Dreamwork Page Table of Contents

• Dreamwork
• Email Dream Interpretation
• Spirituality and Social Work

Dream Interpretation and Dreamwork

What's in a dream?

Dreamwork is an important part of the Infinity Wellness™ Process.

Our dreams are an invaluable resource to finding the true meaning behind our thoughts, feelings, troubles, and questions. Dreamwork is much easier than you might expect and does not take a master's degree in Psychology to accomplish. Dreamwork, along with journal therapy, will help you become clearer than you ever thought possible.

Our subconscious holds all the answers we need. They lay, often buried behind memories, or beliefs, pain, or anger. Sometimes, for whatever reason, it is hard to be in touch with your Truth, but it is always there. Dreamwork is one way to make the subconscious conscious, without a whole lot of therapy.

One of the greatest things about our dreams is that we are never shown what we are not ready to see. Our dreams come veiled in colorful and complex images, complicated enough that the true meaning will lie just below the surface. Freud, a pioneer in dream study, once coined a saying, "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." That is true for dreams too. There are two layers to your dream: the apparent and the latent content. One on level, if you are dreaming about your house catching fire, you may seriously fear for the safety of your home and family. However, looking deeper, perhaps the dream house symbolizes your body, the house of your soul, and your dream symbolizes the lighting of a new fire of insight, or spark of discovery... Don't get intimidated by this process! The best part of dreamwork is that only you can analyze your own dream!

I have read many dream books during the course of my education, but never one as concise and creative as Gayle Delaney's Living Your Dreams. Delaney works with the metaphor of "Dream as Movie" and goes on to say that we are we producers, writer, directors and stars. She believes, as do I, that dreams not only have meaning, they have a purpose and a message. We will use this book as our primary guide.

Email Dream Interpretation!

If you cannot come to me, I can come to you. Infinity Wellness now includes email dream interpretation sessions! Simply email me your dream and I will help you to interpret it for yourself, by asking the right questions and pointing you in the right directions. Each dream session may take any amount of email exchanges -- until you're satisfied that you've gained the insight the dream was trying to show you. The first session is FREE and subsequent dream sessions are only $5 (payable with money order or PayPal). This service allows Infinity Wellness to promote healing accross the globe!

Spirituality and Social Work

Spirituality and Social Work: at Fordham Graduate School of Social Work

Spirituality has always been my favorite subject, and Social Work a close second. Last summer (2002) I was delighted to find them both combined in a summer course. However, I hesitated, "What if I don't learn anything new? Maybe it will be Jesuit-biased. Maybe the professor will just be teaching the class by rote, and not be spiritual at all…" With these doubts present in my mind, I still enrolled in the course.

I am pleased to report my worries were unfounded. From the first day, I realized that I will necessarily learn something new, because all my classmates' spiritual perspectives, histories, preferences, and affiliations were all so different. As for the Jesuit orientation, Fordham has always downplayed the religious orientation of the university, and this course was no exception. Finally, my professor (Zulema Suarez) was eclectic, open-minded, bright, and enthusiastic.

What I Learned About…

Judgment

To judge is to set oneself apart. In order to judge, one must believe others to be separate from oneself. I believe that acting from love is intrinsically better than reacting with hate, I don't believe that there are "evil"and "good"people. I believe we all embody both of these extremes, and our thoughts, deeds, actions, and words tend to exist somewhere along that spectrum. One needs to discover and accept the uncomfortable aspects of oneself in order to be a better clinician, and a more understanding human being. Dramatically stated, "It is difficult for therapists to help a rapist or racist if they have not made peace with the rapist or racist within themselves (Johanson,89)."

Beyond the harms of judgment professionally speaking, there's also the spiritual component. I believe that all beings are connected in a web of life that includes all of heaven and earth. Judging another is like judging one's arm - we are all pieces of the Whole. My definition of God is borrowed from the Native American tradition, "the spirit that moves through all things." Therefore, my energy is my brother's, is my enemy's, is my rabbit's, is the moon's, "…judging right and wrong, and making either/or decisions inevitably sets up dichotomy. Creation becomes divided against itself (Johanson,62). "

Furthermore, judging is not the job of humans, just like a pawn cannot curse the hand in a game of chess. We can make our moves, but it is not for us to know the rules of the game. Another paradox of the universe is that although we are all connected, everyone is an individual, on an individual process. I believe that each person is living the life they need to live in order to receive the spiritual lessons they have chosen to receive. Therefore, every interaction is significant, because everyone can be our mentor, our guide, our challenge. I believe significant relationships are put in our path so that we may learn from each other and that one's worst enemy can be one's greatest teacher.

In order to do good social work, one must truly meet the client where they're at. It's not enough to do research in multiculturalism to learn appropriate standards whereby to view one's client, one must truly enter into the client's intrinsically individual reality, "If the practitioner merely takes the position that the standard of normality of the group should be imposed on the person, then practice becomes nothing more than norm enforcement rather than spiritually sensitive helping (Canda,241)."

