Tag: Transformation

Golden Dragonfly

I have been dreaming about the color gold in many dreams over the past several years and it always leaves me feeling that something magical is at work in my life. Alchemy is a magical approach of turning lead into gold. Alchemists believed that gold was a spiritually pure metal, and the journey of the soul to was transmute lead into gold. The Arabic term al-khimia means ‘the art of transformation’ which just happens to be the tag line for my business Chrysalis Healing Arts. Like butterflies, dragonflies are also connected with regeneration, immortality and rebirth.

Dragonfly Dream Catcher

A giant golden dragonfly entered my dream and flittered before me. I turned with a sense of awe as I followed in the direction of where this giant golden creature had gone, and saw it had landed on a golden circle held in the hands of an artist weaver who was creating a dream catcher with golden thread. The giant golden dragonfly was large enough to cover the entire center of the dream catcher, and so the weaver had to work underneath it to create her dream catcher with her golden thread.

It turns out the dragonfly is an ancient creature, and actually dates back 300 million years, when it arose in giant form with 2 foot wings and 4 feet across. There are many tales of the dragon fly from many cultures around the world.

Prehistoric giant dragonfly fossil

Ancient mythology reveals the original name for Japan is “Akitsushima” meaning dragonfly island. Dragonflies are known to be returning ancestors and celebrated in the Summer Festival known as Obon which is coming up on Friday, August 13th. Samurai warriors identified themselves with dragonflies as a symbol of power.

In a Mayan legend, dragonflies hold the power to heal and rebirth the Moon Goddess Ixchel by humming over her and filling her up with their life force.

Zuni Native tribal peoples see dragonfly as having supernatural powers and who carries prayers to the spirit world. The indigenous people of the southwestern tribe of the Hopi, also believe the dragonfly has supernatural powers and are shamanistic. They assisted the ancient Hopi in migrating to find their permanent home, and helping them to locate water and to grow corn. The Hopi have lived in their permanent home in Arizona for over 2000 years, but they are rooted in much more ancient cultures from which they migrated from South America, Central America and Mexico. They are considered one of the oldest cultures living in documented history.

These are just a few of the tales of dragonfly from around the world, and in my dream the dragonfly got my attention appearing as a giant ancient ancestor and pointing me to a golden web of dreams giving protection and vitality to the dream catcher being woven by an artist weaver. My dreams are woven from the transformative process inside my being. Blessed by the presence and protection of the golden dragonfly, big dreams are being created in the center of my circle.

Valley Reed © 2021

Midnight Butterfly

by Valley Reed

 

Rise into infinity,

Come away with me,

Come away with me.

 

Midnight Butterfly 

wild and free,

show me possibilities.

 

Giant wings alight my crown.

My head in flight,

and my feet on the ground.

 

Enter the infinite,

beyond inhibitions.

No prerequisite

for dream exhibitions.

 

Free to roam

and wander around,

explore the mundane,

reveal the profound.

 

Dimensions of dreaming,

flooding my mind.

depths of meaning,

wise and kind.

 

Dream memories land

on fluttery wings. 

Beyond understanding 

the order of things.

 

Midnight butterfly flight

visit my dreams, 

guide me tonight…

 

Wisdom wings

of the soul kind,

open my mind.

 

Travel far 

on intentions set, 

Discovering where

you haven’t been yet.

 

Creative winds 

are expected to blow.

Remembering how 

to forget what you know. 

 

Rise into infinity

Come away with me,

Come away with me.

 

Midnight butterfly

take me dreaming

From a sight so high,

reality is streaming.

 

Butterfly flight 

in dreams tonight,

take me where

you want to go.

 

Show me your wings,

covered in all things

artful and mysterious. 

Show me places 

marvelous and curious.

 

Set course for

the upper realm.

Whisper your magic spell,

with love at the helm.

 

A place where spirit dwells 

in the unseen world,

let my wings unfurl.

A place my soul delights

and vision swirls,

let dreams take flight.

valley@awakenthesacreddream.com

Valley of the Giants

Becoming my Larger Self  June 2012

I dream of growing into a Giant being. I begin from my natural appearance and then grow into a very large version of myself.  Over and over again, I am growing larger and becoming giant. There is now, more than one of me.  I am aware inside of the dream of this transformation taking place, and my thought is, “It’s happening! I am becoming my larger self.”

