Title: Electric Dreams, Volume 3 number 4

Send all subscription and unsubscribe requests to

Richard at rcwilk@aol.com

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Electric Dreams

Volume 3 Issue #4

25 May 1996

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Electric Dreams on WWWeb:

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~mettw/edreams/home.html

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-- Send Dreams and Comments on Dreams to:

Bob Krumhansl <bobk829887@aol.com>

-- Send Dream Questions and Concerns to

Victoria Quinton <mermaid@daemon.apana.org.au>

--Send Dreaming News and Calendar Events to:

Peggy Coats <pcoats@cruzio.com>

-- Send Requests for Dream Groups to:

Chris Hicks <shadow45@netonecom.net>

--Send Articles and Subscription concerns to:

Richard Wilkerson: <rcwilk@aol.com>

--For back issues, editors addresses

and other access see

ELECTRIC DREAMS ACCESS INFORMATION AT End of file

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CONTENTS:

Editor's Notes

Question Airing Forum - Victoria Quinton

Poetry: Dreamwatching I & II -Fanny Jacobson

Column: Dream Reaper - Journaling - by Nutcracker

JAYNE GACKENBACH - Interview by Victoria Quinton

DreamLine -Special Interview: Jesse Reklaw - by

Christopher Hicks

Comments From Jung - Review by Sue b.

Dolphins, Whales, and Dreamtime - by Trisha Lamb

Feuerstein

Article: The Lucid Dreamer's Manual

Part II by Lee Holmes

Global Dreaming News - Peggy Coats

-ADVANCED INTENSIVE: THE ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY OF DREAMS

-DREAM WAVE BREAKS ON THE WEB

-DREAM WEB SITE UPDATES

-DREAMS AND THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES

-CONSCIOUS DREAMING, A SPIRITUAL PATH

-FUTURE OF DREAMING ONLINE - ASD BULLETIN BOARD TALK

-ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF DREAMS CONFERENCE XII,

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, JULY 1996

-NEW FINDINGS ON THE MEANING AND CLINICAL USE OF DREAMS

-DREAMS, CREATIVITY AND THE ARTS - ASD XIII

-DREAMING IN CYBERSPACE, SHAMANISM, AIDS, O.J. AND MORE

AT THIS -YEAR'S ASD CONFERENCE IN JULY !

-CONTINUING EDUCATION (CU) CREDITS AT ASD XIII

-ONLINE DREAM COURSE(s) IN JUNE

-DREAM TALK RADIO SHOW

-COMMUNAL MAGIC: A GROUP DREAMING PROJECT

-ELECTRIC DREAMS BULLETIN BOARD

-CONTENT ANALYSIS OF DREAMS - NEW SAT Program

SPECIAL SECTION:

Dream Wheel: An Inside Look - by Chris Hicks and Richard

Wilkerson

ELECTRIC DREAMS ACCESS INFORMATION AT End of file

DISCLAIMER

==end contents ==

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Editors Notes

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Welcome to all new and continuing subscribers! We have

a different sort of issue for you this month since Bob,

our Dream Editor is on vacation. Dream and Comments will

return next month, so if you have sent in dreams, you

will see them published in the June issue.

This issue we are publishing the transcripts of a

COMPLETE dream group. We felt that it would be a model

for other groups and provide a peek into a part of our

community activities that usually go unnoticed by causal

Electric Dreams readers. Be sure to read over the

special section that Chris Hicks and I have prepared for

you in "Dream Wheel , A look Inside" This article will

be mirrored on the Web

at http://www.best.com/~rcwilk/asd-13/2lb12_2.htm

If you would like to JOIN the *next* dream wheel group -

its starting this week! Quick -> send a note to Chris and

tell him you want to be in the next group - He will send

you instructions. shadow45@netonecom.net

Another "Big" Electric Dreams event. We have several

new volunteers who are lending us their skills and

expertise to enrich, expand and deepen your experience of

Dream Sharing in Cyberspace. As you may have noticed at

the beginning of this issue their addresses, titles and

names are available. They will be introducing themselves

to you in various ways, but no need to wait -> if you

have ideas or would like to participate in their

programs, (Such as book reviews, Cyberspace dreaming

news gathering, dream group mediators, submitting or

collecting dream art, illustrating Electric Dreams,

moderating discussions on dreaming, discussing

techniques, etc) please contact them at the e-mail

addresses provided.

A *big* and *warm* Welcome to :

Questions & Answers Editor:

Victoria Quinton <mermaid@daemon.apana.org.au>

News and Calendar Events Director:

Peggy Coats <pcoats@cruzio.com>

Education Director:

Chris Hicks <shadow45@netonecom.net>

Two more volunteers not mentioned above but also part of

the active staff that have joined us this month and who

will also be deeply enriching our dream experience:

Nutcracker, who will have a special column on dream

Journaling and build a model for dream journals on the ED

Web site. Find out all about this in the Dream Reaper

column.

Also:

Jesse Reklaw, who will be working with the new Covers

of Electric Dreams that will soon be available to down

load and frame, or cover your favorite issues of Electric

Dreams. Watch the Electric Dreams Web page for details!

Who is Jesse Reklaw? Well, among the many other thing,

Jesse publishes _Concave Up_, where your dreams are

illustrated in comic format. You will be delighted by

the interview that our new Education Director, Chris

Hicks did with Jesse and sent in for us this issue.

Hey - guess what Matthew Parry has added to our WEB

SITE? Well, I can't tell you *all* the new changes, but

we now have a Bulletin Board for communicating, sharing

dreams and exchanging ideas. We still feel that ongoing

discussions can best be held on Bulletin Board like the

alt.dreams usenet newsgroups and the ASD Bulletin Board.

Posting dreams - in general, there is DreamLink and

places like Angie's Dream Chat (See NEWS) - if posted on

our board, we are likely to publish them or cycle them

through the core mail list. But we would like to have a

spot to meet and exhange information. If you have

REGIONAL dream groups or meetings, for example, you might

want to use the board for announcements. Be sure to

include your area of the world or country in the post

title "England, Avebury dream meetings" or "Tuesday

Nights in Portland, Oregon".

Also, if you are doing research, you may want to leave a

post on this board. "Leave dolphin Dreams here" or

"looking for Flying Dreams". More as this develops..

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~mettw/edreams/home.html

Select "Bulletin Board"

And be sure to see the new List of Dream Links page. This

is REALLY cool - Matthew as added a form to put in NEW

LINKS - just fill it out and place the link in one of 8

catagories.

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~mettw/edreams/links.html

And as mentioned last issue, Matthew has OPENED the

Electric Dreams Web site to the dreaming public so if you

have a dream related page you want up, send it to him and

he will attach it the Electric Dreams Web Site.

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~mettw/edreams/web-pages.html

Jayne Gackenbach has finished beta testing her Web site

Dream Course. Many thanks to all the Electric Dreams beta

testers! See the Global Dreaming News for more on the new

June classes. What? You don't know who Jayne Gackenbach

is? Well you're in luck today as our Q&A editor,

Victoria Quinton has provided us this month with an

interview.

Trisha Lamb Feuerstein has donated a sneak peak at her

new book on dreams, whales and dreamtime. For a wonderful

swim in the sea of dreams you can not only read her

article here, but link to more cetacean spots via a

mirror of the article at:

http://www.best.com/~rcwilk/asd-13/4r30.htm

Also this issue, Dreamwatcher poetry, Part II of Lucid

Dream Techniques, tons of info on dreams and Cyberspace,

dreams and the Association for the Study of Dreams and

other international dream events in the Global Dreaming

News, questions on dreams from around the world and

special comments and notes.

See you in my Dreamzzzzzzzzzzz -Richard

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QUESTION AIRING FORUM

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Notes from the Questions and Answer Editor.

Greetings subscribers and others interested

parties. Here follows my first foray into the world of

writing for an E-zine.

Firstly, I am known in Cyberspace as mermaid,

otherwise as Victoria Quinton, wife of Gary and mother of

Emily.

I have been interested in dreams as a subject for

some years, though I have never "studied" them formally.

I was initially drawn to Electric Dreams through

the simple expedient of doing a net search on Dreams.

Through the search, I landed at Dream Link, had a look

around, entered a dream in their journal, and filled out

a general questionnaire.

Within a few weeks, I had e-mail from Richard

Wilkerson, notifying me that a new e-mail dream class was

imminent and that if I hurried, I could be included; all

for $10 US.

From there, I joined Dream Wheel 7. I really

enjoyed sharing dreams, both to gain insight into my own

dream and to aid others in their search for insights from

theirs. Because the procedure was new to me, I held back

to some extent, but was inspired to continue on as a

participant in Dream Wheel 8.

Part way through Dream Wheel 7, Richard signed us all up

to receive Electric Dreams.

While scanning through the contents of Electric

Dreams 3#3, I noticed a request for a volunteer Q&A

editor. I sent in a tentative email to Richard, asking

how much interest his request had generated and saying

that I'd help out if I could. In next to no time I had a

job!

I have had an Internet account for less than a

year. I live in Melbourne, Australia. These facts will

incorporate themselves into Electric Dreams.

Please help to energize this column by writing to me:

mermaid@daemon.apana.org.au

I am keen to hear from you, especially if you

live in Australia or "surrounds".

Also, I intend to make a special place for

children's dreams; to include in their own "frames" that

reintroduce us to the art that is the dream of a child.

Emily is only 2 and though I see that she dreams;

sharing her dreams is a pleasure yet to come.

There are many ways to approach dreams, both as

individuals trying to gain insight into our own dreams

and in helping others to work with their dreams.

To that end, I would like to incorporate

interviews into "my" section of the E-zine.

If you'd like to put yourself forward as "Dreamer of the

month"; send me e-mail.

That address again: mermaid@daemon.apana.org.au

I am hoping that there will be a variety of

ongoing conversations.

QUESTION:

Is there a question you'd like to ask me

that would make you feel more comfortable about writing

into Electric Dreams?

other questions received this month:

Subj: Electric Dreams

Date: 96-05-02 04:53:17 EDT

From: wargh@wam.umd.edu (Daniel James Bell)

To: rcwilk@aol.com

I've been having trouble sleeping because of a reoccuring

t*y*p*e of lucid dream (they're all different, but the

feeling's the same), usually in which my point of view

is other than corporal (classic out of body thing? I

don't know).

I (being a Christian, 19 years old, and never heard of

anything like this before I had my first) have no idea

what the heck it's all about. I've never tried to

induce one, but since they scare the hell out of me, and

I usually can't sleep the next day after one occurs

(check the time this message was sent) I figure it will

be greatly beneficial for me to tell some people about

it. I'd like to join your dream sharing group.

May I request responses from some of the readers? I

truly appreciate your help.

-Daniel Bell

Any suggestions?

Daniel's email address is: wargh@wam.umd.edu

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Sergey: I'm glad to join

Date: 96-04-24 04:02:06 EDT

From: xieji@xieji.msk.ru (Sergey Iv. Blumkhen)

To: rcwilk@aol.com

Hi Richard,

Thank You for Your welcome, I'm glad to join.

About my address - You are right, *.msk.ru means Moscow,

Russia. And here there are not so many events in the

dream field. As far as I know, in the recent few years

there appeared only 2 or 3 book titles connected with

dreaming (except Carlos Castaneda's works, of course).

But the public interest is considerable, people try to

find information where they can, and one of the most

prominent sources becomes E-mail.

I'm researcher of the Institute of Oriental Studies,

China dept. One of the jobs I do for myself deals with

dreaming as means to obtain basic point for legitimation

of political decisions in Ancient China as well as

studying connections of this practice with shamanistic

traditions of Eastern Asia. In fact, considerable part of

the Chinese classic literature is somehow connected with

dreaming and the use of it (especially short stories of

the XVIIth century).

But in the real dreaming I'm a novice.

Can You advise me some books to read about practice of

dreaming? May be they will help me to begin - now in the

morning I just switch on and don't remember any dream,

which makes me envy my wife and her long dreaming

stories.

-Sergey

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From: Igor Savchenko <root@igor.odessa.ua>

Date: Sat, 27 Apr 1996 15:41:00 +0300 (UKD)

Subject: Re: jung books, etc

We are interested in Jung and before and currently we are

not really lucky in obtaining the proper materials. The

main difficulty is financial. Not complaining, just

stating the fact. In case you have C.G.Jung books:old,

damaged, used, gathering dust on the shelves and you do

not need them any more, we would be more than delighted

to explore them. There is not much which we could offer

in return, wish we could. Please let us know what you

might fancy from Ukraine: folk art items, audio records,

albums, or ... if you wish we will try to send you the

'test parcel' with some things and you will see whether

you like it or there is something else you might fancy.

Regarding books we will better give you a long list of

the books we are looking for or if such are not available

any will be welcome. We have not much: 'Memories, Dreams,

Reflections', 'Man and his Symbols' volume 6 from

Collected Works, this is about it, not much, but it made

us to get involved in it very seriously. Well will close

up for this time. Going to take little Darya outside.

Will be looking for you reply. With Best Regards

Savchenko Family

THE COLLECTED WORKS BY C G JUNG:

VOL. 7 'TWO ESSAYS ON ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY'

VOL. 8 ' THE STRUCTURE AN DYNAMICS OF THE PSYCHE'

VOL. 9 part one 'ARCHETYPES AND COLLECTIVE

UNCONSCIOUS'

VOL. 9 part two 'AION'

VOL. 10 'CIVILIZATION IN TRANSITION'

VOL. 11 'PSYCHOLOGY AND RELIGION: WEST AND EAST'

VOL. 12 'PSYCHOLOGY AND ALCHEMY'

VOL. 13 'ALCHEMICAL STUDIES'

VOL. 14 'MYSTERIUM CONIUNCTIONIS'

VOL. 16 'THE PRACTICE OF PSYCHOTHERAPY'

VOL. 17 'DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERSONALITY'

VOL. 18 'THE SYMBOLIC LIFE'

EXTRACTS:

'ANSWER TO JOB'

'ASPECTS OF THE FEMININE'

'ASPECTS OF THE MASCULINE'

'DREAMS'

'ESSAYS ON CONTEMPORARY EVENTS'

'FLYING SAUCERS'

'MANDALA SYMBOLISM'

'ON THE NATURE OF THE PSYCHE'

'PSYCHOLOGY AND THE EAST'

'PSYCHOLOGY AND THE OCCULT'

'PSYCHOLOGY OF THE TRANSFERENCE'

'SYNCHRONICITY'

'THE UNDISCOVERED SELF'

SEMINARS:

VOL.1 'DREAM ANALYSIS'

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Dreamwatching

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I

As, yes again,

the sabbath approaches.

The mezzuin's cry

the sunlight and the bluesky

the mountain and the sea

watching with me

Sleep well

I am out here

Dreamwatching

II

swinging straight into dreamtime

yourtime notime like the present

netcycles sea like lunar tidal

always here but ebbing always there

i use pointed signifiers

for rounded reference

assume nothing

assume everything

until the flow resumes

fanny@ICAFE.CO.ZA (Fanny Jacobson)

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DREAM LINE: Interview with Jeese Reklaw

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Hello regular readers and new subscribers to Electric

Dreams. Some of you may know, from reading past Dream

Lines, that I usually focus on a social issue and explore

the relationship between that issue and our dreams. This

Dream Line is different in that I am presenting a short

history of and interview with Jesse Reklaw, dream

illustrator.

My first contact with Jesse was an email that he sent to

me. He had read one of my dreams in an issue of Electric

Dreams and asked me if he could have permission to

illustrate it for use in his comic anthology of

illustrated dreams, Concave Up. I gave Jesse permission

to do so. As we corresponded regarding the details of

his illustrating my dream I began to become interested in

the idea of a collection of dreams, from many different

dreamers, in an illustrated form.

The beautifully alluring cover art of Concave Up #1

touches the dreamer in me--a woman, hugging herself, with

eyes closed, stands against a swirling, surreal

background. This cover art speaks of the Dreamtime. In

fact, during the interview, Jesse shared that most of his

paintings, which he uses as cover art for Concave Up,

stem from images he sees in the hypnogogic state (just

before falling asleep)!

Inside the front cover Jesse speaks of his idea for

Concave Up and the fact that others have tread this

ground before (more on this later). Jesse also gives the

Web site for Concave Up. The address is:

http://www.nonDairy.com/conave/up.html

There is also a shorter, weekly dream comic strip on the

web. Slow wave's address is:

http://www.nonDairy.com/slow/wave.cgi

I strongly urge anyone interested in dreams to check

these out!

