A Nocturnal Opus

I was inspired to share a dream fiction à la MoonageDaydream.

Seed dream (real) in orange.
Dream fiction in green.


Context: from my tarot practice, I have adopted the sword as a vague symbol of thoughts/cognition and power. In the last few weeks, I have imagined a ceremonial sword as I go to sleep to focus on my sense of power (to access memory during and after the dream, to recognize I am dreaming, to carry out dream goals).

At a street store, a child steals a dollar bill. My attention lingers on the crumpling of it. It is unclear to which body my consciousness belongs if any. I become aware that we are a group and we are gathering money for a greater purpose (Robin Hood style). I sense this is the second time I dreamed this dream tonight and last time, it went well. This time, the group is gathering the money in my sweater. I hope I'll get my sweater back. They betray us. They run away with the money and my sweater. Partly because a part of me knows I am dreaming and partly because I have a sense of having proven my skill in the past, I feel this is not such a big deal: I can get it all back. The traitors flee on horseback and leave me only a white pony. That's all I need. I hop on, and race after them. At the city gate, the guards are fighting the thieves. I take advantage of the situation to steal a sword from a dead soldier and stab someone. I regret it, realizing I don't know which color each sides are wearing. They all finish killing each other off and it's a dream, so I continue after a quick pause, focused on getting the money. Outside the city, I traverse quickly changing environments, like a wide corridor with different themes. First, a forest environment, where I encounter the slowest thief of the bunch. I decide to spare her because she's only carrying food on a cart, but I do steal the food with my sword as I race by with my pony. Next, a canyon plateau and then a wide mine corridor, in both of which I stab monsters with my sword. I get a sense that I got to this point when I dreamed this dream before, and at the end of the mine, they should be planning an ambush. Great, I will get them there. But now, I am fighting a particular strong monster, a snowman that's throwing snowballs. I'm actually enjoying the fight as if it were a game. I finish the snowman off, and remember to continue to the ambush next, but before I can do that, a great pulse hits the whole dreamscape and I am sent to another dimension where everything is dark and great evil is present. The long corridor is now themed with a gothic castle environment and deep crevices. I have a sense that I need to slay three ghost witches to be sent back to the original dimension but I can't find them and the longer I stay here, the greater the peril becomes. I feel suffocated by the sense of evil and danger. Without proper transition, I am now watching TV with my brother. There is a strange family drama ongoing on the screen with each person manifesting themselves on the screen to continue the narrative. I don't get it. What's going on now? How is this relevant to the previous events? I summon - continuity - to stay attached to a specific dream content (as opposed to - freedom - to detach from some specific dream content). On the TV, there's the family talking but I'm thinking about the thief dream. Soon on the screen, I see the child crumpling the dollar bill in her hand and taking it to the thieves. They are gathering the money in my hoody. I remember this is a Robin Hood plot and that the thieves only betrayed us in the previous dream because of my possessive attachment to my hoody rather than the money and my insecurity led to the betrayal. In the spirit of Robin Hood, I donate my hoody to the communal effort. Again, inspired by Robin Hood, I am reminded of the Super Hero TOTY. I list to myself the tasks: 1. Become Dimwit, 2. Ask for powers, 3. Use powers. I feel my skin glow orange and thicken. My medieval tunic happens to match the medieval environment and the Robin Hood theme. I ask one of the thieves what my power is. He says: to multiply and distribute your power to others. I am reminded of my helpful doppelganger in my first task who solved the task for myself and the mediator dream character. I look at the group of thieves and project onto them my power. I watch them glow orange as they organize and set out a food kitchen for the villagers. A woman passes by carrying a cart full of food. I buy some of our food and gift it to her. She joins our community efforts. Suddenly, a great pulse hits the dreamscape and I am sent into an alternate dimension where the sense of evil and danger is thick in the air. I materialize a ceremonial sword of power and watch my orange hand holding it. I feel evil closing onto me. There is little time left. As Dimwit, I multiply. I see my doppelgangers in their orange glowing skin join me in the dark crevice below the ruins of an imposing gothic castle. Some of the doppelgangers leave to scout out the evil armed with their swords. I know they can protect us. The rest of us come into a circle to drum and chant as a group. The communal energy dispels the evil from the air. Without transition, I am now watching TV with my brother. A family speaks on the screen one by one, manifesting themselves as their turn arrives. I realize my previous dream has ended. I am satisfied with the conclusion of my dream and the TOTY. I summon - freedom - as opposed to - continuity - . My next goal is in line with the Book Club. I want to visit Moss' astral clocktower. I list some characteristics of the place 1. River with faces, 2. Clocktower with guardian, 3. Museum, 4. Elevator. I look at the TV for the river, but I hear river sounds from the kitchen. I walk into the forest that way and see the river. I remind myself that my goal in going to the astral is to really go get a sense of being in the astral, of feeling like I am receptive to external information. The clocktower guardian arrives from behind and tells me "You well know you have no place here. Remember in that previous dream of yours from which you are writing this fictional dream where you nonchalantly stabbed a soldier without even knowing if they were an enemy? You are too destructive to join our community. You must be isolated in your own dream" I respond: "I understand. While, I am here, I do consent to disarming myself of my power until I learn to have a clearer mind and to better control myself. Here, have this for now." I hand to him my ceremonial sword. He takes it and judges I am in good faith. He leads me to the clocktower where I enter museum. All around there are multiple artefacts none familiar to me. "I suggest this world" the guardian says holding out one artefact. I take it and let the dreamscape around me forms to match the style of the artefact. Someone invites me for food and conversation. I wake up.