A Spider is In-Love with Me!

A reader recently asked me about this interesting spider dream.

Dear Cynthia,

I have a question about a dream that I have. I looked online but I can't find the answer. A spider attached itself to me. Every time the owner took the spider away the spider would spin a web, come back to me and land on my head. It did not attack me or anything like that. It was just in-love with me, I guess. What does that really mean?

~Shawanda Harris

Dear Shawanda,

I am so curious to know if you have an admirer who is possibly married, engaged “belongs to” or is otherwise committed to someone else, yet they keep flirting or want to come back to you?

In the language of dreams, a spider can represent manipulation because they weave their beautiful webs to catch their prey, their food. Poisonous spiders can represent toxic relationships, but in yours dream the spider just goes for your head. It's as if someone keeps wanting you to think of them, remember them, and so on.

If this does not apply, ask yourself: Do I feel manipulated by anyone, or, am I manipulating someone? A parent or friend may be trying to impose their agenda into your life. Or, you may be overly controlling to someone else.

If you fear spiders in your waking life, they can represent fear to you. Ask yourself: What condition, situation or person am I afraid of and what can I do to reassure or protect myself.

Additionally, if you are a collector of spiders, study or adore them, they could represent those activities and/or feelings as well.

Shawanda, please let me know if this is helpful.

Until next time, all my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams!

Cynthia

Disaster Dreams

I recently received this message on my Dream Power Facebook page:

Dear Cynthia,

I absolutely love, love your Dream Power page! However...I had a dream last night that the apocalypse happened...the sky was red...earthquakes were happening...my cousin was with me...I was in a crowd and the lights went out...she kept telling me to hold her hand because there were dead people in the bathroom...none of it made any sense and I woke up in a cold sweat, hyperventilating...sorry to bother you with this...but I keep having apocalyptic dreams...any advice?











Annalea Jones

Dear Annalea,

While a small percentage of dreams do come true, most disaster dreams refer to a challenging situation in the dreamers waking life. Since your cousin was with you in the dream, I would start by asking: where in your family life do you sense a life changing disruption? 

Dead people in the bathroom, sounds so unsettling, but if we interpret the symbols involved, we can gain some clarity. Symbolically this is saying that things that were once alive are now dead. Perhaps this could represent a relationship that is ending or anything that is coming to an end. Bathrooms are where we purge or dispose of that which no longer serves us, it is also where we wash ourselves clean. 

The lights went out, which makes us ask, where in your waking life is there an absence of awareness? Is someone lying or covering something up? Your subconscious mind is alerting you that an earth shattering change is occurring in your life. The good news is that you are fine! You survive and even assist your cousin, a very good sign.

Ultimately, life is about change. And even when initially we do not choose it, if we ask ourselves two questions: what can I learn from this and how can I grow as a result of this? Most often, we will benefit from the answers.

All my best wishes to you,

Cynthia Richmond

I'm Being Chased!

The most common nightmare for both adults and children includes the theme of being chased. Typically the dreamer does not know the potential assailant but they do feel very threatened by them. Many wake up with their heart racing, gasping for breath and are so relieved to realize that the danger was only in the dream. For adults the chaser can be anything that is after them in waking life, something gaining on them; a deadline, an addiction, a woman's biological clock, their own pressure to lose weight or any similar self-imposed issue. For children the whole world seems so large and out of their personal control. Nightmares can include monsters, the Big Bad Wolf, authority figures, a faceless "bad guy" or the disciplinarian parent.

Nightmares reflect our fears and anxieties. Bad dreams can sometimes be a symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for those who have been through trauma. It seems so unfair to have to continue being haunted by something terrible that happened in the past. Talk therapy with a trained counselor can go a long way to stop these disturbing dreams.

If you have a nightmare ask yourself what am I afraid of? Where in my waking life am I not measuring up to my goals? Is there a bully I can make arrangements to avoid? What actions can I take to regain control of my life? Make a new plan to take back the reigns in your life.

If you realize that you are having a nightmare while you are experiencing it, you can turn toward the chaser and ask he or she what they want.

It is normal to have an occasional nightmare. They may be our most important dreams in the sense that their vivid nature helps us to remember them as well as face our fears so we can live with more peace.

