Dreams have an uncanny way of captivating us, leaving us with lingering questions and a sense of untapped potential, but they can also be a powerful source of personal insight, waiting to be harnessed.
In our fast-paced lives, we often operate on autopilot, seldom pausing to delve into the depths of our subconscious. But under the surface there is a path to growth and a profound sense of peace that awaits us when we embrace the mysteries of our dreams.
Dream Journaling and Dream Yoga are two tools that anyone can use to explore their dreams as part of a sustainable wellness routine and both can help you gain access to hidden layers of your meaning and unlock hidden parts of yourself.
What is Dream Journaling?
While we've talked about bedtime journalling elsewhere, and its invaluable role for reflecting on the day that has just passed or your plans for the day to come, a dream journal is more focused on writing down your dreams in the moment. Keeping a blank page next to your bed and writing down your dreams as soon as you are awake, can not only aid in remembering them better but also helps to give you an opportunity to express your thoughts and feelings about them.
Dream journaling can help you become more aware of your dream world. With regular practice, you can begin to recognise recurring patterns, symbols, and themes in your dreams. This can help you better understand your dream messages and interpret them in a meaningful way.
This has many benefits, both for your personal wellbeing and your mental health, and can also help to process difficult emotions, providing a safe place to explore your feelings without fear of judgement and gain a better understanding of yourself and your relationships.
How to Start Dream Journaling
Dream journaling is not a complicated process. All you need is a notebook or journal and a pen or pencil. Begin by writing down the details of your dream and any symbols, colors, or emotions that stand out.
You can also write down your feelings and thoughts about the dream. This can help you gain further insight into the meaning of your dream. If you have difficulty remembering your dream, you can try to recall it before going to sleep. You can also try keeping a dream diary by your bedside. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly and sustainable way to start dream journaling, you can check out our sustainable wellness and self-care products. Our Notes & Thoughts pad is ideal for the job, especially when paired with our Bedtime Journal to create a perfect pre-sleep routine.
Dream Yoga
Having mastered journalling, a next step for many practitioners is to explore the realm of Dream Yoga, a practice rooted in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. This is a fascinating technique that focuses on mindfulness and awareness within the dream state and learning to 'wake up' or become 'lucid' in your dreams.
Its foundations can be traced back to revered spiritual figures such as the Mahasiddhas, legendary masters of yogic powers, and the famed Tibetan philosopher and yogi, Milarepa. In more academic circles, it's known as Milam, and it is a part of advanced tantric practices that open the door to a richer understanding of our daily existence.
It focuses on the 'dream body' or 'bardo body,' which is often associated with the 'vision body' (Tibetan: yid lus). This 'vision body' is akin to the body of dreams, the mind body.
In the yoga of dreaming (rmi lam, *svapna), practitioners aim to remain aware during their dreams (or lucid dream) and use this heightened awareness to practice yoga within the dream.
A lucid dream is a dream in which the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. Once the dreamer is 'lucid,' they can explore their dreamscape with full awareness and intention, which is unlike most dreams that happen haphazardly.
The goal is not merely about having fun and adventuring in your dream world (although those can indeed be side benefits). Dream Yoga is a form of self-discovery and personal growth. It offers insights into our minds and gives us the chance to practice responding rather than reacting—skills that are incredibly valuable in our waking lives.
The practice of Dream Yoga traditionally involves several stages. The first is simply to recall your dreams. The next stage is becoming lucid within the dream. This involves recognizing that you are dreaming while in the dream. Later stages include manipulating the dream and meditating within the dream.
At the core, Dream Yoga is about realizing that our waking life is not much different from our dreaming one. It's about understanding the illusory nature of all phenomena, thereby helping practitioners come closer to the realization of enlightenment.
Although originally practiced within a rigid spiritual framework, Dream Yoga can be adapted and practiced by anyone interested in exploring the depth of their mind and the nature of reality. So, if you're already journaling your dreams and want to take your exploration to the next level, the Tibetan practice of Dream Yoga could be the next step on your journey.
Balancing the Spiritual and the Practical
While we can explore the mysteries of life and consciousness through our dreams, it can be hard to take the lessons we learn into our day-to-day life. Dreams can provide valuable insights into our unconscious minds, but they are only one piece of the puzzle. It's important to integrate the insights you gain from dreams with practical actions in your daily life. For example, if you repeatedly dream about conflict with a friend or loved one, don't just analyze the dream; also take practical steps to address the issue in your waking life.
Creating a sustainable wellness routine is a great way to begin this journey. By incorporating various wellbeing tools into your daily routine, you can create a space for relaxation and exploration. Start by incorporating regular self-care practices into your day. This could include incorporating mindful activities such as yoga (during awake times), meditation, journaling, or art.
By incorporating your dreams into your daily routine, you can start to live a life where your inner thoughts and feelings are no longer hidden and gain a better understanding of your true being.
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