Preliminary evidence suggests that this same sequence can be used for the treatment of certain specific symptoms. For example, a young woman who had been experiencing some major interpersonal changes in her life recently presented an outbreak of large, itchy hives over most of her body. I told her that her physical self might be giving her a message and asked her if she would be willing to meet the "hive spirit," find out the message, and in making that spirit her ally, ask it to suggest what she could do in the waking life to get rid of the hives, once she had received the message. She agreed to do so.

She made contact with the hive spirit, who showed itself to her as a snake. It told her that she was in the process of shedding her "skin" just as the snake does. This comment was evidently related to the changes occurring in her personal life. She then asked the snake what she could do to make the hives go away, now that she had received the message. The spirit told her to eat a garlic clove and then fast until lunchtime the following day. I asked her if she was willing to do so. She said "Yes," received a gift from the snake, and returned to the waking life. By noon the next day all sign of the hives had vanished. It is interesting that many herbalists consider garlic to be a natural sedative and capable of cleansing the body of toxins. This person's ability to use her own inner wisdom to "cure" the unwanted symptom after resolving the conflict is most remarkable.

In asking the spirits for instructions regarding behavior in the waking life, it is essential that the leader ask the dreamers whether or not they are willing to do what is asked. It is likewise essential at this time for the leader to reflect the suggestion against his/her own judgment of reality. Sometimes in cases of "psychotics" or even with certain "normal" people, the limits of the dream universe and those of the waking life may be confused by the person who is at the time in the dream universe. For example, if a spirit says, "You must die," it is OK for the person to agree to do this in the dream universe as he/she is reborn immediately in a new form. Of course, we cannot rely on the process being the same in the waking life. Thus the leader should establish a clear distinction between the different limitations of the two worlds, and contract with the person that any dying gets done in the dream universe, while every effort is made to take good care of oneself in the waking life. Drye, Goulding and Goulding (2) describe an excellent model for the treatment of suicidal ideation in clients.

In a few cases, persons have reported headaches or other somatic discomfort after completing a dreamwork sequence. Rather than confronting the participant about this "resistance," I tell the dreamer, "This is the dream universe's way of saying, 'Hey, come back for a minute. You're not quite finished. We have another gift for you.'" I then ask the dreamer if he/she is willing  to  meet  the  headache  spirit (e.g.) and  get  the  message.  In all cases