Someone this morning shared how the presence of a crow, who stayed on a yard fence for a week, after the death of her mother, gave her comfort, feeling the presence of her mother through the presence of the crow. Two days ago I was walking companion Border Collie Mandy, and as we came to the the intersection of two neighbor streets, behind our home, a crow silently swooped down from a tree to my right, and dipped down over our heads, over the top of my head, possibly six feet above it. It then arched back up a little higher and landed on another tree, on a limb close to Mandy and me. It sat there in silence. This corner was the corner of a house in which a neighbor had passed over in the last couple months.

It was a strange "passing over" my head of the crow, as it was high enough not to feel the wind from its wings yet I believe I had felt the "energy" of its wings brush and fluff the space above the top of my head.

As Mandy and I rounded the corner of this tree and the neighbor's yard, a second crow came flying over my right shoulder and our heads and silently landed in the same tree. As I looked above, still walking, a third crow silently flew over head and landed in that tree. All three silent!

I stopped; we stopped, and watched them a while. Their silence was penetrating, as also feeling wide in the shared space of the corner of the yard and the "t" intersection of those two country lanes. I saw a fourth crow on the ground in a yard across the street on which we now stood, quietly, pecking the earth, feeding itself, seeking  hidden morels in the grass. 

The three crows in the tree moved sparingly, appearing to enjoy our company, as we we enjoyed their presence. Not much was needed to be said.

Eventually I thought I should say something before we went our way, as they also appeared to be listening or maybe just expecting something. You just get those feelings at times – as I now hear a crow outside my window cawing, possibly, probably, verifying this observation and comment as I write.

So, I told the crows things such as: how good it was to have their company; maybe I told them, how good they were looking with their black sheen; and thanking them for coming and visiting us, and spending quiet time with us at that time and place. Almost as if thanking them, now that I think about it, for being "guardians" of this space, watching over it.

They "protect" the silence - but also like to hear the human voice, sparingly as I have learned - only speaking themselves, cawing - at the right time and place.

What do you do when the crows - or a crow - caws, outside your window or door?

If you ignore him or her, he or she will ignore you.

If you go outside, and the crow or crows fly away, they weren't talking to you.

If they stay, but are somewhat at a distance, they may be merely amused or checking you out from your appearance into their "space" - of that moment - and intrusion into their conversation.

If they fly closer to you, and tease you with "silence" they are "listening" to you.

If they fly close and chatter one way or another, especially looking your way, or do strange or unusual actions in front of you to get your attention they are telling you something.

Listen!

This morning as I was working at my desk, I heard The Crow calling in the pine trees in front of hour home and office window. I stepped outside and could not see him, but only hear him as he was close to the property edge. So, I went outside and talked to him. I said, "Where are you"? several times, and he immediately flew to a tree nearby – and looked at me.

If you are looking at the picture included in this post, you will see some trees on the far right. He was in one of those trees. You can also see the house roof in the lower, bottom corner of the picture.

This is a picture of him taken in the last six months. I did not have a camera or phone to catch a picture of him this morning. In this prior photo of him you can see him at the very top of the center pine tree. He looks like the very tip of the pine tree, as he stood on its very peak. You can actually see a small curve of his body with him facing and looking, at that moment, to your and my left.

This morning though he was much, much closer in in the foreground trees to the right. He had in his beak a long twig. This is the first time over a couple decades living here that I have seen a crow with a twig in its beak, and was astonished as he appeared to be pointing it at me, moving it as if in gestures – like an orchestra conductor, or maybe a "teacher" directing students with an old blackboard pointer stick. It was also interesting since the twig he chose to bring to me had a fork: two branches at its tip shooting out into two directions. 

While I was looking at him, probably in some amazement, his partner, who at times accompanies him, came flying onto the property, and landed close to the road in the pine trees at the far edge of the property - observing. I suspect it was his mate; at least it felt that way at the time, and as I write this.

