JoannaB's workbook

Hmm, interesting that you perceived the shapeshifting as negative. I consider it as a positive: the potential to change who I am is important to me, and it is kind of a superpower empowering. Ghost is also not necessarily negative, could be more like the Holy Ghost since these ghosts are many yet one, and seek justice to overcome evil.

Edit: In fact the ability to change myself, my personality, is an important part of my self identity. Something I am proud of. I once overcame having been prejudiced, and became much more open minded and tolerant. And much more recently I changed from a couch potatoe to a person who works out every day. And right now I am battling to change from a depressed person into a much more healthy one. So yes, I am the one who changes, and that is important, and it is good. I am the changing one, I am a shapeshifter, and therein lies my power.

I am happy to see your recall improving Joanna, along with other positives in your life! You should definitely be proud.

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Originally Posted by Superman1

Can you receall what dream that was roughly, fogelbise?

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Actually you both helped me interpret it: Violent, Gruesome Nightmare

A woman who is my parents age, and I think a friend of my dad's in dream, calls me up and says she is nervous because she is taking a college research course and want to make a good impression, and asks me for advice. I advise her to read a lot of what the professor published especially, and use his citations. Also to study, and ask questions.

I don't like that the first part of my advice to the woman is about kissing up to authority figure, which I do tend to do too much. Want to change that.

It wouldn't be the last time I am wrong.:hrm:
I've thought about that shape-shifter dream a lot and came to the conclusion both could be true, maybe the shapeshifting can go either way. Which sounds pretty obvious now I say it.
Even the kidnapping could have two meanings, in my view.
Maybe the ghost can also mean transition to your new life after.
Even not being recognized might have another meaning besides what you said, that you do not want this killer side to see you any more as the dream is about not becoming victim again.
Yes maybe Dream 2 is more like you know you made it temporary though have power to change at will.

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Was at airport. Vendor gave me filled doughnut free of charge. Got on private plane. My husband was organizing a political meeting there with congressmen and senators. The rules of such meetings required that one politician came who was not invited, and we were relieved that even this one was one who could be trusted, not one to sabotage this meeting.

My interpretation: Sometimes i get an unexpected good thing. The plane was a private plane so this is not about public politics like Trump but private internal politics. The setting on a plane is hopeful: getting ready to fly, to feel freedom again, perhaps also lucid dreaming which for me is mostly about flying. There is lack of control over all invitees, reflecting that I do not have control over all events/thoughts/emotions/reactions. But despite lack of complete control, it all works out in the end. Even those things I do not control, may turn out well. And we are in control over most of the invitees, just one is a wild card, and even that turns out ok. So overall a very hopeful dream.

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That might involve you trust yourself more rather than self-sabotage your personal freedom if you sometimes did that - maybe the one part you don't invite. But the uninvited negative is always a rule, or that is lack of control as you said and seems the theme.
Maybe this self-governing will fill you with a more rounded free character that is sweet, with no hole in your centre. :tongue:

LUCID LUCID LUCID

I and not sure, but this may have been a WILD!
I remember thinking, I could get up and try a WBTB, but I shall fall asleep conscious instead. I don't remember being conscious of the imagery or of the sensations of falling asleep. But when the dream started I was aware what it was.
EDIT: After further review I think this was a DEILD!

The Lucid:

It started out as watching the dream as kind of a movie. A man would turn anything he touched to burning and ashes. He touched his son. The boy was scared, starting to turn to ashes in his face slowly. The father unhelpfully said "it will be any moment now."

I knew I was watching a dream, so I decided to reach in and join and do something about it. I reached in and took the boy's hand believing that my touch could heal him. And it did.

I was walking with a DC then, not him, some grown up woman. I stepped into gum. And I guess the touch means turn into association was still on my mind because my foot started turning into gum and then my hands as I tried to get the gum off also started turning to gum. And out of some reason so did the hands and feet of the young woman with me.

I thought what to do. Turn expectation and belief into what I want to happen! I said "Quick! If we put them into water our hands and feet will be healed." I expected this to work. So water showed up, like a pool of water or a spring of sort. And as our hands and feet were dipped in, as expected, they healed.

I woke up then.

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What happened before:


Earlier in the night I had a dream about lucid dreaming. I was lying down with my older son, and we were talking but I was not sure thought he may have dozed off and may be talking in his sleep. He said that he saw a wall of writing with newspaper names on it and asked what to do. I said, look at it, read the "Washington Post", then look away, and will it to change to the "Times". He said he did it. Later I asked my son when he was awake whether he had been asleep or awake earlier, and he said with a smile "I was awake."


