There is a long tradition of dreams being a resource for physical and psychological healing. The ancient Greek god Aesculapius was believed to come to people in their sleep to offer healing through their dreams. The sick and wounded would travel from far away places to sleep in the temple of Aesculapius to let the healer enter their dreams and heal them. The Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that premonitory dreams of sickness could be caused by the dreamer’s unconscious recognition of the symptoms. He postulated that dreams may be premonitions of an illness coming from within the body, where some ’unconscious’ mind recognized early symptoms that had not yet come to the attention of the ’waking self’. The Iroquois Amerindians used a social form of dream therapy and one of the earliest recorded instances of such healing is the famous story in the Old Testament, when Joseph revealed the meaning of dreams to Pharaoh.
Sigmund Freud pioneered the use of dreams in therapy, bringing them to widespread attention, but many other approaches have been developed since then. The common feature for people who use dreams as therapeutic tools for physical and emotional healing is that dreams can empower them; they feel in touch with a powerful inner process that they believe is working actively for their own good.
Since time immemorial, people have created special places in which to sleep and dream. The dreaming chamber on the island of Malta is one example, but ancient dream temples can be found all over the world. These places were meant to ’incubate’ wise, deep dreams that would bring guidance and healing to the dreamer. Most of us do not have a dream temple located conveniently nearby; but the idea of receiving valuable, healing dreams is an appealing one, so here are four simple steps for creating a dream temple anywhere you like.
Find or create a special place for dreaming
For those of us fortunate enough to have more than enough rooms in our living space, the answer is simple: make one of those rooms— perhaps a guest room that is rarely used—into a dream place. Furnish it sparklingly, but make sure that the bed is comfortable. For the majority of us who don’t have a room to spare, we need to be a little bit more creative. Clear some space in a room in which you are comfortable and designate it as your dream place. All the time, keep in mind that you are preparing your sleeping space to facilitate your dreaming.
Prepare yourself
You are going to be welcoming dreams in a way that you don’t ordinarily do, so treat the experience as special from the outset. You might want to take a long bath. Make yourself comfortable. Eat lightly, if at all, for dinner. It’s probably best if you don’t consume alcohol or smoke the day before your dream incubation. As you go through your activities, keep in mind that you are preparing yourself to welcome dreams.
Focus on dreaming
Throughout your day, you are simply preparing yourself to be more receptive to dreams. Focus on dreaming.
If you have a particular issue in your life, you might tell yourself to ask for guidance in your dream.
Sweet dreams
This is not a one-shot exploration. Try it for a few days or even for a week—or for as long as you like.
Receiving healing in a dream may comment on the self-healing potential of the dream state. Healing someone else may express your concerns about someone close to you. It may reflect a soul-to-soul connection that places you in the helper role. It may also represent a deep desire to be a healer in a carcgivmg profession
[2]Healing in a dream often reflects a need for physical or emotional healing, the power to put right those things in the dreamer’s life that need to be cared for and made well.
[3](See Also: Medicine)
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