Okay, enough of me telling you about Jesse. Here is a

brief bio that Jesse provided as a starting point for the

interview:

"I'm twenty-five, graduate (BA) from UC Santa Cruz in

Computer Science and Art. (My respective focuses were in

artificial intelligence and acrylic painting.) I have

studied (in classes and independently) pop art, cognitive

science, the tarot, psychology (Freud, Jung, Piaget,

Myers-Briggs), and lots of math. I have been drawing

comics since I was 16.

Concave Up is a comic book that I self publish quarterly

(with my income as a programmer %), containing

illustrated dreams, mostly 2-3 pages long. Submissions

come from all over, though at first I had to beg family

and friends to donate dreams. I have been receiving a

trickle of dream submissions, but I still need to

supplement them by surfing the web and finding dream

pages and

gold mines like E.D.

Slow Wave is a weekly comic strip I do as a complement to

Concave Up, because I got so many interesting short

dreams (that wouldn't fill a page in CU), and because I'm

too impatient to wait three months to put something out!

About half of each Concave Up issue goes on the web,

along with all the Slow Waves. I'm always looking for

dream submissions, and the Web has been a great medium

for attracting them. All the dream contributors to

Concave Up have a "bite-sized biography" in the back of

the issue."

And, here is the interview:

CH: Is there any specific event or occurrence that

sparked the idea for Concave Up and Slow Wave?

JR: Hmm...not any particular event, no. While

writing/illustrating the story of a delusionary

narcoleptic, the idea of an all-dream comic book occurred

to me. I had been interspecting my goofy comic book with

illustrated anecdotes and rants told to me by friends;

one of these was an edited dream posted to the

alt.surrealism newsgroup by Ranjit Bhantnager called

"Dictator Dictoria." It was too good of a story to pass

up, so I contacted him via email and asked if I could

illustrate it. Another dream was authored by my sister,

entitled "april 13, 1993." She narrated it to me over

the phone from her detailed dream-diary, and I was

instantly taken by the simple, symbolic narrative.

Illustrating these dreams inspired me to seek others by

means of a dream-contest (send in a dream for the chance

to be a cartoon!). Eventually the dream contest idea

overwhelmed my interest in the original storyline, and I

abandoned it for an all-dream comic.

CH: Were there any predecessors to Concave Up/Slow Wave

(either by your own hand or others)?

JR: Definitely. Julie Doucet's work in Dirty Plotte was

probably my most direct influence for doing a dream

comic. Her storytelling style (as French-Canadian

writing in English) has a quirky innocence that blends

well with dream-comics. Hers were the first illustrated

dreams that I can recall reading/absorbing. Comics by

Adrian Tomine and Chester Brown also influenced my belief

in and respect for dream comics. I didn't know about

Rick Veitch's "Rare Bit Friends" at the time, but he came

across the idea of an all-dream comic about a year before

I did, and had the gumption to make it a reality long

before me.

CH: How long have you been publishing Concave Up?

JR: I started working on issue #1 early in 1995, but it

wasn't until March, 1996 that the issue materialized. So

I guess that makes only a few months; I'm very new to

this publishing thing.

CH: This sounds like a very recent project for you. How

would you describe your experience with Concave Up and

Slow Wave at this early point (positive, negative,

enjoyable, stress producing, etc.)?

JR: Well, from your list "stress producing" seems the

most appropriate. I'm working full time as a computer

programmer and preparing for grad school while doing

Concave Up 4 times a year and Slow Wave every week. But

aside from the stress, I enjoy the creative collaboration

of illustrating dreams. Overall it's definitely a

positive experience; wish I had more time to devote

to it.

CH: You said, in your bio, you have studied some

psychology (among other areas), but what about dream

work? What sort of studying/reading have you done in

that specific area?

JR: Right now I'm reading _Our Dreaming Mind_ by Bob Van

de Castle , I have tried to read some Jung (his writing

confuses me--!), and I browsed through several of Freud's

books (and books on Freud) for the dream of "Irma's

Injection." [SEE CU #1] I guess I have a cursory

understanding

of different types of dream analysis, but I don't try to

exercise any conscious interpretation when I draw dreams;

mostly I'm interested in effectively portraying the

narrative and the characters' thoughts and feelings.

CH: Do you do any personal dream work, and if so how

long have you been doing so?

JR: I've transcribed a few of my own dreams, and I've

"shared" dreams with others. I used to be an amateur

Tarot reader, and I think that process of divination (if

I can use the word creatively) is similar to dream

interpretation. I pay close attention to my half-dreaming

mind (is that also called the hypnogogic state?) for

artistic inspiration. Most of my paintings (which I use

on the covers of Concave Up) are based on images from

that state of hyperactive creativity.

CH: Names. I am wondering where you came up with

Concave Up, Slow Wave, and nonDairy Publishing?

JR: Well, names are always difficult for me. Slow Wave

was a suggestion by my sister; I think it's a common term

for the deep, dreamless waves of stage 4 NREM. Concave Up

was suggested by my partner Raven. It's a silly math term

relating to waves (and has appropriate initials).

nonDairy Publishing was also suggested by Raven, in

relation to my being vegan.

CH: What sort of equipment do you use in the publication

of CU?

JR: It's a real hybrid of traditional comic-book tools

and more advanced computer-assistance. I pencil each page

on butcher paper stretched across a glass light-box. Then

I lay down sheets of art paper, turn on the light-box so

I can see the pencil from underneath, and ink the pages

in with an old speedball nib/ pen (sometimes using the

cap of the ink bottle to splash ink around). White-out

comes in handy here and there. I made a font from my

handwriting; so I do all the narrative-box lettering on

the

computer, cut it out and stick it down. (Though I still

hand-letter the word balloons, 'cause their shapes are

too odd.) If I make any gross errors (which is usually

the case), I scan that part of the page, edit the picture

in Adobe Photoshop, print it out, and paste the edit on

top of the mistake. I'm sure that's all very boring, but

you did ask!

CH: Were the Internet and World Wide Web part of the

distribution of Concave Up and Slow Wave from the

beginning?

JR: I began working on Concave Up and realized the Web

would be a great place to showcase it. Of course, the

image quality is a little low, and the time it takes to

load a page can be annoying, but I'm happy to have the

medium to reach more people. Slow Wave was an

afterthought which I wouldn't have implemented without

the Web. I became dissatisfied with the idea of

publishing CU only once a quarter, so I came up with the

idea of a weekly dream-strip to complement the larger

book. It's generated a lot of feedback (and dream

submissions), and also provided an outlet for all the

short dreams that wouldn't fill a whole page in Concave

Up. The Internet and desktop publishing technology

helped to clear away the small-business roadblocks that

might have kept me from doing all this.

In addition to interviewing Jesse, I asked him to contact

some dreamers whose dreams he had illustrated. Here are

the responses of three of these dreamers to a few

questions about their experience.

What were your initial thoughts when Jesse approached you

about illustrating your dream?

R answers: First time: [Dictator, Dictatoria] Kinda

flattered that he thought the story was worth

illustrating, and eager to see the result.

More recent dreams: pretty much the same, actually.

J answers: Disbelief, followed by amazement. Looking

back, I guess that given how bizarre it is for people to

write up their dreams and publish them on the 'Net,

someone wanting to buy them is a natural consequence.

N answers: First of all, it wasn't Jesse who approached

me, but my dream editor, Richard Wilkerson. Seeing as

how us 'dreamers' use pen names other than our screen

names, there was no way for Jesse to get in touch with

us, so it was handled via Richard. As for my thoughts on

the idea/subject....I was truly delighted. Not that I

myself try to 'cartoonize' my dreams, but I do on

occasion try drawing objects from my dreams, I was happy

to have someone do the drawing for me in this instance.

Had you heard of Concave Up or Slow Wave prior to Jesse

contacting you?

R answers: No.

J answers: Nope.

N answers: Again, not until Richard wrote and said my

dream had been 'tooned', I had no idea such a page

existed, but it is fascinating to say the least.

Can you briefly describe the dream Jesse illustrated?

R answers:

1. College student falls in love with fugitive Latin

American dictator in drag. [CU 0]

2. Creeping along the top of a wall overlooking a wooded

river canyon. [SW]

3. When I have trouble building my house, the tribesmen

build a hut for me. [CU 1]

4. Picnicking on the snowy hillside, watching the fires

burn on the other side of the bay; a skier runs over my

legs. [SW]

J answers: I was a detective, on the trail of a

murderer. During the course of the dream, I revealed

myself to have once been a murderer, who was executed for

my crime. I cannot explain how I am still alive.

N answers: Actually, this was one of my 'shorter'

dreams. I had forwarded some e-mail only to have it came

back and attack me (jump off the screen like

electricity). I was with three others and we tried to

hide from it. We tried to send it again, but it only

kept returning to find us. Finally, I told the others to

hide and I would try to send it again (third time's the

charm, right?). I worked furiously as I only had a slim

window of opportunity in which to send it. (1//27/96)

What was your first impression upon seeing your

illustrated dream?

R answers: I was very impressed by Jesse's skill and

unusual style. In the case of the first dream, I was

surprised at how closely the settings he drew matched

what I remembered from the

dream. (I usually remember the architecture and

surroundings from dreams better than the faces and

people.) When I think back on any of these dreams now, my

memories are influenced by Jesse's visual interpretation.

In the case of the fourth dream above, I was disappointed

that Jesse's drawings didn't match the setting or have

the

visual impact of my dream, but I don't think that I could

have satisfactorily described the scene (let alone drawn

it myself) in any case. Remembered images from the other

two dreams weren't so strong, so I was neither struck by

similarities nor annoyed by differences.

I email dreams to Jesse fairly often, and usually make a

conscious effort NOT to describe settings or events in

too much detail, so that he can come up with his own

interpretation.

J answers: Very impressed. Jesse is one hell of a

talented guy. I was thrilled to see my imagination

displayed graphically.

N answers: That it was just WAY TOO COOL. I was blown

away by his depiction. If I didn't know better, I'd say

he'd been there (in my dream).

How well do you think your dream images translated into

the comic format?

R answers: Hard to answer. I sometimes wish I had the

skill to draw scenes from my own dreams, but I wonder if

even the strongest visual memories from dreams are

substantial enough to be reproduced.

J answers: Very well. There were only one or two

changes I had to suggest. One of the characters didn't

look as I had imagined, but that was not unreasonable

given that I hadn't provided any clues. Overall there

were some other changes I had not contemplated, but the

overall balance of the dream segments was maintained.

N answers: Jesse captured the essence of it perfectly.

I think the guy must have ESP or something. It's almost

eerie.

Did working with Jesse to illustrate your dream help you

to gain any deeper understanding of the dream?

R answers: I'm not very interested in interpretation or

understanding of dreams beyond appreciating the surface

story and

settings.

J answers: Well, no, not really. I still have no idea

what I was thinking of. What does it all mean? Nothing,

really, it's just a re-hash of a bunch of stuff that

happened to you during the day - right? I don't think

dreams say much about the person at all, and trying to

understand a dream is more dangerous than rewarding.

Appreciate them, perhaps, be entertained or motivated -

but understand? No.

N answers: Since the dream was done prior to my

knowledge, I have to say no, not in this particular case.

But if/when I ever publish my dreams into a book, I'll

know where to look for an illustrator.

So there you have it, Jesse Reklaw's story of Concave

Up/Slow Wave and some reactions from dreamers. I very

much enjoy reading dreams in this alternate format and I

suspect anyone interested in dreams and dreamwork would

enjoy this unique format just as much!

If you are interested in subscribing to Concave Up, or

submitting a dream(s) to Jesse you can email him at:

reklaw@plato.digiweb.com

**Last minute note:

While I was in the process of putting the completed

interview together for this column Jesse joined the

Electric Dreams staff as our new Art Director! A hearty

welcome to Jesse!!!

--Christopher Hicks

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Dream Reaper - by Nutcracker

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Hello All!

Nutcracker here (that's Ms. Nutcracker to those of you

unfamiliar with me). Our friend and fearless leader

(mentor, cajoler, confidant), Richard Catlett Wilkerson,

has convinced me to start my own Dream Journal page on

the www. I have to admit, my dreams have outgrown the

space available in Electric Dreams. (Now this is where

Richard wants me to interject something personal about

myself.) Hmmm, let's see...

I'm happily married, no kids (that's why I'm happy), I

don't do drugs (ok, the occasional Excedrin PM and

Coca-Cola before bedtime), I don't smoke or drink (unless

necessary). I'm not a rocket scientist, nor do I claim

to be one. I don't have a PhD. I'm just your average,

plain-jane, nearing middle-age female (of course that

depends on *your* definition of middle age). Due to life

circumstances I find myself with ample free time to

devote to caring for my dreams (besides which it keeps me

out of the bars during the day). LOL

On a more serious note, I began keeping a log of my

dreams somewhere in January of 1995. I'm not sure

exactly where they came from so abruptly (seemingly out

of nowhere), but they were too interesting to let go

unpublished. To quote my husband, "You couldn't make

this stuff up if you tried!" So began my journey into

the abyss of dreams. Here it is a year and a half later

and I'm still at it. It does take perseverance mind you.

Left unattended, dreams will not flourish on their own.

Dreams are like flowers in a garden. Sure you get the

occasional weed, but every once in a while you get one

that blooms so bright and so large, it begs to be picked.

I keep a notebook and pen next to me on the bed and

usually awaken during the night to write them down

(sometimes all night long or so it seems...and yes, it is

annoying). Still, I highly recommend this. If you think

you'll be able to remember them come morning, don't bet

on it. Been there, done that. Sometimes it works, but

mostly it doesn't. I shudder to think about the ones

that got away. My advice; get up, write them down and

go back to sleep. You'll rest much easier.

As to the journal of my dreams that I keep, after the

first year I've learned a few things. I now keep them by

month. I write the date of the dream after them and I

number each one (#001, etc.).

Finally, I encourage everyone to write down their dreams,

write down your kids' dreams and dreams from friends and

family. Dreams you and they have now may come back

(recurring) 5, 10 or 20 years from now. They would be

great to have as a reference.

Sweet dreams......

Nutcracker >>

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JAYNE GACKENBACH

Interview by Victoria Quinton

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VQ How long have you had a formal interest in

dreams?

JG I suppose I got interested when I was about 12 and

started wanting to go to bed cause it was fun - shocked

my parents that there was no longer an argument - but my

serious interest began with my dissertation which was

begun in 1976 and was on lucid dreams - although I paid

attention to my dreams through my research phase of my

career not until I immigrated to Canada in the late

1980's did I really begin to take them seriously as a

personal growth vehicle - that was in large part due to

my involvement with the central Alberta Cree.

VQ Is their tradition on dreams largely an oral one?

JG I've seen nothing written about it beyond perhaps some

of the anthropological literature and the work I have

been doing with Don Kuiken at the University of Alberta

and the writing I have done - yes it is oral

VQ How do they approach dreams, and how does their way

differ from techniques you had previously tried?

JG I have written extensively about this elsewhere - here

is an excerpt from a chapter I wrote for a forthcoming

book edited by Stan Krippner - the story I tell is from

my forthcoming book, "The Traditional Death of Crow

Woman".

--quote----

It isn't just that Natives use dreams more as stories

than non-Natives rather it is that dreams for them are

more present as lived experiences in another realm which

then serve to guide. Let me illustrate from part of a

story I have just completed telling in book form

(Gackenbach, in press b) about a Canadian Native woman

who died four years ago at age 49.

Raised in a dysfunctional family and repeating

the pattern in her adult life, Crow Woman became involved

in the recovery movement through individual and group

work and successfully recovered from alcoholism and drug

addiction. She herself became a counselor to other

Natives. The hundreds of people at her funeral and

constant stream of visitors during her last weeks

attested to the success of her personal efforts at

helping other Natives to recover from their own histories

of addiction, violence, and abuse.

At the time she was diagnosed with cancer, she

was deeply committed to her culture's traditional beliefs

and practices. Despite a grim prognosis, she rejected

surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy as culturally

inconsistent. Instead she immediately turned to the "Old

Man", an 82-year-old shaman who speaks six Native

languages. She lived with his family, fasting, using

poultices and herbal/root remedies the Old Man prepared,

and taking sweats to purge the cancer from her body.

The paradox of her finally attaining

psychological health along with profound spiritual

transcendence experiences at the time of her physical

bodies disintegration was the ground work for a powerful

teaching story among the family which they agreed to

share with me and readers of my book.

Because of the sensitivity of the Cree for dreams

and their belief that dreams are the "place" where one

receives "visits" from those who have passed on, Crow

Woman has continued to be a major influence in the lives

of those close to her. Her messages are not always

welcome or immediately understood but their impact is

clearly due to the beliefs of those who experience these

dreams. Here are two examples of how the Native episteme

around dreams of Crow Woman drove subsequent action.