I think that may have been the dream I woke up from before deciding to go back to sleep instead of WBTB. So clearly lucidity was on my mind. I remember not checking the time during that awakening, and being concerned whether I still had time for one more dream. But then I thought I would fall asleep anyway, if alarm would wake me so be it, but I would make whatever time I had count. So I fell asleep with expectation of being awakened. As it turned out I was wrong and it was like 3:30 am when I woke up from the lucid. But this may be a good method for me to try again, to not check the time upon a night time awakening and assume I don't have much. However this kind of assumes also not writing down a dream I just remembered. I did not stop to write down the dream about my son but fell right back into sleep instead after the brief decision making about whether to do WBTB or not.

What I find interesting about the dream earlier in the night is that I was tutoring my older son in lucid dreaming. In reality my older son is better at lucid dreaming than I am, and a natural lucid dreamer. I think he may have heard me say it was possible to do it, but that's all the training he ever needed. So it was not really my older son I was tutoring, but myself, the part of me that needed to learn this and to gain confidence: see it is easy, that's how we do it. :-) In a way my subconscious was also sending me the message that this was a dream, but I did not get it. And later in that dream as I asked my son whether he had been asleep or awake, and he said awake with a sheepish smile, the joke was on me because I was and had been asleep and unaware of that. But awareness was close, so waking up briefly from that, and then falling back to sleep is all it took at that point to reach lucidity.

The lucid dream's theme itself reminds me of Greek mythology of king Midas who would turn anything he touched into gold, and then touched his daughter.

Come to think of it the turning of anything one touches into ashes, including one's child, is likely based on fear what effect depression will have on my sons and anything I beget (new projects, learning). But I now am more confident that I can heal.

Edit: I think the chewing gum part of the dream was a test of sort to see whether I was aware that it is not my hands that heal but that it is my expectations that cause desired results. And yes I passed that test. :)

Woohoo! The process of entering a dream is really bizarre. It's hard to know, personally speaking, if I was conscious the entire time, or just returned to consciousness right a the dream began. I wouldn't worry about classification, but that does sounds like a WILD!

Congrats: focusing on LDing and dreaming, together with all the other things we do (RCs, mindfulness, WBTB, inent, etc.), is what brings them about!

Yay! I am very happy to hear about your lucid dream! Keep up the great progress (in all the different areas you have been progressing)! :) Try to think of anything you've been working on recently that might have helped in addition to what happened this particular night in order to help increase the odds of becoming lucid whenever you can put those factors in motion in the future.

Scientists have brought to life prehistoric gad flies of sort. One escapes and almost kills a dog. The dog at some point lies down as if resigned to its faith. Someone kills the fly. Scientists regret that this rare specimen that was so smart was killed.

My interpretation: Need to stop fighting old issues. Such fighting can only lead to defeat, as I am fighting myself. Need to let go. In a sense appear to give up. But more so accept. That's when I will win against my own prehistoric gadfly. Interestingly, I am the dog. But in a way I am the gadfly too. And the scientists. Studying old issues may seem smart, but really it is not.

Edit: this reminds me of a scene in my favorite movie When Harry Met Sally. It goes something like this: Harry: You need to let it go. Sally: It just happened. Harry: You know that a year in human life is just a day in a dog's life? Sally: Who is the dog here? Harry: You are. Sally: I am the dog?! If anybody is the dog here, you are.

I think this scene from the movie was probably why this dream featured a dog. :)

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Originally Posted by fogelbise

Yay! I am very happy to hear about your lucid dream! Keep up the great progress (in all the different areas you have been progressing)! :) Try to think of anything you've been working on recently that might have helped in addition to what happened this particular night in order to help increase the odds of becoming lucid whenever you can put those factors in motion in the future.

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Well, I reviewed the journal entry for the day before the lucid, and it was overall a fairly bad day. A day full of frustration, and giving up on some tasks and changing course, and then I did not feel well, so I went to bed early. Yes, the going to bed early is something I can try to repeat, but I don't want to repeat any of the rest. :) What I find fascinating about lucid dreaming is that it can occur even when one has been depressed, and even after one had a crappy day. And then the following day is definitely going to be a great day after one had a lucid because hey I can lucid dream, I can do anything.

I wouldn't want to repeat that either…but I doubt that the negative parts of the day helped you to have the lucid. When I say recent, I am thinking any practices for, or similar to, lucid dreaming that you had been doing in the prior week or so.

