DREAMS: CRAZY OR LOGICAL?
“Dreams are the royal road to the unconscious mind” -Sigmund Freud
What happens when we close our eyes can actually give us insight to what our waking life will be like. Could it be that we can manifest our dreams into a waking reality? Dreams have created a level of intrigue since the beginning of time. We often think of dream interpretation as a little “woo woo”, but what about the science behind dreams? Are there coherences to these seemingly crazy occurrences at night? Spiritual teacher and dream guru, Andrew Holecek has some insight into one of the best kept secrets: Lucid dreaming.
Let’s take a look at ways to better understand our dreams (and how use them to our advantage!).
THE 5 DREAM FACTS
Before we get started on the ways to apply dream techniques into our waking lives, here are some facts that may take you by surprise:
Fact 1: We spend 1/3 of our life asleep. That’s a lot of downtime!
Fact 2: The practices you make in the dream state are 9 times more effective and transformative then what you do in your waking state.
Fact 3: Whatever you can do in the waking state you can visualize and do in the sleeping state.
Fact 4: What you do during the day has a profound impact on your dreams at night.
Fact 5: Lucid dreaming is a scientifically proven state you are in when you are fully aware that you are dreaming.
Now let’s take these facts and put them to good use!
2 WAYS TO PUT THEM INTO ACTION
Lucid Dreaming
There are many benefits to lucid dreaming. Neurologically speaking, the brain cannot tell the difference between what is dreamt and what is experienced. We can relate to this, especially when waking from a sexually derivative dream. You can train your body by what you do in your dream state. If you are a musician for instance, you can activate the right side of your brain and rehearse music or practice singing. Neuroplasticity plays a huge role and what you do with your mind and actually changes your brain.
What you do in your dream state effects both your body and your brain.
Dream Yoga
This practice is more about self-transcendence whereas Lucid dreaming is more focused on neurological functions. Rather than indulging in mind and pyschologal ways, you use the mind to transform reality. This practice can in turn transform into sleep yoga. Dreams are revelatory: they reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly. Your dreams will mark your progress and they are truth tellers in that regard. Nightmares are classic ways to understand our disowned aspects. Ask yourself, “What’s really going on here?” next time you have a bad dream. Dreams reveal the purification process of your life. Facing those demons in our dreams can manifest into addressing the demons of our reality.
Understand our dreams
When you first start to explore this inner terrain, there will be a lot of shadows to face. But recognize that dusting off these cobwebs is a great way to understand our mindsets and behaviors. Understanding our dreams is a great way to move forward. With each practice there will be fear to face, but the beauty and truth revealed will be worth the pain of the journey.
