Category Archives: Dreams
Healing power of sound & ancestral connection
Share this:
Be Metaphysical: Dream Every Night
Ever wonder what it would be like to dream every night? Think about it for a second or ten. Not a few times a week or theoretically dream every night but not remember. Literally dream every night and remember at least 75% of what transpired in your mind. I often hear a quote by some that say “We as humans dream every night but just don’t remember it” That reminds me of a saying if a tree fell in the forest does it make a sound. How would you know if you weren’t there?
To me dreams have many purposes but not every dream. Some dreams feel like a gumbo of visuals that were taken in throughout the day, week etc A combination of ideas and thoughts that create a visual slide while you sleep. When I was younger there was another quote that stuck with me, “Every thought is an image” I didn’t get it then but I think it is relative to when we sleep. If your body is resting but your mind is conscious the most effective way to receive thoughts in depth could be by visuals. Some dreams feel as real as when you are awake. This becomes the issue if your dreaming every night, when does your mind actually rest? I went to run for a few miles after a night of dreaming and it hit me… What if the tiredness we feel from dreaming is psychological. The body is resting so why would you still feel tired. What if dreaming was an exercise with intentions of training the mind to process more during the waking state.
Dreams have different meanings specific to certain cultures. There is a list of a few below.
Mesopotamia
Early information about the analysis of dreams comes from Mesopotamia (the land between the Tigris and Euphrates – part of what is now Iraq). The civilization that existed there around 5,000 BC left behind what is believed to be the world’s first book of dreams — a compilation of dream symbols and their meanings. Sumerians viewed their dreams as signs sent from gods. People had their dreams translated by “dream priests” who foretold the dreamer’s future. It is speculated that the process of incubating dreams and summoning them by means of special rituals was invented during this period. These practices then spread throughout the ancient world and survived in various forms until the twentieth century. Some believe that the Mesopotamian model of dream interpretation had an impact on the cultural beliefs of the Egyptians and gave rise to the Hebrew, Arabic and Greek traditions of dream interpretation. – Blog.snoozester.com
China
It was considered that the dreamer’s soul was the guiding factor of
dream production (p.57, Hall). The hand or spiritual soul was thought to leave the body and communicate with the land of the dead. They also practiced incubation in dream temples and they served a political purpose throughout the 16th century as high officials visiting a city,reported to a temple the first night to receive dream guidance for their missions. Judges and government officials were also required to visit dream temples for insight and wisdom. Like in the Egyptian culture, they would perform sacrifices to assign the ghosts and spirits, proper place and appease them. Dreams function as the continuities between past and present as dreaming and waking states hence the insistent appeal to ancestors and beginnings. (D.Shulman, 1997)
The Choctaw Indians
The Choctaw Indians, for instance, believe that each person has two spirits, the ‘shadow’ or external spirit and the ‘shilombish’ the internal spirit. Also, The Fijins had this belief calling the shadow the ‘dark spirit’ as after death, it goes to an unseen world while the ‘light spirit’ remains eternally to haunt the spot where death has taken place.According to the Indians of Guiana, when a man sleeps his soul leaves the body and returns when he wakes. This is the reason why people from the Miningkabauen Tribe of Sumatra aren’t allowed to stain or paint the face of a sleeping person; otherwise, the disguise will confuse the soul which seeks to return to the sleeper. (C.Sommerville, 2008) – Academia
How you perceive your dreams and how they relate to the world of the awake is important. I recently had a dream about overpaying for a slice of pizza. Before going to sleep that night I did eat a slice of pizza to kill time while washing clothes. In the dream I was with a friend and when it was all said and done the check to pay came around and I was pretty upset about seeing the total of one slice of pizza to be 71.52…. For ONCE SLICE!!! Even going to the extent of making the manager sit down and explain why it cost so much but he said some mumbled words and made it apparent that he was too busy to even care. I haven’t ate pizza since i’ve had that dream. Before having that dream I knew pizza was one thing I shouldn’t be eating especially because of the cheese etc so that dream was the icing on the cake for me. It was symbolism to me that the pizza was potentially costing me more than it was worth. Not financially but health wise it wasn’t worth it. That is how the dream translated over to me. One dream helped me do something as simple as stop a habit of eating pizza. A habit that I’ve been ignoring until that day. What makes it even more interesting was that the same friend in the dream came in town about a week later and requested to go to the pizza shop haha not again I said to myself. He ordered 2 slices and I ordered not a thing because I said I wouldn’t eat pizza any more after that dream. Now was that a insight into the future… who knows but I definitely looked at it as a sign to leave the cheese pasta bread alone.
