Recipe of Successful Dreamwork

It may seem that our ability to remember dreams is the only condition for successful work with dreams. I would say that such ability is not a pre-requisite, but rather the result of having other key ingredients in place. It means that if someone believes they don’t have any dreams or are not able to recall them, there is a simple solution for changing it: as soon as they acquire the cornerstones for successful dreamwork, their dreaming experience will change.

Here are four main cornerstones for any successful dreamwork.

1. Demonstrating the real intention to record dreams and to analyze them.

It can be as simple as keeping dream journal or voice recorder near the bed and being ready to write down any information about the dream, even if it’s just a faint memory or emotional residue. Persisting attempts to do the dreamwork may serve as a proof to your inner guides of your serious intent.

Putting some time aside for the dreamwork as for any other spiritual practice is another condition for having meaningful dreams. When your Higher Self perceives your intent, it will respond, perhaps only bit by bit at first. The skill is usually incrementally learned.

2. Understanding that dreams are pointing to the work on oneself and not to changing others.

This is the basic concept of any spiritual teaching – we are not supposed to change other people, especially by interfering with their free will. The only place for change is our own self. Even when it looks like dreams are pointing to another person’s poor behavior, the hidden message is to change our life or attitude to stop being affected by adverse situation.

Understanding that each dream is a parable that symbolically points to the area of the Self where the inner-work is needed is an essential condition for uncovering the true meaning of the dream.

3. Having enough honesty and courage to face unpleasant truths about oneself that dreams may be revealing.

Since the main function of dreams is to remove the energetic blockages of the mind/body/spirit, dreams are touching the areas where the free flow of energy is interrupted. Everything that is not Love (towards oneself and others), will be uncovered; and the main challenge is in accepting existence of unloving parts in ourselves. Only by observation and acceptance can meaningful change take place.

In addition to that, honesty is essential for recognizing that certain dreams are reflecting an inflated ego (or fulfilling wishes) while presenting the pictures of great importance of the dreamer. Such dreams become stumbling blocks on the way of true self-discovery, leading the dreamer to the world of fantasy, chasing desires of the ego rather than facing the necessity of the inner work.

4. Performing the inner work based on the dream messages and implementing the results in life.

This is a logical statement – if something is not being used properly, there is no need to offer the same gift again. Quite often it’s the only reason why people suddenly stop recalling their dreams: if the messages from divine are not being used for inner work, there is no need to proceed with the same teaching. At that point, dream messages may be slowed or stopped until a crisis pushes the person towards a readiness to do the work. Or, as in the first instance, the absence of time may be the underlying reason. This is why it’s necessary to create enough space in one’s life for continuous fruitful work with dreams.

If you have all these ingredients in place, you are ready to progress in your personal development as fast as you wish. As soon as the main energy blockages are removed, dreaming takes new level, becoming mostly spiritual practice rather than just psychological help.