Creativity and Dreams
Dream books are filled with stories about how a dream provided the missing piece of an invention, vital scenes in a novel, the finishing touches of a movie, or some unique image in a painting. Dreams are so intimately connected to the creative process that you'll cheat yourself if you ignore them.
Dreams provide fodder in ways that are unique to each individual. Some dreams are symbolic, while others are literal. Some are ordinary, others bizarre. Some are fun, and some are terrifying. Regardless of how a dream presents itself, it is
In
Dreams provide a conduit through which you connect to other people and to the deeper, oceanic parts of yourself. Within that vast inner ocean lie creative seeds that may never sprout unless you bring them into the light of day. Dreams, by their fundamental nature, are magic. They take you into other realms of existence, other levels of time, and offer answers that your waking intellect can't comprehend. Here are some guidelines for working with dreams to enhance your creativity:
Ask for what you need or want. Before you fall asleep at night, say aloud that you would like to remember the most important dreams of the night. If you're trying to find a particular solution to a problem, request that an answer come to you in a dream and that you'll remember the dream in detail.
Record your dreams. Put a tape recorder by your bed or slide a notebook under your pillow so that you can immediately record what you remember when you wake up. You might even jot your request on a page in your journal. Date it.
Pay attention. Any dream fragment that you remember may relate to your request, even if it doesn't appear to do so. Don't judge it. Just write down the fragment.
If you don't succeed at first, keep trying. Yes, it's a cliché. It also happens to be true. If you've spent thirty or forty years forgetting the bulk of what goes on while you sleep, it may take a while before you start recalling your dreams again. Don't give up.
When you dream with purpose, you bring your intent, will, emotions, and anything else you can muster to get a creative solution to your request. It's visualization in another form. It's magic.
