Make dreamwork into play
Get serious about fun — Even in times of crisis
Recently, while teaching my students in the Institute for Dream Studies certification program, I compared the puzzle of finding a meeting time for our geographically diverse students (given our various time zones from, Colorado to New York, London, Afghanistan, India, and Australia) to solving a Rubik’s Cube. I haven’t held a Rubik’s Cube for decades, so I thought it was unusual that that image popped into my head.
The next morning, when I turned on the radio, the first thing I heard was an interview with Ernõ Rubik, the creator of the Rubik’s Cube. He was saying, “Most people take things too seriously. … they should be more serious about play.”
When I encounter synchronicity (a meaningful coincidence) like this, I pay attention. I know I need to add more play to my own life, and I suspect that you might, too. After all, in addition to our personal daily struggles, we are living in a world in crisis, with a pandemic, climate emergency, and political instability all encroaching on our individual and collective well-being.
It’s easy to lose any sense of light-hearted play when the mood around us grows heavy with fear and doubt. As dreamers, we can integrate play into our dreamwork. Here’s how …
Color your dreams
- Bring color and collage into your dream journals. For me, everything is a little more fun when there are colored pencils, scissors, and glue sticks involved
- Put on some music and sing or dance the story or energy of your dream. Don’t worry, no one is watching. Have fun!
- Look for puns and wordplay in your dreams. Freud brought our attention to this delightful and insightful aspect of dreams. Enjoy it!
- Play dream games with one another. According to the dream expert, researcher, and author Kelly Bulkeley, members of the Iroquois Nation were known to play a game in which they guessed at what each other dreamed of. Can you get a game like that going amongst members of your dream group, dreamy friends or family members? Or invent a dream game of your own — and be sure to share it with us here.
Play around with some of these ideas, and invite the spirit of fun into your dreams and into your life as a dreamy soul. Then let us know how you integrated dream play into your day.
© 2020 Tzivia Gover