I have attempted to feed him when he has shown up over the months since my battle with Legionella pneumonia, late last summer and fall of 2018. He never takes the food, and I have learned he only comes to "give." To give messages or notice of something going on in the inner or outer world I had not been yet aware of or to which I had not been paying attention.

I went back inside anyway and got some cereal grains to offer him. When I returned outside, he had gone. More often than not, in the past the crows would always wait for me to bring the food. But this has been his pattern over the last year or so, when I offer food to him and any other crows that accompany him.

This morning I was trying to figure out what to write about. I started with a certain experience, not crow related; but related to social issues currently going on and how they mirror our inner universal lives – as above, so below principle. The writing was not flowing, and I stopped short of finishing it, just as one of the branches of the "Y" on the tip of his twig was short. I realized I was to take the path of the longer twig tip, and write about him and nature – our need, power and ability to be in harmony with nature, if we would just take the time and listen. How to be peaceful in this time of external social turmoil.

Offer to nature and its creatures what we can or have! Treat them right. Treat the environment right. Elect leaders who respect nature.

Importantly, listen to what nature offers us – taking us outside to be in the trees, in the breeze and in the light of the sun.

It gives more than takes.

Morning of February, 7, 2020

And as an addendum, I add, it came to me so clearly after originally writing this that the crow's gesture was a warning, "Beware of those speaking with fork tongues." Our intuition understands more than our minds, as to the meaning of the secrets and messages of nature.

So appropriate on the day after a senate trial in which truth was covered up with words of rationalizations, denials, projections and falsehoods. - by a body of leaders who are suppose to be our most noble.  So obvious they were the "wagging of tongues" - or tongues wagging - as the crow wagged the twig at me in warning, and as he crowed twice just now writing this in apparent agreement - returning it appears just to verify.

It is said when you speak reality or the truth and a crow calls - caws - the universe is verifying the reality or truth of what you are sayin. Crows are recognized as deliverers of messages, warnings and healing solutions.

To speak the truth is noble and courageous. Only one Republican leader of the past-noble body of senators "stood up" to speak for truth.

Speaking the truth is the highest quality of true leadership. Not stage-man-ship!

What I have learned over the years, falsehood spoken by a leader only leads to deeper and deeper falsehood. God may work through "imperfect" men and women, as many are currently saying; but he does not work through a leader or leaders who speaks falsehood and spins illusions of greatness.  

Earth in which lie the sea, the river and other waters,
in which food and cornfields have come to be,
in which lives all that breathes and that moves,
May she confer on us the finest of her yield. Earth, in which the waters, common to all, moving on all sides, flow unfailingly, day and night,
may she pour on us milk in many streams, and endow us with luster.
May those born of thee, O Earth, be for our welfare, free from sickness and waste.
Wakeful through a long life, we shall become bearers of tribute to thee.
Earth, my mother, set me securely with bliss in full accord with heaven,
O wise one,
uphold me in grace and splendor.

The crows called this morning! I had just arose from the night, at sunrise, later than usual or planned. As I stirred around the house I heard a group of crows somewhat in the distance, but still on my land, cawing with impatience, and expectation of food. I gathered a small handful of cat food, and placed it on the front porch. Within five minutes or so it was gone. Later, in the morning, I was trimming grass, trees and shrubs with an electrical lawnmower and an electrical hedge trimmer. I was thinking how silent the lawnmower was, and how good this was – the silence. Almost immediately after these thoughts, a silent crow flew over my head, closer than typical, and too close to be unintentional. I knew he was attempting to get my attention.

Though still too high to hear or feel wind from his wings, it was as if I could feel the subtle-winds of the ethers, from his winds, blowing on me, caressing over my face and shoulders, hands and arms. He was silent. He landed on the tree and branch – his favorite apparently – in front of my front porch, and looked down at the porch. He remained silent. It was as if he missed his fill from the morning, or missed the whole breakfast of cat food the others had eaten, though he had gotten the message it was served. He did not call out, as usually they, the  crows do, when demanding food or attention to be treated. He knew I knew he was there, and waited. I went inside, from the garage, and gathered some more cat food, and placed it on the porch, while he settled more in the distance, to safely watch me, from where I don't know; but I knew he was there.