Until next time, I wish you Sweet Dreams,

Cynthia

Intentionally Repeating a Dream

Have you ever incubated a dream or put yourself back into a dream you experienced previously?

As a kid, in a family that celebrated Christmas, I had quite a responsibility. I was the oldest of five children. Which made me the responsible kiddo. I held the other kids hands walking in parking lots, was left to babysit them when both parents were at work, and so on. 

The year I was 10, I was so excited about Christmas. We had decorated the tree and the whole house. I had bought and wrapped gifts for my family members, it was all so much fun. Everyone was in a good mood. Our grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins were coming over the next day for dinner.

It was so stimulating that I couldn't get to sleep. And of course, Santa doesn't come until all the kids are asleep, everyone knows that! If I couldn't get to sleep I would single-handedly ruin Christmas for my entire family.

Finally I was asleep and having a nightmare. In it my mom and siblings were in a grocery store. With five children my mom had a rule, we always had to be holding hands with one or two of the other kids. In my dream, I was alone and separated from my family. The shelves were all very high, I couldn't see or find them. I was going to be in trouble and I was scared, but even more frightened to be lost and alone.

Then I woke up! It was Christmas morning! I was not lost or in trouble.

The following Christmas, once again I was excited and couldn't get to sleep. It dawned on me that I could intentionally re-dream the grocery store dream. It had been really scary but this time I would know that it was just a dream and I would wake up and it would be Christmas! It worked! I re-dreamed the dream, but it was lucid, I knew that it was just a dream, I tried to play along with the previous "script" all-the-while knowing it was all okay.

If you have a favorite dream or dream theme, such as flying, remember the dream and the feelings you had in it as you drift to sleep. It's very likely that you can revisit that lovely dreamscape.

Until next time, I wish you sugarplums dancing in your dreamy head,

~ Cynthia

Teeth Falling Out!

The fifth most common dream that people report having is one in which, some or all of their teeth are loose, falling out or missing. Sometimes the dreams are so vivid that the person has to check their mouth when they wake up just to be certain it isn't true.

This is actually one of the first recorded dreams in history. Artemidorus, a Greek philosopher, wrote the earliest known book on the interpretation of dreams in the 2^nd century B.C. The treatise, Oneirocritica (Interpretation of Dreams), was written in sections in which, Artemidorus talks about metaphor and symbolism in dreams as well as the need to understand the dreamer, his or her beliefs and culture, to properly understand the personal meaning of a dream. He said that a dream of teeth falling out typically reflected a fear of death, since in the animal kingdom when a being looses its teeth, it can no longer procure food, eat or defend itself and therefore it dies. 

In a more modern context, dreams of teeth falling out are often demonstrating a concern about physical appearance or a fear about something that has been communicated and may have been misunderstood or could reflect badly on the dreamer. 

Of course, as with all dreams, one should first rule out the literal; your subconscious mind could be letting you know that a visit to the dentist is in your best interest. A dentist wrote to me a few years back alerting me that several of his patients with T.M.J.,  (Temporomandibular Joint and Muscle Disorder) had dreams of their teeth falling out, and it was their dream that prompted them to make a dental appointment.

If you are not in need of dental attention, ask yourself:

• Have I been thinking about or fearing death? What can I do to feel more safe or healthier?
• Or: What can I do to improve my appearance and feel better about how I look?
• Or: In which communications am I feeling vulnerable? What can I do to clear the air?

If any of these questions feels like an "Ah ha!" moment, explore it further.

Until next time, I wish you warm regards and sweet dreams,

~Cynthia

I'm Flying!

It is exhilarating. I merely take a few steps forward
with my arms outstretched and I am airborne!

Have you ever had a flying dream? They are among the top-five most common dreams, and dreamers love having them.

Flying dreams help us “rise above” the gravity of our daily waking lives. They can assist us in finding a new perspective or way of looking at a situation. Dreams of taking flight offer stress management, fun and peaceful soaring, most dreamers love them.

Years ago, I was a guest on The View, a television program created and initially hosted by Barbara Walters, now by Whoopi Goldberg. One of the times I was a guest, we discussed the topic of dreams and Meredith Vieira shared that she had a recurring nightmare that she was in a passenger jet that was out of control and heading down. In her terrifying dream the plane does land and she is able to walk off the plane with no injuries.

