Thread: INTRO/DC-1 - DawgBone's Workbook

Cinderella - 5am 8-17-10

I was by myself in what appeared to be a college dormatory. A cleaning woman came into the room. She seems rather dumpy and nondescript and asked me where and what she should clean. We got to talking, and she told me about a little, black puppy that she had helped. The puppy had not been feeling well and was near death. She gave it a cookie. The cookie healed the puppy and brought it back to life. I could now see the puppy. He was running around sniffing and licking and wagging, doing all the things that puppies generally do, totally restored.

As she left the room I told her that she could clean wherever she liked, that she knew more about such things than I did. I noticed that instead of being a nondescript, little cleaning lady, she was actually quite beautiful, stunningly beautiful.

How could I have not noticed that before? Was it her generosity of spirit in helping the dog that made her beautiful? Was my perception of her changed by her warmth and kindness? Was she beautiful all along, and I just didn't notice?

Cinderella.

Bear Spirit - 5:30am 8-18-10

I was hanging out with some friends near a roadway. A large, grizzly bear ambled out onto the road and was almost hit by a passing car. It jumped back defensively, off the road, just in time to avoid being hit.

My friends and I sensed danger from the aroused bear. We ran and eventually found an old, derelict bus in which to hide. We scrambled into the bus and shut the door. Sure enough, the angry bear was in pursuit and almost caught us before we reached the safety of the bus.

Then I noticed that the back door of the bus was slightly ajar. In a panic, I raced to the back of the bus, throwing my weight against the open door. Too late! The bear had forced his enormous head through the crack. He glared at me, and I woke.

Apparent Meaning:
There were three main symbols: The bear, the bus and the car.

(1)
I'm interested in alternative healing techniques: Reiki, Quantum Touch and Shamanic Healing. In the Shamanic tradition the bear is the power animal often associated with healing. He is called Grandfather Bear Spirit, the Great Healer by the Northwest Pacific Coast Indians. I sometimes use a teddy bear with some of the healing techniques, so the dream bear is probably a symbol of my interest in Shamanic Healing, and he is angry!!

(2)
I associate the bus with school and learning. Notice that the bus was derelict. It had been abandoned and neglected by the side of the road. I have not done much with Shamanic Healing for a couple of years. It has been abandoned like the old bus.

(3)
The car is modern technology, contemporary life, the daily rush from place to place, distraction. Distraction and the daily rush almost killed the dream bear. Distraction and the daily rush have almost destroyed my interest in Shamanic Healing.

An interesting dream. And since you shouldn't argue with an angry grizzly bear, I'm going to dust off some books!

Fascinating!!!

I just started scratching the surface on Shamanism, myself, but haven't found much on it, yet.

Also, interesting, about the woman from the first dream. I'm inclined to agree with you, that perhaps your actual view of her changed once you knew more about her. It lends to that old adage of not judging a book by its cover.

Originally Posted by Serenity

I just started scratching the surface on Shamanism, myself, but haven't found much on it, yet.

Serenity here are couple of books:

The Way of the Shaman by Michael Harner -- This is the classic. Harner really introduced Shamanism to the West.

Shamanic Journeying, a Beginner's Guide by Sandra Ingerman -- This one is good and includes a CD of Shamanic drumming.

Assignment Day 1 -- Dream Content

Go through your dream journal and analyse where the content of your dreams comes from. Is it mostly day residue? Do you notice a lot of false memories or faulty logic in them?

I have a fair amount of day residue in my dreams, and I alway try to record in my DJ any connections to physical reality. But there is always more content unrelated to anything going on in my life.

I'm glad this is the case. I disagree strongly with the materialistic view that dreams are just the random and arbitrary creations of a sleeping brain. If dreams were mostly day residue, that would be a strong argument in favor of the materialistic view. But they are not.

I also object to the idea of schemas for the same reason. It is a reductionist explanation. The scientific mind is trying to explain dreams by saying that they are generated by associations. The sleeping brain randomly traverses a network of associations, and this creates the dream plot.

