Cynthia Interprets Dreams

(Article originally posted in the Sedona Red Rock News)

There are times man can fly without wings. It’s the same time you show up to class naked or found yourself stuck in a tar pit facing down a mammoth.

They are our dreams.

Cynthia Richmond was at the Sedona Welcomers monthly meeting as its featured speaker Wednesday, March 23, at the Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock.

Richmond has been interpreting dreams for some time now, appearing on national television on shows like Oprah.

It became obvious that dreams are of a personal nature as Richmond asked the group of women what dreams they wanted more understanding of. It took a little prodding before anyone asked anything, but then quickly got on a roll.

Richmond covered the gamut while there, and showed how all dreams have symbolic meaning. Here are a few of the archetypes she helped explain:

• Innovation: Often dreams are cited as a way people have invented new machines, such as the sewing machine. These dreams use a combination of a relaxed state of mind with intuition to allow the waker to realize what he or she had been missing.
• Not finding the bathroom: Richmond said she had had a hard time getting this interpretation into print when she wrote her own column, as it was not breakfast reading material. But at the risk of ruining that bagel or eggs, the reasoning behind this dream, she said, is that someone has an issue they need to let go.
• Being back in school for a
  test/being naked in public: These often reflect a fear of being unprepared. They are some of the most common dreams and can also relate to anxiety felt when someone is about to meet a new person capable of being judgmental.
• Being chased: This is another common one. Something is starting to slip from the dreamer’s control. Sometimes it is a problem that has been avoided to long and needs to be faced.
• Recurring: This happens when a similar issue to the cause of the original dream happens or when an issue has never been resolved.

To work on gleaning more information from dreams, Richmond said that talking out loud can be a good start, particularly talking with someone who has worked with dreams. Writing a dream journal can also help, as well as provide a basis for new interpretations down the road.

She said there are things beyond symbolism that happen in dreams as well. She gave creedence to dreams which seem to predict the future, as well as dreams that seem to allow a person to connect with “the other side.”

Richmond pointed out that dreams occur at the lighter stages of sleep, contrary to popular perception. She said dreams tend to cycle in their meaning as the night progresses.

The first dreams of the night deal with the stress of the day before. The middle of the night dreams are usually the ones which deal with fantasy — the flying ones, etc. Dreams more toward morning are ways the subconscious tries to convey a message for the future.

The Sedona Welcomers will next host Sedona International Film Festival Executive Director Patrick Schweiss on Wednesday, April 27, at the Sedona Hilton.

Sweet dreams.

A Most Unusual Dream

I attended a daylong class yesterday and during a break I mentioned to another participant that I was a dream author and expert. She said, “Oh! That is fascinating, can I tell you about a dream my daughter had that has me baffled?”

“Of course, please do.” I truly love hearing people’s dreams.

“Well, she talks in her sleep and she was in my bed, so she woke me up. She was speaking in perfect Chinese! She has never been to China and has never studied the language…what could that mean?”

In the 25 plus years that I have studied and interpreted dreams, this one was a first. I really thought I had heard everything. I have had the privilege and honor of reading more than 55,000 dreams. I have had people speak in different languages under hypnosis and while experiencing a past/parallel life regression. However, this was the first time, in my memory, that I heard about a child speaking a non-native language in a dream. 

I would never tell someone who didn’t believe in reincarnation that they were dreaming about a past life or as we now say, given the theory of quantum entanglement and current studies in space/time, parallel life…but that is certainly a logical explanation for me. I don’t pretend to be an expert in these matters, but whether we participate in soul groups, which give us a deep understanding and empathy for others or we have had many lifetimes…it does appear as though there is carry over to the current life we are consciously aware of.  Some children bring talents or interests that we think of as requiring many decades of study and practice.

I suggested to the mother that she look into an opportunity for her daughter to visit China, see where she is drawn to and if she picks up the language and customs easily. It would certainly be fascinating.

Here’s a very cool link to 6 stories of kids who remember their previous lives: https://youtu.be/qxGMzIRrtwg

There is a prevalent thought that one should not wake someone who is sleep-talking or sleepwalking. I believe it is based on a fear that it could cause psychosis. The thing is, that is exactly what we do in sleep clinics to better understand people with night terrors and the like. I would suggest to this concerned mother that the next time her daughter was sleep talking that she gently wake her and ask her what she was dreaming about, there might be great clues there.

My father once told me that while I was talking in my sleep I mentioned little green men…I am going to assume that I was dreaming about playing with plastic army soldiers.

All my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams,
Cynthia

I invite you to, please, leave your
dream questions and comments below. 

Deciphering Dream Language

In the language of dreams, people, places, things, and activities aren't always what they appear to be. Each of these dream elements are sometimes subtle messages that could be interpreted as either literal, symbolic or metaphorical. Our emotional sense of the dream is equally an important factor in its interpretation as well. The spoken languages around the world are filled with metaphors and idioms that often become (in the language of dreams) the key that unlocks these messages. Dream symbols can be seemingly abstract and nonsensical until we compare and filter them through the metaphors and idioms of our native language. Here's a recent dream I had and how I interpret its symbols.