Stay focused! More dream interpretations coming soon!
Share this:
7 Dream Herbs
Herbs and plants are an integral part of the life that exists on our planet on every level. Plants are our food, our medicine, and are also catalysts to the expansion of our consciousness. Throughout our daily lives we are more likely to coast by using our automated behaviors and modes to experience our reality, but at night those boundaries are broken down and our spirits fly. These 7 plant allies can stimulate our consciousness to expand opening us to alternate experiences of reality and new ways of perceiving our selves and surroundings;
1- Xhosa Dream Root – Vivid and Prophetic Dreams
Silene Capensis, or Xhosa Dream root is most associated with the Xhosa people of South Africa who are knows to ingest this herb to induce vivid and prophetic dreams. This herb is often used by the Xhosa in the initiation rites of shamans and is believed to open up pathways of communication to ones ancestors. It is believed that the ancestors are most likely to communicate in the dream state. The root is ground into a powder which is mixed with water and drunk in the morning on an empty stomach. The effects are apparently slow to be induced and will take effect by the nighttime. According to entheology.com, “The effects of S. capensis usually manifest during sleep as prophetic lucid dream states that are rich with significance. Individuals do not usually perceive any effects in the waking state, although one individual did report perceiving wavy lines of light in the air about twenty minutes after consuming the root. The dream state is often compared to going under water by the Xhosa. Interestingly enough, it is said that the plant has no effects on individuals who are not meant to be diviners.
(Image Source: Silene Capensis)
2- Celastrus Paniculatus – The Elixir of Life
This amazing herb is not only known to promote the incidence of lucid dreaming and dream recollection for those who take it, but has often been called the ‘intellect tree’ because of its long history of use in ayurvedic medicine as an herb to help with mental focus, longevity, and memory. Users have reported that by adding 10-15 Celastrus paniculatus seeds into their daily regimen, they notice a marked improvement in cognitive function, ability to focus, and sharpness.
(Image Source: Celastrus-Paniculatus)
3- Blue Lotus – Mind Body Spirit Herb
Blue Lotus was among the most sacred of plants to ancient Egyptins. It grew throughout Egypt where its consciousness-enhancing properties were well known and taken advantage of. The Blue Lotus was associated with the origins of life and the divine perspective. According to iamshaman.com the plant was used in Egypt to stimulate the sex drive and, “Egyptian medicinal practitioners also used this flower to stimulate blood flow, and as an anti-aging treatment. The ancients worshipped Blue Lotus as a visionary plant and it was the symol for the origins of life. When this flower was soaked in water or wine, and then ingested it acted as an intoxicant.” Considered very sacred, the Blue Lotus was used to reach euphoric states of visionary consciousness.
(Image Source: Blue Lotus)
4- Wild Asparagus Root – Fly by Night
Wild Asparagus root, according to some old legends throughout Asia, allows the consciousness to fly during sleep. Journeying into other dimensions and places while asleep are common associations with this adaptogenic herb. Adaptogenic herbs help the body better adapt themselves to stresses that they face. This herb is also a respiratory and kidney tonic, helping to heal the body while letting the mind soar.
