Dreamer's Response: Dream #7

Here's what struck me about this dream...

It's employee discount day, so people are getting something for less, getting rewarded for hard work, getting special treatment because of their dedication. So there's some reason I'm being rewarded for working hard.

There's a festive mood, almost like a party, so something in my psyche is telling me there's reason to celebrate or at least be happy. All the employees are happy to see each other, so all those hard-working parts of myself are happy to be united and sharing in the joy of being rewarded for the hard work.

My external self, my ego self, gets to take advantage of the reward as well, since in the dream customers get the employee discount too. It seems all of my selves are being rewarded.

I find the store name interesting: Orchard Supply. It makes me think of an orchard, specifically an apple orchard, which then ties into knowledge. I'm there to gather some kind of knowledge, perhaps.

Also, I just discovered an inner curiosity about and desire to use power tools, so maybe this dream was hinting at that. I do enjoy shopping at hardware stores.

We're buying a heater, so that means I'm looking for something in my life to sustain an inner fire. Perhaps my fire for knowledge, or my passion for power tools, or, even better, a passion for taking my knowledge and building or creating something with it.

In the dream I burn my leg. I use my legs to move forward on my path and they are also what support me. In my quest for knowledge and to create things, I might get a little burned by my inner fire, but it won't be too bad, although I might try to act like it's bad, hence my whining and moaning in the dream.

This makes a lot of sense now that I worked through it this way, because I feel like I might get burned a bit by putting myself out there with my art and other pursuits, but these little dings are part of the territory, and rather than spending a lot of time complaining about the dings, I can learn from them and move on.

That's my take on the dream!

Dream #7 -- I Burn My Leg

This is a dream from yours truly...have fun interpreting!

Lance (my husband) and I are at Orchard Supply Hardware. It's employee discount day and we're there. We get to use the discount. Old employees have come back to the store to say hello to those working there and the mood is festive. We're looking into a new heater. I go over to try it out and somehow I burn my leg. It's a tiny burn, but I make a big fuss until Lance comes over and consoles me. He hugs me and I carry on until he calls me on being dramatic.

Dreamer's Response -- Dream #6

I was enchanted by Toni's dream and found it to be quite powerful. It's a dream that one could work with for years and continue to get new meaning from.

If it were my dream, it would have been about about change, and Toni writes that not long after she had the dream, she had the "big breakup" of her 20s. The dream features seven waterfalls, and seven is the number of luck, as well as spirit and intuition/introspection. If it were my dream, I would see that I was going through a time of thinking "what is it all for" and trying to make a decision that would benefit me.

Because the dream was located in Toni's mind in the Pacific Northwest, which she says was her ideal place to live at the time, perhaps she was seeing a scene of better things to come, of being able to flow over life's obstacles to arrive at something better. In the dream she had a loyal friend with her; if it were my dream this would signal to me that my psyche was saying I was supported in the decisions I was going to make.

The inclusion of the "voice-over," which Toni "was convinced at the time was God or a higher power or whatever you want to call it" shows to me that not only the psyche, but also the universe/higher power supported the decision as well.

Thanks for this amazing dream, Toni!

A new dream will be posted shortly...if you would like it to be yours, email me!

The Importance of Dreams

"Dreams are the creative store that is true wealth. They reside at the human edge of the holy. From the unknown, from eternity, into the restless minds of sleepers, their light is given off. In the human body, worlds are charted, wounds healed, illnesses reversed. In our vulnerable sleep, those hours when anything could happen. Like dark matter in the universe, dreams have mass and presence, even when not remembered." -- Linda Hogan

I treasure my dreams. Although I don't religiously write them down every morning as I used to (I've recorded more than 1,000 dreams in the last year!), I do write down the ones that make a big impact on me. Like the dream I had this summer that led me to release my inner artist once and for all.

You can read about this experience here. It was powerful, amazing, life-transforming. Listen to your dreams. They are trying to tell you something.

Dream #6 -- Seven Waters Fall

Here is another dream from Toni. Follow the guidelines and have fun interpreting this dream!