I went back to my trimming along the driveway, and all of a sudden Orio, the  neighbor cat appeared, coming from across the street. I knew she knew the crow had been there, and eating her food. She had come directly to me though, being overly social as she is, and having "first come and touch" bonding with me before eating, so I walked her to the porch, showing her the remaining cat food.

Much is said about the healing power of nature, and being in harmony with nature. At times we may wonder what does that mean, and how does it happen. It happens in little ways. Silence is most important.

Through it perhaps, I recognized the crow "buzzing" me, so to speak, though gently and silently; and then I watched him, and where he went and landed, after he did pass over me. I noted the cat followed him,but it was like I "felt" the cat following his presence as she came to me. Cause and effect everywhere! Harmony everywhere. The cat did not even meow, as often she does, when hungry. She also was silent. 

I realized I could have missed all of this, if not for that silent lawnmower, and my intention to be in and with nature, as working in the yard.

It is said that in silence we attune to the silence of nature, and it can be said, in that silence, nature and its creatures recognize us, and share in life with us – more consciously.

It is through these little things, these little ways, we learn to be attune to nature, and to receive energy and healing from her – as long as we also take care of her, or at least don't harm her. Then, she silently, or not so silently, as rain just poured down outside my window – fills us with a soft breeze of her wings, and delights our eyes in watching her receive us, and what we have to offer her.

We open to her, and are united, and healed, in subtle, mysterious ways.

​​I first met Marilyn many years ago. She was a great spiritual-energy healer. We became good friends. One day I told her what was on my mind that must have been in the form of a question for myself. She replied, “Seek the deepest desires of your soul.” I then realized she was also a great counselor. 
​
Over the years I have realized with increasing clarity that dreams help us discover the deepest desires of our soul. All we need to do is get out of the way of dreaming deeply, close to the inner, immortal self, the soul. 

It is said dreaming is easier than meditating. Many struggle to meditate, but dream every night. 

It takes a little effort though to dream dreams worth dreaming. To enter sleep without awareness numbing alcohol or drugs, to enter sleep with a peaceful mind and still emotions, and to enter sleep aspiring for “soul dreaming” — dreaming under guidance of soul.  

Then, with practice, over time we begin to have healing dreams, transforming dreams and dreams guiding us for our spiritual purpose here, on earth. We then can have dreams of assisting others, being assisted and greeting others in the dreamworld, whether ancestors, deceased loved ones, a friend or family member or someone on the other side of the world. We, then have dreams of our pets, of animals and mother earth, assisting us and we assisting them.

We have dreams, when dreaming under guidance of soul, that we are meant to dream from the soul’s deepest desires. We can be at peace for we did our night’s work for healing and rejuvenating self, opening our dream self to universal connections, and transforming life through being in harmony with our over-seeing, inner life, our soul life.

I looked out of my parlor office window today, through a semi-transparent curtain, and saw a crow sitting half-way up a tree. I heard a crow cawing. It sounded as if the cawing were coming from a distance, but also as if coming from the crow in the tree near me. In a mysterious or magical way, it was as if the crow in the tree were “calling” to me, though I was sure the cawing came from a distant crow. 

I felt grief. 

It was as if I heard in the cawing of the crow sorrow and pain, a warning, and an expression of grief. I asked inwardly, what is this message for me. Oh, yes, I had been thinking earlier of the incident of the recent killing of the lion Cecil, a king of the forest. I had not yet grieved yet, though, for Cecil. Maybe all the animal kingdom, and the animal world was cawing to me, calling to me, wanting me to understand, and wanting me feel the  grief we all feel when a creature of our world is killed for sport. 

I then recalled a dream I had two nights ago. I was in this dream transported back to ancient Rome, and on one of the levels of an amphitheater structure. There was fighting, all around me within the walls of that structure. I was defending someone, something, or some beings at risk of being harmed. 

Oh, yes! 

