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dream universe is that there is always a Key.
The issue then is to find the Key and use it. The Key opens the
gate to the dream universe.
Embellishment. Once the dreamer signals being in the dream, the leader initiates the Embellishment stage by the query, "What is happening right now?" It is essential that the dreamer be actively re-experiencing the dream. The dreamer often indicates this by speaking in the first person, present tense. If the dreamer becomes more passively descriptive or begins speaking in the past tense, a statement such as "And that is what is happening now, isn't it?" usually restores active participation in the dream (3). It is also essential to remain as concrete and tangible as possible while working in the dream. If the dreamer starts talking about disembodied "feelings" or other abstractions, the leader asks, "How is that represented? What do you see, hear, smell, taste or touch?" If the participant continues to have trouble staying concrete, he/she may be encouraged to call out to the spirit of the feeling, for example. If the leader follows this with "What are you seeing?" the dreamer will usually report seeing something before very long. The leader assumes that whatever then emerges is a manifestation of the summoned spirit. If there is any question about this, it is a simple matter to ask the spirit to identify itself clearly. It is important during the Embellishment to give the dreamer time to make contact with the dream universe. A few questions regarding physical details of what is being seen help "flesh out" the imagery. In addition, the leader may establish a fail-safe situation (a "positive double bind"; see references 1,3,4) by encouraging the dreamer to "Take all of the time you need." If the dreamer responds with "But it will take years," the leader can reply, "Fine, let all of the years go by that are necessary, and let me know when the necessary time has passed. In the dream universe all is possible and you are the absolute master." Further, the more the leader can let dreamers "solo" once they know the six-step progression, i.e., by telling them, "Go ahead and do what you already know how to do," the sooner they tend to incorporate the Senoi technique into their night dreaming. (Note that there is no way to say "Yes, but" to a positive double bind.) I have found it very helpful to both the leader and the dreamer to regard the dreamer as reporting a current experience from another plane of consciousness. Whether or not this is "truly" the case, this attitude is a useful working hypothesis. In this way, the experience of the dreamer is treated with a certain awe and respect. The Embellishment stage ends once a Main Figure emerges, be it a person, monster, creature, spectre, object, or even a more amorphous entity such as smoke, blackness, fog, "blankness," etc. Main Figure. Now develops the fulcrum of the dreamwork. The Main Figure usually presents itself rather easily. If, however, there is only the more ambiguous situation, such as the fog or a group of entities, the leader can direct the dreamer to move into the center of the fog or 53
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