A B O U T T H I S B L O G
This blog is a celebration and exploration of the spiritual gift we have all been given—dreaming. The purpose of this blog is to share a spiritual perspective, as well as psychological insight, regarding dreams and dreaming, and to inspire you to begin exploring your dreams. For most people, the world of sleep and dreaming remains largely untapped.
“Dream mastery is as important as waking mastery. Both are necessary to one another for soul and mind survival” (Ann Ree Colton, Galaxy Gate I)
Dream “work” is an important, and big, undertaking, as there are countless kinds of dreams, many levels of dreams and millions of dream symbols. To add to the challenge of dream exploration, every dream is uniquely relevant to the person who receives it.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to dreaming. This blog provides tools, information and inspiration designed to assist you in learning what Jungian therapist, John A. Sanford called “God’s forgotten language.” Anne Baring wrote, “The word psychology means ‘The word or speech of the soul.’ Time devoted to paying attention to our dreams helps us to deepen our understanding of the speech of the soul.” Click here for Anne Baring's website
Dreams come packaged in a universal language which communicates with us through symbols. Dreams carry encoded information in a sometimes nonsensical-seeming narrative. It takes time to learn the symbolic language of dreams, but it is very rewarding work. Our dreams have so much to tell us!
The Divine communicates with all people through shared stories—myth, fairy tale, parable and allegory—and each of us personally receives very specific messages and experiences every night within our dreams.
Dreams contain wisdom—even the silliest dream and the worst nightmare come to teach us. All dreams have a purpose, which is to show each one of us the path to wholeness. Our dream ecosystems are filled with mystery, wonder, humor, a whole cast of characters, threatening and benevolent creatures. One dream can cause our heart to pound, another can cause us to marvel over its profound transcendent beauty. It takes courage to undertake dream work, because dreams don’t lie. Dreams unflinchingly report to us where we are, in our inner and outer lives, and what we need to work on. If needs be, dreams will literally shake us awake.
Many of the posts will explain and organize information given by my spiritual teachers, Ann Ree Colton and Jonathan Murro, in their talks and books. I will share personal experiences and dreams, as well as the dreams of others, and will share creativity inspired by dreams in hopes that you will be inspired to discover your dreams.
About Me
Welcome! In the late 1960s, when I was a teenager living in New York, I started keeping a journal, which helped me to order my thoughts and emotions as I navigated the challenging waters of adolescence. I also started recording my dreams. Eventually, my interest in dreams grew and I wanted to know what my dreams meant. I looked at a wide range of books, but none of the authors’ approaches resonated with me, so I just kept recording my dreams, figuring one day I’d find the Rosetta Stone. That day came when I was 28 years old. I went to a metaphysical bookstore in Albuquerque—The Brotherhood of Life—and spotted a book titled “Watch Your Dreams” by Ann Ree Colton. Ever hopeful, I opened it up and read “A Master Key and Reference Book for All Initiates of the Soul, the Mind, and the Heart.” I was stunned. “Watch Your Dreams” was indeed the master key that opened the door to my understanding of the world of dreams, and led me to my spiritual teachers.
In my fifties, I saw a Jungian therapist, Lydia Lennihan, for several years, and did a lot of dream exploration with her.
I took a workshop that Lydia offered and met Sonya, who became a dear friend and a creative catalyst in my life. Sonya introduced me to Jeremy Taylor's work. I attended Sonya's workshops in which we did projective dream work and all kinds of creativity to bring our dreams into our waking world. Sonya and I started a small dream circle with four other women, which still meets. Our dream circle takes a very open ended, open hearted, playful and creative approach to dream exploration. My hope is that this blog will inspire you to do the same.
I am so grateful for my spiritual teachers, Ann Ree Colton and Jonathan Murro, who blended the Eastern and Western Dharmas with philosophy, the arts, and science in their initiatory school called "Niscience". I am so grateful for all of my friends in Christ, who are a constant source of love and inspiration. I am eternally grateful for my husband’s constant support and love, and for my friends and family. Thank you to our intrepid dream circle - Sonya, Andrea, Sarah, Liz and Christine - for your encouragement and enthusiasm. Thank you to Lydia and Claire, for your wisdom and skillful healing. Thank you to Keresa Howard who did all of the technical and design work for this blog, and then patiently taught me how to do it.
— Orese Fahey
FAQ
Why don’t you offer dream interpretation?
It is very challenging to interpret dreams. There is no “one size fits all” to dream interpretation. Dreams are numinous and mysterious. It takes patience and practice to learn their language. Dream exploration is a profound inner journey. This blog provides maps, helpful references, and ideas to help individuals decode their dreams. If you need help with a dream, you can work with a Jungian therapist, join a dream group, or ask a trusted friend who is versed in dreamwork. It takes discernment to recognize those who are truly adept with dream interpretation. Read reviews, talk to people who have worked with the person you are thinking about. If you do get help with a dream and it doesn’t feel right to you, you might want to try something, or someone, else. Follow your instincts and intuition. These are YOUR dreams!
What should I do if I can’t remember my dreams?
Please see the post on Remembering Dreams, under Dream Exploration.
Do you recommend that I use a dream dictionary?
I do use a select number of dream dictionaries (see recommended books in the Resources section). I was once sent a dream dictionary that was, in my opinion, so awful, so inaccurate, I threw it in the trash instead of donating it, so that no one could be misled by it. That is the only time in my life that I have thrown away a book. It is important to test any dream dictionary you use (whether you have a dream dictionary book or look up symbols online). If the information you read about the symbols in your dreams feels “right” to you, then stick with that dictionary. If the dream dictionary definitions of symbols feel nonsensical or aren’t helpful, look for another dream dictionary! It is helpful to consult more than one book/website at a time when researching a symbol and then pick and choose as to what feels right for that dream.
What is your approach to dream work?
I work with dreams through a combined spiritual, psychological and intuitive lens. I have been in a dream group for many years and have found the collaborative approach to dream exploration to be very, very helpful. I have also found that “translating” dreams into some form of creativity—visual expression, dance, music, poetry etc.—really helps to open the dream up. The world of sleep and dreams informs, guides, and inspires my waking life.