We should definitely listen to the scientific explanation, but dreams are much more.

If anyone would like an alternative to the reductionist, materialistic, scientific theory of dreams I would recommend Conscious Dreaming by Robert Moss. A fabulous book. I'm currently reading it.

Another author I'm currently looking into, and I think you might really like, is Robert Monroe. Thanks for the titles, too

Originally Posted by Serenity

Another author I'm currently looking into, and I think you might really like, is Robert Monroe. Thanks for the titles, too

Thanks!
:--)

Voices - 3am 8-8-10

Note: This is a dream from last week. It made no sense to me then, but it does now! :--)

I was in a hotel room. It was nighttime, and I was in bed. The room was dark. I couldn't see much of anything.

Suddenly I started hearing voices. They were not threatening in any way, simply conversation. Many people talking to each other all at once, like people at a party. The voices were vivid auditory sensations, just as distinct as physical reality. This startled me, and I tried to wake, but it took a while. I had some sleep paralysis when I woke, which is definitely not my favorite thing.

The vividness of the voices was probably a result of taking some galantamine and choline. I was not lucid, but the auditory sensations were startlingly vivid.

Apparent Meaning:

LOL! This is funny. The dream was prophetic. It was about our class chat group! I was in bed at night which relates to the to topic of dreaming. I was in a hotel, which could be a symbol for DreamViews. I heard a lot of people talking all at once, which is DEFINITELY the way our chat group works.

If only I had seen Sailor Moon, the dream would have been perfect! :--)

We are so a dinstictive class! Its funny how our mind does that!

If only I had seen Sailor Moon, the dream would have been perfect! :--)

LOL, nice

Assignment Day 1 -- Dream Content, Part 2

I reread the Day 1 chat log. Serenity's explanation of schemas is somewhat different from the explanation in the Dream Content Tutorial. I like Serenity's better:

<@Serenity> schemas are like... laws of order
<@Serenity> schemas can be seen like universe laws too
<@Serenity> your brain creates them as a frame for plot, in a way
<@Serenity> so, in my case... my sailor moon universe
<@Serenity> in my dream, i am sailor moon, the things that happen happen in that universe and are NORMAL to
<@Serenity> which also makes it hard to catch whether it's a dream
<@Serenity> biggest reason: at night, when we sleep, the part of our brains that controls logic, turns off
<@Serenity> when we dream, our brains follow schema logic with blind faith
<@Serenity> schemas are why it can be hard to recognize dreaming, is what i'm getting at, here... but you
<@Serenity> can train yourself to recognize it, too
<@Serenity> they are also amazing for dream control, which is why i like them so much
<@Serenity> well, like for me, i dream about sailor moon a lot
<@Serenity> so by reminding myself to reality check to all things sailor moon related
<@Serenity> hmmm...schemas are anything, really
<@Serenity> schema could be dreams mirroring real life
<@Serenity> in real life, you can't fly, so you might find it difficult
<@Serenity> but there are ways around that

The Dream Content Tutorial puts too much emphasis on simple association. Association probably does plays a role, but I would argue that a dream's "laws of order" are MEANINGFUL and not just the result of a network of associations.

False memories and faulty logic support a dream's schema. They are often required to make the "laws of order" work. A dream is a microcosm, a little world. It needs its own rules. And the specific rules carry MEANING. That's the important point.

Sailor Moon is a very cool and powerful schema. It lets our teacher do things that the rest of us can only dream about. Here's a picture of Serenity in her Sailor Moon outfit:



:--)

Unprepared -- 6:30am, 8-21-10

I'm at a college, and it is final exam day. I'm scheduled to take a calculus exam for which I am totally unprepared. I'm in a panic. Calculus is vital for my work and doing well at school is VERY important to me. It is essential that I ace this exam.

I decide to fake illness and go home (uncharacteristically devious!). I can study at home, retake the exam in a few days and do okay. I tell a fellow student that I have a stomachache and ask her to tell the professor.