When Crow Woman's cousin, Jessy, went to sleep

she was feverish to point of almost delirious. And when

she woke the dream was vivid and compelling. In it Crow

Woman told her distant cousin to sit down, "There are

some messages I have to tell you that you have to pass on

to people". Jessy was reluctant but Crow Woman insisted.

When Jessy woke she thought, "I am not doing this". When

I asked this young Native woman what her was resistance

was about, Jessy said the messages were like Crow Woman,

straight forward and direct . Jessy also felt, why me?

First of all she and Crow Woman did not get along that

well before Crow Woman died and despite being a family

member, Jessy was kind of new to the family dynamics

having been raised in another province. So when she asked

Crow Woman in the dream, "why me", it was "because I know

you will tell them."

Then Crow Woman told her cousin the messages. One

was for the Old Man's Wife, who was an elder herself to

which this heavy set Cree woman, replied, "there is no

way I can tell Jen that." The grandfathers were telling

Crow Woman that Jen had to heal her psychological garbage

before she could represent them in the teachings. If she

didn't the people would have a hard time hearing the true

teachings. It was a lot for a young Native woman to pass

onto an elder.

Then Crow Woman told Jessy, "you know you've got

one coming too". Jessy mumbled, "Yea, I kind of figured I

did." Her message was that Jessy had to get over her

pettiness. You have a lot of work to do and we don't have

time for you to be petty. "It just hit me like a sledge

hammer." Although she knew she was capable of being

petty, she had worked very hard to hide those inner

thoughts from others. It was a deeply secret part of

herself. In fact, when Jessy told me I too was surprised

as I had known her well for almost four years and

pettiness was the last thing I would have thought about

Jessy. It was indeed well hidden.

Jessey's reaction to what Crow Woman said is

indicative of the perception that is widely spread in

Crow Woman's family. The dream comes from out there and

is NOT simply internal unresolved personal issues. With

my western scientific hat, I might say, "of course Crow

Woman knew about your pettiness because it was your dream

thus it was simply you telling yourself about yourself".

But to say that to Jessy or to any of the family members

about many, if not all, of their dream experiences of

Crow Woman would be to strip them of their meaning,

source, and importance. As I conducted the interviews for

this book gradually I found it easier to think of their

experiences as somehow "otherworldly". It is clear to me

that this view of "reality" is one that I struggle with

sharing yet deeply respect.

About three years after Crow Woman died her

eldest son, Wil, and his common-law wife, Carla,

separated. Carla and their children had moved to a

downstairs apartment. At 28 years of age, this tall young

man is not only good looking and well built but he has a

personal presence that makes many a woman's head turn

which may have been instrumental in their separation.

A day after the separation Wil had a powerful

dream of his mother. The room where Wil slept seemed so

empty without the baby's crib and the other things that

make a home with children seem so much a home. He had

taken in a roommate who slept in the same room. The

roommate liked to sleep with the window open and Wil felt

quite cold that night as he fell asleep.

He dreamed that he was with his mother and his

older sister, Shelly. There "was only us three through

that whole dream and we were quite simply having fun". He

continued, "I can remember us joking around, having fun,

actually being happy. It's nothing I felt before." He

wished he had written it down but the thing that stood

out the most for him was how "happy, really, really,

happy." they were. "It was like she was alive, it wasn't

now, it wasn't like it was before. It was like it [would

have been] now [and mom and] Shelly were with me and we

were having fun. It wasn't something that has to be

explained. We were close." It was a "sign for me that is

how it would be if she was here." Then he awoke.

"It was dark, it was cold, and it was dead silent. I

felt so scared. I couldn't go to sleep. I couldn't move.

It was totally different. It was like I was pulled from

good to evil." He was so scared that he could not sleep.

So he got up and went downstairs to his wives apartment.

"I went into the bedroom and I [picked up] my daughter

and hugged her. Everything in that room downstairs was so

opposite of what it was upstairs. If you can ever

understand what love feels like that was it." He cried

for about 10 or 15 minutes while his tiny daughter

stroked his head. "It was almost like my mother was

saying 'what are you doing up there, you should be

downstairs with your family.' I did not try to understand

why that happened or why those emotions were so strong. .

. . It felt like she pushed me, she made me, she was

there, I know she was there." He pointed out that

ordinarily he would not have gotten out of bed and sought

out his wife and child because of his pride.

As with his cousin Jessy's story of a dream message

from Crow Woman, Wil's story can also be easily reduced

to internal psychological mechanisms interacting with

previous real lie events in order to create the dream. As

a scientifically trained psychologist it is easy for me

to use such reductionistic thinking when faced with such

stories including my own. Not only do I then stay within

the accepted limits of my science but also the limits of

my cultures view of reality.

Yet, I would be doing Wil and Jessy a disservice if I

were to approach their dreams in this fashion. Further, I

would be doing both my professional and personal self a

disservice.

In the cases of these young Native people it

wasn't the dreams per sec that caused their actions

rather it was their belief about the reality of the

source of the dream which resulted in the powerful impact

of the dreams and the actions that were subsequently

taken.

Jessy could be petty and Wil knew he could be

filled with too much pride. In Jessy's case it was very

well hidden, if she believed that the dream was only her

inner self acting on the minds play ground, she may have

been impacted by it but I doubt to the extent that she

was. Jessy only told the messages after struggling for

several days with whether she should and finally when she

lost her voice she realized she had to tell the tale.

It would have been easy to have contextualized

the message of her dream with her waking rational voice

as, "well, there may be truth to these messages but I

have no right to say these things to these people. I have

no right to represent Crow Woman who I didn't even get

along with." So too for Wil, upon awakening if he didn't

have the belief system he had in the reality of the

presence of his mother his waking pride may have kept him

in bed.

But Jessy's belief that Crow Woman came from the

spirit world of the dead to deliver these messages from

the grandfathers via Jessy was so deep, that by not doing

it she lost her voice. Only when she began to deliver the

messages did her voice return. So too, Wil's belief in

the reality of the visitation caused him to take an

action which resulted in the purging of some deeply held

hurts as his daughter and wife looked on.

It seems to me that the power of the dream to act

as a guiding story for the Cree is dependent on their

beliefs in its separate ontology. In the next section I

will briefly review some of the empirical research on the

dream perspectives of the central Alberta Cree.

----end of quote -------

VQ

Have you been more influenced by book theories or

by word of mouth theories?

JG I love the question! I am going to interpret this to

me formal scholarly Theories (book) and informal peer

group discussions (word of mouth). The first important

theoretical influence was my father, so I suppose that

was word of mouth. He spoke to me about philosophy and

eastern metaphysics as well as parapsychology and

religion from early childhood. He got his BA from Duke in

psychology just before WWII and specifically went there

to study parapsychology with MacDougall who had opened

the parapsychology lab there. These many years of

personal teaching laid the groundwork for my interest in

these topics and eventually in dreams. Then in the 60's

and early 70's I was a child of my generation (baby boom)

and explored these same ideas from an experiential

perspective. Upon entering graduate school in 1974 I

began a real scholarly interest in dreams and related

states/experiences. From then the most influential were

scholarly - although some of this was quite word of mouth

- much of what I learned from Harry Hunt, Skip Alexander

and Steve LaBerge came from personal discussion. When I

moved to Canada I became involved with a Cree Shaman and

the teaching again became primarily verbal although I

still am left breathless at a truly brilliant work in

book/paper form. For instance, as much as I have spoken,

worked with, and read the work of Harry Hunt I am stunned

by the breadth and scope of his new book "The Nature of

Consciousness". As I face 50 (in a few weeks!) I take my

wisdom where I can find it and am less and less fussy

about it's source.

VQ I know it is difficult, but could you summarize the

theories of Harry Hunt, Skip Alexander and Steve LaBerge,

or just briefly "introduce" them to us?

JG Summarize theories - don't I wish!!!!! Harry wrote

"The Multiplicity of Dreams" and is one of the original

researchers into lucid dreaming. Skip is a developmental

psychologists who has proposed an empirically supported

model of the development of higher states of

consciousness based on the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh

Yogi, I lived near him in Iowa for almost and as with

Harry we became close friends. I worked with Steve for

about 10 years in the early days of research into lucid

dreaming.

VQ Also Would you like to give some info about ASD and

the new bulletin board?

JG it's up and running - linked to "cold fusion." Let's

see I proposed to the executive committee of ASD that we

mount a web page last fall. I got approval for a very

small budget and very conservative first page.that is to

say, we decided to start with only what we already have

in the public domain.However, there was a part of that

proposal which said there would be a BB for ASD related

matters - with the need for a BB for the conference the

initial concept has broadened and now there is a lot of

debate about whether we should interpret dreams on it -

at this point it is roughly monitored and dreams are not

interpreted; although they are certainly central to any

task we do there. it is linked from Electric Dreams - it

is

http://www.outreach.org/gmcc/asd

VQ Who do you think may benefit from participating

in

" Unlocking the Secrets of Your Dreams?"

JG The course is designed as non-credit and introductory.

I am hoping to show students both the science and

experiential work with dreaming, by offering them a

variety of information on dreams from which they can pick

and choose in a web page format.The assignments allow

them to begin to think about their own dreams in a

psychologically "safe" and fun way. As the course

progresses there are activities which allow more depth in

this work.

Interview conducted by Victoria Quinton

mermaid 8*)

http://daemon.apana.org.au/~mermaid

share a dream; cvstobvs prr

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Comments on Dream by Jung= Review by Sue B.

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I was reading "The Way of the Dream: Conversations on

Jungian Dream Interpretation" by Fraser Boa with

Marie-Louise von Franz and thought I'd share this passage

with you.

Jung had an amazing dream "in which he encountered the

Self in the form of a yogi. Jung dreamt he was walking

along a little road and came to a small chapel. He

entered and was surprised that there was no statue of the

Virgin on the altar nor a crucifix either, but only a

beautiful flower arrangement.

And then he saw on the floor in front of the altar a yogi

sitting in lotus posture, in deep meditation.

Jung realized with a shock that this was the yogi who was

imagining him, and that in his trance, a kind of active

imagination, he was imagining the life of Jung, dreaming

him. Jung knew that when the yogi woke up, he, Jung

would no longer exist. The ordinary Professor Jung was

the dream of that greater

inner figure.

And yet, at the same time, the yogi figure was a dream of

Dr. Jung's. This paradox reminds me (M. von Franz) of

the dream of Chuang Tzu.

Chuang Tzu said that he once dreamt that he was a

butterfly. That dream left him puzzling ever after

whether he was a man who dreamt that he was a butterfly

or whether he was a butterfly who dreamt that he was a

man. A butterfly is a symbol of the Self. Are we the

dream of the Self or is the Self our dream? We just

don't know."

Sue B.

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Dolphins, Whales, and Dreamtime

by Trisha Lamb Feuerstein (dolphintlf@aol.com)

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As part of my research for a book on the psychological,

spiritual, and cultural significance of cetaceans

(dolphins and whales) as evinced in classical and New Age

myth, art, dreams, various genres of fiction, and

human-cetacean encounters, I've collected and analyzed

the themes in several dozen dreams in which dolphins

and/or whales played a significant role.

Before examining the major themes in these dreams,

however, I will briefly discuss the broader association

of cetaceans with dreams and the dreamtime, followed by

an overview of the meanings assigned to cetaceans in

dream and symbol encyclopedias from the turn of the

century to the present.

If you ask a person who has had a waking encounter with a

dolphin or whale what it was like, one of the most common

answers you will receive is, "It was just like a dream."

I personally distinctly recall having this feeling the

second time I swam with wild dolphins. The thought, "Am I

dreaming?" kept repeating itself in my mind.

Also, if you survey book, audiotape, and videotape titles

about dolphins and whales, you will find several

containing the word "dream,", such as _Dolphin Dream_,

_Dolphin Dreaming_, _Dolphin Dreamtime_, _Journey into

Dolphin Dreamtime_, and _Deepwater Dreams_. The group

Enigma has a song entitled "The Dream of the Dolphin,"

and the last intriguing line states, "Man is the dream of

the dolphin."

Associations with dreams are also common in mythological

and fictional works with cetacean characters, where you

will find they communicate with, or influence, humans in

the dreamtime. I'm reading two books right now, one

science fiction, the other based on Maori mythology, and

in each the dolphins and whales contact humans, or

transport them from place to place, in the dreamtime.

Dreamtime connections between cetaceans and humans are

also present in other native people's lore, including

that of Australian Aborigines, Native Americans, and

others.

Why would humans have this response in the presence of

dolphins and whales, or write about them in relation to

the dreamtime?

On the simplest level, unlike us terrestrial humans,

cetaceans

exist in the water realm, the realm of ceaseless movement

and formlessness, a realm with a timeless, dreamlike

quality. It is also interesting to note that since they

are conscious breathers, dolphins and whales never sleep

as we do, as they must remain at least partially vigilant

to avoid drowning. What they seem to do is rest one half

of their brain at a time, while the other half remains

alert enough to breathe and monitor their environment.

There is also some controversy among scientists about

whether or not cetaceans themselves dream, with the

consensus being that they do not, although at least one

scientist claims to have observed brief periods of REM in

a captive dolphin.

What does this imply? To posit an answer to this

question, one has to leave the realm of science and enter

the realm of speculation. Some surmise that since

cetaceans do not sleep in the sense that we do, and

because of the state an aqueous environment tends to

induce, they may be in a kind of perpetual state of lucid

or wakeful dreaming, and perhaps that is one of the

reasons we tend to experience the sensation of dreaming,

or altered perception, when in their presence. It is

interesting to consider that some humans work for years

to be able to enter at will a state of wakeful dreaming,

seeing it as a doorway to the higher realms, to the

dreamtime of the aborigines, and so on, and yet this, or

something akin to it, may be the constant state of

dolphins and whales.

In another vein, sometimes the initial or only contact

people ever have with cetaceans is in their dreams, and

it can be life- changing. Rebecca Fitzgerald, who

facilitates wild dolphin and whale swim expeditions

through her company Dolphinswim, was working as a

psychotherapist when she began to dream of "spotted"

dolphins (which she didn't know existed) in very clear

water. The dreams recurred for ten nights, first with

only a couple of dolphins, and then each night more

appeared until there were uncountable many. The dreams

suggested to her she would be working with these dolphins

and taking people out to interact with them. The dreams

became very intense and insistent, so much so that she

asked for them to stop. After they ceased, she went to

the library to look up "spotted" dolphins and found there

was, in fact, such a species. About four years later, she

read an article in a Jungian magazine by a psychologist

doing dolphin therapy with autistic children, and

observed how dolphins place no expectations on us,

whereas human therapists inevitably do. She knew

immediately that taking people out to spend time with

dolphins was what she wanted to do, quit her

psychotherapy job, and has been taking people out to swim

with the same pods of Atlantic spotted dolphins in the

clear waters of the Bahamas for the past several years.

With that introduction, let's now take a look at what

dream and symbol encyclopedias over the past century have

said about the significance of dolphins and whales in

dreams. It is interesting to note that in the early part

of this century, when we knew little about dolphins and

whales, other than the dangers and difficulty of

harpooning them from small wooden boats in an unforgiving

ocean, they were viewed as bad omens in dreams, whereas

now, given our perception of them as primarily gentle,

playful, curious, intelligent, cooperative beings, they

are viewed as very positive, even spiritual signs,

symbolizing divine or pure qualities, good fortune, and

transformation.

Some examples:

c. 1900

A dolphin in a dream may symbolize the liability to come

under a new government, said in the encyclopedia to be

"not a very good dream"[7].

A whale in a dream may symbolize a misunderstanding to be

cleared up in time, or a delayed wedding[13].

c. 1935

A dolphin in a dream may symbolize loss of a

sweetheart[5, 9], death of some near relation or friend,

or pursuits not to one's advantage[9]. If about to

travel, it means great danger[14]. If a single man or

woman sees a dolphin from the deck of a boat, he or she

should guard against the wiles of designing members of

the opposite sex[12].

A whale in a dream may symbolize the threat of a loss of

property if it approaches or attacks your ship, and/or it

may throw you into a whirlpool of disasters[11]. If you

catch a whale on a line, there may be an improvement in

your relations[12].

c. 1970 - present

A dolphin may symbolize advancement through your own

mental

vigor[10]; encouragement to grow without fear; speed and

prudence[2]; joy and ecstasy; great intelligence[6];

god-like qualities or divine light; resurrection and

salvation of Christ or oneself[2, 6].