(Image Source: Asparagus Root)
5- African Dream Bean – Master Spirit Connections
Growing along the coasts of Madagascar, Southern Africa, Australia, and Asia, this common bean is used in a wide variety of ways by an array of people groups throughout the world. Its uses vary from a skin treatment to a food given to teething babies to relieve pain. However this bean’s most well-known and interesting use is its traditional use in South Africa to induce intense lucid-dreaming states in which a person is able to communicate with the spirit realm. For its consciousness-altering properties, the meat inside the bean is eaten.
(Image Source: Dream Bean)
6- Mexican Tarragon – Grow a Garden of Herbs for Dreaming
Mexican Tarragon is commonly grown in gardens and used as an herb for flavoring in cooking. Also known as Mexican Marigold, its flowers are associated with Dia De Los Muertos celebrations and observances. The herb can be used in a variety of ways to induce lucid dreaming from burning as incense, smoking before bedtime, or infused in water as a tea.
(Image Source: Mexican Tarragon)
7- Mugwort – A Versatile Dreaming Herb
Throughout the ages Mugwort has been a widely used herb in Europe associated with treating digestive or parasitic troubles and as a dream herb. Mugwort, like Mexican Tarragon, can be smoked, burned as an incense, or drunk as a tea. Mugwort is known to also stimulate lucid and meaningful dreams. It can also cause things deep in the subconscious to be exposed during dream-time.
(Image Source: Mugwort Leaf)
Main Featured Image Source: Juan Carlos Taminchi art.
**This list originally appeared on quantumstones.com by Stephanie Lucas.
Sources: resistance2010.com, entheology.com, iamshaman.com, nyishar.com
Share this:
Be Metaphysical: Dreams – 01
I was upstairs talking to this dude that does yoga then we went down stairs and spoke with a man sitting to the right with a device in his hand that was unplugged but he seemed to be trying to get it to work and Yoga dude thought he was nuts but I understood somehow that he was just trying to get something to work the device cleans dishes or something then I went outside to we was on a beach house and it was two girls that were olympian runners we had a race and ran down the beach and back one of them gave me a head start but still ended up running faster than me. I remember having something tied around my face and it was effecting my teeth but i paid it no mind then it began to storm so I went back inside and waited for the storm to finish … the storm passed i came back down the stairs and as i was walking down the hall and out of house/apt/building (not sure) i looked to the right and it was a group of children with 1 adult. They were about to paint a picture I walked past and went out side it was a bit dark but I tried to capture a shot of me doing yoga near the rocks as lightning was striking.
The next memory i was in a train station ( in retrospect it reminded me of the slightly abandoned bowery station J Line in NYC) and a guy was going up the escalator and he said something to me and I responded he said something again and then I responded a second time causing him to come down and try to fight we grappled for a second then let go of each other he went back on the escalator as he was going back up i said something and he responded verbally then he took his hand out his pocket and dropped 10 and a 5 dollar bill rolled into each other. I pretended as if i was going to grab his money, like a juke tword him but I didn’t so he was offended or upset and came down to fight me again and this time when he grabbed me I just pushed him away and he landed on the train tracks at this point i wasn’t sure if he died or not so i said man let me get out of here before the cops come I remember two of my other friends being there and me saying it to them but i wasnt sure if that was them either way i went down some stairs and hopped on the L train the conductor announced that the train will be delayed but soon after it took off and i was sitting next to two ladies and a guy was standing in front of one of them they were drug addicts one of the girls said to the guy standing in front of her “i need a fix you said you would fix me up” and he took her to the left side of the train car the other lady said damn i want to get fixed at this point i was trying to see the map on the opposing side of where i was sitting to figure out which direction the train was going in brooklyn or the city so i figured it was going to brooklyn i hopped off at the next station to switch and get on the A train i stayed on the A train shortly only to get off and hop in a cab (in retrospect i think i did this to avoid the police that may have possibly been looking for me for the fight from earlier) The cab was stuck in traffic I remember a cab driving next to us and I recognized the driver like he was a very familiar face dark hair but i cant really determine for sure who it was i think this guy i play basketball