My interpretation was as follows: In the language of dreams, Air represents the mental, our thoughts. Land represents what we know for sure; consciousness, we can see it feel it, stand on it. And Water (i.e., oceans, lakes) represent the unconscious or what is below the surface. Moving up is typically good; we are rising in stature, getting promoted, our investments are increasing. Headed down, especially in a plane is not so good.

I told Meredith that this was a natural thought and feeling in her line of work as a television journalist and talk show host. As a passenger on the plane and not the pilot, she realized that she was not in control of her ratings or public approval. A natural fear would be that ratings could go down and her career could crash. However her dream demonstrates that she will always be okay, she walks off the crashed plane unscathed.

As a journalist, Meredith has had to report on plane crashes and (in reality) she is not fond of flying. However, her dream referred to her career and as predicted she is flying high with her own fabulous talk show.

She was so kind and lovely to me and I wish her all the best, always.

Wishing you every best wish for flying high in your dreams,

~Cynthia

Test Day, Oh No!

One of the most common dreams across the board, both genders, all cultures, all ages and so on, is the dream that you are at school, it’s test day, you haven’t studied, can’t find the classroom, can’t find your locker or remember the combination, and a multitude of other variations on this theme.

Have you had that one? Most of us have. I find that so fascinating. People say, “I haven't been in school for decades—why did I have that dream?”

The dream takes other forms as well. When Simon & Schuster sent me on book tour for Dream Power: How to Use Your Night Dreams to change Your Life, I got to visit eight cities across this wonderful country of ours. I was privileged to hear dreams from so many people; I would probably never have met otherwise. Morning drive radio jocks had their version of this dream. For them it was the “Dead Air” dream. Their test so-to-speak was that they had failed the radio station by allowing dead air or silence. They were either in the men’s room, couldn’t find a tape or CD, went out of the building for a smoke and the door locked them out of their studio and other disasters.

New York’s Maurice DuBois interviewed me several times, telling me of his version of this dream. In it, this dapperly dressed journalist could not find a tie! A suit and tie were required, of course, to report the news or interview a guest and he would wake panicked. By the way, I adored working with him and found him to be an exceptional interviewer and broadcaster.

So! What does this dream mean?
What is it trying to tell us?

This dream shows up in the lives of adults, much past academic pursuits, at a time when they feel as if they are being tested and that there will be a consequence that could be dismal. This could be anything you really care about; meeting your potential future in-laws, facing a job interview, asking an online date for an in-person meeting, or something else of major consequence.

This dream reflects a mild anxiety. So! What should you do if you have such a dream? Ask yourself : “What can I do to relieve my fear in this situation? Can I prepare better?”

Stash a back up tie in your desk drawer? Add your potential future mother-in-law’s favorite flowers to the table? You get the idea. Ask, where am I being tested? How can I get an A or 100%?

In the near future I will share the remaining top three most common dreams. We’ve already discussed “Naked in Public.”

Until next time, I wish you every best wish for your sweet dreams,

~ Cynthia

I Don't Dream, What's Up With That?

Almost every day someone says or writes to me that they do not dream, or that they feel as if they dream but they don't remember them. I address this is my book: Dream Power, How To Use Your Night Dreams To Change Your Life, Simon & Schuster 2000, available from our Shop Link…but I want to answer here for those of you who have asked me recently.

1. There is nothing wrong with you.
2. Most of us forget the majority of our dreams.
3. You are dreaming, though, you just don't remember.
4. Great News! You can learn to remember more of your dreams.
5. This is not difficult; dreams are our natural way of being.
6. Every person, gender, culture, age, throughout history, from the beginning of humankind has dreamed.
7. Dreams are valuable and important.
8. Dreams help us deal with the stress of our waking life.
9. Dreams are compensatory; they provide what we are not getting during our waking hours. For example, if you are on a diet, you might dream of delicious desserts, if you have been sexually active but are going through a period of celibacy you may dream of satisfying sex. If you gave up smoking or drinking you may dream of enjoying these things and wake panicked that you reverted. Your body is merely assisting you with your choice by compensating you during your sleep. And so on!
10. To remember your dreams, simply remind yourself before you go to sleep. Tell yourself, I will remember my dreams, when I wake my dreams will easily come to mind. Have a pen and notepad or your dream journal at your bedside. Jot down your dream as soon as you wake as they are fleeting and often evaporate quickly.

