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transpire through your pen as you begin writing. A meditative
approach puts you into a receptive frame of mind, preparing you
to discover something new rather than merely to record old thoughts.
When approached meditatively, writing in your dream journal can
be a surprisingly inspired experience.
How to BeginGetting started is often the hardest part. Here is a relatively easy way to get the process started. First, we have a dream. For example: I am swimming down a river. I see an inner tube floating across the river. There is a deer hiding in it. Reaching shore, the deer is confronted by a wolf. I swim to shore and catch them both in the inner tube, holding them close together. I sense a rising tension. To get into the spirit of any particular dream symbol, simply rewrite the dream from the perspective of that symbol. This task gives you something specific to write about while "standing in the shoes" of the symbol and helps to get the empathic process flowing. To begin, read over your dream, pick a symbol, then close your eyes and try to re-visualize the dream as it would appear from the perspective of that symbol. With that orientation in mind, rewrite your dream. Begin with a statement, "I am . . ." and identify the symbol: I am the deer. I am sneaking quietly across the river in an inner tube. When I reach the other side there is a wolf in front of me. Then a person comes out of the river and throws the inner tube over me and the wolf. Now I am face to face with the wolf—he is so near—and my heart beats fast with fear. After the dream has been rewritten, you may continue the process by allowing the symbol to express itself: How does it feel about the events in the dream? What does it have to say to the other symbols in the dream? If you first meditate upon your breath, you may visualize your inhalations as bringing you the inspiration and awareness of the dream symbol and your exhalations as carrying this awareness to your pen as you begin writing. I am a poor, frightened, innocent deer. I have few defenses except to hide. Crossing the water is very scary, for I am so vulnerable when I swim. Hiding in an inner tube, I felt safe crossing the water, but then, on the other side, I am confronted by a wolf. I'm sure he wants to harm me, to take advantage of me. I am about ready to run, but suddenly I am captured along with the wolf in the inner tube. What was once my hiding place is now my prison. Why have I been captured? What is going to happen now? You, person who captures me, why have you done this? Why don't you let me go? Having the dream symbol express itself in such a manner usually paves the way for dialogue. But before we discuss approaches to dialogue, there are a few points to consider. 81
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