This is not the first time I’ve talked about dreams. There’s a good reason for that and it’s incredibly, psychically deep: I like dreams. Ha, you thought I was gonna say something profound, didn’t ya?
Actually, though, dreaming is often deep and always psychic. I mean, it’s what goes on in that pretty/handsome head of yours while you’re sleeping. Not that you have any control over that… or do you? I should run upstairs and get my book on *actual psychic dreaming* but wait! I don’t wanna.
So, it’s back to the subject at hand: The Tao of Dreaming by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Ph.D. and Sheryl Martin, OMD.
I have a bunch of books on interpreting dreams, as you already know. So, what makes this one different? Well, a few things:
It’s East meets West – Taoism/yin yang and the elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water) meets new age mind/body/spirit.
- There are exercises to complete for dreamwork development.
- There are illustrations and they aren’t skimpy in the details.
- There are sample dreams…
- And of course, there’s a glossary.
Also, it’s just a pretty book. I know, it sounds so dumb. Who buys a book just because it’s pretty?
*raises a hand and runs out of the room*
Okay, that was just silly but you know what I mean. Sometimes, I actually DO buy a book because it’s pretty, as long as it’s about something that interests me.
*ahem*
Anyhow, the blurb on the front says it’s “A holistic approach to dreams, health, and healing” and it certainly is THAT.
I’ve kept track of my dreams off and on for YEARS. Several subjects come up again and again… one is the ocean. I dreamed about it again just the other night. I wrote about it in my journal and was planning to get back at it but got tied up with something else and now it’s not as pressing. Actually, that’s not true, as it’s been on my mind ever since.
I dream about the ocean a LOT. When I was a kid, it was about being tossed in the waves, not surprisingly since I was the kid that swam out into the surf without a surfboard. Body surfing, baby… that was my gig.
Sometimes, it’s been about a rogue wave, like a tidal wave, huge and coming for me… life out of control?… seems logical.
Almost always, it’s a beach I recognize… which narrows it down to the entire western coast of the US, from San Diego to Seattle… and actually up into Canada, as we visited there when I was a child. But I digress.
This particular dream is strange because it doesn’t feel expansive or even clean. There are people around – on the sand and in the water – but I’m not enjoying it or finding it healing as I always do.
Also, the water isn’t as pretty… in fact, it seems dirty with some kind of garbage floating on top, possibly oil and plastic bags of some kind.
I look to my right and there is a concrete wall… which turns into the familiar wooden supports of an actual pier. Everything about it seems yucky, which has NEVER, EVER been my experience when near water, especially the ocean.
I often sketch out the dreams in very basic ways, so I don’t forget. Here is how this dream looked.
The reason this particular dream is important is that it’s repeated… as in this very corner of some weird beach that’s unlike any I’ve ever visited.
And yes, water is a big deal in the dreaming world… not just in my dreams but in general. I just went to Google and looked it up. Here is one small example:
A large body of water could symbolize deep emotions while walking in the rain could suggest cleansing. * What was the behavior of the water in your dream? Turbulent water can suggest turbulent emotions. Water that is muddy or murky could symbolize confused or unclear feelings. – Taken from Did You Dream About Water Last Night? – Everyday Health
Since I have The Tao of Dreaming right here, I’ll look up “Ocean” …
… and here’s what it says:
The unconscious; the primordial waters; the Great Mother. Oceans represent the unplumbed, mysterious and seemingly impenetrable depths of one’s psyche.
Okay. But what does it MEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAANNNNNN?
By the way, I know NOBODY … though the last time I dreamed about this spot, my sister was there.
And I don’t DO anything. I’m just standing there, observing.
I haven’t figured it out yet, as you can see. I’ve been trying because – as I say – the fact that it’s repeating means there’s something in there FOR ME. Damned if I know what it is…
Thoughts?
The Self-Help Whisperer® 
Love, love, love it 🥰 Thanks, Mom!!! Love you! 💞💞💞
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Sherry, I found your dream very vivid and intriguing. As you know, I love working with dreams, too, so had to have a go at interpreting it (especially since you asked)!
Using a Jungian model, dreams can be interpreted from several different perspectives,including those that arise out of the individual unconscious mind and those that tap into the collective unconscious. Each can be equally valid, and one doesn’t rule out the other – both can stand alone or be interrelated. Here are a few thoughts.
The first thing that struck me about your dream was its collective meaning (Jung might call this a “Big Dream, especially since it repeated), which seems to involve the fact that our oceans have become vast garbage dumps, destroying marine life and polluting our environment. As water covers three-quarters of the earth’s surface, the health of our oceans is tied closely with our personal and planetary health and well-being. I believe we all know the catastrophic potential of this issue, if not on a conscious level, then on an unconscious level, and I also believe that this may be what your dream is mirroring. I was struck by the fact that you saw yourself as an observer. As an empath, you are much more likely to be in tune with our planet’s distress, feeling its pain and tapping into its collective meaning for all of us.
As to the meaning of your dream on a more personal level, the image that came to me was one of stagnation. I could make several guesses as to why you might be feeling this way, but will leave that to you. Of course, I may be wrong, too — I only read your post once, so might have been too quick in my interpretations. As you know, I tend to go with my gut! Use your personal insight and analysis to uncover the dream’s true meaning for you – I know you will find it!
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