You can do this and I promise the rewards will be powerfully helpful and enlightening.
Some have dreadful dreams, they may reflect past trauma or abuse. Some people squelch their dreams for this reason. I truly understand this. You may simply want a peaceful night's sleep. And, I would like to encourage you, when you feel ready, and perhaps with the help of a therapist, dream analyst, clergy person or enlightened friend, open your mind to dreaming and process those fitful, disturbing dreams. You will learn and grow from that experience. And then you can have fabulous, wonderful, helpful dreams and deeply satisfying sleep.

Until next time, all my best wishes for your best, most helpful dreams,

~Cynthia

Naked in Public!

One of the Five Most Common Dreams that people report is one where they are naked or partially undressed in public. I have heard many versions of this dream theme. I had it once in forth grade. I was a very modest girl. In my dream I had my blouse on, panties, socks and shoes, I had a bow in my hair and my eyeglasses on…but no skirt! I was at school when I looked down and realized why kids were pointing at me and laughing; I was devastated that people could see my underwear.

I woke up with a feeling of dread, shame, and embarrassment. Boys had seen my panties; teachers had seen…it was too much. Thinking back I realize that, at the tender age of 10, I was just starting to notice boys. I was a teacher's pet and Mrs. Field’s opinion was so important to me. In the dream, I felt exposed and un-worthy of being one of her favorite students in the class. I felt vulnerable. She did have a high opinion of me. I think I wanted to live up to it. My third grade teacher did not like me and she was not nice or kind to me. Kids are so easily influenced by the feelings of others, peers and authority figures help us form our opinion of ourselves.

In the language of dreams, being naked can have a few meanings. One is that the dreamer is not hiding a thing! He or she is being butt-naked honest. However, most often this dream comes when we feel that we are not entirely prepared for an important situation. If you have a naked or only partially dressed in public dream, do you know or realize in the dream that you are naked? If so, how do you feel when you make this discovery? Whatever you feel in the dream, ask yourself: When, in my waking life, do I feel the same? Exposed? What makes me feel that way? There may be some action you can take to feel better prepared and less anxious.

The way we feel when we wake offers clues to the meaning of our dream. Some wake laughing or crying! Most dreamers have awakened at some point with a feeling unrelated to just waking up. It can feel like a dream hangover. Common feelings include: anxiety, dread, fear, shame, joy and excitement. Try to pay attention to how you feel when you wake and how that feeling relates to your dream and then to your waking life.

Until next time, all my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams,

Cynthia

Kaleidoscope Dreams

Last night I had so many dreams, in the night and I was so excited to share them with you, but when I woke it was as if a kaleidoscope blew-up in my mind. I recognized and remembered all of the sequences, but they were disjointed and confusing. Have you ever had this experience? If so, do not do not despair! This is a frequent experience for many. Some nights are like that. However, the following night can offer profound, insightful, intact nocturnal dramas that offer extremely beneficial messages. So, please do not be discouraged. The truth is that even a fragment of a dream can be amazingly helpful. 

Yesterday my daughter shared a dream with me that she had about me. I have dreams about her as well. Anyone can dream about anyone, but people who are connected by love can even dream messages for each other! I can't share the dream, but I can tell you I hope it comes true!!!

Dreaming about a same-sex relative can also be symbolic for you…so think about how you are a sister to yourself, a mother to you etc. 

Send me your 150-word dream or fewer and I will do my best to interpret in this blog.

Cynthia@DreamPower.net (Please, include your email address.) 

Until next time, all my best wishes for your most beautiful dreams,

 ~Cynthia

Special Dream Delivery

A Facebook follower wrote recently to ask me how to control his dreams. In general I prefer to take the dreams that our subconscious mind or other dream source sends to me via Special Dream Delivery. I love and appreciate the guidance, insights, and inspirations I glean from my nightly dance with the sublime. However another use of our dreams is for problem solving, creating and visiting with teachers and departed loved ones. We can also request a particular type of dream! Setting the intension to have a flying dream, or inviting a certain experience to occur, such as let me dream about singing without fear tonight.