In mythology, the dolphin is a psychopomp, one who guides

souls to the afterworld, and is also associated with

Dionysus, the god of liquids and dissolution. Thus, a

dolphin in a dream may signal some kind of

transformation.

A whale can symbolize the world, the body, and the grave,

and is an essential symbol of containing and

concealing[2]. From this flows the dream significance of

the whale as an omen of protection[11]. If you see the

tail flukes, it signifies that freedom from worry may

soon be yours[10].

Also related to containment is the Jonah symbology. Being

swallowed by a whale in a dream signifies a dark period

in the bowels of nature or a terrifying inversion in

which you see under the waters of the unconscious, but

also find the power of the inner world and are born

anew[1, 3], or transformed.

This theme of transformation is apparent in native

people's cetacean myths and in cetacean art as well, so

it is not surprising that it would be present in dreams.

The whale may also signify the realm of the feminine in

dreams, whether the unconscious or the Mother[1, 4],

because of its enormous cavities[11], and is also the

symbolic equivalent of the mystic mandorla, or area of

intersection of the circles of heaven and earth,

comprising and embracing the opposites of existence[2].

(The most significant dream I've ever had occurred over

two decades ago and contained two orcas tossing a big,

soft, vinyl-covered ball back and forth between them in

perfect harmony, and the vinyl covering was in the form

of the yin-yang symbol. I knew little about the yin-yang

symbol at the time, but, like Rebecca above, went to the

library to learn more about it after the dream. It is

interesting to note that in the course of my recent

research I've come across more than thirty examples of

dolphins and/or whales overlayed on, or otherwise

associated with, the yin-yang symbol. This relates to the

primary theme I've found associated with them across all

categories--that of harmony and balance.)

The whale may also signify a pleasing achievement in

social or business life, despite much opposition[11].

And, finally, the whale may signify spiritual

magnanimity. It appears in a dream as a form of

recognition from higher sources[4]. Now, toward the close

of the twentieth century, it is an honor for a whale or a

dolphin to appear in one's dreams.

Having taken a brief look at some of the symbolic

significance attributed to cetaceans in dream and symbol

encyclopedias, let's turn to the themes one finds in

actual dreams of dolphins and

whales.

The most prominent theme in the dreams I've collected is

that of the dolphin or whale helping the dreamer to

overcome fear, especially fear of the water/death. Often

in these dreams, a dolphin or whale will take the dreamer

either gently or forcefully down into the water, which

can be frightening, even terrifying, at first. The

dreamers then find, however, that the dolphin or whale

protects them, or that they can breathe underwater, and

that the underwater realm, or the realm of the

unconscious or emotions, is safe. This newfound ability

to breathe underwater also relates to the earlier

discussed symbology of transformation or growth.

A related theme found is that the dolphins or whales

communicate they'll _always_ be there to protect the

dreamer. One person always tends to dream of dolphins and

whales when she is going through a crisis and finds they

soothe and calm her.

Many dreamers say they experience a kind of

deep/wordless/telepathic/profound/reassuring/anciently

wise communication from dolphins and whales in their

dreams, and that this communication seems to put them in

touch with their (the dreamers') deep spiritual nature.

They awaken from these and other dolphin and whale dreams

feeling--the most commonly used words are "serene" and

"peaceful"--but also happy, energized, or blissful. Some

dreamers are shifted from a gray or depressed state to a

lighter, happier mood, which many also claim happens when

meeting a dolphin or whale in the waking state.

Often there is physical contact by the dolphin or whale

in a dream, usually somewhere at the head, sometimes at

chakras, which in every dream I've collected thus far

results in bliss, heart- opening, etc.

In some of the dreams, the dreamers become a dolphin or a

whale and feel what it is like to have a dolphin or whale

body, but not usually dolphin or whale consciousness.

They are accepted as a member of the dolphin or whale

social group and invited to return.

In one dream, a dolphin was a profound sign of healing

and fertility, the dreamer becoming pregnant shortly

thereafter, after many years of infertility.

Dreamers also tend to receive messages from cetaceans in

their dreams, or other humans in their dreams give them

messages about cetaceans. Some examples of messages from

dolphins or whales include:

"We come to warn you--about the end of the world."

"Tell the children this: Tell the children there will be

a world for them to grow up in. Tell the children this:

Man is not the only species to determine the fate of the

earth."

"Movement is the key to interspecies communication."

Some examples of messages from humans include:

"I am going to tell you something very important: You

must listen to the dolphins." (This fourteen-year-old

dreamer said this dream, which contained more than this

statement, was one of the most important he had ever had,

that his way of thinking completely changed after having

it, making him kinder and better able to comprehend the

unity of all species.)

"Writing data dolphins requires a little metaphor." (This

was recently said to me by another human in one of my

dreams.)

A final prominent theme in the dreams I've collected is

the beating and/or slaughter of dolphins and whales. This

image, and those dream messages above about the state of

the world, all tie in with one strong symbolic aspect of

cetaceans as found in science fiction and New Age

mythology--that of dolphins and whales as environmental

messengers, calling us to take heed of the consequences

of our actions by observing what it has done and

continues to do to them, and ultimately to us.

In summary, dolphins and whales in the dreams I've

gathered seem primarily to call us to transcend our fear,

falling out of our mind and into our feeling and

reconnecting with peace, joy, bliss, and serenity. They

also, however, call us to take heed of our destructive

actions and thus mend our relationship with them,

ourselves, and the planet.

-------------------------------------------------------

Bibliography

1. Chetwynd, Tom. _How to Interpret Your Own Dreams (In

One Minute or Less)_. New York: Bell Publishing Co.,

1980.

2. Cirlot, J. E. _A Dictionary of Symbols_. New York:

Philosophical Library, 1962.

3. Crisp, Tony. _Do You Dream?_. New York: E. P. Dutton &

Co., 1972.

4. Dee, Nerys. _The Dreamer's Workbook_. Wellingborough,

Northamptonshire, England: The Aquarian press, 1989.

5. Frank, Edward Allen. _The Complete Book of Dreams_.

New York: Warner Books, 1938, 1966.

6. Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. _The Encyclopedia of Dreams_.

New York: Crossroad, 1994.

7. Miller, Gustavus Hindman. _10,000 Dreams Interpreted

or What's in a Dream_. New York: Rand McNally & Co.,

1985. (Reprint of an

earlier work).

8. Rain, Mary Summer. _Earthway_. New York: Pocket Books,

1990.

9. Raphael, Edwin. _The Complete Book of Dreams_. London:

Foulsham, 1992.

10. Robinson, Stearn, and Tom Corbett. _The Dreamer's

Dictionary_. New York: Taplinger Publishing Co., 1974.

11. Waring, Philippa. _Omens from Your Dreams_. Secaucus,

N.J.: Chartwell Books, 1993.

12. No author. _Dreams: Hidden Meanings and Secrets_.

London: Tophi Books, 1987. (Reprint of an earlier work.)

13. No author. _Mystic Dream Book: 2500 Dreams

Explained_. London: Foulsham & Co., n.d.

14. No author. _The Universal Dream Book_. London:

Foulsham, 1958.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Lucid Dreamer's Manual

- Inducing Lucid Dreams -

A compilation of various Lucid Dreaming techniques.

by Lee Holmes (Holmes@Cycor.Ca) (Part 2 of

2)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

=====================================

Step 4: Lucid Dream Induction Methods

=====================================

Here is a compilation of a few lucid dream induction

methods. As mentioned before, if you don't believe in one

or it doesn't work for you, then simply use another

method.

[Dream Incubation, by the Lucidity Institute]

1. Formulate your intention Before bed, come up with

a single phrase or question encapsulating the topic you

wish to dream about: "I want to visit San Francisco."

Write the phrase down, and perhaps draw a picture

illustrating the question. Memorize the phrase and the

picture (if you have one). If you have a specific action

you wish to carry out in your desired dream ("I want to

tell my friend I love her."), be sure to carefully

formulate it now. Beneath your target phrase, write

another saying, "When I dream of [the phrase], I will

remember that I am dreaming."

2. Go to bed Without doing anything else, go

immediately to bed and turn out the light.

3. Focus on your phrase and intention to become

lucid Recall your phrase or the image you drew. Visualize

yourself dreaming about the topic and becoming lucid in

the dream. If there is something you want to try in the

dream, also visualize doing it once you are lucid.

Meditate on the phrase and your intention to become

lucid in a dream about it until you fall asleep. Don't

let any other thoughts come between thinking about your

topic and falling asleep. If your thoughts stray, just

return to thinking about your phrase and becoming lucid.

4. Pursue your intention in the lucid dream When

in a lucid dream about your topic carry out your

intention. Ask the question you wish to ask, seek ways to

express yourself, try your new behavior, or explore your

situation. Be sure to notice your feelings and be

observant of all details of the dream.

5. When you have achieved your goal, remember to

awaken and recall the dream.

[Chakra Method: From "Treatise on Lucid Dreaming" by

Robert Bruce]

Sit in a chair, or lie down, and relax your whole body.

Starting with the feet, tense them and relax them.

Continue this with calves, thighs, hips, stomach, chest,

arms, neck and face. Go over this a few times until you

feel completely relaxed.

Breath Awareness

Breath awareness will help to calm and focus your mind

and awareness. Breathe deeply and slowly. Be aware of the

breath entering and leaving your body. Feel it coming in

and feel it going out. Focus your whole attention on your

lungs and the breathing process and it will help to

occupy your surface mind. Gently push any intruding

thoughts away as they begin, before they distract you. By

feeling your breath coming in and out you are shifting

your awareness into your chest.

Mental Hands

The mental hands technique will train you to shift your

point of awareness to other parts of your body. This will

also give you greater body awareness which is very

important in lucid dreaming.

Calm your mind and relax your body. Imagine you have a

pair of invisible hands. Feel your awareness in these

hands, just the same as with breath awareness where you

concentrate your awareness on your lungs. Stroke yourself

slowly with these hands, start at your feet go on up

through your legs and through the rest of your body. Try

and FEEL these imaginary hands relaxing and soothing you.

Become aware of and use these hands as you are doing the

relaxation exercise. Start at the feet, tensing and

relaxing muscles. Feel your mental hands in these muscles

as they tense and relax them. Work your way through your

whole body this way. Feel your body relaxing at the touch

of them. Your point of awareness is in these hands. You

are shifting your point of consciousness into different

parts of your body as you do this.

Energy Raising

When you are familiar with your new mental hands, use

them to pull energy up from your feet and through your

legs to the base chakra. Imagine you are gripping energy

and pulling it up through you. Combine this with your

breathing. Draw it up through you with the inhale and

hold it in place on the exhale. Do this over and over

again for at least a few minutes.

This is the natural path of the energy that flows through

you. With practice you will actually feel this energy

tingling and surging through you.

Chakras: These are situated at: 1. The base of the spine

(between the anus and the genitals) 2. The spleen

(slightly below the belly button) 3. The solar plexus (1

hand-span above the belly button) 4. The heart (centre of

the chest) 5. The base of the throat. 6. The centre of

the forehead. 7. Crown ( whole top of your head). They

are best imagined as roughly the size of your hand,

except for the crown chakra which is much larger and

covers the whole of the head above the hairline.

Chakra Stimulation

Chakras are transformers that convert raw energy into

energy of a different type. During these exercises your

chakras will be pumping energy into your astral body.

Pull energy up through your legs with your mental hands

to your base chakra. Use your mental hands to open this

chakra. Imagine you are tearing open a bread roll where

the chakra is. Draw this energy up to the next one and

open it, and on to the next one and so on. Repeat this

over a few times. You may not feel much at first, but

with practise you will feel a tingling surge of energy

like adrenaline and a fluttering or pulsing under your

skin as you do this.

Even if you don't feel anything you are still raising

some energy. When I first started using my chakras, many

years ago, I didn't feel anything happening in them for

several months. Many people report feeling some sensation

in them the first time they do this. Some people seem to

have more natural chakra activity than others.

Closing The Chakras

After any work on opening the chakras it is Very

Important to close them unless you are going to use them,

or go to sleep shortly after. During sleep they will

close naturally after an hour or so. This closing is

especially important if you feel strong activity in them.

If you leave a chakra open during normal day to day

activity, you can bleed energy. This will can fatigue and

health problems. To close them, simply reverse the

process until no activity is felt. Feel your mental hands

closing them and push the energy back down.

Stop and Check

Keep checking your muscles for any tensing during the

energy raising and chakra stimulation exercises and

re-relax as needed. Your muscles will automatically try

and respond as you draw energy up through you. Remember,

this is all mental. Your body must stay calm and relaxed

throughout this.

Practise

The relaxation, breath awareness and mental hands

exercises should, ideally, be carried out daily. They can

be done anywhere and anytime you have a few minutes to

spare. You will, in time, condition your body to respond

quickly and easily. Every time you do these, keep in mind

your intention of having lucid dreams. Whatever your

lucid dreaming trigger is, keep this in mind while you

are doing these exercises.

To Prepare For Lucid Dreaming

Do the relaxation exercise and use breath awareness to

calm your mind. Raise energy through you and stimulate

your chakras for five or ten minutes, or until you start

feeling heavy.

This heaviness happens when you enter a trance. The

trance state is brought on by deep relaxation. In a

trance you are very open to self hypnosis and suggestion.

This is the best time to program yourself with the

trigger to become lucid in a dream. In the trance state

you may feel like you are paralysed but you can usually

move if you try, its just a big effort. If you can't, do

your lucid dream trigger affirmations and go to sleep.

Note: Once you reach the trance stage, stop any further

energy raising or chakra stimulation and proceed with the

trigger programming stage.

Do your normal affirmations that remind you to become

lucid during your dreams and remember all when you wake

up. Say to yourself, " I must remember to look at my

watch" or " I must remember to look at my hands" Say this

over and over to yourself until you fall asleep.

Note: These exercises are best done, one at a time, apart

from the combined energy raising - chakra opening one,

lying on your back.

When you have completed them and are ready for dreaming,

assume your normal sleeping position for the night.

[Symbol Trigger method, by Swami Vimanananda]

1 Give up a favorite food or drink for 1 month,

telling the mind : I'm doing this for more

awareness during dreams.

2. Fast monthly, on new moon. This can be a day of

eating fruit only, just juices, or pure water,

depending on what you are used to. This tells your

subconscious that you are serious about paying

attention to the 'internal' world. According to Yoga,

fasting opens the Moon chakra, which is the

gateway to the Dream world.

3. Visualize some symbol while falling asleep, and

look for that symbol in your dreams. That symbol

will trigger lucidity. The Tibetans use a small,

white, glowing letter 'A' .

[Auto-Suggestion method, by Peg Steigerwald]

One effective technique for planting

auto-suggestions is the following: while falling asleep,

prop your arm so that when you do fall asleep it will hit

you in the head (lightly). When your arm hits your head,

it will wake you slightly and enable you to plant many

auto-suggestions without falling asleep. If you plant a

suggestion related to lucid dreaming, your chances of

having one that night are much higher.

[External Supplements for Lucidity, by Bob]

The "Mega Brain" tapes that are easily found in

stores offer another type of Lucidity induction. By out-

putting certain beat frequencies from the speakers, a

third "phantom frequency" is created by the brain. Two

tapes from this set which help in attaining lucidity are

"High Coherence" and "Sound Sleep", both by Kelly

Hutchinson. Although these tapes do not induce lucidity,

they assist in attaining it.

Another supplement which aids in lucid dreaming

is known as the DMAE/H3 liquid supplement, sold by

TwinLabs. This supplement helps to clear the mind, and

enables you to recall dreams much more vividly.

[Use of pot to attain lucidity, by Vossen]

1) Get yourself woken up 2 or 3 hours before you would

have had your usual amount of sleep.

2) Have a small meal, containing a fair amount of

sugar and milk , I take a cup of yoghurt mixed with some

pieces of fruit and a sandwich.

3) SMOKE about 0.1 to 0.2 gram of a really high

quality hasjies, more specific get the best hasjies you

can lay your hands and smoke the LEAST AMOUNT NECESSARY

to feel it having an effect. The intention is NOT to get

yourself well and truly stoned, because if you do, you

won't remember anything of your dreams. The idea is

rather to have your mind to be just slightly tickled.

4) Empty your bowels.

5) Go to bed again.

The effect of point 3) is that you will be able to

step into a dream with much greater ease .

Another possible effect of point 3) is of course:

getting arrested, This is why you should live in the

Netherlands because over hear you can walk around with a

maximum of 30 grams of the stuff without the government

being nasty.

