Dream Incubation
As the wheel of the year turns closer towards winter, I feel a welcome shift in myself toward slowing down, rest and recuperation. There is so much important work that gets done in the dark underworld that we can’t see. Although I love the light, I am a steadfast lover of the dark. As I get older, I look forward more and more to gathering my energies to do my own inner alchemy at this time of year.
One of the best ways for me to do that inner work is through my dreams.
Over the past 30 years, I have learned that when you commit to dream work as a practice, you can rely on them more and more to help you in your life. One way we can do this is with the ancient practice of dream incubation.
Asking our dreams for specific help was practiced by our ancestors in ancient times. Pilgrims went to great lengths and elaborate rituals to seek healing and guidance from their dreams such as in the Asclepeion Dream Temples of Greece. Today, many people report going to bed with a problem or question on their mind and waking up knowing the answer. Sometimes, we can “sleep on it”, and the solution gets sorted out in our dreams. I believe our dreams want us to engage with them and when we do, they start to give us even more.
Perhaps you want more clarity on a specific decision or direction for your life or maybe you’d like to experience a more fun or healing dream. Why not ask and see what happens?
During a time in my life when I was feeling weary and down, I asked for a dream to reassure me that I was not alone and that my connection to the divine presence was still there. That night I dreamt I was standing in shallow, calm water when a canoe slowly rowed up to me. Inside was a quiet male elder. He felt like a grandfather and sat silently with a wide brimmed hat pulled down over his brow so I could not see his face. He emanated a kind and gentle energy I knew I could trust. He motioned for me to get in the boat and we rowed out into the the river. Passing by some disturbing scenes, he assured me not to worry, everything was as it was supposed to be. Then we rowed further out to meet a much larger river with a strong current. In the near distance I saw a cruise ship with people I knew inside. My grandfatherly guide told me it was time to go and join with this river and ship now. I wanted to stay with him but as I turned back to tell him, he and the canoe were already slowly sinking under the water but I was not and I knew it was time for him to leave me. I woke up with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and reassurance. This dream felt like a gift and the just the healing balm I needed.
Try asking your dream for guidance by following a few simple steps:
Get very clear on just one intention or open ended question.
Create a simple ritual like writing it down, putting it under your pillow and focusing on it just before falling asleep.
Remember and record your dreams over a few nights.
Contemplate the feelings, actions and images of the dream and how they might fit with your question.
Consider sharing the dream with a trusted friend or dream work professional to help you better understand what the dream may be saying.
Decide how you will honour your dream in some small way.
All the best with this ancient practice!
~Kris
For help with your dreams, I offer one to one sessions.