I was walking somewhere very lush and green--not tropical, but more like the Pacific Northwest, and there was the sound of water running nearby. My best friend at the time was with me, and I could see waterfalls. A voice spoke from somewhere above us, like a voiceover in a documentary or something. It said, "This is your heaven, the place where the Seven Waters Fall." I realized there were seven waterfalls there, and there was a woman with light brown skin and long, black hair carrying a basket and walking toward a nearby valley, and I started to follow her.

Toni also added this: "I have never, ever felt such peace as I did in that dream. It's been at least 15 years since it happened and it still stays with me. I even checked maps and Googled to see if such a place really existed, it was that powerful."

Dreamer's Response: Dream #5

It was great to see the different perspectives on this dream! Toni has responded to Sarah's and my comments on her dream, and this is what she had to say:

"I've been feeling stagnant and burned out in my 'day job' as a writer for about a year now. Earlier this year, not one, but two ideas for novels literally fell into my head and I started writing. And writing. And haven't stopped. I wonder if this is about that yearning--fiction is certainly more creative and vibrant than banging out copy for commercial markets or trade pubs (even though I'm very good at it and it's too lucrative and family-friendly to walk away from now).

"I've also been struggling a great deal with body image issues. Not sure if it's connected here, but the whole unconscious thing makes me think, perhaps so. Or maybe it's related more to the work stuff, going with the KC=work thing. Finally, we live on a hill and our upstairs windows are a good 3 stories up and I've ALWAYS worried about the boys pushing through one of the screens upstairs."

Thank you for your comments, Toni. I will just add in here that this dream could definitely be about body issues since a house often represents the body in a dream. I think you could explore this dream for a while to come.

Dream #5: House On the Water

This dream was submitted by Toni. Kindly remember the guidelines to the right and have fun with this dream!

Last night, I dreamed my husband, three sons and I were visiting a friend of mine named Dean from law school in Kansas City (I have no idea if Dean lives in KC, but we just got back from a trip there and I'd been discussing Dean one night over dinner while we were there). His house was on the water, and the setting looked nothing like Kansas City, more like northern Michigan. The house was brightly painted, with the outside done in a mustard yellow with dark greens and browns, kind of like those "painted lady" Victorian homes, only this one was more of a Bavarian style. Rooms inside the house were equally colorful, though I can't remember anything specific any more, and the rooms were funky and configured in interesting ways, with sculpture and artwork on display. I remember saying to my husband, "Our next house will have bright colors like this!" and he laughed, remembering how we'd fought while painting our current home (he wanted beige, I wanted BOLD.)

There were other men in the house, all rooming together like college friends, and at one point my youngest son was on a stairway looking out a window down at the front entry, which was paved with that whitish-gray flagstone. I saw there wasn't a screen and suddenly, Aaron fell to the ground and lay unconscious. I could see his little body there, on his back, eyes closed, and I screamed for my husband. I remember running and running down, down, down, as if I was in a turret or lighthouse, until I FINALLY made it down to where he was. There were paramedics, and they were showing my husband a hole in the back Aaron's head, but saying that he was lucky and was going to be ok, even though he was unconscious.

Dreamer's Response: Dream #4

I found Sarah's dream fascinating and I think the layers could be peeled for a long time. Here is what Sarah had to say about her dream and my comments on it:

" Your comments on this dream were really helpful. This was one of those dreams that struck me as being really random when I had it, but a few things you pointed out ended up making it great food for thought.