[Music as a link to lucid dreams, by Steven Lance]

While reading material relating to lucid

dreaming, or browsing alt.dreams.lucid, have a certain

song playing repeatedly. As you fall asleep, keep the

song playing in the background low enough to allow you to

sleep. This method seems to form a link between your

subconscious, the music, and lucid dreaming. If the music

is playing while you are asleep, your subconscious can

still dwell on the idea of lucid dreaming much longer

than you consciously could.

[Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) Technique, by

Stephen LaBerge]

1. Setup dream recall. Set your mind to awaken

from dreams and recall them. When you awaken

from a dream, recall it as completely as you can.

2. Focus your intent.

While returning to sleep, concentrate

single-mindedly on your intention to remember to

recognize that you're dreaming. Tell yourself: "Next

time I'm dreaming, I want to remember I'm dreaming."

Try to feel that you really mean it. Focus your thoughts

on this idea alone. If you find yourself thinking

about anything else, let it go and bring your mind

back to your intention to remember.

3. See yourself becoming lucid.

At the same time, imagine that you are back in the

dream you just woke from (or another one you have

had recently if you didn't remember a dream on

awakening), but this time you recognize that it is a

dream. Look for a dreamsign--something in the dream

that demonstrates plainly that it is a dream (see

NightLight 1.3 & 1.4 for more about dreamsigns).

When you see it say to yourself: "I'm dreaming!" and

continue your fantasy. Imagine yourself carrying out your

plans for your next lucid dream. For example, if you

want to fly in your lucid dream, imagine yourself

flying when you come to the point in your fantasy

that you "realize" you are dreaming.

4. Repeat until your intention is set.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until your intention is set;

then let yourself fall asleep. If, while falling

asleep, you find yourself thinking of anything else,

repeat the procedure so that the last thing in your

mind before falling asleep is your intention to remember

to recognize the next time you are dreaming.

[Lucid Dream Induction Devices (Cut from Lucidity

Institute FAQ)]

The Lucidity Institute offers several electronic devices

that help people achieve lucid dreams. They were

developed through laboratory research at Stanford

University by LaBerge, Levitan, and others. The basic

principle behind all of these devices is as follows: The

primary task confronting someone who wishes to have a

lucid dream is to remember that intention while in a

dream. We often remember to do things while awake through

reminders: notes, strings around fingers, alarms, and so

on. However, such reminders are of little use in dreams,

although there are other kinds of reminders that are in

fact helpful. The observation that some sensory events

are occasionally incorporated into ongoing dreams (like

your clock radio or the neighbor's saw appearing

disguised in your dream rather than awakening you) led to

the idea of using a particular sensory stimulus as a cue

to a dreamer to become lucid. For example, a tape

recording of a voice saying "You're dreaming" played

while a person is in REM sleep will sometimes come

through into the dream and remind the person to become

lucid. In our research we settled on using flashing

lights as a lucidity cue, because they had less tendency

to awaken people than sound and were easy to apply. The

DreamLight and NovaDreamer devices also have a sound cue

option, which is useful for people who sleep more deeply.

The DreamLight, DreamLink, and NovaDreamer all work by

giving users flashing light cues when they are dreaming.

Users work with their devices to find an intensity and

length of cue that enters their dreams without awakening

them. In addition, device users should practice mental

exercises while awake for the best preparation for

recognizing the light cues when they appear in dreams.

The devices are based around a soft, comfortable sleep

mask, which contains the flashing lights. The DreamLight

and NovaDreamer detect the rapid eye movements of REM

sleep, when the wearer is likely to be dreaming, and give

cues when the level of eye movement activity is high

enough. The DreamLink lacks the eye movement detection

circuitry; the user sets its timer to trigger the cues at

times likely to coincide with REM periods.

These lucid dream induction devices offer a second method

of lucid dream stimulation. This method arose out of the

discovery that while sleeping with the DreamLight, people

frequently dreamed that they awakened wearing the device,

and pressed the button on the front of the mask to start

the "delay," a feature that disables cues while you are

drifting off to sleep. Ordinarily, the button would cause

a beep to tell you that you had successfully pressed it.

However, people were reporting that the button was not

working in the middle of the night. Actually, they were

dreaming that they were awakening and pressing the

button, and the button did not work because it was a

dream version of the DreamLight. Dream versions of

devices are notorious for not working normally. Once

people were advised that failure of the button in the

middle of the night was a sign that they were probably

dreaming, they were able to use this "dreamsign" reliably

to become lucid during "false awakenings" with the

DreamLight. This "reality test" button turned out to be

so useful that it became an important part of all the

lucid dream induction devices developed by the Lucidity

Institute. Research suggests that about half of the lucid

dreams stimulated by the devices result from using the

button for reality tests.

============================

Step 5: I'm lucid now but...

============================

[Dream Spinning, by Stephen LaBerge]

If you find yourself loosing your precious

lucidity during a dream, the problem is often remedied by

"dream spinning". When you find the dream fading, spin

around as you did when you were a child trying to get

dizzy. (You will not get dizzy from dream spinning

because your physical body is not spinning around).

Remind yourself, "The next scene will be a dream." When

you stop spinning, if it is not obvious that you are

dreaming, do a reality test. Even if you think you are

awake, you may be surprised to find that you are still

dreaming!

[Focal Point method, by Dr. Paul Tholey]

This method had actually been proposed by Dr.

Paul Tholey of Germany as a technique for causing

awakening from lucid dreams. This was to focus visual

attention on a single point in the dream and hold it

their until the dream ended. The experiment presented

this behavior as another dream prolonging technique, as a

way of testing the power of suggestion in the

effectiveness of actions meant to prolong dreams, and as

a test of the verity of Tholey's idea.

[Vocal method, by Stephen LaBerge]

When you find yourself loosing lucidity,

continually remind yourself that you are dreaming by

repeating phrases like "This is a dream!...This is a

dream!...This is a dream!" or "I'm dreaming...I'm

dreaming...I'm dreaming ...." This self-reminding can be

spoken "out-loud" in the dream, if necessary. Otherwise

it's better to say it silently to avoid the repetition

becoming the predominant feature of the dream.

[Awakening at Will from a Lucid Dream]

If the secret to preventing premature awakening

is to maintain active participation in the dream, the

secret to awakening at will is to withdraw your attention

and participation from the dream. Think, daydream, or

otherwise withdraw your attention from the dream, and you

are very likely to awaken. This method lends itself to

situations where you wish to fully remember intricate

details of the dream, such as lyrics to a song or results

from an experiment. Dreamer beware, however, that

awakening from a lucid dream more often than not causes

false awakenings. If you wish to wake from a dream, make

sure you are truly awake from them too or else your

efforts will be lost!

Lee Holmes (Holmes@Cycor.Ca)

w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w=w

GLOBAL DREAMING NEWS May 24, 1996

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GD News is a distributed news and events project

sponsored by Electric Dreams, DreamGate and The Novato

Center for Dreams. Please send all material to the Dream

News and Calendar Events editor, Peggy Coats

pcoats@cruzio.com

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==== I N D E X ====

-ADVANCED INTENSIVE: THE ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY OF DREAMS

-DREAM WAVE BREAKS ON THE WEB

-DREAM WEB SITE UPDATES

-DREAMS AND THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES

-CONSCIOUS DREAMING, A SPIRITUAL PATH

-FUTURE OF DREAMING ONLINE - ASD BULLETIN BOARD TALK

-ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF DREAMS CONFERENCE XII,

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, JULY 1996

-NEW FINDINGS ON THE MEANING AND CLINICAL USE OF DREAMS

-DREAMS, CREATIVITY AND THE ARTS - ASD XIII

-DREAMING IN CYBERSPACE, SHAMANISM, AIDS, O.J. AND MORE

AT THIS -YEAR'S ASD CONFERENCE IN JULY !

-CONTINUING EDUCATION (CU) CREDITS AT ASD XIII

-ONLINE DREAM COURSE(s) IN JUNE

-DREAM TALK RADIO SHOW

-COMMUNAL MAGIC: A GROUP DREAMING PROJECT

-ELECTRIC DREAMS BULLETIN BOARD

-CONTENT ANALYSIS OF DREAMS - NEW SAT Program

GLOBAL DREAMING NEWS

******* SPECIAL HELP FOR DREAM CONTENT ANALYSIS STUDENTS

********

DreamSAT

Automated Dream Data Entry System and

Statistical Analysis Tool

DreamSAT is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that can make

your life much easier if you use the Hall/Van

de Castle system of quantitative content analysis. For

more detailed information about DreamSAT, read

the documentation at

http://zzyx.ucsc.edu/~dreams/DreamSAT/

******* ADVANCED INTENSIVE: THE ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY OF

DREAMS *******

The CG Jung Foundation of New York will be presenting a

summer program on the Analytical Psychology of Dreams,

July 14-19, 1996. This intensive features workshops,

seminars and field trips for five full, stimulating days

of advanced dream study. Topics include:

- Archetypal Amplifications of Animal Imagery

- Dreams as Reflections of the Interpersonal Field of

Analysis

- Drama and Dreams, including a trip to the theatre

- The Ego-Self Relationship in Dreams

- The Eye of the Dreamer

For more information, or to register for the course,

contact:

Janet M. Careswell, Director The CG Jung Foundation of

New York

28 East 39th Street New York, NY 10016 (212) 697-6430

******** DREAM WAVE BREAKS ON THE WEB *******

Dream Wave is a new site on the web designed for reverie

and revelation about dreams. Through the Muse and Gold

pages, you can learn to discern your most valuable

dreams, separate the gold from the dross, and fashion

that gold into something of beauty and substance. Visit

this unique new site at:

http://www.dreamwv.com

********* DREAM WEB SITE UPDATES **********

Somnial Times' reports a web page URL change. It can now

be viewed at:

http://www.iit.edu/~banymic/somnial

I couldn't get through, but I had trouble at the older

address as well:

http://snoopy.acc.iit.edu:80/~banymic/somnial/

**********

DreamNet has added a page with info on the new 900 number

Dream Education & Information Line:

The purpose of our 900 line: to encourage you to begin

taking advantage of the valuable information presented

each night in your nighttime dreams. The options listed

on this page are among common questions and concerns most

individuals have about their dreams and about dreams, in

general.

http://waking.com/waking/dream/

Phone 1-900-988-2122 Ext. 6358

$2.99 min./ 18+/Procall (602) 954-7420

Procall (602) 954-7420

**********

DreamLink now has the capacity to run REAL TIME Video-

conferencing dream groups.

http://www.iag.net:80/~hutchib/.dream/

**********

How about bulletin board for Dream Chat? Try Angie's:

http://www.sonic.net/~williams/wwwboard/dreamboard.html

**********

For a list of lists of dream sites online, try the

Electric Dreams Links Page:

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~mettw/edreams/links.html

You can ADD you links directly or send them in.

********* CONSCIOUS DREAMING, A SPIRITUAL PATH

*********

Robert Moss's new book, *Conscious Dreaming: A Spiritual

Path for Everyday Life* has just been released, and

includes considerable content on lucid dreaming, as well

as Australian aboriginal and other shamamanic dream

practices adapted for use by the dreamer.

******** DREAMS AND THE TENSION OF OPPOSITES ********

The C.G. Jung Institute-Boston is pleased to announce

its annual Summer Intensive Program, Living With the

Tension of the Opposites, June 30 through July 14, 1996.

The aim of the summer intensive program is to provide a

careful introduction to the psychology of C.G. Jung and

to suggest its application to everyday life. Focusing on

"The Opposites," a course in the basic principles of

Analytical Psychology will provide an overview of Jung's

concepts and outline the connection to the courses that

follow: Dream Work, Interpretation of Fairy Tales, Music,

Movement and Body Awareness, Mythology, Psychological

Types, The Family, and Pictures from the Unconscious.

Courses will be taught by the Institute's faculty.

The summer intensive is open to anyone interested in

Jungian

psychology and is especially appropriate for those

working in

counseling, education, medicine, psychotherapy, religion,

psychology, and social work. It is strongly recommended

for those who are considering training in Analytical

Psychology.

The program is limited to twenty participants. The

tuition fee

is $1,450 before June 1, $1,500 after June 1, and $1,550

for on site registration.

The Institute is located in the heart of the historical

Back Bay,

providing easy access to the rich cultural life of

Boston. For further information and application forms or

brochures, please contact:

The C.G.Jung Institute, Boston

283 Commonwealth Avenue

Boston, MA 02115

Telephone: (617) 267-5984

E-mail address: CGJUNGBOS1@aol.com.

********** FUTURE OF DREAMING ONLINE - ASD BULLETIN BOARD

TALK **********

When is dream sharing appropriate online and when is it

a violation or scam? Can clinical dreamwork be done

online? Who gets to decide? Come discuss these and

other topics on the ASD bulletin board

http://www.outreach.org/gmcc/asd/

Select "Bulletin Board"

********* ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF DREAMS CONFERENCE,

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, JULY 1996 *******

The latest discoveries on dreaming will be presented at a

five-day international conference of the Association for

the Study of Dreams at the Claremont Hotel and Spa in

Berkeley, California, USA. Diverse conference offerings

include scientific presentations by the world's foremost

dream researchers and authors, as well as workshops and

seminars that feature literacy, anthropological and

cinematic perspectives on dreaming, and

innovative approaches to using dreams in psychotherapy

and healing. In addition to over a hundred separate

events, the conference concludes with a Dream Ball to

which participants come dressed as their favorite or most

dreaded dream character or symbol. For more information

about the whole range of events and activities, as well

as to learn how to register, visit the ASD's home page

at:

http://www.outreach.org/gmcc/asd/

And get the latest Press Releases at

http://www.best.com/~rcwilk/asd-13/asd13new.htm

or email your request to: asdreams@aol.com

****** NEW FINDINGS ON THE MEANING AND CLINICAL USE OF

DREAMS *******

New findings on the meaning and clinical use of dreams by

European, Canadian and American researchers will be

revealed in a series of presentations and workshops on

Content Analysis of dreams, a scientific technique for

studying the meaning of dreams at this year's ASD

Conference in Berkeley, CA.

William Domhoff, Ph.D., author of *Finding the Meaning in

Dreams* and his colleagues and students will provide

training on content analysis and demonstrate its

applications for studying personality and the nature of

dreaming.

Ernest Hartmann, M.D., eminent dreams researcher, will

chair a symposium on July 10 that probes the fundamental

nature and purpose of dreaming.

Psychologist Alan Siegel, Ph.D., will coordinate a

two-day continuing education seminar featuring the latest

research and clinical techniques for helping survivors of

disaster, abuse, violence and war who suffer from

recurring nightmares as part of Post-Traumatic Stress

Disorder.

July 12, an all-day series of workshops entitled *Trauma,

Nightmares and Recovery* will feature Barry Krakow, M.D.,

on nightmares and victims of violence. Psychotherapist

Carol Warner, M.S.W., will explore dreams, sexual abuse

and memory. Alan Siegel, Ph.D., will present emerging

findings on children's dreams and a follow-up of his

study of the dreams of survivors of

the Oakland Firestorm of 1991. Johanna King, Ph.D., will

speak about dreamwork and the treatment of trauma.

Nearly a century after the publication of Freud's

*Interpretation of Dreams*, contemporary psychotherapists

still view dreams as the royal road to the unconscious

and emotional healing. A panel of dream experts (Milton

Kramer, M.D., John Beebe, M.D., and James Fosshage,

Ph.D.,) from differing schools (psychoanalytic, Jungian,

self psychology and cognitive) will debate current

theories and therapy techniques.

******** DREAMS, CREATIVITY AND THE ARTS *********

A major theme at this year's ASD conference in Berkeley

July 9-13, is the interface between dreaming and

creativity. Researcher and psychologist, Veronica Tonay,

will reveal unique symbolism and characteristics of

creative people's dreams. June Singer, M.D., will

lecture on *Dreaming the Dream Onward: Adventures in

Active Imagination*.

The interface between the world of dreams and visual

imagery will be explored in a juried art exhibit

featuring a reception with the artists on July 10. A July

12 evening seminar will explore the connection between

film-making and dreaming, and will feature an appearance

by screenwriter Kathleen Broyles and sleep researcher

James Pagel, M.D.

******** DREAMING IN CYBERSPACE, SHAMANISM, AIDS, O.J.

AND MORE AT THIS YEAR'S ASD CONFERENCE IN JULY !********

The ancient art of dream interpretation is flourishing in

Cyberspace and a networking center will broadcast parts

of the ASD conference on the World Wide Web and feature

simultaneous chats with dream researchers and aficionados

who can't attend the conference. Continuous exhibits and

demonstrations will teach participants how to get online

and network with a burgeoning community of other dreamers

world-wide. Richard Wilkerson,

editor of Electric Dreams, will guide both novices and

experienced Internet users.