I leave the classroom and walk to the cafeteria. In the cafeteria I see my old high school math teacher, Mrs. Tharpe. She is puzzled by what is going on and jokingly says I'm never going to learn anything this way.

I am chastened and decide to go back. But the exam area is cordoned off, and to get in I have to pass through a turnstile. I try, but I'm too fat to get through the turnstile! :--) This annoys me because in physical reality I make a point of staying very fit. I wake before I get back into the classroom.

Apparent Meaning:
There is a lot of day residue here. I am actually in the process of reviewing calculus now. I'm also studying circuit design, learning a new computer language, reading about Shamanism and taking Serenity's class, so the school part is literally true.

In fact, as I think about it, school is a recurring motif for me. It is definitely one of my most frequent dream signs, both as a student and as a teacher. And being unprepared for school work is also one of my recurrent themes, almost a recurrent nightmare. The unprepared part generates real anxiety.

I especially like Mrs. Tharpe's cameo performance. She was a great teacher who I respected and liked very much. In this dream she plays the role of a dream guide. She is the wise older person, who offers advice and guidance.

Being "too fat for the turnstile" is what the dream is all about. LOL! I tend to try to do too many different things at once. You simply can't review calculus, study circuit design, learn a new computer language, study Lucid Dreaming and Shamanism all at once. Can't be done.

My wise Dream Source is telling me to be reasonable.

Deliverance -- 6am, 8-22-10

I am walking on the sidewalk of an urban area when gunshots are fired. I run. As I am running a bus pulls up beside me, and I ask if I can get on board. The driver is friendly and says, "Sure, hop in." I dive through the door into the safety of the bus.

The bus is a mobile orphanage! It is filled with little boys and stray dogs -- two types of orphans. The bus driver takes care of the boys and dogs and drives around trying to find them homes. The driver is friendly and happy and obviously loves what he is doing. The boys and dogs are also happy and obviously love their mobile home and the driver.

The bus is bigger on the inside than on the outside, like Dr. Who's tardis! I wake.

Apparent Meaning:
This is the day residue: I live near a military academy! Occasionally they have target practice, firing live ammunition at God knows only what. I oppose the whole idea of a military academy. It truly stinks to be teaching young people to blindly follow authority of any kind, much less military authority. We live in a political situation where imperialistic wars are waged for oil. Young people die because of the greed of corporations. Yesterday the guns were blazing and the gunshots wound up in my dream.

Stray dogs and orphans have personal significance. I love animals and have had numerous pets. Many have been strays that I adopted. My father died when I was a baby, so I am an orphan and a bit of a stray dog myself. (see avatar)

Beyond that, I really don't know what the dream means. Maybe it is precognitive. Stay tuned! :--)

Assignment Day 2

Go through your dream journal and see if you can notice any reoccurring signs that are popping up. Make a list!
Bonus marks: Find out which sign occurs the most and incorporate reality checking to the sign into your daily routine.

Dream Signs:

Animals: Dogs, cats, bears, etc.
Relatives: Mother and brother.
Places: Schools, art studios and galleries
Things: Buses, computers

To practice recall, I've gotten a watch with an hourly chime. I have the chime turned on for maybe 4 hours/day. When it goes off, I check my digital clock twice for number changes and inconsistencies. I see if I can breathe through my pinched nose and generally look around for universal dream signs.

Now, I will start adding these personal dream signs to the list. The trick here is not to do the RC mechanically, but to REALLY do an RC. Also, I make a point of not just relying on a watch, but also make additional RCs on my own.

Jaws -- 5:30am, 8-23-10

Another dog dream! (I obviously miss having a dog as a pet.)

I am petting a dog. The dog has my hand in its jaws and has clamped down tightly, not enough to injure my hand, but tight enough so I cannot free myself.

I don't panic or struggle. Instead I start petting the dog's head. He starts to relax the grip, wags his tail and finally releases my hand.

Apparent Meaning:
This was a short dream, but rather important I think. Whenever you start paying a lot of attention to your dreams, you open communication with your non-ego self. You can call it the subconscious, your Higher Self, your guides, whatever.