• The diamonds—I agree that these represent one's gifts, or maybe even something better than that (if it gets better than that!), a lightness of being or a brightness of soul, distilled into something tangible.
• The condo building—The setting of the dream was really random to me, at first. What threw me about it is that even though condos are homes, the building didn't feel like home to me; it felt more like one of those corporate high rises you see in the middle of NYC. I think the reason people were living in it is that this was supposed to be centuries in the future, and the world was so populated that this was how everyone lived, stacked on top of each other in de-personalized spaces. The building was high-tech, but it wasn't a luxury building; it was for working class people. The special security features took the place of security guards standing in the lobby. To me, these condos represent a common present-day woe, work infiltrating home life and how that affects the spirit.
• The elevators—Your suggestion that the elevators could represent a way to the higher mind was kind of the key to the whole dream, for me – it makes the dream come apart in three different onion layers: interpersonal relationships (represented by my interactions with the in-laws), career (represented by the condo building), and spirituality (represented by the elevators).
• The in-laws—Honestly, I'm still not sure exactly what my friend’s in-laws represent. But their part in the dream had to do with joyousness and a kind of innocence that was hard for me to interpret – I'm still not sure if it was the kind that comes with naiveté or wisdom. Because I wasn't sure, I was worried for them and felt very protective of both them and myself.
• The men in black—I still don’t really have them figured out, either, but I think it’s safe to say that their presence in the elevator suggests some shadowiness I’m feeling in my spiritual life, a 'journey into the dark forest,' as they say.

"So, basically, I’m reading this as a deeply existential dream – which is funny, because I certainly didn’t see all that in the dream when I had it! I’m seeing it now, though, and you’re right, Katrina – it’s giving me a lot to think about."

Doing this with Sarah's dream shows how differently two people can see a dream. I find that hearing others' interpretations of my dream gives me food for thought, and often gives me insights I would not have had on my own. But, having said that, it is my belief that the dreamer's interpretation takes top billing because they know themselves better than anyone else.

Next up, Toni's dream!

Dream #4: Diamond Dream

This dream was submitted by Sarah. Kindly remember the guidelines in the right column when you are posting comments. Thanks!

I’m in a futuristic skyscraper. The building is brand new, and it’s all condos. High-powered elevators quickly carry people from floor to floor. However, there is concern among people waiting for the elevators that they’ll be mugged – apparently this is a common danger in condo buildings. So a safety device has been built into the elevator; a code you punch in brings the elevator extra quickly, and once the elevator doors are open, you’re safe – instruments inside the elevators detect trouble and stop it. There’s still a small gap of time when you need to be on your guard, though – the elevator doesn't come immediately, and though the building has other security features, they’re not fail-safe; it’s possible to get past them.

I’m concerned, because many of my neighbors in the building have grown lax in keeping their guard up until the elevator doors open. It used to be that a group of people waiting together knew to watch each other’s back, but they have so much faith in this new building’s high-tech security system that they've been lulled into complacency verging on foolhardiness – especially in the case of my best friend’s in-laws, who live on the same floor as me. (In real life I barely know these people.)

One day, I’m waiting at the elevator with the in-laws. They laugh and joke and clearly don’t worry about being watchful. I’m tense, making an extra show of keeping my eye out to see if they get the message. On the contrary they become even worse! Both are carrying fistfuls of diamonds in their pockets, and the father-in-law thinks this is hilarious – he’s been walking up and down city streets this way, without a care in the world, assuming that since nothing bad has happened yet, nothing bad will happen. I tell him I think he’s out of his mind, and this is very funny to him – he thinks I’m just a Nervous Nelly. He grabs a handful of diamonds from his pocket and holds them out for me to see. They’re beautiful, like no other diamonds I've seen, especially all glittering there together, like a handful of stars. I exclaim about how beautiful they are, and he insists on giving them to me, pushing them into my hand. I feel a mix of emotions: scared to death, protective of my friend’s in-laws, bowled over by their generosity, worried about offending them with my insistence that they be more careful. I shove the diamonds in my pocket to get them out of sight. Then the father-in-law takes another handful from his pocket and so does his wife – they are laughing over them and comparing them in the open. I keep warning them, but they refuse to worry.

And then I see bad news out of the corner of my eye – men dressed in black, all geared out like museum robbers in the movies. They surround us just as the elevator doors are opening. With the elevator doors open, they can’t harm us, but they don’t just leave us alone; they climb into the elevator with us. As we ride up from floor to floor, I’m frantic wondering what we’ll do when the elevator doors open again. I imagine us running down the dark hallway to our apartment doors. I know that the men in back are prepared to get past any light security that’s in the hallway, and also that I’ll need to look out for my friends’ in-laws, who clearly don’t understand the gravity of the situation. I feel tense and ready to act. But I can’t know what will happen until the doors actually open, so it’s impossible to formulate any sort of a plan.