---

In my dream I had a baby boy, he looked about two months old. He had a small growth on the top of his right foot that I was not concerned about, as I knew it could easily be removed and at this young age, it would only be a small scar. The doctor who delivered him was going to do a test to see what all would be involved, we wanted to do this right! My son also had six toes on that foot; I counted twice to be sure. He was asleep in a tote bag which was leaning against the wall in the bathroom, there were a few other things in the bag, as if I had put everything I was carrying in there. I took him out of the tote, he was still asleep but every time I kissed his cute little cheek he smiled. We were in a hotel but had a bus to catch. I was concerned that I didn’t know exactly where the bus stop was. The previous bus had dropped us off on a small side street, but I suspected that the bus we needed to catch would pick us up on the main, larger street just a little further away but in sight. My concern was that I was in the wrong place and could miss my opportunity…but I was very close!

---

I believe that this dream is an important one for me. My “baby boy” represents a recent creative project that I have given birth to…it is still immature and it is not quite perfect, but there is nothing wrong that can’t be easily fixed. I love and adore this project and have or will reach out to an expert to take care of anything needed in the best way possible. This venture is not the same as other similar things; it has a little something extra! A hotel room is a temporary resting place, this situation is a short-term issue. I am really close to being where I need to be to catch the vehicle that will get me to my next destination, in fact the place is “in sight” (insight)!

So, the questions to ask myself are: How can I identify what this project is as I always have several going at the same time? Who is the expert who’s advice would benefit me? How can I be in the right place at the right time for the next step?

The overall feeling of this dream was positive and encouraging and I am excited to work with it further. The next step, if I don’t figure out exactly which project this dream relates to, will be for me to ask my subconscious mind or dream muse to show me what the baby represents to me. That is a good tip for all of us; ask your dreams for follow-up information. Dream insights are unlimited! 

All my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams,
Cynthia

I invite you to, please, leave your
dream questions and comments below. 

 

A Dream of Your Unborn Child

I received this dream via email and thought it would be interesting to share it with my blog readers.

---

Dear Cynthia, I dreamed I was standing up looking down at my feet. There I saw a little girl; she was a little taller than my knees. She had long brown hair and was looking up at me with an angelic face. She was smiling and had her arms stretched upward the way a child does when they want to be picked up. As I reached for her I woke up.

I found out about a week after having this dream that I am pregnant. A lot of friends and family have told me that I am having a girl. In truth I have always wanted a daughter. What do you think this means?

~ Courtney

---

Dear Courtney,

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

The psychic link between a developing baby and its mother is very strong. Pregnant women often dream of their unborn children. Some mothers have dreams depicting concerns about being a good mother. Others have dreams in which they come to understand their ambiguity about becoming a parent. Pregnant women with a fear of childbirth may dream of that process. And some mothers-to-be dream of nutrients that they or their unborn child would benefit from during gestation.

Many mothers claim that their mother’s intuition began while their baby was in utero. They send loving thoughts, sing, read and otherwise talk with their baby and the bonding begins! Many pregnant women report that they communicate with their unborn child in the dream state. It does not seem at all unlikely to me that you did get a glimpse of your child in your dream. Of course, you will know it in time if your child is indeed a girl. Perhaps the dream was saying that your baby chose you on some spiritual level and is happy that you are her mother.

There is another explanation. If your dream is symbolic instead of precognitive the little girl could represent a part of you. Do you need to nurture yourself more? For many of us, once adult responsibilities put demands on our daily lives, we forget the joy of being a child. It can be very therapeutic to swing on a swing, color in a coloring book or finger-paint! Sometimes these simple pleasures can remind us of the need to take time to play. The little girl in your dream could be your inner child wanting you to take care of yourself, manage stress and restore a sense of well being.

All my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams,
Cynthia

I invite you to, please, leave your
dream questions and comments below. 

 

Cultural Differences in Dreams

An extremely important aspect of dream interpretation is to understand the culture and beliefs of the dreamer. This is why many experts do not recommend most dream dictionaries, which tend to be very generic in nature. Recently I was contacted by a North American Indian gentleman, Northern Cree, about his dream:

---

I had this dream, I was walking along side a cliff and this white buffalo came and died before us. Carnivorous birds came and feasted right away. My fiancee told me to take the skull, and I told her that the birds should clean it first—we’ll pick it up on the way back. At the time I had this dream I was on my day to a Sun Dance, a sacred ceremony, I think the two are related. Also my grandparents that raised me told me that dreams have meanings and that we shouldn’t ignore them. 

I was searching for information on dreams and I came across your blog.

William Hartie

---

Dear William,

Before we can interpret your dream we need a bit of background on the Canadian Cree culture. While every tribe has it’s own language and associations to specific symbols, most if not all conduct sacred ceremonies, honor their elders, believe in an afterlife, and believe in the value of dreams and visions.

