vital,  level  of   group   support   and   empathy   for   the
dreamer's inner life.
     Our  primary  method   of  dreamwork  is  to  re-enter
the dream  being  worked on,  using   the  imagination  to
experience the dream  as a present reality, and  to dream
the  dream  onward. This approach  requires  preparation
for  relaxation  as  well  as  what  the  "story lady"  in  my
grade  school  called  "stretching  your  imagination,"  so
that a  relaxed  space receptive to  inner promptings  and
images   is  created.   Sometimes  we  find   it  useful   to
experience a  dream or  bothersome voice from  another
viewpoint  and  use  either  oral  or  written  ( as  well  as
imagined) dialogue with  the voices or dream characters.
     A typical group might begin  with  sharing  herbal  tea
together. Then each member of the group might express
how they  are  feeling  at  the  moment.  Next  we  would
usually  practice  a  writing  exercise  to  contact  deeper
levels of feelings. For example, we might try to come up
with several answers to the question, "Who am I?" Or we
might   list   favorite  childhood   fairy  tales  and  family
myths.  The  writing  exercises  serve  as  a  recollection
process  to  activate  important  symbolic and emotional
contents   that   may   be   connected  to   current  dream
messages.  Finally   we  have   a   thorough   exercise   in
progressive relaxation, usually accompanied by  the  use
of    soothing   nature   imagery.   The   purpose   of    the
relaxation  is  to  bring  to  a   temporary   halt  any  inner
tension  from  emotional  conflict so that compensatory
imagery may be allowed to flow more freely.
      To  begin  our  process   of  dreaming  together, one
dreamer   is  elected   to  share  a   dream.   The  dreamer
proceeds   to   read   or  tell  the  dream   with   theatrical
expression.  The   other  group   members   pretend   that,
instead   of  hearing  someone  else's dream,  they  them-
selves  are   dreaming   the  dream.  During  this  time  of
dream sharing, the other group members are  in  the state
of  relaxation   so  that  they  can  imagine  the  dream  as
vividly as possible.
     The real dreamer then tells  the dream a  second  time.
Then  everyone, including  the real  dreamer, proceeds to
portray  the dream. In  silence  each  person  attempts  to

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