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participants have responded in the affirmative and by the end of this second
sequence have reported no further symptoms.
One workshop participant reported such a headache. When she encountered the headache spirit, she experienced a spinning/flying sensation which at first she described as uncomfortable. She summoned allies to accompany her, and the sensation became quite enjoyable for her. She received a gift from the spirit and returned to the waking life. Since that time, she has experienced no further headaches after dreamwork and has reported the spinning experience as a frequent and enjoyable adjunct to succeeding meditation and dreamwork sessions. Gift. Receiving a gift from a spirit, a gift that is both the essence of that spirit's power and a symbol of the spirit's lifelong alliance with the dreamer is the "proof of the pudding." Sometimes a spirit will readily agree to be a dreamer's ally, but when asked for the essence of its form, will balk. In other cases, the spirit will present the dreamer with a gift which does not seem to represent completely the essence of the spirit's power and alliance with the dreamer. This has appeared to be a fairly common tactic. In most cases, consequently, once the dreamer has received a gift, I ask if the dreamer is sure it feels as if the gift represents the essence of the spirit's power. If the dreamer is at all hesitant, I encourage accepting the gift, as it does mean that the spirit is offering some of its power and will therefore be easier to deal with successfully (note spoken emphasis). I then encourage the dreamer to repeat the request for the spirit's best gift until successful. When asking the Figure for the best gift, it is important to ask for something tangible that can be brought back to the waking life, such as a poem, dance, song, symbol or object that can be replicated and shared with others in the dreamer's waking life. If the spirit offers "good feelings" or a like abstraction, the dreamer asks for a concrete representation of it. Once the spirit has offered its best, the dreamer may return to the waking life or continue in the dream universe, taking along the newly acquired gift (power) to meet another spirit and repeat the process in the new encounter. Artifact. This and the following stage are the two which are completed in the waking life and, although precedented in Senoi customs, apparently have not until now been emphasized in applying the techniques in a Western culture. Nevertheless, the importance of completing the Artifact and Quest stages should be emphasized. It is at this point in the dreamwork that the dreamer may become most hesitant. Yet it is the translation of the inner experiences into something in the physical world which constitutes the intrinsic nature of creative activity. 56
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