Can dreams show the future?
Yes, most of us have had at least one dream that came true in our waking life. These "big dreams," including precognitive, spiritual and telepathic dreams, help prepare us for what's ahead. The only way to know which of your dreams are dreams of the future is to record them.
What are "big dreams"?
Most of us have had at least one dream that played out in our waking life. Some people are blessed, and cursed, to have them regularly.
Many kinds of life-changing dreams predict and mark transitions and rites of passage. They show us parts of our character and values that stay fixed as long as they are unconscious, and character plays a big part in fulfilling our destiny. Know and study these big dreams especially, to understand where your life is going and why you respond to major life changes the way you do.
Working with and interpreting your dreams is soul work. You will speak to yourself and others in spirit form, and travel through worlds that, who knows, may exist. You'll discover parts of yourself you need to see, the peaks and the valleys, to get beyond ego, know what's real for you, and have the courage to follow it home.
What are precognitive dreams?
Precognitive dreams, or dreams of the future, guide us in preparing for the journey ahead. They usually refer to life events that will be an emotional or physical shock to our system. They help us build and keep our balance through turbulent times, like a practice run. When the event the dream predicted does take place, we are stunned and thankful for the honesty and simplicity of that dream. It prepared us well.
This is where dreams get sticky. What are your beliefs about dreams? Your beliefs have an enormous effect on how and what you dream. If your beliefs about something important in your life have ever shifted, you've probably noticed your dreams shifted too. Whatever you believe about psychic ability, dreams of the future challenge you to think about yourself and your life here on earth.
What are spiritual dreams?
Spiritual dreams reveal the tasks and highlights of our spiritual journey. They point the way to necessary sacrifices and changes, and give us a glimpse of the wholeness of our true divine nature.
Symbols with strong collective energy to watch for include sacred geometry, such as circles and pyramids, and holy figures such as Mary, Isis, Christ and Buddha. These expressions of the divine always carry important spiritual guidance in dreams and are rarely forgotten. Big dreams like these carry our lives forward even when we hardly give them a thought.
What are telepathic dreams?
In a telepathic dream, you have a conversation with someone in your life that feels as real as any conversation you've had awake. You know in your heart it took place, and you wake up knowing the truth of what is in their soul and yours. The conversation may be with someone still here on earth or someone who has passed to spirit. In dreams, it seems to make little difference.
We are often surprised to realize that what we experienced during the night didn't really happen, that it was just a dream. With telepathic dreams, the line isn't so clean. Sometimes you get confirmation that the conversation actually took place, either through a symbol or from the other person.
What are healing dreams?
In a healing dream, you or someone you know is ill, and a healer of some kind (a medicine woman or man, or even a doctor) shows you in the dream the approach that is needed. It might be the name of an herb or a remedy that, when you look into it, turns out to be just what was needed to get well again.
How do you know if your dream was a dream of the future?
The only way to know whether your big dreams are really dreams of the future, as they felt when you woke, is to record them. Keep a recording device or your phone by your bed, and be ready the moment you wake up to record everything you remember. Be colorful and descriptive! You can then work with your dreams later in the day. This is much easier than pen and paper and reaching for your glasses in a dark room.
You'll soon be startled by their impact on your life, along with other spiritual unfoldings. This commitment to your own process will ignite a feeling of spirit moving in and around your life. And if you are timid about trying new things, remember that dream work is a respected path to knowledge with a long history. From humankind's earliest days, the dream interpreters were the shamans of the tribe, who understood nature's voice as it showed up in the people's dreams. Big dreams have guided our evolution every step of the way.
Guest author: Kathleen Meadows has led dream study groups since 1990 at healing and wellness centers, community colleges and community centers. Her interest in symbolism and in archetypal and transpersonal psychology shapes her work as a dream interpreter, and her approach ranges from the esoteric to the practical. You can find more at dreamsdictionary.org.