Ah, well, come to think of it. The day prior to that I actively decided to try something new, to reach outside of my comfort zone and expand my tasks at work. Learning, trying something new, that may well be good for lucid dreaming.

In addition to that I started playing Pokémon Go (my excuse is I am "helping" my sons, since I am using the same account), but really it is something new, and having fun, and it gets me to do more short walks. Come to think of it Pokémon Go and lucid dreaming are a bit alike because it is the combination of reality and imagination.

I could imagine both of those things playing a factor somehow…hmm…something to think about. Learning and trying new things must make new neural connections, though I'm no expert on that. The Pokemon Go game reminded me of something CanisLucidus told me about: "Looking for the dream" during the course of your day. It could be combined with the Pokemon game - looking for the dream while looking for Pokemon. I can't remember exactly how CL did the exercise, but one way I would do it is looking for a dream scene around any corner I turn, or under a blanket for example. In dreams the transitions when going around the corner in a hall can be dramatic (dreamatic!).

The previous night, no dream recall.

Tonight:

Dream 1: I think we had switched to a bigger church that we joined. As part of the service there was a ceremony rejoicing in the fact that some of the boys including my older son bridged into Boy Scouts. The rejoicing at church included a fast dance in a line moving fast around the altar and undulating like a wave of people at full speed. Strangely I saw only grown ups there including my husband and me.

Dream 2: Our older son was trying out the Boy Scouts. He was in the company of four other Scouts, clearly up to something, on some sort of mission or quest. I occasionally would run into them where I went but I did not interfere. He seemed to be having a good time and building new friendships.

Dream 3: My husband and I were getting married again - renewing our vows? This time I wanted to have lots of bridesmaids, all the strong women who matter in my life. And I told them to wear what they wanted, to choose it themselves, whether something they already owned or new. No need to match the others.

My thoughts: lots of ceremonies. Renewing, rejoicing, trying out, building new friendships, acknowledging existing relationships - all good things. The clothes of brides maids I think are symbolic for making own choices, living lives our own way including dressing our own way, which is something strong women want to do and have a right to do. No matching others, no conforming to standards of what is expected or normal, but being ourselves.

A silent movie was playing and my younger son was making instrument like sounds with his voice. I asked him why he chose not to narrate with words.

My thought: I wish I had not asked that. There is nothing wrong with making instrument sounds with voice, and he was being cute and creative. I have become aware how much I dislike others trying to impose their ideas of how best to do things on me, and I think in this dream it shows me that I better be careful not to do that to one of my sons.

In an earlier dream I know I was back at my old job but that's all I recall.

Then this dream: I had a baby, apparently I had had him for quite a while now and he was breastfed but I did not remember previous times that I had breastfed him. After that I carried him around but without a burp cloth and was unprepared for the mess. Someone had spilled a huge amount of cold medicine somewhere as well. Also the baby was now in the bottom part of the bunk bed, and apparently he chose this moment to become more mobile, and he fell out of bed.

My thoughts: Well it's not surprising to me that my dream life is suddenly perturbed by news, since yesterday I had unexpected disturbing news that caused me to fret, feeling unprepared and not ready.

My thoughts are with you in regards to your unexpected disturbing news. :(

I like the idea that the process of trying to interpret our dreams can put us in better touch with our feelings and the sources behind those feelings.

Today I have reason to be optimistic. Yesterday's news may have shocked me temporarily but today it looked like it may turn out much better than expected. I won't know for sure until at least a week from now, but at this point I dare to hope. It is even possible that things may turn out better for me because of this. Sometimes fate may not seem to be listening, and something happens that does not seem at all like what one asked for, and then it turns out to be better for one than if things had happened the way one thought one wished. Here is to new opportunities, new doors opening, new forks in the road. Tonight I will dream positive dreams. Who knows with my current mood, a lucid dream might fit right in? :-)

My mom and I were on some sort of large tour vehicle (a ship, spaceship, aircraft, not sure which). We were about to take off. Everyone else was searching for a seat with seat belts and with headphones (that would allow one to hear the guided tour), but my mom had other priorities, not sure what she was doing, and I wanted to be with her. So neither of us had seat belts nor headphones. The crew came and insisted that we need the but then they could not find a better seat for us and they got too busy with takeoff to pay attention to us. In my luggage out of some reason I had a large heavy container with half cooked rice and the water still in it.

