Enhancing Your Understanding of Dreams with a Dream Journal


by Joe Salerno D


reams are one of the easiest ways to explore our inner realms and discover our true nature as Soul, a divine spark of God. The dream state is one way that we can directly experience the Light and Sound of God, which support and sustain all life. What is a Dream? A dream is simply the memory of a


higher-world Soul journey or experience during sleep. The translator function converts often indescribable insights or experiences in the higher worlds into symbols, words, or eye- opening symbolic situations you can mentally and emotional- ly work with to help you understand the message. Thus, dreams can give us insights into our relationships (including our relationship with God), past lives, financial matters, health issues, and so on. For example, a young, self-employed person dreamed he


lost his wallet. Was this a hint about some financial invest- ment about to turn south? Not in this case. By contemplating on the dream and referring to his daily dream journal, he dis- covered the lost wallet was actually a warning that if he didn’t remove certain destructive foods from his diet, he would risk losing something of great value to him: his health; and with it, his ability to generate income. Dedicated dream study opens doors to deeper truths. Here is an easy way to enhance your dream study. As you


lay down in bed to go to sleep, softly sing the word HU, a sacred name for God, a few times. It is pronounced like the man’s name, Hugh, and sung on the outbreath at a pitch and repetition speed that is comfortable for you. This simple spiri- tual exercise can be used by all to open one’s heart to God’s love.


Also, give your spiritual guide permission to take you into


the higher worlds as your physical body lies asleep. In Eckankar, Religion of the Light and Sound of God, this inner spiritual guide is the Mahanta, a state of consciousness that works directly with Soul to help It unfold spiritually. You can also give your guide permission to help you remember and understand your dreams. Keep a pad and pencil, or voice recorder, close by because the help will be forthcoming. Remembering Dreams. Everyone dreams, but not every-


one is trained to remember dreams. Fortunately, this is easy to learn. If this describes you, here are a few tips to help you. If you awaken in the morning with the feeling that you


have just completed a dream, lie still in bed in the exact posi- tion you were in when you woke up, or gently return to that position. Singing HU can also help refocus the mind so you can begin to recall the dream. Then reach for your nearby pad and pen, or a voice recorder, and make note of the dream. Some dream students report that simply starting a dream jour- nal is itself a trigger that helps one recall their dreams.


20 Houston Dream Journal.


Writing down your dreams in a journal and working with them can make you an insider into your own secret realms. The dream journal is a valuable tool for exploring those realms; also a short- cut to understanding the relationship between your inner and outer lives. What messages are your dreams trying to con- vey? Writing out a dream helps you see the experience objectively, more easily revealing the message of the dream. Hint: keep your writing simple. Use everyday language


and don’t get bogged down in details. Then, review your dream journal at the end of the month. You may be amazed to find out what you have forgotten in such a short span of time. Moreover, the association of inner and outer happenings can be quite revealing. Example: as you review your dreams, you may realize that an experience you had recently was foretold in a prophetic dream. Create Your Own Dictionary. As you study your journal,


you may see situations and symbols recurring together. From this you can begin to build your own dictionary of dream symbols. As we unfold spiritually, our symbols take on differ- ent meanings. You can also record the date of such dreams and document how the symbol meanings change for you. Two of the most comprehensive and ground-breaking


books ever written on the spiritual approach to dream inter- pretation are Past Lives, Dreams, and Soul Travel, and The Art of Spiritual Dreaming. Both books are by Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of Eckankar, and are available at better book stores or online. Working with dreams requires some discipline, but if you


do your share of the work—including doing a daily spiritual exercise (e.g., singing HU), collecting your dreams regularly, and reviewing them monthly—you will soon be finding insights into your life that previously were only dreamed of.


Joe Salerno, a long-time member of ECKANKAR, has been studying dreams for over 40 years. For more information on free Eckankar events in the Houston area, please refer to the ad elsewhere in this issue. See ad page 18. i


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