The gladiator days when humans killed other humans for sport, in the “love” of the sport. It is time we love the animals and other forms of nature more than we love the sport of killing lions, and tigers, and deer, and all of life’s creatures. Even the crows, who both in the East and the West indigenous cultures, are recognized as messengers and healers, appear to know. 

At least that is how it appears to me.

Wilmington, NC, by Paul Overman, PhD
March 7; 14; 21; and 28, 2015

This Shamana sleep and dream course introduces the meditative-dreaming process of Dream Samadhi℠. Meditative-dream techniques will be taught to assist having higher, more harmonious dreams for deeper insight, well-being and enhanced creativity.

The foundation of this March, 2015 course will be his CE Healing Dream panel presentation at the 2014 IASD (International Association for the Study of Dreams) Berkeley, CA Conference. Dr. Overman's dreamwork is based on thirty-five years of consciousness research and experience facilitating workshops and mentoring individuals in dreams, meditation and creativity.  Dream Samadhi™ dreaming techniques are rooted in Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo.

East-West perspectives on sleep, meditation and dreams will also be introduced, and how they enhance each other for health, inspiration and peak performance. Participants will learn basic principles of analyzing dream types and basic principles of personal dream interpretation, for greater self-knowledge and inner-direction. 

Each Saturday morning seminar is a combination of: teaching principles; a visualization-meditation called "Shamana Dharana" for expanding awareness and insight; opportunity for dream sharing; and Q&A. Class size will be small to allow participant interaction. Early registration is suggested.

If you live in another area and would like to host a similar program or a weekend-retreat program on Shamana Dream Work by Dr. Overman, contact us at the email below.
 
Course Information and Registration: http://www.thedreamlistener.com/shamana-wilmington-course.html.

Shamana, Dream Samadhi and Shamana Dream Work are trademarks and service marks of Paul Overman, PhD.

Dates: March 7; 14; 21; and 28, 2015. Saturday Mornings: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM. 

This course is being offered after a number of years of requests and encouragements by friends, colleagues and others to offer local Wilmington groups, classes or courses or dreams, and the framework that I have developed on dreams, which is called Shamana. 

The foundation of this four-morning March, 2015 course will be my Healing Dream panel presentation at the 2014 IASD (International Association for the Study of Dreams) Berkeley, CA Conference, presented with Patricia Garfield, PhD, Susanne van Doorn, PhD, and Sandy Ginsberg, MS. This work is based on: thirty-five years of research and experience in workshops and guiding-mentoring individuals in dreams, meditation and creativity – to assist inner-healing, transformation and health for purposeful and vital life; the dreaming knowledge and principles of India's Vedas and yogic texts and teachings; and indigenous and western dream studies.

Each Saturday morning seminar is a combination of: teaching principles; a visualization-meditation called "Shamana Dharana" for enhancing dreaming for self-knowledge, for others and ecology; opportunity for dream sharing and processing; and Q&A.

Further Information and Description: http://www.thedreamlistener.com/shamana-wilmington-course.html

Time: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Class size will be small to allow participant interaction. Early registration is suggested. 

The first principe of Shamana Dream Work is progressively dreaming in higher states of consciousness – over time remembering those deeper or higher dream states and bringing their effects and activities into awake consciousness

The goal is to dream centered, as in meditation, so that one receives inspiration from the higher dream states. In dreaming in higher states we can receive inspiration from our inner being, the soul, and even see the past, the present and the future. One then can, as dreaming, heal the past, empower the present, and transform the physical nature and body and one’s future. 

Dreams of the present show us or reflect to us our state and activities, much like a mirror, showing us our inner and outer progress and growth in all aspects of life. Dreams of the present moment empower us by giving us the opportunity to align with our soul, its “desires” and our life purpose. Such dreams are an empowerment, giving the soul easier access to us (our mind, body and feeling nature). The soul responds to our attention to it and our intention of alignment with it, pouring and streaming its powers, its vision, and its vitality upon us, which we can access in dreaming.

