Do Dreams Speak Truth to Us?
Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, M.A.
– Spiritual Mentor
When a person desires to relate with God, a number of things happen. For one, guidance comes–and this is where the very depths of that person’s being can be affected. Sometimes, a message will come mystically allowing for what can be thought of as God’s felt presence.
God also speaks through other people, an event in life, or within the wonder and beauty of nature. One of the most frequent ways we hear God speaking to us comes while reading the Scriptures; words seem to stand out vividly when perceived as pertinent to our current circumstances. We also see God’s truth spoken to us through books of a grace-filled nature. And, there are times when we hear God speak to us through dreams. A dream below portrays how powerfully our dreams can bring needed healing. In some instances, dreams have significantly changed my life!
Many dreams are what the experts call “housekeeping.” Perhaps, like computers, our minds need “defragging” on a regular basis. The subconscious mind is dynamic and uncontrolled. Seemingly, this part of ourselves is striving to attain consciousness during the night when our guard is down and we are sawing the zzzzzs. Meanwhile, symbols and images are the language of the subconscious mind. So, it is within our dream world that we encounter these strange and confusing “plays in the night.” While sleeping soundly, emotions can arise as if they take on wings. Without this aspect of our dreams, we might never remember them.
Some people think they don’t dream, but everyone dreams. Mostly, we dream while in REM sleep. Dreams can powerfully trigger emotions–some pleasant and some are not so pleasant. Some of us remember dreams fairly often. Experts say remembering depends on when we awaken after a dream. There are ways to help one’s self be more likely to remember dreams. (More is coming on this topic in a Little Book about Dreaming soon to be offered on Amazon.)
Sometimes, dreams carry a message that addresses something we need to learn. Dreams can also speak truth that is able to help us heal hurtful events of the past that exists deep in the subconscious mind. Through a dream, at times, we can acknowledge and accept something about ourselves that we have been unable to look at. When this is true, the dream is apt to break into our thoughts during the following day, or maybe a few days later, as the dream is beckoning for attention. It has something to say. We can ignore these “flashbacks,” or do some work to glean the message from them.
Through years of working with my dreams, buried grief and anger are allowed to surface. These are emotions I learned early in life to keep hidden deep inside. The price tag for this, however, came in having to deal with ongoing, pervasively felt apprehension. This is called “free floating anxiety.”
When painful experiences are stuffed down so deep we can’t reach them, we need healing. Dreams can help us reckon with things that are still hurting after many years or decades. Consequently, life does not hold as much enjoyment as it otherwise could.
Having the help of an expert with this work is ideal. When past experiences are reached, a therapist can help you explore and cope with the pain that may arise. Sometimes old traumas need to come to light so healing can begin. I urge people to work with professional help, at least here and there, as they work with their dreams. Still, there is much we can do on our own. At the end of this article, I will include the titles of several books that can be informative on this quest for utilizing the power of dreams.
Once I began my quest for the healing of my soul, I made it my practice to watch when difficult emotions arose, either through a dream or through daily living. Now, I can easily see when difficult feelings arise. I acknowledge them and look at what is hurting me within the given circumstance. Acknowledging what I fear, at this point, brings self-understanding. I now purpose to release the pain these feelings bring and, with God’s help, do any forgiveness work that is needed. This is a method that works powerfully well. (See article titled “Dealing with Difficult Emotions” listed on this website.) I sense the presence of the Holy Spirit assisting me as I do this emotional work.
Dream work has played a major role in my learning to honor my emotions, particularly the difficult ones, which were ignored far too long. As I work with dreams, I find journaling helps the process in amazing ways, as I ask the Holy Spirit to help me understand what a dream is telling me. Then, while listening, I write what comes to mind. Payoffs I find in this work include better emotional, mental and spiritual health.
Note: For help with your inner healing quest, please click on “Journaling Sessions,” one of the links listed at www.healinglifespain.com
Books to help with dreamwork:
Herman Riffle, Your Dreams: God’s Neglected Gift, Random House, 1985.
John A. Sanford, Dreams: God’s Forgotten Language, Crossroad, 1984.
Carl Jung, Man and His Symbols, Doubleday, 1964.
Morton T. Kelsey, The Other Side of Silence, Ramsey, 1976.