MEDITATION ON DREAM HEALING
R. Huna b. Ammi said: He who has a dream that makes his soul sad should go have it interpreted in the presence of three. It is argued however that an uninterpreted dream [with bad news] is like an unread letter--it can cause no harm. Thus, it is concluded that the dream should not be "interpreted" [with anything negative] as much as it should given a "good turn." That is to say, the dreamer should go and say: "I have had a good dream." The three should respond, "It is good and it will be good. May the AllMerciful make it good. May it be decreed in heaven seven times that it should be good." Berachot 55b
The Talmud discusses dreams at some length; it investigates what they mean and how to deal with them. For the most part, dreams are viewed as openings into other realities, demonic and angelic planes, as well as vehicles for divine revelation. There are many rituals designed for requesting a dream revelation before going to sleep. This you can do in straightforward language as you lie down at night.
The dreamhealing meditation is designed to work with dreams that have already occurred. Often our dreams seem mysterious and are difficult to understand. This meditation gives us a method of uncovering hidden messages or deep personal revelations in those dreams. The meditation is best done soon after awakening, while the dream is fresh; but it is a technique that can be used anytime one wishes to work with highly charged dream images that linger in the memory.
It will help you significantly to do this meditation after you have become accomplished with the divine protection meditation. Once you are able to raise that image with relative ease, the dreamhealing meditation will go much more smoothly. Then you will want to practice the dreamhealing meditation until you are able to do it completely from memory. In this way, the next time you have an important dream, you will be able to use this meditation technique immediately after awakening, while the image is still clear.
1. Begin, as usual, with the basic sitting technique: relaxed, eyes closed, sitting fairly straight without effort, breathing normally, noticing the rising and falling of the chest with each breath. Do this for at least five minutes.
2. Select a dream that you wish to work with and let the mind review as much of the dream as you are able to remember. Experience the dream as fully as possible. Try not to simply think about the dream, but to actually re-experience it just as it was when you first dreamed it. Notice the state of your emotions; notice your breathing.
3. Now choose one key part of the dream that draws you to it. It may be a mysterious person, a strange event, an emotionally charged moment, or a blocked experience that you were unable to overcome. Try to remember this part of the dream clearly-immersing yourself in it for a minute-and then relax into your meditative breathing. Let go of the dream image altogether. Meditate quietly for a minute or two.
4. Now, invite in the presence of divine protection. Feel your body filling with its glow. Experience an intense gathering of light in the three primary energy centers: the area of the third eye, the center of the chest, and, finally, the lower abdomen. Feel yourself radiating from these three energy centers.
5. Once you are fully surrounded and immersed in the presence of this light, allow yourself to return to the part of your dream that you chose to work with. Notice that with the empowerment of this inner light, you are able to engage the dream in a new way. Now you are free to work with the dream any way you choose:
a. Perhaps you would like to ask questions of main characters; who are they, what do they mean, what message do they have for you? Try not to mentally edit the answers; listen carefully to whatever is communicated.
b. Perhaps you would like to allow the dream to flow in a new direction, just to see where it will go. If so, allow it to become whatever arises without trying to limit it to the original dream. Let it take you wherever it leads.
c. Perhaps you would like to introduce new elements into a dream event. If so, let your imagination and creativity run freely, and see what happens. Do not stay with the original image; whatever unfolds in this meditation has significance for you.
6. Notice that when you are accompanied by the glow of your divine protection, new meaning arises in everything. You are able to get closer to soullevel communications. Trust what happens, and experience the feeling of true protection and healing.
7. Allow yourself now to return out of your dream awareness to your quiet, meditative mind. Watch your breathing. Try to center, balance, relax. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes.
It is best to use this method only once or twice with a single dream. But you can use it with as many separate dreams as you wish. It is very powerful and will inform you on the deepest levels.
Remember, too, never to take literally the messages that come to you in meditation. There is always a hidden meaning in every communication. Our inner being does not usually communicate with us in ways that we normally understand; rather, it uses poetic images, metaphors, parables, symbols, and feelings that must be contemplated to be understood. This is a crucial understanding all spiritual aspirants must attain.
Dream work like this is transformative. It is a way not only to receive messages of divine revelation, but also to engage in higherrealm communication with messages that one wishes to send. Once again, we are working with the kabbalistic principle: As above, so below. When applied to dreams, this kabbalistic concept means that we do not have to be passive recipients of dreams. We can and should be actively engaged in our dreams, working with our imagination in the depths of the psyche and the soul. By doing so, we can actually transform ourselves with our own will and come into greater harmony with the divine will. There is enormous potential for selfhealing using this meditative method of working with dreams.