More ASD information:

http://www.outreach.org/gmcc/asd/

and on the Conference:

http://www.best.com/~rcwilk/asd-13/asd13new.htm

Also appearing will be Jeremy Taylor who hosts a daily

dream show on America Online weekdays at 9a.m. EST.

The symbolism and healing power of dream work for AIDS

patients will be explored by Jungian Analyst Robert

Bosnak, who is the author of the newly released book

*Tracks in the Wilderness of Dreaming* and an earlier

book *Dreaming with an AIDS Patient*.

The universality of the dreaming experience will be

highlighted by anthropological and cross-cultural

seminars and by participants from Europe

and Asia. Australian aboriginal and other shamanic dream

practices have been adapted by Robert Moss as part of his

new book *Conscious Dreaming*. In addition, a debate on

the validity of Senoi Tribe dream practices and a number

of panel discussions on Native American views on dreams

will occur.

The spiritual dimensions of dreams will be touched upon

by religious studies scholar, Kelly Bulkeley, Ph.D., and

by psychologist and author Edward Hoffman, Ph.D., who

will present a workshop on the Jewish mystical tradition

and dreamwork. Steven LaBerge, noted lucid dreaming

researcher will speak about dreams and consciousness.

Even the legal aspects of dreaming will be

reviewed in a presentation on sleep, dreams and the law

by professor Carol Schrier Rupprecht, Ph.D., and her

attorney son, Whitney Rupprecht, J.D., which will focus

on the testimony of dream experts and the admissibility

of dreams as evidence in current legal cases such as the

O.J. Simpson trial.

*********** CONTINUING EDUCATION (CU) CREDITS AT ASD

XIII **********

ASD will be offering Continuing Education (CE) credits at its

conferences. For professionals in the mental health, health,

and education fields who attend the international and regional

conferences, selected parts of the program will now offer CE

credits. At Conference XIII in Berkeley, workshops and

seminars eligible for CE credits are marked CE TRACK in the

blue pre-program brochure and in the program guide that will be

handed out at the conference.

For more information, see the web page

http://www.best.com/~rcwilk/asd-13/ceunits.htm

Changes & updates to the CE TRACK are posted on the ASD

Homepage on the WWW.

http://www.outreach.org/gmcc/asd/

Select "Bulletin Board"

For further information, contact ASD Central Office at (7030

242 0062 leave a message or fax at (703) 242 8888. Also for

IACET information, they can be contacted at: IACET, 1200 19th

Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036-2412 Phone (202) 857

1122 or FAX (202)-223 4579.

*********** ONLINE DREAM COURSES IN JUNE **********

#1

Author and dream researcher, Jayne Gackenbach, Ph.D. will

offer an online Internet Dream class starting in June.

For more information, check out the web site:

Unlocking the Secret of Your Dreams

Jayne Gackenbach, Ph.D.

An Internet course from Grant MacEwan Community College

Unlocking the Secret of Your Dreams is a noncredit

introductory

course that is delivered on the World Wide Web. The

course consists of five lessons which teach you to

interpret and work with your own dreams, both alone and

in an electronic group session. Each lesson is

accompanied by an assignment where you will put what you

have learned into practice, and answer a questionnaire

about your dream experiences. You will receive feedback

on the completed assignment the following week.

Throughout the course you will have access to a student

bulletin board where you can share your ideas and

impressions about dreams with others enrolled in the

class as well as an active dialogue with the instructor.

You can find out more information about the class as well

as register for it at:

http://www.outreach.org/dreams

Enrollment is limited so please register soon.

The course runs for six weeks (one lessons/assignment

takes two

weeks) beginning Monday, June 17, 1996 through Sunday,

July 28,

1996. This $129 value is being offered at a low

introductory price of $39 (US) or $49 (Canadian).

**********

#2

General Editor of Electric Dreams and Project Coordinator

for DreamGate, the International Internet Dream Community

Center, Richard Wilkerson, is opening the 8th section of

an online Internet Dream class starting June 1st.

Introduction to Dream Sharing in Cyberspace.

Richard Wilkerson, rcwilk@aol.com

An Internet course from DreamGate.

Cyber- Dream Sharing is a noncredit introductory

course that includes 20 e-mail essays on dreamwork from

Ancient Times to Modern Cyberspace, as well as dream

labs, groups and meetings in all Internet forums,

including e-mail dream groups, IRC Chat channels, Web

Bulletin Board discussions and experimental venues.

You can find the Syllabus for the Class at

http://users.aol.com/rcwilk/private/dg-1.htm

(Select Dream Class)

The course begins Tuesday, June 3rd and is $100.00, but

is at a special Intro price for Electric Dreams

Subscribers of $10.00 (US) Snail mail. Late comers

welcome if you don't mind getting several lessons at one

time.

To register, Send to Richard Wilkerson at rcwilk@aol.com

"Yes, I'd love to be in the June Dream Sharing Class -

put my name on the list and send me the registration

address!"

********** DREAM TALK RADIO SHOW *******

*Dreams, Another Way of Knowing* is a weekly dream-talk

show on public radio station KAZU 90.3 in Pacific Grove,

California. Each Wednesday night at 7 pm, listeners are

encouraged to call in and share their dreams, and to work

with the host in understanding what those dreams mean for

them. In addition, interviews with other researchers and

authors are regularly featured. The

host, Kathleen Sullivan, has been a practicing

dreamworker for over 15 years, and leads classes,

workshops and dreamgroups in the Monterey Bay region.

******* COMMUNAL MAGIC: A GROUP DREAMING PROJECT ********

Although the focus at the 1996 ASD conference is on

meeting with fellow dreamers, you can participate in

Communal Magic whether you will be physically present in

Berkeley, California or not. Just keep track of your

dreams for the next few months. Conference dreams, flying

dreams, or dreams about fellow dreamers are being

collected. They will be posted on a wall mural called the

*Flying Carpet* which includes not only dreams, but

poetry,

graffiti and art work. There are dreaming dates, waking

meetings and Cyberspace encounters planned -- you can

dream, or create art work based upon your dreams. In

group dreaming, the most important question is not, did I

time it right, but does that dream have a special social

flavor?

If you are interested in participating in Communal Magic,

send your dreams, with title, date and your full name (or

pseudonym)to:

Dream Flights

1083 Harvest Meadow Court

San Jose, CA 95136

USA

or email to: caseyflyer@aol.com

Deadline for regular mail submissions is July 1. From

July 9-13, during the conference itself, dreams can be

e-mailed to caseyflyer@aol.com or faxed to the Claremont

Hotel at 510) 848-6208 7am-6pm PDT weekdays, and 8am-1pm

Saturday. Send to the attention of Richard Wilkerson (if

your last name begins with A-M) or Linda Lane Magallon

(if last name begins with N-Z).

******* ELECTRIC DREAMS BULLETIN BOARD ******

For those of you who haven't visited our web page

recently Electric Dreams has launched a Bulletin Board.

This is the place (we hope) where our online friends and

visitors will be able to post information about research

projects, introduce dialogue on current events or topics,

share news and calendar events, or just express

themselves in whatever way seems most appropriate. Drop

on by and drop a line soon at:

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~mettw/edreams/home.html

CALENDAR

Time is relative in the dream world, but not so in our

waking life -- and to help bridge that gap, Electric

Dreams will be presenting a monthly calendar of

dream-related activities, events, classes, exhibits,

workshops or any other interested occurrences in digest

form. If you'd like to share what's

happening in your local area for upcoming issues, please

email your news and events to Peggy Coats, Calendar and

News Director, at <pcoats@cruzio.com>

Jun 1 USA: Santa Cruz, California

Dreamwork and Creativity Workshop

Christine Boyer, 408) 427.9861

Jun 10 USA: Berkeley, California

Ass'n for the Study of Dreams Conference

Preview at Gaia Bookstore, 1400 Shattuck

510) 548-4178

Jun 22-23 USA: San Pablo, CA

Dream Drawings, Paintings & Collages by

Diane Rusnak

Pro Arts Open Studio, 1306 Marin Avenue

510) 232-7612

Jun 30-Jul 14 USA: Boston, Massachusetts

Intensive: The Tension of Opposites

CG Jung Institute

(617) 267-5984 E-mail:

CGJUNGBOS1@aol.com.

Jul 1 Last day to send in dreams, poetry, artwork for

the Flying Carpet

via regular mail. caseyflyer@aol.com

Jul 9-13 USA: Berkeley, California

Ass'n for the Study of Dreams Conference

Alan Siegel, 510) 527-7929 email:

dreamsdr@aol.com

Rita Dwyer, 703) 242-8888 email:

asdreams@aol.com

http://www.outreach.org/gmcc/asd/

Jul 11 Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

Live from the ASD Conference

7:30-9:30pm Pacific Daylight Time

select #FlyByNight using your IRC software

Jul 12 Compuserve Online Live at the ASD

Conference

7:30-10:00pm Pacific Daylight Time

Choose Services, Go, Newage, New Age B

Forum, Conference, Enter Room, Dream Studio.

Jul 14-19 USA: New York, New York

The Analytical Psychology of Dreams

CG Jung Foundation, 212) 697-6430

Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z

DREAM WHEEL: AN INSIDE LOOK

Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z=Z

Welcome to this special section of Electric Dreams! We

routinely run online dream groups via email and thought

that our readers would enjoy seeing what exactly happens

in these "Dream Wheels", as we call them. The following

is a Dream Wheel from earlier this year along with some

history about our online dream groups and some notes on

the process in general. Following the Dream Wheel you

will find descriptions of some of the new changes that

make joining and participating in a Dream Wheel even

easier!

BRIEF HISTORY:

In 1995 I was looking for some way to give more attention

to the dreams that we were sharing in the Electric Dreams

community and found (or did you find me?) John Herbert's

AOL Seniornet bulletin board groups on dreams. He was

using a variation of the Ullman/Zimmerman process that is

widely used by Jeremy Taylor and many other groups and

individuals in the Association for the Study of Dreams.

The process was a delight and I imported it to Electric

Dreams and modified it for e-mail. (See Below for the

process) The first round robin series were very popular,

but an administrative nightmare. See the Electric Dreams

Web site:

http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~mettw/edreams/home.html

for a copy of one of these groups. In the round robin,

we had one file which we passed around and added

comments, questions and replies before passing it along

to the next member. Take my word for it, don't try this.

Jay Vinton suggested simply creating a small mail list

where everyone would keep the whole list and always mail

to the whole list, thereby creating a group feeling and

effect. These work pretty well and they are easy to start

and very inexpensive to run.

--

Richard Wilkerson

PERMISSION TO RE-PRINT AND NOTES ON ANONYMOUS MAILING:

"Island" has given permission to publish her dream on

Electric Dreams. The names of the participants have all

been changed. Richard's name has been left on the process

notes for the sake of clarity. Generally in the

invitation everyone is asked to handle the level of

anonymity on their own. If a member feels the need for

more anonymity than is provided by a pen name and e-mail

address, they can use what's usually called an e-mail re-

mailer. A free account can be set up. Using this account

email can be sent and received through an anonymous

address, thereby protecting the sender's identity.

TO GET INFORMATION on anon re-mailing , send the

following message:

To: help@anon.penet.fi

Subject: get anon help file (automatic, doesn't matter

what subject is)

Body: get help file (automatic, doesn't matter what you

put here)

THE FLOW OF AN EMAIL DREAM GROUP:

I--INVITATION TO JOIN GROUP-- Before any group can

begin it must have members. We routinely post

invitations to join the dream wheels in various spots on

the Internet. Invitations are also e-mailed to

interested persons.

II--INSTRUCTIONS/ SENDING IN DREAMS-- Once members have

joined it is time to begin. Instructions briefly

outlining the whole process are sent to everyone in the

group. Included with these instructions is a schedule

that sets dates for the group. In addition a request is

sent requesting that dreams to be considered for use in

the group be sent to the moderator. Once all dreams are

received the moderator randomly selects the dream(s) for

the group.

III--DREAM SENT TO ALL ON LIST-- The dream(s) selected

by the moderator is sent to everyone in the group along

with the instructions regarding the technique used in

asking questions of the dreamers.

IV--QUESTIONS SENT FROM ALL IN GROUP-- Following the

instructions sent with the dream, the group the members

have a chance to ask "clarification" questions. These

questions are directed at the dreamers, but are sent to

everyone in the group.

V--DREAMER HAS A CHANCE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS-- As the

questions are sent to the group the dreamers have the

option to answer, or not answer, them.

VI--COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS SENT BY MODERATOR-- Once the

dreamers have answered questions the moderator sends out

a note to all group members to take the dreams as their

own. Once the moderator sends these instructions it is

time for the group members to begin commenting on the

dream. *Although a schedule is set at the beginning of

the group the dates set for the beginnings and endings of

phases are sometimes changed by the moderator to allow

for special circumstances (example: questions dreamer's

answers are in ahead of schedule so moderator sends out

"comment" instructions early. OR, questions are slow to

come in so moderator extends time allowed for questions

to be sent).

VII--COMMENTS SENT FROM ALL IN GROUP-- Group members

send their "If this were my dream..." comments to

everyone in the group.

VIII--DREAMER HAS A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS--

Once all comments are in the dreamers are given the

chance to respond to the comments. Sometimes the

dreamers choose to share with the group any insights they

may have gained in the process of answering questions and

reading comments.

IF--MODERATOR CLOSES GROUP-- At this point the

moderator brings the group to a close by sharing some

closing thoughts on the group.

=========================================================

===

DREAM WHEEL 6B--MODERATED BY RICHARD WILKERSON

(edited from original e-mails by R. Wilkerson & C. Hicks)

I--INVITATION TO JOIN GROUP-- Dream Wheel 6b

participants joined by e-mailing Richard, who then

compiled a list of group members' email addresses. This

list was used by, both the moderator and the group

members to insure that material was sent to everyone in

the group.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

II--INSTRUCTIONS/ SENDING IN DREAMS

Dreamwheel 6b

Dreamsharing Online: Instructions - Send in a dream

The first step is to send in a dream to the moderator.

Send to Richard Wilkerson

rcwilk@aol.com

Please *title* your dream for reference (you can change

the title later if you want) and pick a pen name. Some

like to use their first names, other like a completely

different identity. If the e-mail address you use is not

enough anonymity for you, please send in the dream from

the address you are willing to share with the group for

the next couple of weeks.

To all participants- please maintain confidentiality

and be sensitive to the group and dreamer. Keep all

interaction, comments and personal information within the

group.

That's it!

I'll send more instructions this weekend. Welcome to

DreamWheel 6B!

Schedule:

Feb 1-4 (Thurs-Sunday) Send in dreams - if possible send

in a dream that is recent and of reasonable length - more

than a fragment, less than a novel! Send to your

moderator, Richard Wilkerson at

rcwilk@aol.com

I'll pick a dream for us to work on and send out the

dream and group list on Sunday or Monday.

Feb 5-8 (monday-thrus) Questions to Dreamer. Though the

questions are to the dreamer, be sure to send them to the

whole group. see below for e-mail instructions if needed.

In this group we are only going to ask *clarification*

questions. Do not ask the dreamer any questions that

might call for speculation or interpretation.

Feb 5-11 (monday- Sunday) The dreamer may or may not

reply to the questions, as they wish. The dreamers in our

groups usually wait until several questions are in before

answering, but you can follow the response schedule that

is best for you. Always send answers to the whole group.

Feb 12- 14 (mon- wed) Comments. Participants may send in

comments to the group on the dream. In this session we

recommend the Ullman "If this were my dream..." style.

See Below on DREAM COMMENTING for more information on

this.

Feb 12- 17 (mon -Sunday) The dreamer may or may not reply

to the comments, as they wish. Often dreamers like to

give feedback to the group about what they found

interesting, surprising, useful and insightful. And of

course, the commentators (who we call commentors) always

seen to love the feedback. If there are loose ends, the

mediator will tie things up and that it for the first

dream.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

III--DREAM SENT TO ALL ON LIST

DREAM: "The Shadow Box" by Island

I dreamed I was in Texas, I think, because I ran into

Monica, quite by accident, in the broad light of day. As

I haven't seen her in quite a long time, and she has

always seemed like a sister to me in her expression of

affection, I imagined she would want us to get together.