Dreaming-in-the-moment (not about the past or future), is our “center point” to borrow a phrase. It gives us greater awareness (consciousness) of our connections, the good, the bad and the neutral relationships. Dreaming-in-the-moment gives us the opportunity and wisdom to make right choices (in and out of the dream state), and when right choices are made these dreams of centering-under-soul empower us as they guide us – like a beacon. Dreams of Light, coming from soul when dreaming in alignment with soul, the inner-core being, are protective and transforming. They assist breaking up old pattern, and old or bad relationships that need to be discarded, dissolved or changed.

Dreaming-in-the-moment, by entering sleep and dreams while focusing on the inner-spiritual heart center while aspiring for soul-guidance dreams, gives us greater connections both in the inner-dream world and the outer world. By taking us into subtler states of awareness and ultimately into a deep rest within the soul, where thoughts, emotions and dreams subside, we become connected with our universal nature and our universal center. Higher-state dreams and deep sleep thus build our connection with nature, others, and are a bridge to our Higher Self. 

So, higher-state dreams and deep, soul sleep makes us more alive rather than lethargic, overcoming feelings of dullness on awakening. Higher state dreams tap our creative energy source.

In following posts we will explore briefly the various types of dreams of the past, and then dreams of the future. We will also talk about dreams of harmony. These four dream categories of the past, of the present, the future and of harmony are empowering movements of soul that emerge in higher dreaming. There are many ways these four major types of higher dreams can be classified and infinitely experienced, but for now we will describe them as:  

1. dreams of power itself which give us strength and the power of carrying out will and intent, which also assist overcoming depression, low-drive, and feelings of weakness while giving us “vision” for moving forward towards our destiny or life purpose; 
2. dreams of intelligence or knowledge – creative moment-to-moment direction and inspiration for right action and "delightful" living – showing us the right time and means for work, love, art and spirituality; 
3. dreams of expanded consciousness or awareness, ultimately experienced as love and “knowingness” – loving and knowing the other, whether it is a plant, an animal, a pet, another human, or spiritual Guardian. 
4. and dreams of mutuality or harmony, working with all of life in synergy. 

We then will talk about some of the key principles of transforming sleep and dreams into higher dream states for creativity, inspiration, self-healing and soul-direction.

Paul Overman, Ph.D. ©

I will explore in a series of articles, blog posts and and other media forms, the nature, purpose and principles of Shamana Dream Work. Shamana Dream Work has roots in Yogic-Shamanic sleep and dreaming practices, as well as East-West dream analysis and dream interpretation. 

Shamana Dream Work is fused with East-West dream principles, including modern sleep research, lucid dreams, psi-dreams, mutual-dreams and ecology dreams. It integrates and synthesizes knowledge of meditation with the science of sleep and dreams within an integral perspective of our social evolution and personal transformation. 

Advances in dream studies on lucidity and psi-dream phenomenon coincide with, or are the outcome of, the evolution of dream consciousness, riding on the open emergence of ancient knowledge and skills of dreaming. With expanding experiences and "powers of dreaming" comes the need and role of in-depth understanding of the  “field of play” of dreams at all levels. 

So, over the months we will explore the inner worlds of dreaming, ancient and modern dream-world views, the various “characters” or lives that can be met in dreaming, the forces at play, potentials, challenges, and great, emerging opportunities through dreaming.

To Dream Big we must learn to dream in higher dreaming ranges while widening our ability to see in the inner worlds. Then we must find fertile ground for dreaming, a place where dreaming is activated (by those dreaming before us) and powerful, and big (wide and high), where the land's dreamers learned "inner commerce" – the mutual exchange of information, energy, healing and inspiration to enjoy and benefit from life more fully.
Note: Image is of the Big Island and Hawaii Island Retreat. 

During my previous visits to Hawaii, I had powerful experiences and dreams connected to the land and ocean. I look forward to sharing my stories and dreams with you – and the process and methods of having "Big Dreams" – in a week-long eco-dream retreat at the Hawaii Island Retreat in North Kohala of The Big Island. 

