“If you want me, you can touch me fully”, he said, his gaze never wavering or breaking as he stared straight ahead…

Who was that mystery man in your dreams?  If you’re a woman, chances are the mysterious compelling man was your animus (guys have mysterious women called anima) and this dream was what I call a BIG dream.  Big dreams wake you up with but never fully let you go.  Big dreams have deep connection and feeling to them, even if that connection is not really all that clear to your waking mind.  When you have big dream, you KNOW with the deepest part of your self  this dream, THIS DREAM, was on an entirely different level than any other.

What To Do When You Have a Big Dream

To let a BIG dream go by without mining the message from its depths, is like finding buried treasure and walking away without opening the chest!  All you really need is a willingness to accept the gift and get your ‘inner Rumi’ on to unlock the meaning of these dreams.

The key is to allow your emotions and heart to come through you write your dream.  This will connect you with the dream’s energy and help you tap into your own emotions and creativity to find your treasure.

Below is an interpretation I did of one of my own BIG dreams a few nights ago using the prose technique of dream interpretation:

Becoming Fully Touched

Let’s hit the pause button.  Notice that at this moment in the dream, a choice has come into play.  Would I follow my authenticity or deny my desire?

Living the Dream

I classify this as a BIG dream.  One  in which my soul was clearly showing me the desires, choices, and beliefs that are at play in my life.

The man is my animus or the manifestation of masculine energy.  The qualities in him that I am drawn to are qualities that I desire to bring more fully into my own experience:  authenticity, confidence in mission, laughter, joy, connection.

The Dream Choice is one of clearly wanting to join the animus however feeling that my current life path and choices prevent me from following my desires.  My choice is to remain in my comfort zone, put other duties ahead of what I really desire until another time.   However, when I return, the opportunity is gone and can not be found.

Dream Alchemy

Alchemy is about making the dream message meaningful.  Using the communication from the dream in your waking world to make your life better.

4 Questions to Bring the Dream Message into Daily Life

Active Imagination Technique

By using this technique, you are able to play out alternate choices,  The emotions you feel with your new choices can be helpful to guide and inspire you to make lasting change and feel more confident to reach your goals.

Dream on!

We love to talk dreams!  Have you had a big dream?  In what ways are you living your dream? Share you dream with us!

Some dream about business success, happy families, great relationships, travels, or toys.  Others dream of a connection to something greater than themselves and changing the world through their presence. 

My Story

Many people have forgotten their dreams, they put them on a shelf long, long ago never to be revisited until that long to do or ‘have to do’ list was complete.  My mother was such a person.  I saw her work at a job she hated, doing things she didn’t want to do so that she could have enough money to enjoy herself at retirement.  Sadly, she didn’t make it to retirement.  She lost her battle to canSer at the age of 60.

How you might ask, let me count the ways:

Night -time Dreams

A little dream work can reveal deep longings, hidden desires, stuff that is right in front of your face that you are too ‘socialized’ to acknowledge.  Your night time dreams are like your crazy uncle the one that can be socially unacceptable and just a little too truthful for everyone’s comfort.

Joy

Something that brings you joy is a like a compass pointing to your true north. Take some time to ferret out what situations, types of work, people, enviroments, activities, etc bring your joy and Dorothy you and your ruby red slippers are headed down the yellow brick road.  Be careful a true hero has many obstacles to face on the journey. That’s why I’m glad you’re here.  You need support and friends along the way.

Pain

Seems contradictory.  I know, right?!  But what have you been through and lived to tell about that you can help others with?  What are you wrestling with now?  The best way to overcome something and to get uber accountability is to help some one who is just behind you.  It solidifies your learning and keeps you on your toes.

These are just a few areas you can look to find your passion and recover your dreams and goals.  Aren’t you worth it?  Don’t  you think the world needs you and your dreams?  Of course, it does!

Are you stuck and stressed?

Do you wonder where you’ll ever find the time, money or energy?

Have you given up?

Barbara Sher says “Isolation is a dream killer.”  And you know, she’s right!  Doing your dream in isolation is like carrying a bag of rocks up a hill–exhausting, lonely, and just plain no fun!  No wonder you want to give up?!

Use our website and service to help you find the structured support and practical strategies you need to achieve your goals and reach your vision.

and that can scare the thong right off you! But what if you found a map that those before you had left and some fresh ideas about how to get to your dream?  Imagine how much better that would be!  Now, imagine that you got some people to walk your hero journey along side you.  All pulling for your success, excited as your are to see your dream come true. 

When One Wins We All Win

Contrary to popular belief, there is plenty of  ‘it’ to go around.  And surrounding yourself with dynamic supportive people is sure to bring more if ‘it’ into the mix. Try it you’ll see.

You’re not too old or too young.

You’re not too busy or too untalented. 

Your probably are just stuck and in need of some practical strategies and steps to get you jump started again. Seach the website, be inspired by others who are ‘doing their dreams’ big or small.  You make a difference and so does your dream!

Are you losing sleep because of bad dreams?

Click here to stop bad dreams and nightmares!

In Chapter 2 of this easy to read ebook you can look up your dream, read what it means, and then apply Jane Teresa’s easy to follow instructions to stop your bad dream.

It’s time to turn your bad dreams into good dreams, and enjoy the benefits of a good night’s sleep every night, as well as see some wonderful unexpected positive changes come into your life including increased health and happiness as a result of turning your dreams around using Jane Teresa’s simple proven methods.

Today, let’s really dig in and find out about symbolism in our daily interactions with animals and nature.