with anyway he tried to convince me to hop into his cab but the driver let me know that it was 67 dollars so far so I only had 67 .. i told him ( the other cab driver) that i can’t go with you because it will be another fee that i can not afford .. i remember seeing a large stadium as I was looking back at him…. I wasn’t sure why it was so expensive but i didn’t argue i told him to pull over so i can gather my money don’t pass the 67 dollar mark I rummaged through my belongings and i couldn’t find the 20 dollar bill that I just had in my hand he opened up the arm rest in the back seat that had a little bit of weed and loose change and said i can put the change that I had on there so I can count it .. we pulled up to a terminal and I hopped out with my stuff but i forgot my camera in the car. It didn’t occur to me that i forgot it until about a minute after .. so i began to panic and ran back outside but the cab was gone i frantically ran up to another cab thinking it was him but it was just a black dude in the car waiting for a client I’m assuming and couldn’t help me .. this panic prompted me to wake up … ( this is the second dream in a row that I have lost my camera or laptop some how which causes me to wake up to make sure that I didn’t just lose it.. was just a dream.. either way I went back to sleep within seconds after realization of it just being a dream.
The lucidity continues … I was over what appeared to be floyd may weathers grandmas house or something and we were watching a boxing match and i said something to the nature of ” i liked this white guys style of fighting just when you think you have him he comes at you with more” not sure who i was talking to but soon after it was just me floyd and a lady named donna ( grandma type of figure) in the living room. I made a gesture to floyd and threw like a slow play punch to his gut which he moved slightly out the way for and i said “you getting up there in age champ” we were standing by the door. We went outside and he received a call about a satellite or some kind of object that was stolen but the person tried to use it and it turned on the gps so he called the person and was like i told you i was going to catch you etc .. after that I saw a colorful spider crawling on the wall to the right of me and the spider changed colors. so he went inside and grabbed a jar and we captured it as we were capturing it changed colors from a bright range of colors to a dark purple and floyd almost squished it but didnt.. we went inside to find a bigger jar to put the spider in we found one then soon after he got a call from a girlfriend that said she wanted to see him (im assuming from his response) so he was like okay ill come through where you at. Donna asked me if i would help her out so i was like yeah and floyd began getting ready and weirdly he put on a white power ranger suit very strange but seemed normal at the time. There were a lot of foreign cars in the driveway that needed to be moved out the way. So floyd hopped in what looked like a mini van but inside it was like a pod that covered his whole body with a steering wheel under it as well so he could drive and the seat reclined all the way back as the cover of the pod incased him… the button to start the van was above the pod on the left side and orange there were about 4 buttons in total. Me and donna helped him move the cars down the drive way and as we began pulling them back in the driveway a lady on a motorcycle pulls up wearing green pants and the bike looked like a green Kawasaki her body was nice at this point floyd was still inside the van and had to push the button again to start the car up she hopped off the bike and began walking up the driveway and i was tempted to look at her legs/booty and what not but i was like nah I don’t want to disrespect so I woke up and tried to figure out why he would keep all these cars in such a small house in the middle of the suburbs as i was waking up. I began processing these experiences almost forgetting about the first dream I had about the beach because i remembered .. the second dream with the guy and the train tracks was quite easily and The floyd dream was the last before i woke up so that was fresh on my mind but the beach one almost escaped me.
The Lesson:
Very interesting experiences I definitely been meditating much more lately and using mantras as I go into sleep. The only point of this lucid dream series I find interesting (at the moment) is the losing of the camera I rarely dream the same type of thing happening and the fact that me losing something in the dream prompts me to wake up to check for it in reality kinda hints at my attachments here in the physical. Death is common in my dreams I have died more times than I can count so Im used to that, it usually just turns into another dream. I have to detach from relying so much on this computer and giving so much importance to this camera. The rest of it i think was just my mind entertaining me.
INFOCUS247 