Thread: Expectation

Common issue with many answers. Let me suggest these two principles when dealing with archetypes for control:

1. Visualize the outcome. (The archetype paints the picture, but you need to see yourself from inside the picture.)
2. Connect the "how" with the "why." (The archtype provides the "how" but you still need to provide the "why.")

Let me compare examples of "small" control and "big" control to illuminate how these things come into play.

"Small" Control Example: Pull your cellphone out of your pocket

1. Can you visualize the outcome? Yes. You've done this many thousands of times in real life. You know what it looks like without even thinking.
2. What is the connection between "how" and "why?" Easy. You want your phone so you can call or text someone. Or use a particular app.

"Big" Control Example 1: Fly to The Moon

1. Can you visualize the outcome? Not so obvious. You might have some ideas from movies or physics.
2. What is the connection between "how" and "why?" Again, not so obvious. What's on the moon? Why are you going there? What do you expect to find? To find the "why," you need to connect to the plan or the story that is unfolding in the dream.

"Big" Control Example 2: Fly like Superman

1. Can you visualize the outcome? Maybe. You might be imagining what it looks like for a third-person to see Superman in the air. What you want to visualize it what it would look like from the first-person perspective. It would probably look like the view from an airplane or the traffic helicopter from the local news.
2. What is the connection between "how" and "why?" Well, the how is that Superman is an alien and he gets special powers from The Sun. He also has a suit and cape and has a particular posture when he flies. But why does Superman fly? He flies because he wants to help people in danger and we must get there as fast as possible.

Things to Try

- Visualize the outcome from first-person. Make it very simple. When you fly to The Moon, it gets bigger and bigger until it fills your whole view and you land.

- Focus on the "why." The archetype takes care of the "how," but you need to make it important to you and also important to the story of the dream. Why are you going where you're going? To meet someone? To find something? Can you connect it to a plan or an urgent emotion? I think this is a benefit of the TOTM tasks. You want to accomplish the task for some reason outside just the act in the dream.

- It gets easier once you've done it a few times. So try to create some easy scenarios to practice. For the case of flying, try this: pick a target above you and try to hit it. Like The Moon. Or the top floor of a building. It's easier to hit something you can see rather than an imaginary point in the sky. It doesn't have to be graceful. Just zoom toward it and let it get bigger and bigger in your view until you're there.

- If you get hung up on some limitation, recognize it and challenge it. Pretend you are showing off to no one in particular but are determined to prove yourself. Think: "I can go higher, watch! I can go faster, watch!"

Still no success. I put a lot of energy into it. I shouted into the dream and ripped my shirt lol. It was a blue pattern underneath.

My transformation felt incomplete. I want it to be like in the new Batman vs Superman movie where the objects around him lose their gravity.

Ironically I was Ichigo from Bleach I even had a functional sword. Which is something I had trouble creating at first. But I couldn't swap it for Superman.