Full Description
Sacred dreams - those in which the dreamer experiences the immediate presence of or communication with the Divine - have shaped the spiritual history of humankind. Jacob's ladder dream, Joseph's dream verifying Mary's virgin pregnancy and Herod's plans to destroy the child, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha's auspicious dreams on his journey to enlightenment, Muhammad's night journey dream - the pervasive power of the sacred dream is part of the scripture and lore of virtually all the world's religions.
This fascinating introduction to sacred dreaming celebrates the dream experience as a way to deepen spiritual awareness and as a source of self-healing for people of all faith traditions - or none. It includes practical, step-by-step exercises in every chapter.
Contents
Introduction vii
Part One
Entering Sacred Dream Space
Chapter 1
The Art of Cultivating Sacred Dreams 3
Chapter 2
The Thin Veil between Waking and Sleeping
Consciousness 17
Part Two
Dreaming as a Sacred Experience
Chapter 3
Mystical Dreaming 37
Chapter 4
Lucid Dreaming as a Sacred Art 53
Part Three
Interpreting Dreams as a Sacred Art
Chapter 5
Sacred Dream Recall 81
Chapter 6
The Art of Discerning the Deep Meaning of
Sacred Dreams 93
Part Four
Sacred Dream Work as a Means of Personal
Fulfillment and Spiritual Growth
Chapter 7
Sacred Dreaming and the Creation of Sacred Art 123
Chapter 8
The Art of Sacred Dream Healing 136
Chapter 9
The Nuances of Gender in Sacred Dreaming 161
Conclusion
Nurturing the Sacred in Dreams 181
Notes 186
Suggestions for Further Reading 194