Egolessness

The therapist should serve as a reflection for the client to see her/himself, "Someone once became upset with Trungpa at a retreat and said to him, 'I'm very angry with you.' With his characteristic twinkle Trungpa replied, 'That's like being angry at the mirror for being fat (Johanson,21)." One cannot be a good therapist if one is more concerned with sounding smart, being right, or what one will be having for dinner, than the present reality of one's client. I find the best way to tune-in to my client, is to forget about myself entirely; forget about my bad-hair day, my dog's too-short walk that morning, my fear of saying the wrong things, etc. I try to step out of my experience and into theirs', "Like the hub of a wheel or the hollow of a cup, it is the empty space the makes things useful…An analogous thought is found in an ancient Jewish myth that says in the beginning God was everything, so the only way God could create was by withdrawing..( Johanson,xiii)." The best way to get a client to open up is to remove one's ego entirely. The clinician is no longer in the room to be themselves, but to reflect the client. By not asserting one's personality, the therapist may observe the session from a vacuum of non-judgment.

In practicing egolessness, one also must let go of ownership for one's "work"when in fact, one is simply creating space for the client to do her/his own work. This passage from Grace Unfolding illustrates this thought,

She has but doesn't possess,
acts but doesn't expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever (Johanson,10).

Only actions without ego are eternal. They speak to the "no one"ness, to Nature herself, to the deeper river of truth. This idea was also articulated beautifully by the following metaphor, " Therapists' work is more like that of a midwife. They coach nature. When the baby is born, there is no question to whom it belongs (Johanson,38)." An obstacle for me is to forgive myself if a client doesn't "improve", and to not laud my skills if the client fulfills our goes. It's daily practice to let go and allow the flow.

I find it very difficult practice to live up to the following concept, "The sage is not trying to be humane, good, beautiful, wise, or anything else. She is just trying to be who she is (Johanson,19). " However, this is the spiritual work of a therapist.

Flow

Flow is a deceptive concept. It seems to be a simple thing - how can not doing anything be difficult? However, one must be very brave to step back and allow life to flow. This means embracing both sides of dichotomies: good and bad, joy and fear, hate and love. If one were skillful in this dance, "…life would be enjoyed as it continually changes and flows from the tragic, to the mundane, to the hilarious (Johanson,28)."

I like using water as a metaphor, because it is both powerful and flexible, easy-going and fierce, "…water… accommodates a rock in the stream, but is not frustrated in its destination... (Johanson,40). " This being said, it makes me wish to live in a world without clocks. Instead of a student, I would be a joyful fish laughing in the stream. However, I know that the real magic lies in being a joyful student laughing my way through damp subway tunnels. The concept of being a whole person in order to inspire one's client to find his/her own wholeness also speaks to me, "…'the basic work of health professionals and psychotherapists in particular is to become full human beings and to inspire full human-beingness in people.. Johanson,20)."

Doing nothing means consciously counteracting our natural impulse to be right and to be in control. The wisest therapists are happy to play dumb, if it will help one connect with one's inner wisdom;

When a patient in a hospital ward introduced himself as Jesus Christ, Erickson did not argue with him, but responded with, 'Oh, I understand you have experience as a carpenter, yes? Here, let me show you the shop…'…He accepted the person's experience of reality, quieted the storm raging around him, and got him reconnected to the earth..( Johanson,76).

There is no need for effortful therapy, where one tries to push ones client to change, "…On the one hand we realize that something must change. The nature of life is change. We need simply be aware of the changes and move creatively with them. However, if we were never to change, it would be all right (Johanson,xv)." One needs to step back from the expectation of change, and realize that the client will rightly move at her/his own pace.

One does not have to try and change one's client at all. The work is simply presenting alternatives. The client, with his/her own free-will will choose whether to adopt a new way of being, or stick with what is comfortable, "…we do not completely disown or leave behind old ways of relating to the world. It is simply that new ways of relating are added to our repertoire, and a measure of awareness and choice is introduced where before we acted habitually and automatically (Johanson,66).

One could also trust the flow of life in helping one to understand fear, or illness, "We can enter deeper into its mystery and allow it to lead us to what is causing the fear, and ultimately, to what that fear requires to assure itself that self-expression can be both possible and useful (Johanson,5)." From this perspective, even fear and pain are beneficent teachers.

Mindfulness

Ironically, I would say I practice mindfulness whenever I remember. The humor of this of course is that if one is mindful, then one has remembered to be so, and if one has remembered to be so, then one is. Still, mindfulness goes beyond just being aware of what's going on. It's a matter of being connected to one's body, emotions, mind, and spirit. It's being mindful and connected to oneself, one's surroundings, and the energy of those present. The line, "Mindfulness is a state of alert but relaxed consciousness (Johanson,xiv),"reminds me that being mindful is about allowing the flow, as opposed to a forceful vigilance.

Mindfulness is about knowing one's place in the universe. Knowing that one cannot compete with God for omnipotence, but can merely tap into God's wisdom for guidance. The nature of life is making mistakes, this is how we learn. The challenge with mindfulness is being fully present, and letting go at the same time, "Becoming mindful has to do with letting go of ambitions to control, solve problems, or achieve something. Instead we choose to bear witness (Johanson,13)." I love the idea of "bear witness. " I see a big brown bear in the woods, peering through the forest foliage with a pair of binoculars. I don't know what s/he's watching, but I know s/he's enjoying the view.