 As I understand it the Sun Dance ceremony is a sacrifice and prayer observance for one’s family and community, it is meant to insure the survival of future generations.  It is a four-day period and includes fasting for those involved in the rite. In most cases ritual piercings are involved in the sacred ceremony as well. Others set up camp with food, wood and medicines and the elders help and advise. However the participants are outside in the summer sun with no shelter.

The white buffalo is a rare and sacred symbol, it has several meanings, for some it represents that hard times are ahead if the dreamer does not change his ways to benefit himself, his or her family, community and Mother Nature. Some tribes have described that the goddess of peace appeared as a white buffalo and that white buffalo in a dream is a sacred call for the red, black, white and yellow man to come together as one.

So all that said, you will be the best interpreter of your dream, but since you asked, I will share my thoughts in the hopes that they will be helpful. In the dream you are walking beside a cliff, you are on the edge of danger. The white buffalo approaches and dies.  Hope for world peace has died at your feet, the planet is not ready, people are not ready to make the changes necessary to become one. On a more personal note, you may not be ready to endure such a sacrifice. Perhaps you have not done all of the preparation that you could do to experience the deepest benefit of this sacred ceremony.

The birds do benefit from the meat of this special animal, the birds will feast and fly away, they can seed the earth and her people to help make them ready for world change. Birds in the language of dreams can represent messengers of thoughts, freedom and perspective. Leaving the skull there so the birds can glean every bit of this philosophy of peace, you will “pick up” your participation in this ceremony at the proper time, more time is necessary on your part.

I hope this gives you some food for thought, thank you for sharing it with my readers.

All my best wishes for your Sweet Dreams,
Cynthia

I invite you to, please, leave your
dream questions and comments below. 

Messages of Love from Beyond

In my dream last night I discovered a connection that I had not made before. It was so obvious that I awoke feeling somewhat embarrassed that I've over looked this important synchronicity until last night. I was in the dream-state, but what happened has also been called “Sleep Thinking”. It is a dream experience where literal facts, thoughts or solutions become clear while we are asleep and then we remember them when we are awake. There is nothing symbolic in most of these dreams, they are very literal.

In mine, my deceased dad was pointing out that he died on 10-10-11 and that I always find dimes and sometimes dimes and pennies together. In the dream, my dad reminded me that after he transitioned, I had asked my mom if I could have one of his cardigan sweaters, so whenever I needed a hug from him I could put it on. She chose a sweater from his closet and gave it to me. A month or so later I was thinking of him and thought to put it on, the sweater had pockets on both sides, I unzipped the pockets and put my hands in, there, in the right one was a dime. That was it, nothing else. I thought it strange at that time, why would dad have had a single dime in his pocket?

Dad died on the tenth day of the tenth month. My dream was a confirmation to me that he is aware of my thoughts and love for him and that when I find a dime, he is thinking of me.

Many dreamers report dreams of departed loved ones, dreams including synchronicities in waking life and literal dreams that add great value to their lives. Any and all of these are just further proof of the benefits of paying attention to our nightly nocturnal dramas!

Until next time I wish you Sweet Dreams!
⁓ Cynthia

I invite you to, please, leave your
dream questions and comments below.

In Bed with David Hyde Pierce!

Last night I dreamt that I was in bed with David Hyde Pierce (the wonderful co-star of the long running, hit TV series, Frasier). In the dream I knew that he was gay. We had a little peck of a goodnight kiss and I was surprised that I felt chemistry. Also in the dream, I had seen a group of women in the next hotel room, they were having a good time celebrating something.

At first glance you might think this is a meaningless dream…but I see this as a fabulous and powerful message from my unconscious mind to me. Here's how I interpret the symbols and their meanings.

Firstly, I have never met David Hyde Pierce, but I have admired his work and talent for decades. I consider him to be a brilliant, elegant, professional, a bit understated but with very diverse abilities. 

Being “in bed with” to me refers to a collaboration, a positive connection, and something of mutual interest.

“Chemistry” in this dream I interpret to mean attraction.

“Women celebrating and enjoying” I am leaving at face value, or taking this element literally, and you’ll see why in a moment.

“Hotel” usually refers to something temporary, a place where you only stay for a short time.

When measuring these symbols against circumstances in my waking life, I am currently preparing to be the Master of Ceremonies at a non-profit event in honor of women. I have done this kind of event on many occasions and it is always very important to me that I do a good job. I definitely want to be all of those positive adjectives that I am attracted to and associate with Pierce. 

My subconscious mind wants me to strive to emulate Pierce in my approach, but it also tells me that I do have what I need to make that happen. Essentially, we’re “in bed together” in our mutually similar professional attitudes, we are connected. 

The hotel is a reminder that this event will just be a few hours of my life and the fact that the women in my dream were having a great time is further reassurance from my subconscious that my goal will be a success and that these women will, indeed, feel honored and celebrated!

The next time you have a dream that seems like just a bit of nonsense, try to break down the symbols and elements, make note of your associations to the symbols, consider something you are dealing with in your waking life and look to see if your dream connects with that issue with a helpful message or solution.

Until next time I wish you Sweet Dreams!
⁓ Cynthia

I invite you to, please, leave

dream questions and comments below.