I think when I woke up earlier I remembered another dream but then fell asleep again and forgot.

My thought: I have observed before that sometimes there is a delay where one is feeling better during daytime but one's dreams have not caught up yet with the more positive mood, and I think that's what happened last night. Even though yesterday was a good day and a hopeful day but my dream did not reflect that yet. Well, I had another good day today, and hopefully by now my subconscious will have caught up, and hopefully I will have a good dream.

I was at my job, apparently working at a store of some sort. My boss was a boss I once had long ago. I was worried because I had to leave early and had forgotten to tell her in advance. I had to go to a Cub Scout event with my sons, a pinewood derby. I called my husband to ask if I had to go, but the kids would be disappointed. Then there was the challenge that I would have extracting them out of school earlier because it was a school day and school was not over yet, it was sometime after 2pm but not 3pm yet, so almost end of school but not quite. Then my older son was kind of there. I seemed to be carrying him like a baby on my hip or maybe like a puppet. His upper body was his usual preteen self, but I had the sense there was less of him in his lower body, and the burden of carrying a boy that size seemed to be a non-issue for me. Strangely he did not seem at all like he would be disappointed if he were to miss the event. He seemed mostly tired. I wound up asking my boss whether I could leave early for scout's pinewood derby. She went to the storage area of the store and brought back several pinewood derby cars, clearly fond memories of her kids younger years. So this was not an issue for her, but a legit reason for me to go.

My thoughts: ha! My coworkers and I during lunch were talking whether it was better to give a reason if one was leaving early or to not give a reason, after speculation that the reason why our team lead was leaving early without a reason today was probably because the weather was beautiful, and he probably went to play golf.

The carrying my son with me but not quite is an interesting way for my mind to present it. So many times we carry someone in our thoughts, there they are, even though they are not there, and I think that's what that was about.

Also the idea of us parents thinking kids would be disappointed whereas actually maybe not, got to be careful with that. I still clearly remember one time I did not want to go to a dance lesson as a teen, and my mom said "Do not deprive yourself of this pleasure." Hmm.

So I now have almost a month worth of dreams, and reviewing them for dream signs, the ones that occurred the most were my old job or at least one of my sons. My old job has the advantage of being clearly a dream sign because it no longer occurs in waking life, however usually I think I dream of it when I am less aware. My sons of course are on my mind a lot as they are in my waking life a major theme. I am not sure whether or not I want to check whether I am dreaming every time I interact with my sons, that seems a bit weird.

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Originally Posted by JoannaB

So I now have almost a month worth of dreams, and reviewing them for dream signs, the ones that occurred the most were my old job or at least one of my sons. My old job has the advantage of being clearly a dream sign because it no longer occurs in waking life, however usually I think I dream of it when I am less aware. My sons of course are on my mind a lot as they are in my waking life a major theme. I am not sure whether or not I want to check whether I am dreaming every time I interact with my sons, that seems a bit weird.

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Agreed. I haven't' found a good way to use my wife or son as a dream sign without quite heightened awareness, except when my wife is acting completely different or my son is much younger than IWL. If you got the old job one working, then your awareness would be good once you caught the fact that you were dreaming, but you might need some extra help to catch it in the first place. I tend to focus on things that will raise awareness so that I can catch a dream sign even if it is not something I am focusing on. One example was a dream where I was talking about my son and what he is doing in college and shortly after I find myself carrying him as a toddler and realize I am dreaming. I wasn't looking for a dream sign related to my son, but my awareness was raised after WBTB and MILD in this case (I alternate with SSILD).

In previous night all I recalled was a fragment that I had a new therapist named Bill.

Tonight I dreamed the following:

Someone who was my friend in the dream but not in reality had online contact with some organization that was putting women down and against religion. She dragged me into it though I knew it was dangerous to try to dissuade such people. I was much younger in the dream, maybe a teen or very young adult. Noticed somebody snooping around the house in the yard. Then I got kidnapped by the organization. I knew my best chance was trying to outsmart them. Had to involve them in dares without overtly mentioning religion or women but ones that would hopefully cause some of them to question their current belief that women are inferior.

My thoughts: Again I am surprised I had such a dream. In waking life I am now doing quite well. Yes, I guess I do have a meeting coming up during which I will have to prove myself, but I am optimistic, and the people I am meeting with at least via email sound reasonable. Where did this dream come from? I don't know.

It seems as if this thread was closed so I just reopened it. Let me know Joanna if you did want it closed though.

Had no desire to have it closed so thanks for reopening.