How a Caterpillar Helped me Climb a Mountain

Not too long ago, I was hiking Mont Tremblant in Canada.  And let’s just say the ol’ hiking boots had not been out of the closet in quite awhile.  Huffing and puffing toward the end of the hike, I had serious doubts about my ability to make it to the top. And I was starting to have hallucinations about the gondola waiting there to take me back down the mountain.  As I stopped for my umpteenth rest break (Did I say how much I love my patient husband?), out of the corner of my eye I saw a small green caterpillar hanging by a silken thread from the tree just in front of me.

I had been listening to Ted Andrews’ audio book Animal-Speak: Understanding Animal Messengers, Totems, and Signs and thought this would be the perfect time to tap into some “animal medicine”.  At this point, I was game for anything, anything at all, that might help me.  So, thinking back over what I knew about caterpillars, I realized they:

1. Are not in a hurry to get places, they go at their own pace. (Slow down and you’ll get there, Kris.)
2. They take the journey an inch at a time.  A children’s song popped into my head— “Inch worm, inch worm. Measuring the marigolds” (Kris, just take one step at a time and breathe.)
3. They focus on what’s in front of them.  They don’t look ahead 200ft and get discouraged by how steep it is.  (Focus on just the next step and don’t worry about what is ahead of you, Kris)

The next steps I took, I embodied the medicine of the caterpillar.  Step by step, inch by inch focusing on just the next step I moved ahead.  Before long, I turned the corner and BAM I was at the top!  Just like that.  Now, I”m fairly sure that caterpillars don’t drink beer but I did.  It was a big one, too.  Then I enjoyed a spectacular view from the gondola as I rode down the mountain.

Now its Your Turn

Animal symbolism is a great tool that you can use, too.  Here’s how:

1. Pay attention to animals that cross your path. -   Not every animal is a sign so use your judgment and see what resonates.  You get to decide. If something is meaningful for you, adopt it. If not, move on.  This is all about having a language or a tool that helps you grow and connect.
2. Stop!  What were you just doing? – As soon as you see or hear an animal, remember what you were just doing or thinking.  Yep, this will require you to keep track of your thoughts. They can be slippery little suckers but you can do it.  It’s also good practice for being present in the moment.   If you get recurrent animals sitings such as a cardinal in the back yard, then you come in and your husband is watching a Cardinal’s game on TV, then you hear a news story about a Cardinal in the Catholic church visiting your town,  pay attention and see if the ’medicine’ of the cardinal has something to tell you about a current situation in your life.
3. Research the animal. – You can Google the animal on the web and find more about it.  There are several websites dedicated to animal symbolism.  Use them only after you have worked with the symbolism yourself a bit and researched the basics of the animal.  Because we are all individuals, we assign different meanings to symbols in our lives.  As with all symbol interpretation, take others’ interpretation as input and not authority.  You are the best judge of what a symbol means to you.

Again, this is more of an art form than a science.  At the very least, you will learn to slow down, take in the moment, and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Let Me Hear From You

I would love to hear your experiences with this symbolism technique.  Please post a comment below and let me know how it goes!

Absolutley, according to Ted Andrews who is widely considered to be the MacDaddy of animal symbolism.  As a symbolism junkie myself, I was thrilled to discover my inner Dr. Dolittle through Mr. Andrews’ audio book Animal-Speak: Understanding Animal Messengers, Totems, and Signs

Animals show up often in my dreams and I’m guessing yours too.  They can be intimidating (snakes anyone?) or confusing, “I was pregnant but then, instead of a baby, I had a litter of puppies!”.  Here are a few basics to help you get started working with animal symbolism in your life.

The Basics

Animal totems are believed to be a guiding essence that reflect and remind us of certain characteristics of that animal in our lives.  We can have one or more and they follow us throughout our lifetime.  Discovering your animal totem(s) is more of an art than a science.  Here are a couple of questions to help you uncover what yours may be:

1. What animal(s) do you dream about regularly?
2. What animal(s) have you been fascinated with since you were a child?
3. What animal(s) are on your ‘must see’  list when you visit a zoo or aquarium?
4. Do you have any animal collections such as figurines, pictures, etc?

Pick one or two animals that seem to resonate most or have an emotional pull on you.  Then, do a little 3rd grade homework assignment and find out more about that animal. What are their traits, behaviors, and habitats? Do these characteristics resonate with you?  If so, you might have just tapped into your animal totem.

How Animals Speak to your Life

My recurrent dream animals are rattlesnakes (with an occasional cobra or three) and mountain lions.  Although they scare the bejeezes out of me, I am always strangely compelled to visit the snake house at the zoo.  As I investigated more about snakes, I found that they have some interesting qualities:

1. They have a keen sense of smell.
2. They grow as long as they live, shedding their skin as they outgrow it.
3. They are warm blooded, meaning that they are affected on a survival level by their environment.

Andrews calls these qualities ”the animal’s medicine” or the essence of the learning you can receive from the animal totem.  Looking at these characteristics, I can see in my own life I have developed a keen sense of ‘smell’.  I can easily ‘smell’ it when things are not right or people are being deceptive.  By embracing this behavior, I have learned to trust that instinct instead of blowing it off as my ‘crazy imagination’.  Just as a snake sheds its skin, I can also embrace my tendency to learn, grow and move on instead of beating myself up for not sticking with things.  And finally, I am learning to be very careful with my personal environment such as who I surround myself with, groups I participate in, and am even getting outside more often.

You can leverage the animal’s medicine further by putting a picture or a small representation of your animal in your line of sight.  This will remind you to embody these traits.  I don’t think I want a live rattlesnake or even a picture of one but a black diamond might be a good logo for my business.  Get the idea?  Be creative and have fun with it!

What About you?

What animal shows up in your life again and again? Start paying attention.  You can probably learn a few new things and get a new perspective on your life.

I would love to hear about your animal totems and dreams!  If you need a little help with the symbolism of your animal or would just like to share, post a comment below.

Next post… How to interpret animal symbolism and energy in your daily life.