Being aware that you are dreaming while you are is called Lucid Dreaming. There has been much scientific research into this,  and good books and papers are available on the subject. Stephen LeBerge researched and wrote on this topic for his dissertation at Stanford and went on the further study and write about the process.  Two other authors whose works I enjoy on this topic are: J. Allan Hobson and Carlos Castaneda.

About 14 years ago I was giving a lecture on the vale and benefits of dream work to a group of 90 people. One woman told us about a recurring dream that she had had since she was a preteen and well after she was married. In the dream she was being chased by a big black gorilla! Each time she woke from this nightmare with her heart pounding in fear. Finally her husband suggested that she make an appointment with a dream therapist. The therapist's advice was: "Next time you have the dream, turn around and ask the gorilla what it wants." So, the dreamer followed those instructions and realized she was dreaming the big scary gorilla dream.

 "What do you want?" she asked the primate.

"I just want to put my fingers under your armpits and sniff them." He replied.

The dreamer woke herself up laughing out loud. The dream had been a message from her subconscious to lighten up, be playful and have more fun! What a relief to no longer dread going to sleep for fear of having the gorilla dream.

You can train yourself to realize that you are dreaming and you can incubate the dream that you want to experience. However, first you must be remembering, journaling and interpreting your dreams. And thanks for the great question!

I hope this encourages you to pay more attention to your nocturnal dramas.

Until next time, all my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams.

~Cynthia

Dreaming Decisions

“It is very queer. But my dreams make conclusions for me. They decide things finally. I dream a decision.” 

~D.H. Lawrence, English Novelist

When making an important decision, we are often advised, “to sleep on it.” The reason for this sage advice is that our subconscious mind can sort out the facts and separate the emotion, or clarify the emotions for us.

If you'd like to experience this focus, before you go to sleep do your best to write the question you want answered or decision you need to make. The more specific you can be, the better the chance of a clear answer from your dream muse. After writing your question in your dream journal, repeat it silently as you drift off to dreamland. For example:

• What is in the best interest of my physical health at this time?
•  How can I best support my loved one through this challenge?  
• What is the best way to increase my income to cover the holidays? 

Remind yourself to remember your dreams and when you wake, write down everything you remember. Do not worry if the dream doesn't seem related to our question. Once you interpret it, it will lend ideas and answers for you. 

You may of course, also receive information on other important issues in your life. These may at first not seem related, but often they are! So stay open minded and work with the symbols and your associations to them.

Give this a try if it appeals to you and please let me know how you do!

Until next time,

Sweet Dreams,

Cynthia

Dream Visits From Beyond

Recently I had the honor of working with a woman who dreamt of her recently departed daughter (I've changed the names to protect her privacy).

Carol told me that her 20 year-old daughter, Amy, was away at college when she died of an aneurysm. In her dream, the front door bell rang. Carol went to the door and opened it but no one was there, she felt confused, then characteristic of her daughter, Amy peeked out from around the corner. Carol said, "Amy where are you? I miss you." Amy replied, "I'm right here Mom, I'm right here." So, Carol asked me, "What does that mean?" 

It means, of course, that even though Carol cannot see her daughter in the flesh, she is still near and listening, aware of her mother's feelings. I suggested that she talk to Amy as though she is in the room and invite her to visit her in her nightly dreams. Carol told me that I helped her more than she could possibly express. I thanked her for doing the same for me. She validated my passion for my work.

Over the more than 25 years that I have been helping people to remember and understand their dreams, the topic of departed loved ones has come up frequently. In my experience, there have been two types: 

1. In one, the dream truly feels like a genuine visit from the spirit of the dead person. 
2. The other is when the dead person now symbolizes or represents whatever you associate with them, just as every other symbol in your dreams does.

During the grieving process, some dreamers are dealing with regret: Did I do enough? Could I have saved him? I should have told her that I love her, and so on. The dreams can reflect these worrisome thoughts. These are unsettling to be sure, but they are not visitation dreams. Visitation dreams are always positive, always peaceful.

