Your Dreams Speak Volumes: Can you Catch the Clues?

I had recurring nightmares as a child. Often they were obstacle courses I couldn't get through without being shot at or demolished by a tiger.

I also dreamed I could fly.

Sure, some dreams may just come from the brainstem firing neurons in the dark. But some neural pathways aren't random- they fire for a reason. They work with the memory, emotion, and logic areas to consolidate, process, and plan for us. In addition, some carry clues to our deepest purpose.

Some folks are avid d ream-rememberers, while others say, "I never remember my dreams." Everyone dreams, but how easy remembering is depends on several factors. First, if you wake up during a dream (let's say your alarm goes off), it may be easier to remember. Second, how groggy, relaxed, or alert you awake can affect your dreamland connection or disconnection. Third, medications and other influences can affect how we dream.

No matter where you're at now, you can increase your ability to remember (and work with) dreams.

How to Remember Your Dreams

• Have a notepad ready: Place a notebook or dream journal and pen beside your bed. (Some people use voice recorders on their phone, but other notifications could distract you.)

• Set an Intention: As you fall asleep, repeat to yourself "I will remember my dreams."

• Get Enough Sleep: Allow 7-9 hours, as dreams primarily occur during the REM cycle, which gets longer as you sleep more.

• Wake Up Slowly: Avoid jumping out of bed. Remain still with your eyes closed upon waking and try to replay the dream.

• Document Immediately: Write down even fleeting fragments, feelings, or images as soon as you wake up. Draw any potent scenes or related elements. They may guide you to associated details. (Don't worry if it seems short; if it feels meaningful, it is.)

What are they saying?

Many spiritual traditions value dreams as messages from the Divine. I'll share more later, but for now, I'll give one example. Sufi Master Hazrat Inayat Khan explained 4 kinds of dreams. Two of them- symbolical and spiritual- can speak volumes about our spiritual path and through open attention, we can catch the clues. (The other 2 kinds are dreams that repeat events of the day and dreams that show things contrary to what you are.)

I like to discern messages in dreams through Jungian style dreamwork. I learned this style through the Haden Institute. While it can be difficult to know if a dream carries a spiritual message or is a confusing repetition of yesterday's events, trust your gut when picking out a dream:

Does it whisper for your attention?

Poke your soul?

Keep hanging around even though it seems simple?

To discern your dream's message in a processing group with me, prepare a bit before you arrive:

How to Prepare for DreamWork

• Title your dream: After you have written or drawn every detail you can remember, give your dream a title. 

• Discern what you will share: If your dream is called on, you will speak it outloud twice for the group. You will be asked to allow others to interpret it for their lives. You may choose to share your interpretation or not.

• Select the juiciest aspect: If the dream is very long or complicated, select the most poignant section to share with the group. Choose the section that attracts, stuns, or confuses you the most; or something out of place, like a cardinal dives underwater. If you're contemplating a dream by yourself, you might sit with this image and contemplate it as a symbol, or make artwork with it, or write a poem about it.

• Avoid trauma: To respect the group, please refrain from sharing traumatic dreams without consent. Unless the group gives consent, please do not share violent, abusive, oppressive, or other dream material that could be hurtful to someone.

  
  

In this brief introduction, I've shared why we only remember some of our dreams, how to remember more, and how to prepare for a dreamwork group. There is so much more, but it starts with paying attention to one dream that speaks.

🌷 I'D LOVE TO INCLUDE ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS. PLEASE WRITE ME. :)

© Shannon Gorres, 2026. Written by a human, not AI or chatGPT. Please contact me to request permission before sharing. I will give you permission to share sections of it when you include "by Shannon Gorres, www.DivineNatureTherapy.com"