8/12/2019 Wakeup and Dream

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WEEK ONE WAKING UP TO YOUR DREAMSMostofusthinkoftheeverydayworldasfairlyconcreteandpredictable.Dreams,ontheotherhand,areconsideredfantasies,changeablemiragesthatcandissolveinamist.Yetthewakingworld isfilledwithunpredictable,bizarre,surrealisticimages,includingfreakishcrimesandstunning worksofartthatseemthestuffofdreams.Dreams,ontheotherhand,containthedeepesttruth aboutourunconsciousthoughtstowardreality.Ifwecouldonlygraspthemeaningofourdreams, wewouldunderstandourrelationshipwithotherpeopleandtheworldarounduswithfarmore precision and depth. Infact,dreamsleepandalertwakefulnessarejusttwostatesalongthecontinuumofconsciousness weexperienceeveryday.Duringmostdreamsweexperienceourselvesasawake,andsometimes whileawakewemaywonderifwe'rereallyinadream.Itstandstoreason,therefore,thatifweare ever to wake up in our dreams-to become lucid-we must learn to differentiate the dream state and the waking state in asure and powerful way. WeekOneoftheCreativeSleepProgramhelpsyouachievethisgoalbyteachingyoutokeenly observethenatureofwakingrealityandthenatureofdreams.Inthefirstpartoftheweek,youwill learntorecallyourdreamsandrecordtheminadreamjournal.Youwillalsolearntoimmerse yourselfinthesurrealisticimagesthathauntwakingreality,oftengivingitmanyofthesubjective qualities of a dream.WeekOneexercisesalsointroducesomeofthebasictenetsofdreamcontrol.Youwill,forinstance, createasleepingenvironmentconducivetomoreconsciousdreaming.Youwilllearnhowto influencethegeneralsubjectmatterofyourdreamsthroughaprocessknownasdreamincubation. Andyouwillevenlearnaneffectiveapproachtoproblemsolving;focusonanissueinyourlife using the technique described in Week One, and a solution may well appear in your dreams. Finally,byconfrontingthenegativeimagesthatsometimesemergeinyourdreams,youwilllearn howtomovethroughyourdiscomforttoastateofsemi-awareness.Asyoude

veloptheabilityto interrogate your dream enemies, a veil will start to lift. You will start to wake up in your dreams. Oneimportantnote:thoughWeekOnetechniquesareintendedtoserveasapreludetolucid dreaming,theyarevaluabletoolsinandofthemselves.Indeed,evenifoneneverhasaluciddream, keeping a dream journal can provide a basis for deep exploration of the inner self. Incubating dreams oncreativeandromanticdilemmascanprovidevaluableavenuesforprofessionalandpersonal insightandsuccess.Andexaminingorinterrogatingfearfuldreamimagessoyoucancometobetter understand them may help eliminate recurring dreams and even nightmares. PleasedonotunderestimatetheimportanceofWeekOnetechniquestotherestoftheCreativeSleep Program. They form the bedrock upon which the upcoming weeks of lucid dreaming are based.