I record The Long Island Medium (LIM) on TLC and binge watch it on the weekend. Theresa Caputo is known for her "big hair," long fingernails and her uncannily accurate readings. She is able to "feel," as she describes it, "the energy of the departed, including how they died".

I have worked with many mediums and consider two in particular to be my friends. They are the best of the best; John Edward, also living in Long Island, and James Van Praagh, who is on the West Coast. John invited me to be the dream expert on his wonderful online university called Infinite Quest, and James invited me to be on his television show many times to help people who were dreaming of departed loved ones. I have also done a workshop with James here in Sedona, and radio with John in NYC, as well as other things. We have a mutual respect for each other and the work that we do. Many are skeptical about mediums but those born with this amazing ability will tell you that this is fine. They aren't there to make you a believer, just to communicate what your loved one wants to share.

 

I was very touched by a recent episode of LIM in which a mother dreamed she had handed her very ill child to her grandmother who had passed. Two days later the child died. The dream went a long way toward comforting this mother.

Our nightly dreams can bring deeply gratifying comfort, they can prepare us and they can be a bridge to communication with our loved ones that go upstairs before we do. 

One last thing, I want to address a fear that some have expressed to me, they wonder if they have a dream about someone dying if they in anyway caused that person to pass. The answer is a resounding "NO." The dream may not mean that the person is dying in the first place. In the language of dreams, death can be a symbol for change and other types of transitions. However if the person does pass on, I think of it as angels whispering in your ear to provide a bit of gentle warning to perhaps lessen the shock a bit.

Until next time, I wish you peace, love and Sweet Dreams,

Cynthia

Bears? Oh my!

My friend Sarah shared her dream with me this morning over breakfast. In it she was with a couple of other people when they saw a bear. The others turned and ran away. Sarah knew that a bear could easily out run a person and that that wouldn't work. She opened her heart and started sending love to the bear, over and over she said I love you bear, you are the best bear ever and so on. When she got to the bear he had risen to his hind legs, front paws up in the air. He did not harm her and she woke up. In the language of dreams bears are associated with inner wisdom, bears know where in the tree the honey is hidden. In North American Indian culture the bear is associated with healing, the shaman may wear silver jewelry in the shape of a bear claw. Sarah is a doctor of Chinese Medicine and a RN as well. Her dream tells her to embrace her instincts when working with patients and reinforces her choice of profession. The bear stood in respect of her. Sarah is a very loving woman and a wonderful healer, she found it helpful to receive this pat of the back from spirit.

What are your dreams telling you?

Until next time, I send you love,

~Cynthia

Nathan Lane

I was watching Late Night this evening/early morning while in bed, wanting to drift off to dreamland... when host Seth Meyers mentioned that Nathan Lane would be his first guest on the show. I adore Nathan, so I postponed my plans for slumber momentarily. To my delight, Nathan asked Seth if he had ever witnessed a dog having a nightmare. Seth said yes, he had and they described a few possibilities for laughs.

If you have ever been a pet parent you have no doubt experienced this first hand. The truth is that all mammals dream. Researchers are currently studying other species to determine if they dream as well. Dreams, are important to our health and well being... even if we don’t interpret them. However, when we do... well, the Talmud puts it this way: “An un-interpreted dream is like an un-opened letter from God.” Please, read “God” as “Universe”, “Spirit”, or whatever you hold as the “larger than you, contributing force of nature”... we all dream every night! You may not remember your dreams but you are still benefiting from them. Stress is managed, for example, through our dreams.

I have an early call tomorrow and now I will not get as much sleep as I prefer, however, I felt it important to share this post with you.