The dog is probably a symbol of this. My non-ego self feels neglected and has taken action to get my attention. I give it attention and importance by petting its head. The situation improves. In my experience, you get what you give.

I should, of course, have recognized the dog as one of my standard dream signs, done an RC and become lucid. Hmm … Maybe tonight.

Electrician -- 6:30am, 8-25-10

It's early morning. I sense that someone is in the house. I go into my workroom and find an electrician. He is doing some work on a circuit in the wall. He seems rather unpleasant and rude. I tell him that I am listening to him, paying attention to him, and that improves his mood. He says the work will take about 30 minutes to complete. But as I go into other parts of the house, I find evidence of extensive additional work, and wonder how he can possibly finish in so short a time.

Now I see an enormous fat guy outside my window. Is he working with the electrician? He is crude and obnoxious in manner. He asks to use my toilet! Not wanting this guy in my house, I take him to another building where there is a toilet. I tell him that he can use it, but he must be absolutely silent and disturb no one. Being silent is going to be a real challenge for this guy. He talks incessantly. I wake.<br>

Apparent Meaning:
I think this dream is related to my previous dog dream, Jaws. My non-ego self is talking to me again, this time as the electrician. He is trying to perform extensive repairs to my house (me). He is not especially happy because he thinks I'm not paying attention. I didn't make an entry in my dream journal yesterday; perhaps that's why he is annoyed. When I tell him that I am listening to him and paying attention to him, he stops being so grumpy and says the repairs can be completed fairly quickly.

The fat guy is related to my Unprepared dream. He repeats the "too fat for the turnstile" theme! I see him as aspects of myself which need work and discipline. He needs to use the toilet because he is literally full of it!

LOL!

Specifically the fat guy talks too much. My non-ego self is telling me to meditate. This will reduce stress and improve dream quality. Turning off the internal dialog is also an important step in being able to do WILDs.

Assignment Day 3

Review your current sleep schedule. Taking what you know about DILDs and WILDs, which technique would best work for you for inducing lucid dreams?
Bonus: Knowing this, you may want to look into signing up for that specific course when it’s offered next.

My schedule allows me to do WBTB almost every night. I've been doing it for several days now, and it definitely improves recall. I typically have 2 or 3 dreams in the second half of sleep which I remember and record.

I've noticed that sleep in the second half is fairly light. You apparently get your deep, recuperative sleep in the first half and light sleep/REM in the second. This is both good and bad. Lucidity seems to be easier in light sleep, but there is also the problem of waking up before you want to. More skills to learn …

I currently have occasional DILDs, so that will probably be the easiest technique. WILDs seem exotic and out of reach at this point, but I really want to master it.

I would definitely like to take additional courses in both DILDs and WILDs as well as Dream Signs, Recall, MILDs …

Does DVA offer a PhD? :--)

Assignment Day 4

Assignment: Think of 2-3 goals that you would like to accomplish. They could be anything! If you need some inspiration, check out some tasks from the Task of the Month forum. How would you attempt each goal?

Goal One: Start dreaming about cats instead of dogs. (Just kidding) :-)
I would like to journey to the Akashic Records. Allegedly this is an astral library where there are records of everything that has ever happened. That should keep me busy for a while …

To do this I would read everything available about the Akashic Records and picture an enormous library in my mind. I would also start incubating the project - mantras, drawings, etc. I think maybe WILDs would be the best approach. I HAVE TO learn how to do WILDs!

Goal Two: Travel back in time to hear the Buddha lecture.

Here again I would read as much Buddhist materials as possible and maybe visit the closest Buddhist temple. Incubate the project as before, including meditation for this one. WILDs would probably be best.

Goal Three: Learn to fly aerial acrobatics: loop-the-loops, rolls, spins etc. I flew all the time as a child, but now only occasionally. :-(
I didn't realize it then, but my flying dreams were lucid and quite wonderful.

In preparation for this I might build a radio controlled glider! (The kid in me really wants to fly again!)