Read the post below this for an edit.
Back in the 80's, I was an active member of an organization in Va. Beach that promoted, among other things, dream study. They wanted to find out if people can direct their dreams and receive insights from them by the use of certain prompts. I agreed to participate in a study, which would use a piece of clothing, prayer and meditation. Here is how it was to work:
We were sent a small piece of fabric (cut from an article of clothing), and a set of instructions to follow for 30 days. We were to meditate on this piece of fabric, pray for insight into this person's problem and ask for a dream that would interpret what the person's problem was.
I was skeptical of my success, but I followed the instructions for the time period. At the end of the experiment, they asked that we write the details of any pertinent dreams we had and send them to the group. I did that, and months later, I received an update on the experiment which told the nature of the actual problem for this person.
Here is what I can remember of my dream:
I was in a car, on a dark road during a rain storm. There was much debris (leaves and branches) on the streets. I came to a long, long driveway of a home (also debris filled), and I drove around to the back door of this house. In the yard, there were large mushrooms growing, almost like tall cacti in the desert.
You may be as surprised as I was to learn that the male dream subject had a form of kidney disease. One of his major problems was infection that had been difficult to cure. Immediately on reading this, I was amazed that my dream had come so close to showing his problem. It seemed obvious to me that the rain storm and debris on the long road and driveway meant infection in the ureters and urethra. The back door refers to the kidneys, the mushrooms are phallic symbols, showing that the subject was male.
I have never participated in another experiment like this one, but it would be interesting to see if similar results could be achieved.
What do you think of this experiment?
Would you have interpreted my dream this way?
Does the very thought of this spook you?
I wouldn't have made any connection between debris and an infected urethra, or mushrooms and phallic symbols.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to learn that other people involved in the experiment had had a similar dream, though.
Visiting from Michele's.
I guess I would not have made the connection that you did, but then, it was YOUR dream.
ReplyDeleteI would love to do an experiment such as that. I think it would be great fun.
Oh wow! I would be fascinated to participate in something like this. I have always believed that dreams could give us answers (or questions!) regarding our daily life. The mind is a marvelous thing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
I picked up on the mushrooms right away, but then again I'm looking at the Pez dispenser above me and thinking penis too, so I'm just wired that way!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I came (via michele today) to read this because I am fascinated by dreams. I've often thought about posting some of mine because they are WACKY, often involving celebrities (recently Prince was breaking up with me. And Donald Trump smacked me on the ass.)
So very interesting Judy. Did this have anything to do with Edgar Cayce? Virginia Beach...and all?
ReplyDeleteI believe that dreams are a key to what you are 'feeling'. Sometimes the content seems obscure, but the imortant part it seems to me, is how you felt!
This situation is quite different, since you were asked to do certain things for a month, etc...I think it's fascinating and I do believe dreams can tell us a lot! This one sure told you a lot, didn't it? What kind of Mushroom look like a Penis? Am I stupid, or what? DUH?
I don't like to over analyze dreams. It freaks me out.
ReplyDeleteMichele sent me.
I read this post and the next one for full clarification.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't spook me out at all. I think the study was weird and very cool! Who knows what powers our minds have?
1. The experiment itself - hmmm. I did the Silva Mind Control course and by the second day my bs radar was twanging away. We did some similar stuff. It doesn't mean that I don't believe this connection - it just means I wouldn't go for it myself these days.
ReplyDelete2. Makes total complete sense to me. My husband and I both dream very vivid dreams and we discuss them all the time.
3. Hell yes!
Michele sent me
I see a connection, but then I wonder if you could've interpreted other dreams to find the same kind of connection- like a man in the dream would indicate a man had the clothing, and beans could be kidney beans, equalling "kidney".
ReplyDeleteBut I'm always second guessing myself. I'd be a horrible interpreter.
It's very interesting!
And thanks for stopping by today and yes, of course you can print out the Thanksgiving story! :) Thanks for asking!
Did you have to interpret the dream or did they do analysis of all the dreams they had to see what their interpretations were and if any were similar?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know about other participants results in this experiment, in regards to how the dreams relate to each other.
ReplyDeleteI'm not spooked by this at all. I do something similar myself, using dream cues is what I call it. Been doing it for years. It's wonderful what you can learn from dreams, and how you interpret your dream symbols (personal language).
My interpretation of your dream (without reading the rest of your post) was quite immediate. In my case, I related the mushrooms to infection/disease, and the debris everywhere as a sign of how and where the infection had spread, i.e. long driveway relating to endocrine, UT/Kidney and/or reproductive systems.
Very interesting dream and interpretation, Judy. Personally, I enjoyed reading about the experiment, and your participation in it. You did great! :)
Judy,
ReplyDeleteI'm going to leave the dream interpretation to others. Thanks for the comment about Katie. I answered your question on my post for today.
John
I know exactly which organization you're talking about :) Stuff like that doesn't freak me out at all, as a matter of fact, it's just a part of life. Things such as this happen to all of us on a daily basis, we just seldom take the time to stop and pay attention.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I'm very much "into" my dreams. I almost joined a "dream group" several years ago, but a relative was also in the group so I felt I'd be too exposed. I still find dreams fascinating. I'm not qualified to interpet dreams of people I don't know. I love reading about yours! More, more!
ReplyDelete(I have ESP which often shows via my dreams...that has spooked me.)
Very interesting...I'm interested to know what group (my hometown and all) - Cayce or A.R.E.
ReplyDeleteThis type of thing is so interesting to me. Let us know how you got involved with the group.
i always thought this kind of thing was interesting, bu ti am a firm believer that sometimes a mushroom is just a mushroom. Michele sent me today, as she often does!
ReplyDeleteI think we can interprete most anything we want in any manner we want. So it is hard for me to know if these studies are anyh good or not.
ReplyDeleteBut with that said, I had a flying dream the other night. First one. It wasn't in a plane either. It was vivid and stayed with me all day and funked me out. So who knows.
Ooh I love flying dreams! HAven't had one in a while but mine are often cruising through the oaks and plane trees of my primary school playground - so cool.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd have made those links Kenju but I can see where you went with it. Sounds like an interesting experiment - did they have similar connections with other subjects?
Hi Judy...
ReplyDeleteI came back to say how interesting thatyou all are Lifetime Members...I first read "There Is A River" around 1967...What a WONDERFUL book..such a great great story...I always that it would make a very wonderful film, if done with great care and integrity...You must have some very interesting story's to tell abour Cayce..Years and years ago I thought about visiting Virginia Beach, but never did.
I hope sometime you will write more about your involvement...if you feel comfortable doing that, of course....
Anyway...I think it is terrific! You are he first personI've 'met' in all these years who has first hand knowledge of The Foundation.
Hi Kenju, back again thanks to Hello Michele's alphabetical comment game. Sounds like there's more to this Foundation than meets the eye - do tell!?!
ReplyDeleteIt does not spook me. I cannot remember the last time i even had a dream. Wonder what this means?
ReplyDeleteThough dreams sometimes intrigue me, I don't spend a whole lot of time dwelling on them. Perhaps the fact that mine usually turn into nightmares has something to do with that. :)
ReplyDeleteThis was fascinating though ... very enjoyable read. I'd be interested in learning a little about interpretation, though there are so many books written on that topic that I almost feel like "why bother learning to do it when I can just look it up?"
Ever the lazy soul, I am.
Now that you describe the man's problem, I can see it in the dream. But I couldn't have interpreted it in advance. Were you able to do that?
ReplyDelete