Conversations with the Maiden, Mother, and Crone

Looking at ourselves and the world through the lens of the 21st century.

Thursday, September 12, 2024

What's in a Dream?

 


What’s in a dream? I have a hard time believing all the hoopla surrounding dream interpretation. The truth is that scientists don’t know why we dream what we dream or even why we dream at all. Their best guess is that our nightly REM cycle is a filing system for all the data we’ve absorbed, sorting it into different areas of our brain and tagging it with some sort of reference that makes it easier to retrieve when we need it, much like sorting files into folders. And when the files are all mixed up, our brains read all the references and try to make some sort of sense of it…thus the crazy stories (dreams) that we remember when we wake up.

If that’s all it is, then why are we so obsessed with our dreams? How do we explain dreaming (in detail) about places we’ve never seen or things we’ve never done? What about people who have prophetic dreams? Is it just a coincidence? I don’t want to accuse anyone of making those things up…especially since I’m actually one of them.


Yesterday, on the podcast, we talked about some of our most memorable dreams. Some of them were recurring dreams about doing the same repetitive tasks, which I’ve often dismissed as my subconscious trying to deal with mundane issues like feeling disorganized or coping with unwanted interruptions. But what about dreams with more substance? I mentioned that I’ve had several dreams in my life that were oddly prophetic, not in a straight-up, literal sense, but there were definite similarities that made me stop and wonder about it. The same is true of so-called “visitation” dreams, where the dreamer interacts with someone who has died. I suppose those dreams could be a way for us to deal with the loss, but if that was the case, why wouldn’t we dream those dreams more often, especially in the case of a very close relationship.


When I dream about my husband, Mark, he is “alive” in my dream, and his presence in my dream is no different than it was before he died.  He just is. I don’t think of him as dead or being back from the dead. In my dreams, he is just as alive as he ever was. But in the one “visitation” dream I mentioned in the podcast, I knew my husband was gone, and I knew that his presence there was an anomaly that I had to embrace while I could. In the eight months that have passed since then, I have not experienced any other dream like that one, and in every dream in which he appears, he is exactly as he always was in my dreams before his death…not dead. He is always either alive in my dream, and carrying on exactly as he did before, or else he’s not in my dream at all.


Another thing that puzzles me about dreams is how so many different sources claim to have interpretations, but the interpretations are all either copied verbatim from each other, or they are completely different. For instance, in Llewellyn’s Complete Dictionary of Dreams, the author, Dr. Michael Lennox, explains that every person that appears in your dreams is a representation of you and that to interpret the significance, you have to examine your relationship to that person and what they symbolize in yourself. Yet other dream interpretations explain that the other people in your dreams are exactly what they appear to be and that your interaction with them in the dream state is giving you important clues about your relationship with them or about yourself. 


I like that explanation better. It makes more sense, especially when I take it in context with my own dreams. I have had plenty of dreams about my husband after which I woke up spitting mad at him for some reason or another. In the dream, he was always doing something that got on my nerves. It was usually something he also did in real life, but he was taking it to the extreme in the dream or the consequences of his actions were more significant in some way. I could take Dr. Lennox’s advice and assume it was a reflection of the masculine side of myself and that I was harming myself with negative thoughts or actions or maybe even disparaging the masculine side of myself (an easy possibility, of course), or I could take it at face value and understand that my husband is going to do what he’s going to do. But the lesson to be learned is that I can change how I deal with it. Either I can accept it and not let it bother me, or I could speak up about it – sit down and have a heart-to-heart and find a good compromise. The key takeaway is to not just sit and stew over it until it gets so bad that I’m spitting mad. So which one of these is right? 


I’m not sure any interpretation of dreams is right. There are just too many variables, like the meaning of certain objects or people – it all depends on the individual and what significance those people or things have in that person’s life. A dog might be a happy companion or a viscous terror depending on whether you love dogs or were once frightened or attacked by one. Your mother might be a symbol of nurturing, home, and love, or she might be a representation of your own self-love or self-loathing. Only you can be the judge.


My advice for working with dream interpretation is to log them faithfully and with as much detail as you can recall.  Watch for patterns, relationships, and symbols that are meaningful to you. A good dream dictionary can be helpful, but you can often figure things out on your own. Let your conscience be your guide. Like any other kind of shadow work, it can teach you a lot about yourself.


Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Heard it on the Podcast - September 11, 2024

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

11-SEP-2024

S4E37: Dream Interpretation

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Mentioned on the podcast:

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Heard it on the Podcast - September 4, 2024

   

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

4-SEP-2024

S4E36: DC vs. Marvel

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Mentioned on the podcast:

  • Christopher Reeves as Superman
  • Tim Burton's Batman
  • Justice League cartoon
  • Linda Carter as Wonder Woman
  • Batman TV show
  • Spiderman cartoon
  • Spiderman movies
  • The Hulk TV show
  • X-Men comic book
  • X-Men cartoon
  • X-Men movies
  • Disney acquires Fox assets
  • Sony - Spiderman - Marvel - Disney
  • Frank Miller's The Dark Knight
  • Wanda Vision
  • Loki
  • Henry Cavill as Superman
  • Ben Afflec as Batman
  • Dare Devil
  • Suicide Squad
  • Joker
  • Joker Foilles a Deaux
  • Aquaman
  • Green Arrow
  • The Flash
  • Legends of Tomorrow
  • Justice League Unlimited
  • Super Girl movie
  • Super Girl TV show
  • Green Lantern
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • General Hospital

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Heard it on the Podcast - August 28, 2024

    

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

28-AUG-2024

S4E35: Why the Love Boat is NOT Like Actual Cruising

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Mentioned on the podcast:

  • To watch the original:  Love Boat
  • The Real Love Boat (2022) hosted by Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca Romjin can be viewed on Amazon Prime 
  • The cruise movie with Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau is "Out to Sea"

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Heard it on the Podcast - August 21, 2024

   

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

21-AUG-2024

S4E34: To RV or Not to RV

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Mentioned on the podcast:

  • CORRECTION: Cindy stated there were over 100 state parks in Texas. That is incorrect. In 2023, there were 88 state parks with several new ones set to open in 2024 and beyond.
  • We rented our RV from:  Cruise America
  • Christen's Honeymoon RV was rented through:  Outdoorsy
  • The next RV Show in the Dallas area is the Southwest RV Supershow:  https://www.southwestrvsupershow.com/
  • To watch the original:  Love Boat
  • The Real Love Boat (2022) hosted by Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca Romjin can be viewed on Amazon Prime 

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Heard it on the Podcast - August 7, 2024

  

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

7-AUG-2024

S4E32: Introvert/Extrovert

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Mentioned on the podcast:

You might also like:

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Heard it on the Podcast - July 31, 2024

  

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

31-Jul-2024

S4E31: 7 Secrets to the Perfect Kitchen

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Mentioned on the podcast:


    Thursday, July 25, 2024

    Flash Fiction

     A Day in the Life of an Artist

    07:09 am - no more time to snooze

    07:10 am - wake the kids up to get ready for school

    07:15 am - start a fresh pot of coffee, almost out of filters; need to write that down

    07:20 am - pop some toast in the toaster - a quick breakfast; not the best; will have to suffice

    07:30 am - a brisk walk for the dog

    07:45 am - everyone is out the door and on their way

    09:00 am - clocking into that “9-5”

    05:30 pm - can’t wait to bust out of here

    06:30 pm - that traffic is no joke, what a day, 

    07:12 pm - barely made it to the ballet recital

    08:00 pm - shopping, just a few things, don’t forget coffee filters!

    08:30 pm - no time to cook now, “should we go through the drive-through?”

    09:00 pm - dishes, showers, “is your homework done?”, phone calls, spouse, chores, scrolling; 

    11:00 pm - peace and quiet

    11:01 pm - use AI for creative outlet for expression

    11:02 pm - lights out


    Wednesday, July 24, 2024

    Heard it on the Podcast - July 24, 2024

     

    Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

    24-Jul-2024

    S4E30: The Rise of AI

    Listen to the podcast:   HERE

    Mentioned on the podcast:






    Wednesday, July 17, 2024

    Heard it on the Podcast - July 17, 2024

     

    Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we do most Wednesdays to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. Here are the links for this week:

    17-Jul-2024

    S4E29: National Moon Day

    Listen to the podcast: HERE

    Past topics on the podcast and blog related to the moon and witches/paganism

    • Every Mission to the Moon, Ever:  The Planetary Society
    • All our metaphysical episodes in one playlist:  On YouTube
    • Metaphysical blog posts at ModernMusings.net
    • Don't forget to check out the "Heard it on the Podcast" posts for each of those metaphysical podcast episodes: HERE

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