Do not wake a pet in the midst of a nightmare, let them follow it through, unless, of course, they will be physically harmed. The same goes for humans. :)

Until next time, all my best wishes for your sweet dreams,

~Cynthia

Sting on The Actor's Studio

I just watched the amazingly accomplished Sting interviewed by James Lipton. Sting has sold more than 100 million records, (you do know what records are, right?) has won 16 Grammy Awards, three Academy Awards, one Emmy, and a Golden Globe. He has acted in 15 movies, has written two best selling books and has recently been announced to receive a Kennedy Center Honor this year. And, he relies on his nightly dreams for creativity and for working through his psyche in a very Jungian process. Bravo Sting! Our nightly dreams are think tanks for problem solving as well as a fertile environment for creativity and inspiration.
Both Billy Joel and Sir Paul McCartney have spoken publicly about using their dreams as song incubators. Both melody and lyrics have hovered present as they woke. Joel talked about running to his piano to be certain he had captured the melody gifted to him in his dreams. And McCartney shared that the melody to his song "Yesterday" came in a dream.
Years back, for my column in the Los Angeles Times, I interviewed the woman who co-wrote the Rocky theme. Two time Oscar nominated Carol Connors, is a delightful woman, she would wake with a song in her head and (back in the day) record it on her telephone answering machine, which was on her nightstand.
The melody to “Gonna Fly Now” (you remember the one, it goes, dah - dah - dah-ta-dah - dah - ta - dah - dah - dah... as Rocky is running up the capitol steps in his training for the big fight) came to her in her sleep during the time she was collaborating with another songwriter. That was her dream, just the proper notes and sequence of that song, she woke humming the melody! She told me that this dream bought her a house in Beverly Hills and a Rolls Royce. She set me up on a blind date that didn't work out so well... but that is another story!
She would also sometimes call me at 6:00 AM, excited to share a “dream song.” I was not as enthusiastic as she, as I revere my sleep. That again is another story.
Anyway, what is so exciting to me is that YOU, dear dreamer, can do the same thing! Call in your dream muse. Ask your subconscious mind a specific question before you go to sleep. Write your dream down as soon as you wake as they can evaporate quickly. Use this valuable asset available to you nightly, free of charge and as close as your pillow! If you want a little direction to get you started, email or call me, we can set up an appointment and you will be on your way!

Until next time, I wish you creative and helpful dreams,

~Cynthia

A Dream Come True

I was hired more than six months ago to speak on the value of our nightly dreams to a group (of mostly women) at the historic Greenbrier Resort. So now, having been there this last week and having such a wonderful time at the event, it was truly a dream come true. Thank you to all who made it possible!

Until next time, here's wishing you sweet dreams,
~ Cynthia

Dreaming While Traveling

Many people who do not remember many dreams at home during their weekly routine, do remember their nightly dreams while traveling. Whether for business or pleasure being in a new environment can simulate dream recall. I am currently in West Virginia at the historic and grand Greenbrier Hotel. I spoke yesterday at the Lady's luncheon on the topic of dreams and their meanings. It was great fun.

The amazing wife of the Chairman who coordinated the many social aspects of the annual meeting of AEIC, used the vibrant colors of my book cover as her inspiration and chose shiny orange tablecloths and royal blue runners, orangey yellow Zinnias in brass urns centered each table. It was a wonderful event! A few women told me that they didn't know what to expect and didn't think they would like what I had to say, but they did truly enjoy and appreciate my presentation. That made me very happy.

Such a lovely table setting that matches the colors in my book.

Last night I felt as if I dreamed all night. There was so much stimulation, people, entertainment, my subconscious mind juggled it all throughout the night.

I woke feeling happy and at peace. I hope you did too. If not, perhaps I can be helpful.
Until next time all my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams!

~Cynthia

How To Remember Your Dreams

A few blogs ago I promised to give you some tools to assist you in remembering more of your nightly dreams.

It is truly not at all difficult for most people. But you have to want to remember them. Some people dealing with trauma or unpleasant memories have dreams in which the unsettling times or abuse seem to be relived and therefore they intentionally block their dream memory. If this applies to you, counseling can be most helpful. I encourage you to talk with a trusted family member or friend, a clergy person or therapist. The Veterans Administration has post traumatic stress programs and there are other resources available. If none of these appeals to you, try writing out your story to eliminate the need to loop it in your mind. Another technique is to fictionalize the story, make it about other characters, not you. 

If you do want to remember your dreams gather a journal and a light-up pen or small flashlight and pen to place at your bedside. Remind yourself before you go to sleep that you want to remember your dreams. If you wake to an alarm link those two; When my alarm goes off my dream will easily come to mind. If no alarm is involved in your waking simply say to yourself: I will remember my dreams, my dreams are important to me, when I wake my dream will easily come to mind. 

