feel this. This kind of process requires some faith and trust, and these things require us to relinquish some control.

Many of us are used to trying to maintain control at all times, and so giving up control, even for a bit, feels scary or unproductive.

I invite you to consider this: All great inventions and great works of art and great adventures come from people getting some lovely idea greater than them and anything else currently in existence and then getting really jazzed about it.

Think of Einstein, the Wright Brothers, Madam Curie, Amelia Earhart.

These folks relinquished control and let their dreams lead them. You don’t have to invent things or go on wild and crazy flying exhibitions. But when you listen to your dreams, exciting things are going to happen, and you are going to become a richer, more fully alive version of yourself.

This brings more love to you and the world.

*****

You might also like this post: Why We Doubt We are Capable

You might also like this book by Julia Cameron about using writing to explore our life: The Artist’s Way

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