I am deeply afraid of what is happening and at the same time, I know it is inevitable. My little self, lucid awareness, begins to try to control the dream and stop from growing so big, but soon I realize it is no use, there is nothing I can do to alter what is now happening. I even try to forget about it inside the dream, actually telling myself,” I won’t remember this dream in the morning, no need to worry!” (wrong) Finally, I try self deception and doubt, and tell myself this is not really happening. My larger reality however, overcomes the fears and doubts of the little lucid self in the dream.  I finally have to accept the truth of what the dream is presenting, and realize I AM becoming my larger self and growing into a larger being, on the scale of a goddess. EOD

What does it mean to become the larger self in affinity with a Goddess as big as a mountain? In one respect, it means the limits and constrictions of the little self can no longer control, nor hold the larger sphere of the soul and spirit which now reaches out to connect with the everyday world. This seems to hold a place of great fear, to be viewed on the same plane as a Goddess, and not seem like an egomaniac. The dream showed however, there is no stopping this transformation taking place anymore than one could change a butterfly back into a caterpillar.

I had a deep sense of knowing within the dream that this space of transformation was always available to me and that it would eventually come my way someday. It was as if remembering some long forgotten promise, that was finally coming true. Another part of this dream for me, is that it was not a singular event which resulted in this transformation, it seemed to be a process of learning how to shift into becoming my larger self, and indeed practicing becoming giant, over and over. Beyond that, I had the sense this replication of the larger self was perhaps creating these larger shifts of perception and being into other realms and dimensions.

Action Plan- Recall the larger self in waking reality, when I find I am struggling with fears and doubts.

Dream Re-Entry to get to know and explore the dream of the larger self.

My one liner from this dream is “Living the Larger Self!”

Valley Reed © 2012

Dream Healing with the Benu Bird

At a recent Dream Healing workshop I was teaching in Grand Junction, Colorado, there were themes of heart and soul interwoven with the dreams shared. I incubated a healing dream while catching an afternoon nap, prior to giving a lecture that evening on the Healing Powers of Dreams.

“Bennu Bird” by Michelle Celebrielle

During my dreaming, I was gifted with the presence of a large white bird which flew overhead.  I could clearly see the huge white wings until it landed on a tall tree upon bare branches.  I looked closely at the face of the bird,  noticing the streaks of black coming out from the eyes and long narrow feathers reaching out from the crown.  I recognized it as the mysterious Benu bird of Egyptian myth, bringer of renewal and capable of retrieving and bringing forth the energy of soul.  A wonderful ally to accompany our dream journeying for the weekend.

There were themes of the heart and relationships which presented themselves over and again from our group of dreamers. One participant shared a dream which was full of opposites and polarities which gave the opportunity to dance with each of the polarities represented in the dream. The dream was brought to life through the movement accompanied with the intent of each of the polarities. The dreamer was able to reach a resolve toward wholeness through the movement and integrate the separation of loss into complete freedom. The wings of the Benu Bird were flying through the dance at the end, to bring about healing liberation. Another young woman brought through a vision of seeing a possible love relationship which culminated in the couple riding off together on black and white horses. The dream also gave counsel and warned her of the need to be willing to wait and not hurry into the relationship.

A doctor who attended was eager to see how dreams could help her better care for her patients. She journeyed with two power animals, that of the cougar and the eagle which became one creature. She was on call during the whole workshop and was indeed living in two realms at once. The bringing together of these two animal protectors will help her to better navigate the challenges of her dual life.

The energy of relationship and the balance of opposites flowed throughout the day, and in the end, the feeling of connection was the gift, like the egg of the Benu bird in the tree of life, which promises renewal for the future.

The Benu Bird according to Egyptian mythology recounts the bird as a carrier of “Ba” or soul energy. The soul energy is able to leave the physical body and travel at will, something we can do nightly in our dreams.  The Benu Bird is akin to the Phoenix and bringer of renewal which comes with each era. It is a rare occurrence to witness a Benu bird, as there is only one such bird in existence.  The Benu bird has no mate but continues through self regeneration. It has the capacity to integrate both polarities of Masculine and Feminine into one being. It builds its nest in the tree of life, laying a single egg to break open a new era of soul.  It was the song of the Benu bird which sang creation into being. The mysterious Benu Bird is a beautiful story of how, we may each give birth to ourselves and participate in this renewal of soul and spirit. Through this transformation of death and renewal, we can bring all parts of ourselves into wholeness as a way to help heal the past and bring about a brighter future for coming generations.

Included in this healing and to honor the Benu Bird, I offer this poem of prayer;

Dream of the Benu Bird

May we walk in beauty as we step upon the earth,

and sing our lives into being.

May our souls learn to soar as the Benu bird,

and dance awake our dreams.

May we bring about more balance in connection to each other,

the Earth we all share,  and all the creatures upon it.

May we honor those who came before us,

and the gifts they have given.

May we remember where we came from,

and what we each came here to do.

May we honor and protect the children,

and future generations, through our actions today.

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