When you wake, try to lie still for a moment or get right back into the last position you were in as you woke. You have just completed a dream cycle. What were you dreaming about? What are your feelings? Jot down your dream, even if it is just a feeling or a fragment. You will build on this. Keep up this process and very soon your subconscious mind will deliver your vivid and helpful dreams each morning. 

For more personalized assistance please make an appointment to work with me. You will use the specific tools we will create to enhance your sleep and dream time for the rest of your life!

Until next time all my best wishes,

~Cynthia

Dreaming of Your Ex

This morning I woke with three dreams about the same past love. Very often I am asked how to stop dreaming of an Ex. People say I divorced him or her why am I still dreaming about him? There can be many reasons, but if there is no unfinished business regarding that former partner, chances are that they simply represent what you associate with them, just as every other dream symbol.

 In my dream I was in bed waiting for my husband to come to bed. I got up to get a glass of water and when I returned there was a tall aluminum ladder resting across the bed. I lifted it off and as I did, I saw my former husband lying on my side, feet where the head goes and on his belly. He looked out of his right eye at me then closed his eyes again. At that point I remembered that we no longer slept in the same bed and I wondered where I was supposed to sleep. I found a small twin bed in another room and decided that it would be fine for the night. In the next dream I had driven up to my former husband's new home. It was a large two or more story home overlooking a huge expanse of land. As I reached the top of the driveway. I got out and looked over the land. I was surprised to see magnificent lions, bears, and many other types of animals all living there. In one second's time my thought went from--what an amazing thing to be able to witness all of these incredible animals coexisting on this amazing piece of land to--what is protecting me from these fierce, wild animals? I began running back down the road, but a huge full grown lion and a big Grizzly bear were chasing me. I heard my former husband bellow out a yell and knew that the animals would stop and that I was safe. In the third scene my same former love and I were in a family living room. It was some sort of a reunion. A beautiful young girl came up to me, she was about three and a half years old, had long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a pretty blue dress, the type a little girl would be proud of. She was looking at me and then had an "ah ha" moment as she recognized me as her auntie. She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me in big, happy hug as if she missed and loved me. My husband observed this exchange wondering who the girl was and how she was related, he was confused but smiling. 

There are far too many symbols to break down in this blog, but the fact that my former husband was in all three certainly got my attention. In the first dream I can take away that our rolls and positions have changed. The ladder may be my tool to move on and upward in my growth. It tells me that I will find my own way and place on my own. 

The second invites me to be comfortable with my natural instincts and reminds me that I am protected. There are no hard feelings.

The third reminds me that I have a loving place in the family of humankind. 

My former spouse is symbolic for resolve, strength, protection and gentle observation. 

So do not fret, if you are dreaming of an Ex, ask yourself: What are they symbolic for? What adjectives would you use to describe them to someone who didn't know them? Your answer will give you clues as to how your subconscious mind uses him or her in your dreams. 

Until next time, all my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams, Cynthia

Yellow Butterfly

Do you have recurring symbols in your dreams? These may be important messages from your dream muse. Once you establish your meaning for a symbol it becomes part of the language of your subconscious mind.

Two nights ago I remembered a fraction of a dream as my alarm went off. Even though we would prefer to have the entire dream for context, even a fraction can be very helpful.

In my dream I was setting down a yellow butterfly soap holder on the right side of my kitchen sink. Butterflies for me represent: metamorphosis, change, evolving, and spirit. I also associate yellow with  mental energy, the stomach chakra and therefore digestion, and happiness & joy, simply because sunshine gives me those feelings.

Soap of course is used for cleansing or removing an unwanted layer and, from my generation, a threat!  

“Watch your mouth or I'll wash your mouth out with soap!” 

 To which the only proper response was, “Yes, Ma’am!”

My dream continues my current theme regarding positive change. It is a dream of encouragement. As I came out of the dream I felt excited. I also had the feeling that the yellow butterfly soap dish was made on a 3-D copier! I am not sure what that means, but it may become more clear as time goes on.

For now, wishing you a lovely day and helpful dreams.

~Cynthia