Dream Power

I always look forward to going to sleep because I never know what I will dream!

I confess that I am a dreamer, in every sense of the word. When I rest my head upon my pillow, I do so knowing that I will dream interesting dreams, often lucid dreams, sometimes prophetic dreams—but I will dream. Over the years my dreams have given me guidance, helped me to understand my situation, and even helped me to understand myself. Dreams have prompted me to action and helped me to avoid adversities. I like dreams.

There are people who say that they never dream. But that’s not true. Everyone dreams. Scientists have done studies that show that a human being can go longer without food or water than they can without dreaming. And it’s not just people that dream, every dog owner has watched as their pup has chased rabbits in their sleep. (And who knows what cats dream? Probably thoughts of world domination!) Those who say they never dream simply don’t remember their dreams, probably because they haven’t learned to pay attention to their dreams.

Everyone dreams.

Sometimes people ask me to interpret their dreams. I’m good at that. Dreams have to be interpreted because they are always symbolic. A woman recently shared her dream at the end of a class that I was teaching. She dreamed of her two sons and prison, saying that one of her sons was dead, the other was already in prison. She asked, “What does it mean?” It was obvious to me as I told her, “You two sons are keeping you in prison. You need to let go and move on with your life.” She said that she knew that to be true and vowed to get on with her life. She knew that subconsciously, but it took a dream to bring it out of her subconscious mind. The problem with the subconscious mind is that it communicates in symbols, and symbols have to be interpreted. Let me give you another illustration.

I dreamed that I was flying, without an airplane, at a high altitude. I had a harmonica in my mouth and I knew that to keep flying, and not crash to earth, I had to keep the harmonica in my mouth. Crazy dream?!? Not if you understand it symbolically. The harmonica represented what was in my mouth, and I knew that as long as my words were in harmony with my purpose and destiny I would soar above the vagaries of life. So, I always make certain the what I say is in harmony with my purpose, dreams, and destiny. What are you dreaming?

Pay attention to your dreams. You will find that as you do your dreams will become sharper, and easier to remember. If a dream seems especially significant, ask yourself where it came from and what it might mean. Don’t be too quick to place too much important on it, just give it some thought and let it work itself out in your mind. You might find that keeping a dream journal, or simply writing your dream down when you awaken, will help you to remember your dreams.

Before we go “Behind The Door” I have to share a caveat—everyone dreams, and most dreams are nothing more than dreams. They don’t give guidance. They don’t give insight. They’re not prophetic. They’re just dreams. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t interesting. I dream Technicolor dreams, in Dolby Sound, worthy of any Steven Spielburg movie. And because I’ve learned how to dream, I enjoy them just like I would a good movie. But I know that they’re just dreams. When you join me “Behind The Door” I’ll share some things about those other kind of dreams—the dreams that really do have significance for your life and future. But first a few lines from Langston Hughes, poet of the Harlem Renaissance—“Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die, Life is a broked winged bird that cannot fly.”