Mindfulness also allows one to observe one's own thoughts with a detached eyes, "Rather than 'overidentifying' with one's thoughts or feelings, mindfulness allows people to see their thoughts as 'just thinking,' not as personal directives that they must identify with, follow, or give into (Miller,69). " I know that all too often, I look to my feelings and thoughts as directors and producers of my reality. I forget to allow the flow, and instead, the water becomes stymied by a boulder of fear.

Compassion and Action

One of the main reasons I chose to pursue Social Work over Psychology, is the difference between understanding and compassion. From this class, I learned that "compassion"means, "suffering- with (Boff,2)." Compassion is not just feeling sorry for someone, but also engaging in action to mitigate their suffering.

He enters a battle gravely,
with sorrow and with great compassion (Johanson,86).

The only way one can battle spiritually, is to know full well what one is doing, that is no other option, and with compassion for one's opponent. This lesson is nobly illustrated by the actions of Martin Luther King, Jr. He didn't funnel his anger at his oppressors into violence, but rather taught the world that one can assert oneself and effect change without bloodshed.

My biggest gripe with today's media is that they pump out information, scare and upset their readers, and then leave no hints as to what to do about it. I consider that morally irresponsible. Perhaps every article should include some recourse and paths for action. This is why I fell in love with Lao Tzu and Grace Unfolding, "Lao Tzu was both a severe critic of the institutions of his day and one who offered positive alternatives (Johanson,xiv)." A great leader will inspire people to action, so that their discontentment will not wilt away at their resolve.

Labeling

I have mixed feelings about labels. On one hand, they are necessary in order for one to make sense of one's universe. On the other, they limit and confine what is unnamable and changing, into a box of " thingness."

We lack trust in the present, this moment, this actual seeing, because our culture tells us to trust only the reported back, the publicly framed, the edited, the thing set in the clearly artistic or clearly scientific angle of perspective…The extent to which the process of living in any day or hour is reduced to labeling situation, events, and objects as "so-and-so"in mere succession masks the cessation of a life that is a conscious experience (Gatens-Robinson,5).Our scientific culture tells us not to believe what we cannot see, feel, or systematically measure. However, the nature of spirituality, feeling, and knowing are amorphous and non-quantifiable.

Conversely, I have also seen how labels set one free. For example, when I was suffering from severe pain all around my abdomen, although I was still in pain, I was relieved to know that I had a kidney infection. Now my pain was something known, understood, and treatable. Similarly, when one feels sad all the time, it may seem a miracle when the doctor prescribes the little pill that alleviates clinical depression. Naming is also what we do to our loved one's, and what we need for navigating our world. For example: dog owners delight in naming their pets, lovers make-up spontaneous pet-names for each other, and I want soy milk when I want soy milk, and would balk at receiving milk from a goat.

Furthermore, naming something helps one understand its nature and parameters - even if the thing one is naming truly has neither. This paradox reminds me of the debate of relativism. One can say that no on truly knows anything, because everything is relative to the observer and that every observer is looking through the lens of their particular consciousness, experience, and culture. However, the act of communication necessitates a common language. As in the soy milk example, the health food store clerk and I need to agree on what "soy milk"is. Naming actually creates meaning. However, without meaning, we have the Tao, the pregnant emptiness, the eternal flow. The point of all my rambles is articulated succinctly as,

The Nameless is the origin of Heaven
and Earth;
The Named is the mother of all things. (Johanson,1)

In closing, what I enjoyed most about this course, is the marriage of science and spirituality. It was a joy to discuss God and meditation in the same drab, cold, uncomfortable classroom where I'd been bored by theories of stage development, and the history of social work policy. Even my textbooks were pleasurable, in that they highlighted where Western and Eastern thought converge. For example, the following passage was taken from a footnote in Miller (1999),

Scientific research (as usually conducted in the quantitative mode) is about observing regularities in the world with the assumption that the subject and observer are distinct, separate, unrelated. However, science is ultimately about discovering the true nature of things. Science and spirituality both share that goal, even though their methods differ sharply (Miller,87).

References:

Boff, L. & Boff, C. (1987). Introducing Liberation Theology. New York: Orbus Books.

Canda, Edward R., Ph.D. and Leola Dyrud Furman, Ph.D. (1999). Spiritual Diversity in Social Work Practice. New York: The Free Press.

Gatens-Robinson, E. (1994). "Finding our feminist ways in natural philosophy and religious thought." (Special Issue: Feminist Philosophy of Religion), Vol. 9, Hypatia, pp. 201-22.

Johanson, G. & Kurtz, R. (1991). Grace Unfolding: Psychotherapy in the Spirit of the Tao-te Ching . New York: Bell Tower Books.

Miller, W.R. (1999). Integrating Spirituality into Treatment: Resources for Practitioners. Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association.

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