“Wisdom is to the soul what health is to the body”-De Saint-Real
Dreams can provide a key to unlock the wisdom of the body. The body has deep wisdom toward balance and wholeness known as homeostasis in scientific terms. It has ways of identifying and expelling unwanted intruders through the immune system. Our sensory proprioceptive awareness allows us to know where we are in relation to the space around us and to navigate our world without effort. These processes happen without our conscious control and dreams certainly have an affinity with the realm of the unconscious and can help us navigate through illness and disease.
In dreams we may receive health warnings about impending problems, long before doctors could detect a problem. I had a precognitive dream about a health condition which did not surface until a year later when I developed Uterine Fibroids. The dream showed a tremendous black spider covering my lower body when it landed on my abdomen. A large pointed needle like protrusion came from it’s mouth and stuck into my lower abdomen. In the dream, I was really scared of that spider, it was really huge! I attempted gathering further information through dream re-entry, but my fear was blocking me from getting anywhere.
When I eventually developed symptoms of fibroids a year later, I recalled my dream. I sensed the needle was an important clue to approach treatment of the problem. The information I read from the western medicine approach was not encouraging, and surgery was the consensus at the time. I opted instead to go with acupuncture, inspired by the image of the large needle offered by my dream ally of the huge scary spider. After several months of intensive acupuncture treatments I found that the problem was not only alleviated, but has not since returned.
Dreams and the body are important in other ways, the body with it’s incredible wisdom can be a source of helpful insight in helping to navigate the realm of dreams. My lifelong background in dance, enabled me to learn how the body has a power and wisdom all it’s own. I found for instance, when I consciously asked my body to perform a movement that was difficult, my body would respond with ease and grace. If I tried to force doing a movement with my will, I was left with struggle and pain instead. I have also found the mind/body connection to be a valuable way to work with dreams and I often incorporate movement into dream workshops I teach. Expressive movement is a beautiful way to get in touch with your dreams, and gain helpful insight through the information the body imparts.
Science has discovered the power of the mind and body to heal through imagery and dreams. Recent studies have shown that the inward experiences of the imagination and dreaming translates as a real experience to the body. The body knows that the dream world is the real world. When we activate our imagination to inspire and affirm the body’s healing capacity, we are supporting our body’s innate wisdom and ability to heal. Dreams also provide a stage to rehearse for every day life, so whether you are practicing violin, healing cancer or learning french in your dreams, the body is there in a very real sense with you.
Valley Reed © 2011
Awaken the Sacred Dream 