Dreamer's Response: Dream #3

I got some really interesting feedback on this dream that helped me get a better hold on it.

Liliana wrote me an email with this insight: "I read discount as 'doesn't count,' and 'slips' as mistakes. The slips were pink and pink to me means innocence, so whatever the mistakes were, they were innocent, so don't worry about them."

Denny had these comments: "A hardware store represents the masculine space for
repairing brokenness or completing new projects. If this were my dream, the dream represents that I am unemployed. In order to fix the brokenness or complete projects, I am using very analytical thinking but I am stuck in one spot not moving. My creativity joins me to help me move forward. But (she) cannot understand my thinking."

And Sarah wrote: "Maybe it, too, could be about bureaucracy on some level... Makes me think of paperwork and forms - things we need to figure out, complete, and turn in, that are meaningful to us, because we have to do the work, and meaningful to whoever the work is for, but difficult to understand when you're someone outside the process or exchange."

All of these had resonance for me. I am in a space where I feel like I've "slipped up," but it was a good slip, one that led me to make some needed changes. I am also looking for a job and trying to go about it in an analytical way when some creativity would probably help things along quite a bit. And I do feel like, in trying to find this job, I am dealing with a lot of bureaucracy.

I also think the stuckness in the dream is important...at the time I had this dream I felt stuck in a spot and I couldn't see the way out, even though I had tools and people all around me who could help. Once I saw creative ways to engage those tools and people, things began to move.

Thanks for all of your insights!

Look for Sarah's dream in the coming days...

Dream #3: Hardware Store

Please refer to the guidelines on the right and enjoy interpreting this dream...

I walk up to a hardware store. I see a big neon-pink sign in the window that says, "Discounts For Pink Slips" -- they are giving discounts to people who have been laid off. I am there to return something. I get in line. The people working there are busy, but none seem to be interested in the customers in line. They are taking calls and saying stuff over the loudspeaker. The line grows and shrinks, but I stay in the same place. I lose track of time. My number is never called. Now Susan (a friend) is there. I am showing her a worksheet I've created. It's reminiscent of a numerology chart, but it has to do with math. She's giving me feedback on it -- parts of the sheet are hard for her to understand, she says.

This one's a mystery to me...I can't wait to read what you come up with.

Dreamer's Response: Dream #2

I really enjoyed Sarah's comments on this dream, and I felt they were on the mark. She mentioned that the setting is inspirational, that the children are uninhibited, and that the witness makes the choice to follow the children right down into the center of the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. And here is the most important part: that the dream is about deciding to follow one's bliss.

I very recently made the decision to finally do what my heart has been asking me to do for a long time. And while it's a bit too soon to share this with the wide world, I will tell you that I have already started down the path and it feels amazing.

So, for me, this dream was saying, "Here, this is what you are capable of. You can follow those children down into the earth, you can flow like the water, you can enjoy adventure. And although it might look scary at first, you will be rewarded with amazing things." I had this dream several weeks ago, and I'm glad that I took its advice.

More dreams to come.

AND: if you would like to have your dream featured here for others to comment on, please email me.

Dream #2: The Waterfall

Just a reminder of how this works: use "projective dreamwork" to interpret the dream. Check the guidelines in the sidebar for more information. To give your input on the dream, leave a comment.

I am in a park, maybe in Hawaii, definitely somewhere tropical. I am standing at the edge of a cliff. When I look down I see a waterfall. The area is basically a big circle carved into the earth, and water comes down on most sides. The inside is rocky and steep -- it's like a straight cylinder was carved into the ground. Down at the bottom is a small and inviting pool. I want to go down, but the rocks look slippery and dangerous. Two kids next to me, a boy and a girl, who seem like they are native to the area, start hopping down from one rock to the next. They are laughing and gleeful with no fear. This surprises me. Part of me wants to tell them to be careful. But I don't say anything. I start following them down, more as a witness than a physical person. We reach the pool and it's nice and cozy. The top doesn't seem as far away as I thought. The kids splash around and eventually climb out.