Together we will mine the rich inner resources with which island dreaming will reward you. You will learn to dream dreams worth dreaming, empowered by the natural-energies of Hawaii Island and Shamana Dreaming through "guidance of soul."

In my book The Shamanic Dream: A Guide for New Millennium Dreamers, I recount my rescue from drowning off the Big Island coast by two dolphins and a fellow Hawaii visitor. I later had three days of powerful waking-dream healing experiences from the injuries of this near-death experience with the intervention of a loving Power of Hawaii's land and waters. I now believe I am bound to the land and waters of Hawaii, and feel obliged to share the "dreamings" that occur on the Islands.

On Hawaii your dream life can come alive. You expand from tourism of the land to "inner tourism" of "Hawaii Dreaming" to you "Dreaming Hawaii." Come with me and explore the inner landscape of dreams while reveling in the legendary beauty and bounty of the islands.

A Dream Listening™ Retreat ~ Dreaming Under Guidance of Soul
See http://www.thedreamlistener.com/hawaii-island-retreat.html for more information.

In travels in dreams, the train is a powerful vehicle and symbol. It implies movement forward, and speedy movement.

It implies having an inner “engineer” and “conductor.” It can signify being directed by your inner being to a specific-life goal or destination, riding at times alone, being both engineer, conductor and passenger. At times others come along and travel and work with you – in life and in your dreams. 

It can indicate having laid a path, using a “map,” and then laying a road-bed with “tracks of steel” to your destination – when the dream train is a traditional track-wheeled train. 

The train can be a powerful symbol of a dream experience called mutual dreaming, in which two or more are traveling the subtle worlds together. The train implies safe traveling as the means and way is “engineered” by the individual’s soul-being or the collective “soul agreement” of the riders. When one follows (or rides) the “soul train” one is nurtured (trains do have diners) and assisted along the way, as the travel is in agreement with the soul’s destination and life purpose.

Of course, in the vast world of the mind and imagination, there are sky trains, space trains, and trains that burrow and tunnel through the earth – all signifying different potentials and movements that can be experienced in dreaming..

I knew a child. He saw me writing. He asked, "What are you writing?" I said, "About dreams." He said that was good. After a moment he said, "And don't forget to tell them about visions."  I thought, isn't that amazing – a child wanting the world to know about visions!  I asked, "What do you know about visions?" He then began telling me about some of his visions. I then pondered, here is a young child wanting the world to know what a child can see, and seeking an adult to listen.

What an amazing platform with social media, and the dawn of a new collective consciousness to share.

When we listen to a  child's dreams, we must listen through the heart center. The young child's dreams are created not so much from thoughts, as from deep psychic impressions and memories – and feelings.
 
When the child shares a dream they are inviting you into their heart. They are seeking inner knowledge and knowledge of the self. They are seeking the language and words to put their experience into waking consciousness – for you to help them decipher – that is for them to know what their inner soul already knows. 

That is why it is so important to listen to every word the child speaks when sharing their dreams. We do this by focusing on our own heart center, quieting the mind with sustained-quiet listening, and seeking inner knowledge with the child – seeking to see or feel what they had seen or felt – to know the unknown.

The soul is often thought of or spoken of as some aspect of the inner life, including the dream life. Yet the true soul, as thought of and spoken of in many traditions, is beyond the state of consciousness in which dreaming occurs – above the human mind. It is unchangeable, in the sense that it is undisturbed by the causes of our pain and suffering, and does not die when individuals pass over from earth to the other side. 

If one goes deep into meditation, and rises above the levels of emotion and mind – and if one pulls in all the various parts of their being and perceptions, scattered about in thoughts, feeling and nervous activity – one begins to revolve around and under the gaze of the face or frontal part of the soul. In dreams, or in visions, the face of the soul can appears as a young child or baby – facing down or looking from above, overseeing one.

A young child is closer to the soul in his or her "timeless" feeling of youth. Children often have extraordinary experiences of seeing things adults don't see both in and out of dreams.