But she was cool about it and sort of wormed her way out

of it. At this point the dream seems confusing; not sure

what happens, but not much happens. Then I'm going to a

class of some kind where I'm to give some kind of

presentation. But my talk is really unprepared: I don't

really know what I am going to say, always an unpleasant

experience. My main impression is that I am going not

with my 47-year-old heart but my 7-year-old heart. I have

with me what seems like a giant sandbox of sorts turned

vertically, or perhaps a huge square shadowbox(?) for

display. Inside is the universe in motion -- all the

planets and stars and everything else besides, not that I

can see it clearly. I'm just aware that that's what is

there. When I awakened, and recalled the dream, I cried

for a while. (96.02.02)

Notes: Moderator selects dreams randomly

Dream sent to all on list

ASKING QUESTIONS of the dreamer:

In this phase of the process you may ask the dreamer

questions about the dream that may clarify the image of

the dream. Do not ask questions that call for

interpretations.

Example: DREAM "He turned around and grabbed Bill's

jacket away from me"

Questions:

Hi Dreamer, thanks for sharing your dream with us. I

was wondering:

1. Who is "he" that grabbed the jacket - did you know

him, what did he look like?

2. Are you related to Bill or is he a friend?

3. Were you scared when he grabbed the jacket away?

4. What kind of jacket was it? Dark leather, green

raincoat...?

Some questions you *DON'T* want to ask:

1. Why do you think he grabbed your jacket?

(though you might ask if any reasons went through your

head *during* the dream.)

2. Did you know that Jackets represent symbols of

appearance issues?

3. Do you often have men grabbing your clothes in dreams?

4. What does standing behind someone mean to you?

And to the Dreamers-

If and when you reply to the questions, do so only to

clarify the dream. Try to avoid interpretations at this

point. If it is not clear from the dream how to answer a

question, simply say it was not clear.

Usually the dreamer waits until several members'

questions have been mailed to the group to begin

answering.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

IV--QUESTIONS SENT FROM ALL IN GROUP

-----

Hello Island,

Thank you for the 'Cosmic Dream'!!!

Some questions:

1. Do you remember anything about the weather (ie. hot,

cold)?

2. Did you and Monica speak much before she 'wormed' out

of getting together, and if so can you recall what you

spoke of?

3. Where is this class (a university, an old elementary

school, other familiar places)?

4. Describe your feelings as you stood before the class

to give this presentation.

5. Can you clarify about the sandbox/shadow box--Could

you see the smaller sections that may have been present

if it were a shadow box, and if so, were there different

things (perhaps even universes) within the various

compartments?

6. Have all our questions brought out any additional

information about that confusing transition period

between the first and second part of the dream?

Thank you,

"S"

-----

-----

Hello Island, Great dream!

My questions are:

1. What is a sandbox. Is it a box full of sand where the

kids play with toys and build sand

castles etc?

2. What is a shadowbox?

3. Did the toys in the sandbox make you think of the

planets and stars?

4. What is your difference between a 47 year old heart

and a 7 year old heart?

5. Clarify what you mean by 'wormed'? It is quite a

descriptive word.

6. What specifically made you cry? Thinking about Monica

and the way she reacted; the 47 year old vs 7 year old

heart; the stress of the unprepared presentation; or just

everything, nothing specific.

Thanks, "B"

-----

-----

Hi Island, thanks for sharing your dream.

Some questions:

1 You were in Texas, but could you describe the scene in

more detail? Were you inside or outside - on the road

..etc?

2. Was the presentation in the class *about* the shadow

box?

"D"

-----

-----

Hello Island

Thanks for a very touching dream. I have questions:

(1) What is your association with Texas?

(2) Please take another peep in the shadow box. What

else can you see with one quick glimpse, or two?

Thanks, "L"

-----

-----

Hi Island,

Interesting dream! Could you answer these questions?

l. Is Monica a long- time friend? At what time in life

did you meet? Childhood,etc.?

2. Do you have any idea of what the topic of your

presentation was to be?

3. What is the difference for you between presenting

with a "47-year-old heart" and a "7-year-old heart"?

4. Were there any colors in the universe display, or

just dark and light contrasts?

Thanks for sharing your dreams and answers. "T"

-----

-----

Island,

Thanks for the dream!

And (surprise) I have a question

1. What does the audience look like? What type of

people are they and

how do they respond to you?

2. Do you have any idea (during the dream) where the

shadowbox comes from?

Okay, so that was two questions...

Thanks,

"I"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

V--DREAMER HAS A CHANCE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS

-----

Thanks for your questions, "D" I'll try to answer them

as best as I can.

1 You were in Texas, but could you describe the scene in

more detail? Were

you inside or outside - on the road ..etc?

No, I cannot describe the scene in much more detail. My

impression is an interstate highway is

close by; I say, Texas, because I had a sense of vast

terrain, plus that's where Monica lives.

2. Was the presentation in the class *about* the shadow

box?

About the shadow box? Apparently so. Or what was inside

it. Not one word to do with the

presentation, not even a title, was a part of the dream.

-----

-----

Hello, "I". Thanks for your questions. Actually I made

two associations I would not have made

otherwise.

1. What does the audience look like? What type of

people are they and

how do they respond to you?

A small audience, a couple of hundred, in open (not

enclosed) space. My best word for the

audience would be "impassive."

2. Do you have any idea (during the dream) where the

shadowbox comes from?

I do believe that it was something I had been working on,

but in the dream, it felt like it just

magically appeared. My two associations, though, just now

-- 1) Plato's cave; 2) my grandfather,

perched in front of the boob tube, arms flailing

excitedly, every Sunday afternoon like clockwork,

as he watches boxing matches...he died years ago, though

-----

-----

Hello, "T". Thank you for your questions (especially the

one about the difference between the

two hearts).

l. Is Monica a long- time friend? At what time in life

did you meet? Childhood,etc.?

I met Monica when she was an adolescent and I was a stage

actress in a semi-rep theater, 20 years

ago. I had become involved with a close friend of hers,

only to learn through her (she was unaware of the my

involvement with this man) that she was in the horns of a

dilemma. This much older man, who not only was a close

friend of hers, but also befriended for years by her

parents, was doing his best to get her in bed, and she

was a virgin. Essentially, it was child abuse (and I was

a child-abuse social worker at the time). So as she told

me of her plight, I had to immediately sort out/through

my feelings: first, about this man; secondly, about how

to discuss the situation with her without breaking her

heart; and thirdly, how to do so leaving my immediately

broken heart out of the situation. It was that event that

was the prelude to a longterm friendship.

2. Do you have any idea of what the topic of your

presentation was to be?

No.

3. What is the difference for you between presenting

with a "47-year-old heart" and a "7-year-old heart"?

All the difference in the world. The 7-year-old is filled

with the joy, the excitement, the ecstacy, of

sharing what she knows of the universe with others. The

47-year-old, whose heart was broken so many times before,

romantically and otherwise, still (she sometimes thinks)

wants to share -- but just what is it, exactly?

4. Were there any colors in the universe display, or

just dark and light contrasts?

No colors. Just a flash that the universe was there.

-----

-----

Thanks, "L". I had just answered (and sent off responses

to the other questions when yours popped up):

(1) What is your association with Texas?

Visited once, more than 20 years ago. What stands out

(very vaguely) in memory is 1) taking a walk along a

beautiful riverwalk in -- I want to say, San Antonio, but

I'm not sure, with an ex-husband (20 years divorced). 2)

It was so hot that an evening dress I wore to some

military function literally stuck to the plastic car

seats as I dripped in sweat, feeling as if my skin was

coming off. Funny, but I don't recall the event at all.

3) Seeing the city from a revolving restaurant and being

in awe.

An former best friend of more than 20 years moved to

Texas from Georgia following a break (1988) in friendship

and a dream she had where she saw me dead, with long

white hair, pursued by black, ghostly figures.

(2) Please take another peep in the shadow box. What

else can you see with one quick glimpse,

or two?

I would like to say planets slowly, elegantly assuming

their positions, each in turn, against a backdrop of an

infinity of stars.

Again, thanks for your questions.

Island

-----

-----

"B", here goes,

1. What is a sandbox. Is it a box full of sand where the

kids play with toys

and build sand castles etc?

Not quite so literal for me. I think of a sandbox as a

sectioned off space that has nothing inside. It

is the thing left behind, or abandoned, or fallen into

disuse.

2. What is a shadowbox?

Again, 2) a box with borders to be used to display some

imaginative creation; 3) the usual meaning: to spar with

an imaginary opponent, but more narrowly, unauthentic

communication; 4)

see previous response

3. Did the toys in the sandbox make you think of the

planets and stars?

There were no toys.

4. What is your difference between a 47 year old heart

and a 7 year old heart?

"T" also asked that question and it's a good one (see

previous response)

5. Clarify what you mean by 'wormed'? It is quite a

descriptive word.

In this specific instance, to feign allegiance where none

exists.

6. What specifically made you cry? Thinking about Monica

and the way she reacted; the 47 year

old vs 7 year old heart; the stress of the unprepared

presentation; or just everything, nothing

specific.

The difference between the sand/shadow box and the

universe; the difference between my old/young heart; the

difference between old ideals that I have read about

historically (loyalty; honor; nobility; integrity) but

rarely experience presently, either in others or myself.

Loss.

-----

-----

Hello "S:

Thank you for your questions. I hope I'm not

redundant with my answers. (This is a

fascinating process, I must say. I had no idea that I

could glean as much as I have out of it thus

far).

1. Do you remember anything about the weather (ie. hot,

cold)?

Unremarkable; but clear

2. Did you and Monica speak much before she 'wormed' out

of getting together, and if so can

you recall what you spoke of?

No, and that's the strange thing since it's been a long

while since we've actually spoken or gotten

together. The main feature is surprise that we had quite

by accident met on her turf, so to speak, since I have

never visited her in Texas, and she has visited me

several times in New York. But I did have an awareness in

the dream that her interest in this man was all

absorbing; something she must have communicated to me.

Another strange thing is that in 20 years I have only

known Monica to be involved with three men, and she's

generally been unattached. Knowing Monica as I think I

do, I cannot even fathom her being so absorbed by a man

that she would/could have acted this "wormy" way. Monica

is more like a sister than a friend. Hard to explain.

She's a bit more straightforward, clearthinking and

honest. Very pure. Like a child.

3. Where is this class (a university, an old elementary

school, other familiar places)?

Not at all a University, school, or familiar setting, but

my sense is of a broad audience of varying interests.

I'm not even sure why they were even there. I must admit

that their features were nondescript; it was almost as if

I couldn't see a distinctive feature. And too, there

weren't the usual boundaries (walls, etc.).

4. Describe your feelings as you stood before the class

to give this presentation.

Mainly, how did I get here? Why am I here? Am I prepared?

Why am <I> before a body of people?

Mainly, again, surprise, confusion, feeling at a loss,

wanting to, however, live up to my role? Function? Since

I'm there. Might as well. Don't get the point. More like

politics, which I loathe. What could I possibly say, or

do, that would leave any lasting impression? Why should I

want to leave a lasting impression, except that memories

are all that we will ever possess, and to give a gift of

oneself is to increase another's storehouse, including

your own. But before an audience? Maybe one on one,

perhaps. Where's the dynamic reciprocity? Is there really

any real and dynamic interchange between audience member

and speaker? Then I answer my own question with, yes,

there is. Remember Professor Rosenthal? Or Professor

Raymo? Aren't they both unforgettable? Yes. Yes. Why so?

Because there they were -- they -- speaking of a

multitude of things, points of information, bits and

pieces from history, a poem here, a writer there, a

thought, a feeling, an awareness, making the heart thirst

for experience not understood -- an amalgamation of

consciousness...but so rare. And do we have the time?

I would like to think I would not give a presentation, or

perform, if you will, again. Though I have been before

large audiences, acting, playing a violin, dancing, etc.,

it was always a rigorously planned event. It either went

nearly perfectly (didn't miss a step, drop a word) or it

didn't go at all. The two times I most vividly recall

where it didn't go as planned, I've never understood

today why I reacted as I did. Once, I was playing a

violin before a group of people at age 12. In the middle

of the piece, I stopped and stared. I never put my bow

back to the string as a solo artist before a group again.

Another time, I am in college and to give a speech. Just

a minute or two into the speech, and I stopped talking.

The professor must have coaxed me to continue for the

next half hour, but that was it. When I had a lapse of

memory, and stood there in a fog, the fog just never

lifted. A third time, I'm reading a poem rather

beautifully to a rather hostile group who treated me

almost with disdain: as if to say, why are you here and

reading? We had all been reading around the circle, so I

didn't get the point to their reaction. I'm really an

inward person by nature, and I find, unless I really have

a point for being in there in the first place, there's

really no point to it. 4) A fourth time, when the

breakdown of my mouth was being used to teach a class of

postgraduate dentists: an unforgettable experience, to

say the least, since my mouth (X-rays, and the like) was

the focus of attention for a year or more. At this

juncture in my life, I would be just about the last

person to be before an audience presenting anything but

poems aloud, something I've been doing more of this last

year.

5. Can you clarify about the sandbox/shadow box--Could

you see the smaller sections that may have been present

if it were a shadow box, and if so, were there different

things (perhaps even universes) within the various

compartments?

No; oddly, there were no compartments within, which is

why sandbox comes into play. But my impression of the

planets slowly forming, like circles within a square,

deepens. And as I look within the sand/shadowbox, I see

three dimensions, not two. Really a vastness, and within

that vastness, each planet moves out of the vastness

forward closer and closer to the forefront: as if

presenting itself -- the planet introducing itself, as it

were, rather elegantly -- as if it were communicating but

without language. It's not the objects in a box I see,

for these are static. The movement inside the box that I

could hold up comfortably with my two hands was dynamic,

having a life of its own.

6. Have all our questions brought out any additional

information about that confusing transition period

between the first and second part of the dream?

No. Except to say that since you have phrased it that

way, I must say that an interaction like that with Monica

is very like events that characterized events from my

past, even as recent as a year ago. That is not the case

now, nor do I expect it will be the case in the future.

And there has been a rather lengthy transition period

between those times and these.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VI--COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS SENT BY MODERATOR

DreamWheel 6B - Comments on "Shadow Box"

COMMENT PROCEDURES

In this part of the process, you may comment on the

dream. While you are welcome to make any comments you

wish, what we are teaching in this group is

non-defensive style developed by Montegue Ullman and

modified for Internet myself and others.

This segment is the one in which each group member takes

the dream as if it were his or her own and shares

feelings and thoughts about the dream and what it might

mean in each members life situation.

Making the dream your own:

1. At the beginning of all comment files or e-mail we

generally write : "If this were my dream..."

This sets up the general subjective attitude and

works as a reminder to the commentor that they are not

telling the dreamer what they think the dream means to

the dreamer, but rather what the dream might mean if we

had that dream.

2. To further this point, use 1st person singular,

present tense. "In my dream..."

EXAMPLE: Dream: "I'm looking at my mother walking

down a

long hall towards an open window."

I might comment "In my dream the nurturing mother has

found a new way to escape me."

In my comment, it is *my mother*, *my hallway* and

*my

dream*. This may or may not provide insight to the

initial dreamer, but its surprising how often

this non- defensive approach does lead to new

insight.

3. Send the comments in to the whole group.

4. The DREAMERS may or may not respond.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VII--COMMENTS SENT FROM ALL IN GROUP

-----

COMMENT BY "L"

Hi Island,

If this were my dream, I experience pain stemming from

expectation, hope then disappointment (Monica's

rejection). From my life history, this seems to be an

ever present trend. I am much too unhappy.

Fortunately, my unconscious intervenes. I am reminded

that no matter how well rehearsed, I have the capability

to stop cold turkey during a performance. I did this

twice before. The fog is here, I can do it again, this

time the performance is my negative self talk. I have

practiced this monologue for a very long time, but I

still can get all fogged up and forget

it all together!

In my hands, a section of abandoned, useless piece of

land is to be created, transformed to a sandbox for my 7

yrs old self and a shadow box for my 47 yrs old one.

The sandbox is to be furbished with clean sand and

multitude of colorful toys of my choice and as gifts from

my friends and loved ones (including my fightsty grand-pa

who loved to shadow-box, to knock out the imaginary foes

on sunday afternoons).

The shadow box is current stage of/for my universe,

which is boundless, elegant and dynamic. I can add to

this wonderful sight: sounds, scents, temperatures and

colors too if I wish. I am the

creator/producer/director. I have my world/stage in my

hands.

Thanks, Island, for the courage to share your dream and

snap shots of your life. I feel honored to be invited

for a brief "visit" to your rich world.

Thanks also to the DreamWheelers for their questions,

which I find so helpful. I feel like we are spokes to a

wheel. Is that what you meant by this name, Richard?