Dreamer's Response: Dream #1

Thanks to Pixie and Sarah, who were the first two brave souls to participate in this grand experiment I call a blog. Your comments were enlightening and helpful.

I agree that the dream is about a temporary state and that it is about nourishment. There are definitely things in my life that no longer nourish me, but they are still around, so I am going to look at how to cleanse those out of my life.

I found a lot of resonance with the comments Pixie and Sarah made about how this is a time when I can assert myself and my needs and really help myself. I am the only one who knows what healthy choices are for me. That's a great revelation! I am working on that in my outer life, and, as Sarah pointed out, this does feel like my maiden voyage in that area, so I'm still working out the kinks.

As far as the salmon goes...that's a big symbol for me. It's one of the totem animals I work with and to me it symbolizes inner knowing. I'm seeing in this dream that I can nourish myself with my intuition, and although I may be surrounded by other types of nourishment, intuition is going to be my mainstay.

However, sailing the ship Intuition is not necessarily embraced in our culture, a culture full of steaks, or left-brainers, and this dream points that out. Although I try to find comfort in my friends, no one helps. This just shows me that sailing the ship Intuition is something I have to do on my own.

This has been a great first try. I will post a new dream shortly!

Dream #1: Can't Eat

So here are the rules: use the "projective dreamwork" style to interpret the dream (see previous post). To give your input on the dream, leave a comment. In a few days I will check back in, read the comments, and write an addition to this post that synthesizes what everyone thought the dream was about. Then I will add my own two cents. Yay!

Dream #1:

I am either at school or staying in a dorm or hotel. It's time to eat. I knew there would be nothing for me to eat, so I brought my own food. It's a piece of salmon and I have to cook it. When I get to the cafeteria, all the grill space is taken by steaks. I am fuming. I walk by buffet tables of food I might actually be able to eat, but I am so mad I don't notice. I go back to the room with my friends and complain in distress about my situation. No one helps.

(Notes: I am vegetarian and have many food allergies. This makes eating out anywhere tricky.)

Have fun interpreting!

If It Were My Dream...

Whenever I do a dream group, I always use projective dreamwork. This is the type of dreamwork I would like to do here.

Let me explain a bit more. When someone reads a dream to you, you immediately begin imagining this dream in your mind. In a way, you have the dream. Then, when it comes time to interpret the dream, you are using the images you saw and the feelings you experienced. You don't know how the dreamer pictured it or experienced it. Even so, your experience of it can be valuable to the dreamer. That is why dream groups work so well.

However, dreamwork can get into the sticky realm of projection. Jeremy Taylor, who created projective dreamwork, wanted to make sure that projection remained in the consciousness of dream group members. He also wanted to ensure that people who joined dream groups were not doing pop psychology on one another. So he devised a method in which one always states, "If it were my dream..." before offering an analysis of a dream. This way, one's projection is identified.

For instance, pretend the image to the right is the lingering image from someone's dream. If I were working this dream, I would say, "If it were my dream, I would wonder if this mysterious and majestic tree that represents a part of myself that I am not acknowledging. It is beautiful, wispy and delicate. How am I beautiful, wispy and delicate?"

Two things are important in this statement. The first is, of course, saying, "if it were my dream" because it puts the focus on my interpretation. The second important piece is saying "the tree represents a part of myself I am not acknowledging." Using the word "myself," instead of "you," signals that I am, again, talking about my interpretation and not playing therapist with the dreamer.

It can be tricky to remember at first, but once dreamers get going, it becomes easier. And it feels better too, because people don't feel like they have to have all the answers: they can just share their impressions. The dreamer, in turn, does not feel like everyone is giving unsolicited advice.

In the end, only the dreamer truly knows what the dream is about. He or she can take, or leave, anything anyone in the group says. Often, what group members say is incredibly valuable. And that is why this method works so well.

Welcome to the Katrina Dreamer Blog

This blog will soon be a place to share dreams, discuss dreams, and to learn what is lurking in the unconscious!