One can hear among young adults – when they are given the opportunity – their stories of remarkable or extraordinary dreams. These are dream stories of the higher inner nature, and of capacities and potentials being developed in their inner life, awakening or waiting to be awakened in their outer life. At times they speak of their childhood-extraordinary dreams. I continue to be awed by their dreams of telepathy, mutual dreams, guidance dreams, warning dreams, soul dreams, and premonition dreams among countless other types of dreams.

Our challenge today is bridge building, entering and accessing deeper and richer experiences – delving closer to the soul – to have inspiring and guiding dreams for healing the past, empowering the present and creating new futures. The inner life then touches the outer life, and when the outer life responds, the whole being leaps or dances in joy.

Our times call for inspired living and creative solutions to world events. We need to listen to dreams – do dream work – for ourselves, but especially for our children and our children’s children. When we neglect our children’s dreams and young adults’ dream lives and visionary experiences, we neglect their creative life and the wave of the future.

As discovered over and over through time, and as said previously, we have four great soul powers: to gain knowledge to apply it to the art of living through science and education; to love, serve and nurture; to organize and achieve through personal and collective empowerment; and to create harmony and beauty at all levels.

We need well-rounded children and young adults. They have the inner knowledge and the means for this time and place. Let’s give them greater knowledge, evolutionary knowledge, for dreaming and understanding dreams.

The great sage Sri Aurobindo describes supra-conscious dreaming – what he also describes as subliminal consciousness as it is affecting us day and night – having infinite capacity, as it has access to infinite knowledge and experience. See Sri Aurobindo’s Chapter “Towards the Supramental Time Vision” in Synthesis of Yoga. Supra-conscious dreaming is also the source of premonition dreams, lucidity of the future, as well as access to the past.

This understanding of multiple realities is of great importance in dream work, psychological interventions and energetic healing work. It is of great importance in dream interpretation and lucid dreaming, for we must know the forces at play in all levels of dreaming, including that of “shadow dream” work so as not to cause more harm than good. Dreams of the subconscious for the typical person, are principally dreams of left over impressions from one’s physical past, habitual patterns, emotions, attitudes, impressions of experiences, suppressions, repression, etc. According to the ancient seers and sage the shadow elements of the subconscious have many elements – and also many forms of energy.  Yogic-shamanic tradition typically recommends “rejecting” with “will-power” the shadow(s), and transforming shadow elements and dreams by drawing upon higher-transforming energies from the superconscious...From that level (superconscious) comes dreams of empowerment and ones future...

At higher and higher levels of dreaming (supraconscious), one becomes more and more the witness of spontaneous lucid dream experiences...One experiences the spontaneous flow of creating-lucid dreaming.  This higher state of lucid dreaming, is analogous to the “flow” state of the artist, such as a composer receiving the music composition flowing from “above” into his mind and brain, or the athlete, such as the runner in the flow, without thought and with less and less mental effort needed for each movement.  

Traditional training in lucid dreaming, as traditional training in music composition, prepares one for the spontaneous flow state. The dreamer though eventually lets go in those higher states or collaborates with the impulse received from above. In higher lucid dream states the dreamer receives both powers of lucidity as well as powers and direction of creative dream activity – these being powers of the soul and the Self. 

The flow experience, or lucid-dream spanda experience, over time with practice, becomes a merging or fusion of the lucid dream ego’s will or intent with that of the soul or Self, the ultimate source of all dreaming. The lower will and intent of the lucid dreamer – rather than being one of lower-ego control or curiosity for changing the dream for various personal reasons or expectations – becomes one of accepting the higher direction and guidance of the soul or Self; the dreamer thus, experiences surprising lucid dream experiences, with much greater power and feeling in one’s personal and collective life.  

Creativity enters a higher level of expression with greater social and spiritual significance.  Healing dreams become ones of greater power and greater or far-wider impact on self and others.  One may begin to experience more frequent lucid-mutual dreams, since the dream states acquired are expanded into the collective source of consciousness. But we must participate in expanding and heightening the consciousness, through our own training or discipline, to be more receptive to the spontaneous dream-flow experiences, and to be able to “hold-them” and manifest them in daily life.