"L"

-----

-----

COMMENT BY "K"

If this were my dream I would try and look at the kind of

people I have chosen to bond with in my life. Perhaps

they are not as loyal as I am.

That people have *let me down* too much in my life.

I would try and recognize that I feel like a little kid

but am an adult. I may *feel* inadequate in some ways at

some times but that does not make it real. That it is

okay to mourn over mistakes or losses but I should not

let that little kid hold me back anymore.

I would try and realize that *everything* is available to

me if I would just open my eyes and walk through the

door (sandbox).

"K"

-----

-----

COMMENT BY "M"

Hi Island

If this were my dream I'd be feeling sad and thinking I

may not have happiness right now with my 47 yr old heart

but I have been shown that I can hold the feelings of my

7yr old heart.

I feel the sandbox and the shadowbox are one and the same

showing me three things - the way I was (7yr old heart)

the way I am (47 yr old heart) and the way I can be (I'm

just aware that it's - the universe, stars etc. - there).

And all three are inside of me.

- Monica rejected me

- I was unprepared

- I didn't know what I was going to say

- The audience treated me with indifference, however

- I've been working on the box

- I am going with my 7yr old heart to the class (filled

with the joy, the

excitement, the ecstasy, of sharing)

- I'm just aware that it's (the universe, stars etc)

there - not that I can

see it clearly.

I feel that the present is much more tangible, hurtful,

real. However, even though I can't see *it* clearly,

(the universe is in motion... the movement inside the

box that I could hold up comfortably with my two hands

was dynamic, having a life of its own.) things do change.

Do I have the strength to follow what I can't see clearly

- it did have a

life of it's own.

Thank you for sharing you dream Island - it's very

touching. Please ignore what I've said if it doesn't

make any sense to you. Sorry I didn't ask any questions.

By the time I got around to preparing some it seemed as

though you'd been asked them all. I'll try to be quicker

next time! "M"

-----

-----

COMMENTS BY "I"

Hi Island,

If this were my dream, I would be reminded that I

carry a lot of the past with me. I would remember that

sometimes letting go of past expectations is part of

regaining that seven year old heart.

I would remember that even the most mundane and

unpleasant of circumstances, such as giving an

unprepared presentation, are windows into the beauty of

the universe; That life, like dreams, contains

uncertainty alongside the spectacular-- that the sandbox

can contain the awesomeness of the universe.

Thanks for sharing the dream and life experiences. I am

honored with the beauty.

"I"

-----

-----

COMMENTS BY "D"

If this were my dream....

In my dream I come across and old friend. We are in

her domain and the meeting takes place were it is all lit

up, where I can be very conscious. But the forces that

brought us together here are accidental and not

conscious. Its been awhile, and for me this means there

has been some development since our last encounter, some

significant changes and movement. My friend seems to

have forgotten what we held between us, and doesn't act

as I expect her to. She has lost her filial feelings,

her desire for us to be together, her memory of what was.

What she offers now is something else. It is not a

straight path and it leads away from being together. I

wonder if I have new strengths which she can no longer

match, or if she is some part of me, offering a soulful

retreat away from my usual self? The event itself

becomes unproductive, without sense, confusing, going

nowhere. I can find no memory of her being like this,

but it recalls a time of lost innocence and broken

hearts.

Now the class waits while I present. I feel I have

something to teach to my inner audience, but just what is

not clear. Maybe we are all part of the class. Hmm,

present and present and present. Being present,

presenting something, giving and receiving presents. I

hold the present. There is something about shadows from

the past - even archetypal shadows brought to light by

Plato. For me this is the play of lost innocence also. I

am in the cave with others who spend their lives

commenting on the patterns of shadows in the dark.

Something happens, I am shown a brighter light and then

there is no way to go back. I go back anyway. I try to

explain to those still in the shadows, but they think I'm

crazy now. Do they worm away? My innocent heart is

present, and I present the mystery I hold to the class.

What can I say? This is place we call the universe.

Thanks Island for a peek into the shadow box. "D"

-----

-----

COMMENTS BY "S"

If this were my dream...

I am in Texas, I think, because I run into Monica, quite

by accident, in the broad light of day. As I have not

seen her in quite a long time, and she always seemed like

a sister to me in her expression of affection, I imagined

she would want us to get together. Monica is my youth,

my innocence, or that part of me (unconscious) that

retains innocence. Like a child she is straight forward

and clear thinking. Instead of wanting to get together

she is cool about it and sort of worms her way out of it.

I cannot connect with my innocence.

The is confusing as it changes.....This transition time

may correspond to waking-life transitions.

Now I am going to a class of some kind where I am to give

some kind of presentation. But my talk is really

unprepared. I don't really know what I am going to say,

always an unpleasant experience. I have reached a point

in my life where I feel that I should have some answers,

something to "present", but I am not sure that I am

prepared. Am I where I am supposed to be? My main

impression is that I am going not with my forty-seven

year old heart but with my seven year old heart. Whereas

in the first part of this dream I did not connect with my

innocence, my youth, here I am looking through my youth!

I have what seems like a giant sandbox of sorts turned

vertically, or perhaps a huge square shadowbox for

display. Inside is the universe in motion--all the

planets and stars and everything else besides, not that I

can see it clearly. Inside the sandbox is my life! The

planets, the stars, and everything else! I cannot

necessarily see it all clearly, but I know its there.

When I awaken and recall this I cry for a while.

So much juxtaposition. Youth and age. Innocence and

experience. If this were my dream I would definitely see

it as a struggle to bring together my youthful and wise

hearts. One still sees life as a wonderful mysterious

universe that swirls and presents itself so elegantly,

while the other knows the pain of betrayal and the sharp

edged lessons of life here in the waking-world. I have

reached a time when my society/friends/family/self (the

generic audience) expect that I should have gained some

insight, but I am unsure of what exactly is expected. I

question why I am here, how I got here, am I prepared?

The audience waits, but for what do they wait? Do I

speak from innocence or from wisdom? This dream urges me

to integrate the two.

Thank you, Island, for this wonderful dream. I felt the

urge to go on and on about the delicate balance between

the sometimes painful lessons of life and the unspoiled

beauty and innocence of childhood. Too far one way and

one becomes a cynic, too far the other and one is a fool.

Most of us live somewhere between. Alas, waking-life

constraints limit my time so I had to end this

commentary. Perhaps it is better...

"S"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VIII--DREAMER HAS A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS

To All 6B Dream Wheelers!

Your comments were so rich, wonderful, and helpful... I

had no idea what to expect. It has been quite a moving

and dynamic experience for me and never occurred to me it

was possible to reap such rewards! Normally I would have

dreamed the dream, had my cry, and moved on. But a window

of opportunity opened -- no matter what the demands and

challenges were in the world (and they were many), I

decided to commit myself to answer the questions. Then I

lived with your comments and made additional notes.

The dream itself (Shadowbox) was enigmatic, to say the

least. I feel that such a dream has something of value on

many levels, but there is something also of primary

import that I felt was eluding me. I couldn't get a

handle on that primary message, for lack of a better

word. What had me puzzled was that, at 47 years old, I am

far happier than I have ever been in my past. It's been a

gradual process, though, from great pain and suffering

for a variety of reasons to a space where I can say I

love life, exasperating though it may be many times. I

have many things to be thankful for, and carry with me at

all times a deep sense of appreciation, no matter what is

going on in the moment. Yet this dream seemed to suggest

to me that I was not happy, and a great many other things

besides. I was at a loss. But because of your comments,

and my commitment to the process, I am not nearly at the

loss I was when I dreamed the dream.

It was not until I had made most of the notes (at end of

E-mail) that it dawned on me what perhaps the primary

import of the dream may be. The unresolved tension.

One way I honored the dream: I phoned Monica shortly

after having it. Turns out she was in the throes and had

been for four months, a highly unusual situation for her.

A man had deceived her into thinking he was free. She

fell in love with him (the second time in her life, and

she's approaching forty), and then he abandoned her for

his ex-wife who reentered the scene (they had gotten a

divorce originally because he found her in bed with his

best friend). So here a situation clearly about treachery

and betrayal. Monica hasn't been there for anyone in four

months, I gathered. But as far as a distance between us,

or a change in the way we related, there was none.

What hit me eventually was I had never once thought of

similar encounters: where I would bring the innocence and

trusting nature of Monica(myself) into the light of open

day and found myself relating, and being related to, in a

way that ran totally counter to previous life experience

with that person. Quite painful, I can assure you. And

that approaches the heart of this dream.

It didn't occur to me until very late in the process to

ask myself what Monica and I uniquely share in common.

Twisted final encounters, for one. Two, we were both

abandoned by partners when moving to alien cities,

leaving us friendless until we could build our own lives.

Three, we both were deceived by men who engaged our

hearts with foreknowledge that the relationship wasn't

going anywhere. Four, we share the pain of untimely

deaths of mutual close friends. Five, we share protracted

illness and deaths of family members. Six, both of us

through circumspection to the four corners of the earth

when in relationship with others.

The dream seemed to point to the unresolved emotion

surrounding what I have no name for right now, other than

what I just said. Encounters where unanticipated,

inexplicable change in the relationship has taken place,

placing me in transition, followed by death (entering the

shadowbox/universe) of the loved one, leaving me to

realize that what happened (both during the encounter and

the fact of death itself) is irreversible. This happens

after I have spent some time

building/constructing/creating elements in my sand/shadow

box (the dynamics of relationship) with my 7-year-old

heart. And I am left speechless in the face of what I

ultimately experience. Yet it seems that the spirit of

the dead may be dramatically, dynamically present, though

I may not be able to discern anything but shadows. For

me, however, that is small consolation.

So what do I present to any audience? The facts? What

facts? My grief? Or do I continue to create/recreate the

sand/shadowbox? Is not the shadowbox itself symbolic of

an interpenetration of earth and spirit worlds? The

circles in the square? Squaring the circles? According to

Cirlot in Dictionary of Symbols, the aim of squaring the

circle(s), or circling the square, is to obtain unity in

the material world, as well as the spiritual life, over

and above the differences and obstacles, or the static

order, of the number four and the four-cornered square.

Then: by means of circulatory revolution, the quaternary

is restored to purest simplicity and innocence. Just the

words, simplicity and innocence, bring Monica, and none

other, to mind. And, I suppose, Monica is holding up a

mirror to mySelf. How can I be simple, and innocent,

knowing what I know and having experienced what I have

experienced? How can I integrate the seven year old heart

so that it comes forth singing, rather than crying? Or

why not both sing and cry simultaneously? Do I try to

bring the beloved shadows into clearer focus, were it

possible?

Or do I abandon the sand/shadowbox altogether and ground

myself thoroughly on the earth, with its current

insistence on logic, data, information systems and the

like, eschewing all that cannot be made immediately

palpable by the five developed senses? The statement made

by "D", *But the forces that brought us together here are

accidental and not conscious* -- was absolutely numinous

for me. The ultimate question I ask of myself is: how

much of the sorrow do I visit upon myself and how much of

it results from accidental, unconscious forces at play?

How much is fate, and how much destiny? That remains an

unknown.

Thank you, again, for your questions and comments. I'd

like to share some notes I made on your comments because

it was the process itself that has me at the point I am

now with the dream.

"I"

1. carry a lot of the past/let go of past expectations

1. regain seven year old heart

2. mundane & unpleasant/Unprepared

1. Window to beauty of universe

3. uncertainty/spectacular

4. Sandbox/awesome

"M"

5. 47-year-old/unhappy&7-year-old/happy

6. sandbox=shadowbox

7. Past/present/future (child/adult/universe):

(Association to: Love the man you'll never

have; love the man you don't have now; love the man

you're with)

8. Monica's rejection (the part I almost overlooked

when reviewing comments)

9. Indifferent audience faces heart filled with joy,

excitement, ecstacy of sharing

10. Awareness of universe (not solely its visual

representation)

11. Painful present (too tangible, hurtful, real)

12. Life of its own -- independent (universe: dynamic)

13. Things change

14. Do I have the strength (faith) to follow what I

can't see

"K"

15. Betrayal/disloyalty/treachery (foolish bonding: a

blind side?)

16. Child holds back (I am adult)

17. Child holds back (I am not inadequate -- an

illusion)

18. Mourn mistakes & loss

19. Open my eyes; walk through the sandbox (into the

universe)

20. All is available

"L"

21. Long term pain (expectation/hope followed by

disappointment)

22. Unconscious intervenes (as redeemer)

23. Stop at once (negative selftalk) this monologue

(performance)

24. Abandoned land (inherited and transformed for both

selves: young & old)

25. Filled with sand, color, gifts from friends & loved

ones (Grandpa, my protector, is there)

26. Shadowbox (what happens at death?)

27. Current stage of universe (boundless, elegant,

dynamic)

1. Add: sights, sounds, scents, temperature, color

(become God-ess/like)

2. Creator/Producer/Director of shadowbox (become

God-ess/like)

3. Association to song: "He's got the whole world

in His hands // He's got the whole

wide world in His hands..."

"D"

28. *But the forces that brought us together here are

accidental and not conscious*

29. Transition before encounter with Monica: filled with

development, change, movement

30. Monica: has forgotten things of value (sisterhood;

desire for relatedness; ability to recall

past)

31. A winding (wormy, snaky) road leads away from

relatedness

32. Have I grown beyond her? (Is it possible to grow

beyond someone I have ever once

loved?)

33. A soulful retreat away from usual self (do I need a

return to Self?)

34. *Event itself: without meaning and value*

35. Lost innocence/broken hearts (most definitely)

36. Unclear teaching: shadows from the past

(Realization: the dead who are present in spirit

only)

37. Great blinding pain

38. Associate to: (The swan has leaped into the desolate

heavens! That image can bring

wildness, can bring a rage to end all

things...Yeats)

39. Don't go there yet! Don't slink away! Don't abandon

the earth! Don't get murdered!

Don't commit suicide! Don't contract a terminal

illness! Don't die from cancer! Or a

broken heart! Don't become a part of the universe!

Where are you now? I cannot see you,

touch you, talk to you, relate to you...

"S"

40. I imagine relatedness (where none may exist)

41. A part of me is innocent; straightforward; clear

thinking (am I connected to that part?)

42. Transitions, transitions, and more transitions

43. Experience leaves me dumbfounded, speechless

44. I look into my life (well of experience --

sandbox... from dust to dust)

45. I see the universe in motion (everyone and

everything I have ever loved and valued)

46. Play of opposites: youth/age; innocence/experience;

universe(boundless)/pain of

experience(has limits)

47. Philosophical questions unanswered: How/why am I

here? What have I come for? To

whom do I speak? Of what? Whom do I seek? Where do

I/they/everyone go from here?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

IX--MODERATOR CLOSES GROUP

Although there was nothing much done to bring closure to

DW6B due to the advanced self

reflective skills of this dreamer, sometimes it is

needed. Often comments on the process and how

the group worked with the limits of the Internet medium

can be helpful. In addition, suggesting a

time and place for another meeting brings group cohesion

and a sense of relatedness. <br>

Another way to bring closure and allow for processing &

comments is the use of a questionnaire

at the end of the group. This was suggested to us by

Jayne Gackenbach and implemented in a test

by Sarah Richards. Christopher Hicks further revised the

questionnaire for our mail list format

and we are experimenting with a variety of questions to

facilitate the group process and evolve

the sense of group reflection.

DREAM WHEEL TODAY-DREAM WHEEL TOMORROW

By Chris Hicks

In the Dream Wheel seen above each member of the group

was responsible for making sure that all their

questions/replies/comments were sent to everyone in the

group. This entailed, depending on one's email

application, varying degrees of time, work, and

frustration. Now, we have an automated mail list that

makes joining and participating much easier! By simply

sending an email message to our automated system you are

put on the list for the Dream Wheel. Once this is done

all you need do is check your mail for Dream Wheel

related messages! And, when you are ready to directly

participate by sending in questions for the dreamer or

comments all you do is send them to a single email

address. Any messages sent to this address are

automatically *re-mailed* to everyone that has joined the

Dream Wheel! Gone are the days of creating cumbersome

mail lists and spending unnecessary time sending ten or

more duplicate messages to group members!!!

In addition, to the new automated mail list we are

looking at several alternate forums for Dream Wheels.

Usually the Dream Wheels are conducted via email. We are

now moving into some exciting and new areas! The World

Wide Web and Internet newsgroups are just two of these

new forums that we are beginning to explore!

If you are interested in more information on joining an

email Dream Wheel, or participating in one of the

*experimental* Dream Wheels drop me a line:

Christopher Hicks,

Education Director

shadow45@netonecom.net

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