General
How Nora Ephron Ruined My Life
My ruination at the hands of Nora Ephron began in 1978, when as a high school senior in Oakland I was able to take classes at UC Berkeley. This was a tremendous boon not just educationally but recreationally, as there were security guards constantly patrolling our high school parking lot, looking out for rebellious teens…
Read MoreCulture, Consciousness, and Dreams of the Future
Earlier this month I spoke with Professor Bron Taylor of the University of Florida. Bron’s latest book, Dark Green Religion and the Planetary Future, talks about nature spirituality in the U.S., and the possibilities for a society organized around principles from environmental science such as kinship with all life. It was a lively, thought-provoking conversation,…
Read MoreHow “Inception” Gets It Wrong About Dreaming (and Waking)
The movie “Inception” shines a light on a persistent human fear: that of being deceived while we are in a vulnerable, dreaming state. This is not a new story. As far back as Ancient Greece, people have worried about being misled by “false dreams.” In fact, that very thing showed up 2,500 years ago in…
Read MoreDick Cavett on the Mystery of Dreams
I love it when public figures talk about their dreams. They are the great leveler, because for all of our differences, everyone dreams. Everyone also has bad dreams on occasion, and I am fascinated by how we make sense of them for ourselves. What a treat, then, to find not one but two thoughtful posts…
Read MoreTwo Essential Books on Dreams
I have had the distinct pleasure over the past few months of immersing myself in some wise and erudite books on dreams. Here, rising to the top of the pile, are two books that I consider essential to the serious study of dreams in history and practice. The first is by Dr. Kelly Bulkeley, former president…
Read MoreWhy Do People Fear Their Dreams?
Most people are curious when they learn that I am a dream consultant. Many launch into telling me a recent dream, some ask questions about the meaning of dream symbols, and only a few have been dismissive. But the reaction that always puzzles me is when people seem afraid or worried about dreams. Why do…
Read MoreDream Your Way To Success
Just like dressing for success puts our best foot forward, dreaming for success can help us achieve our biggest goals this year. Last year I shared 10 great tips for having big winter dreams. But more important than having big dreams is knowing how to work with all the dreams we have. Here’s how to…
Read MoreDreams in Spiritual Mentoring
Dreams have been a reliable source of healing, divine contact, and prophecy throughout the world’s religions. Recently, I have had the opportunity to create a class for seminary students on using dreams in spiritual direction. I am pretty excited about teaching this semester, and have pulled together tons of great material for it. Here is…
Read MoreTwo Dreams that Changed Hollywood
Big dreams still come when we are at the top of our game, but sometimes the most influential ones come to us on the way up. If you read closely the profiles of those at the top, chances are you will find the moment when everything changed for them — and chances are that moment…
Read MoreLabyrinths: Public Art Meets Sacred Travel
Over the past two decades a design revolution has been transforming town plazas, hospital courtyards, public parks, schoolyards and churches all across the country. Equal parts public art, spiritual heritage and stress reliever, the ancient patterns of the labyrinth are making a comeback in public places, and may be starting a whole new pattern of…
Read MoreReview: “The Secret History of Dreaming”
That dreams have been influential in many pivotal episodes in history is accepted as fact in some circles; in other circles it is considered nonsense. Yet for anyone bothering to dig into the archives, it becomes indisputable that many important figures over time and across disciplines have been guided by their nighttime dreams—and have changed…
Read MoreSharing a Bed? Share Your Dreams!
In the beginning of any relationship there are habits to adjust to, personality quirks to discover, and systems to be worked out. One of you may prefer to share the covers at night, for instance, while the other may want them all to himself. It is important to talk about these sorts of things, because…
Read MoreHow to Start a Dream Group
Some friends and I started a dream group on a lark one summer. 16 years later, we are still meeting every week to discuss our dreams. Somewhere along the way we stopped thinking of dreams as our mind’s idle chatter, and began to be deeply affected by what we found in these nighttime visions. None…
Read MoreRecent Radio & Print Interviews
I have been interviewed on three different radio shows recently, talking about dreams, spirituality, psychology and especially my new book, What To Do When Dreams Go Bad: A Practical Guide to Nightmares. Here is a rundown on each appearance, with links to the podcasts (audio files) for each. Back in October I was interviewed by…
Read MoreTurning Nightmares Into Allies
Normally when we have a scary or troubling dream we try to push it out of our minds as quickly as possible. There it stays, for months and sometimes years, gathering dust in a corner of our psyche. Whenever we happen by chance to think of it again, it feels just as strange and unnerving…
Read MoreA View of the Earth from Space
I pay particular attention to the dreams I have when I am away from home. Particularly on overseas or extended journeys, it seems to me that our dreams take on a different character. As our lives are unmoored from habit and routine, our dreams are likewise free to roam, and often show us startling pictures…
Read MoreRachel Maddow’s Anxiety Dream
Everyone has anxiety dreams. Even fabulous cable and radio show hosts like Rachel Maddow have their share of dreams where things go wrong in major ways. I just came across this video from Maddow’s recent appearance at a Mother Jones fundraiser in San Francisco where she gives a great description of her recent anxiety dream.
Read MoreWhat To Do When Dreams Go Bad
Midway through a sound sleep you suddenly wake up, heart pounding and head filled with horrible nightmare images. Instantly wide awake, you replay the bad dream over and over, wondering what it means and why it had to happen to you. While everyone else is asleep, rest eludes you as a thousand fears ricochet…
Read MoreDreamwork for Yogis
I think everyone who practices yoga should also work with their dreams. As spiritual practices go, the two are very complimentary — one emphasizes body and breath, while the other emphasizes psyche and emotions. And something that is not widely talked about in spiritual circles is that cross-training in more than one discipline really does…
Read More10 Steps to Big Winter Dreams
Winter is a natural time to have big dreams. As the old year winds down and we make plans for the new one soon to begin, our dreams also go through a process of introspection. On these long winter nights, we dream about all that we have been through in the past year and what…
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