I am revising my experiments in lucid dreaming. In the past, I have made a strong effort to "save the world," which doesn't need saving as such. When I nourish myself with the care and compassion I wish to create all around me, then I can be the means to the end. And, I'll have the energy to carry out my inspirations with ease and beauty. I've also come to realize that patience in the waking world is as powerful as presence in the dreamworld. Waiting and listening have become great teachers to me. The drive to learn and do can be fun, but it can also negate our completeness as human beings.
While I appreciate my lucid dreaming efforts as a learning process, I feel that many of my ideas have been naive, particularly in dreams such as "Healing Russia" (LOL), in which I entered a land about which I know very little and attempted to "fix" it. How's that for Conquistador of Consciousness? Appropriately, Mother Russia also happened to flee the scene of this dream.
In my experimentation, I have had some interesting "successes" in treating patients from the dream world. When I have asked them in dreams what they needed for healing, they have told me some things that would not have occurred to me in the waking world. One Norwegian patient, for example, requested a Runic sigil. When I mentioned this to her in waking life, she told me she indeed had a Runic sigil, and then began to wear it. Often, people's illnesses manifest symbolically rather than literally, so I am learning to familiarize myself with these symbols.
Recently, I approached an elder with questions about healing from within the dream world. She told me she didn't want to answer me without first consulting some shamans from Altai. She suggested that I come with her on her next trip to Siberia so that a (female) shaman can initiate me in order to receive the knowledge and empowerment I need to continue on this path. I do plan to make this journey, two summers hence.
So, this is where Lucid Dreaming for the Earth currently stands. I am having fewer lucid dreams now, which is nice (to rest more), but I still enjoy them when they naturally arise.
Lastly, I'd like to share my friend Ryan Hurd's piece on Lucid Dreaming as Shamanic Technology, because it's brilliant and discusses with depth and experiential authority these things that are so close to my heart.
don't be hard on yourself. just cause the world doesn't need saving doesn't mean there isn't a whole lot of work to be done. people learn how to use technologies thru experimentation, ya? we're wired for creative play... in the dream world as well.
ReplyDeleteThought-provoking post, Erin! I'm not sure there is a right or wrong approach to lucid dreaming. Sometimes I think we learn more from our "failures" than our "successes". I do like the idea of approaching lucid dreaming with a humble, respectful attitude, though. I seem to have more enlightening results when I respect the spirit of each of my dreams, rather than trying to force the flow of the dream in directions that conform to my preconceived notion of what might be fun or desirable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback, guys. Thanks for the reminder about not being hard on myself, Aaron. People definitely learn by experimenting. I sometimes wish I could sit with an experienced dream elder. Such a time-saver, you know. But blundering through is very valuable, too. :) And, John, I agree that failures should definitely be in quotation marks! Approaching dreams playfully sounds like such a good idea to me right now.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing my piece. I certainly wouldn't call your previous work Conquest. But humility is a good thing to have in spades with lucid dreaming work. Those dreams you had are still unraveling -- and will continue to do so for decades... the meaning will continue to shift and focus as we shift and focus.
ReplyDeleteand there will always be another opportunity to dream on...
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ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Erin. I’m excited about your dream work and would love to chat about it more.
ReplyDeleteI think in the past I’ve held off from dreamwork because I couldn’t see how it was relevant in this world other than personal growth, and for me, inner growth must be intwined with outer growth that has implications for this world we live in. Reading your blog is helping me re-evaluate that unconscious assumption. As a younger person, I often had lucid dreams, and powerful dreams. They disappeared for quite some time, and I had assumed that was simply a part of my youth. Now I’ve begun to have powerful dreams again, which really makes me happy. It’s interesting to think about how there may be ways to fold in the work of the dreamworld with the work of this world – especially when you also look at Atava’s work and what she does with herbs.
Exciting to hear about your plans to go to Siberia! Do you have ancestors from there?
Blessings,
Rebecca
best of luck !!!!
ReplyDeletelove!!!!