In my coaching practice I have sometimes used the Dream Analysis Tool taught by Martha Beck in her Wayfinder Coach Training program and as outlined in her book Finding Your Own North Star.
The way it works is you write down your dream. Then you write down the dream and either on your own or with a coach you make a list of the most potent symbols you can remember. Anything that appears in your dream is a symbol. From the color red, to the feeling of cold, to the spider on the Taj Mahal. It all counts. Your intuition is key here.
Once you have your list of symbols you either do this next bit in writing or with a coach. You embody the symbol by repeating a phrase and then describe “yourself” using three adjectives and then ask the symbol a few questions. Let’s say in this case the symbol is a golden retriever.
You start with “I am the golden retriever and I am…” and then you list or say the first three adjectives that come to your mind.
Then you ask the symbol “What is you purpose?”, “Do you have a message for ‘Client’s Name?” and any other questions that naturally come up for you. Do these one at a time, and feel deep inside you for the answers. Don’t think about them, and don’t take too long, feel for them, and then move on.
On the other side of this exercise clients tend to have massive revelations about things currently pressing down on their lives. Try it and tell me what happens for you.
Below is a poem inspired by the Dream Analysis Coaching Tool.
HOW DO YOU EMBODY A DREAM?
How do you embody an object from a dream you can’t remember?
Do you call to the wind?
Twist on the vine?
Take a warm bath and drink too much wine?
I want to embody these rapidly fading parts of myself
To learn deeper meanings
To shine a light on my leanings
But I sit up and they take off
Like a get away car, so quickly so far
So I embrace the symbols that go up in whisps as my symbol
I embody “forget”
And let’s see what we get
I am Brian’s forgetfulness and I am…
Protective
Misunderstood
There was a third one, but I forget.
What is my purpose?
I am here to give Brian room to breathe
Where he might normally seethe
I hold the front line, keep open some space
So all the old trauma ain’t so “in your face”
I’ve served my purpose, but I’m about all used up
So prepare to remember, and reopen the case
What is my message?
You have only so much bandwidth to concentrate
So don’t over saturate
Or your fears will exaggerate and exasorbate
Savor each moment, its the only thing real
By forgetting the rest, your path will reveal
Where you are headed, through you needn’t know
The mystery supports you, so now, off you go.
