Waking up night after night jotting down dreams in the darkness of the kitchen, I find that it seems like such an unlikely way to spend the wee hours of the morning.

I don’t stumble to the kitchen in an ill-fated stupor, but rather purposefully locate a piece of paper and pen with an intellectual striving mindset.

I want to write down my dreams, the ones that woke me up in the first place. I find that the more I dream the more I have some empathetic connection to the outside world. It isn’t so much that I dream what seems like all evening, it is the fact that some of my dreams are incredibly telling to what has happened or is about to happen.

I usually scribble my dreams on pieces of sticky note paper, not having the wherewithal to locate my glasses in the dark, which leaves the end result of what I’ve written all over the place when the morning light arrives. After my ritual of silence, tea, and movement, the dreams take precedence over my thoughts.

I just can’t let them go. I have to know what they mean.

I have to consult a dream book or an internet dream site. I like to explore the recesses of my mind. For the most part, I have no idea that the 2:00 a.m. scattered words on small paper would amount to larger sentences and meanings that find their way into pages of my journal.

Dreams matter. They are a way to process the comings and goings of life. They are often a cacophony of images and colors and voices. Dreams have an effect on us. As with any ethereal practice, dreaming is the subconscious alerting us to our memory of past, present, and future.

Dreams also signify a very sound sleep, which is actually rarer than we care to admit. The mere presence of people, places, colors, and symbols in the corners of our brains during REM sleep highlights just how much pleasure can be had when dreaming. It can also glorify pain. All emotions bubble up after a very lucid dream.

Dreams can be big. Dreams can be poignant. Dreams can remind us of people long gone. Dreams can show amazing depths of strength and passion. Dreams can reveal past occurrences. Dreams can tap into opportunities and possibilities.

We all have a mystical capability, prompted by the third eye (intuition), and fueled by our willingness to open our hearts to what dreams actually mean to us as individuals.

Water dreams are my favorite.

The mere sensation of water in a dream is a spiritual message that tends to linger in my conscience for a long time. Swimming in depths or floating upside on a river or surfing around an ocean swell, I am instantly transported to a magical place of serenity. Most water dreams appear when a significant growth spurt is taking place in the real world.

I had many of these years ago, and when they show up in these current times, I’m so awestruck and grateful that I have more to learn. There is always more to learn.

Teaching dreams are memorable too. In these moments (or dream seconds) I am teaching an aerobics class of some type, fiddling with the stereo (the Universe must know I’m not great with technology), and happily mixing it up with my students. These types of dreams appear when I’m also in a learning phase, or I have my own wisdom to share with others. No one in the dream is recognizable and it doesn’t matter. What sticks with me is the setting of the dream.

Dreaming with colors that stand out so great, it will be all that I wake up to and remember to jot down. Color-themed dreams are signs of essence and healing and stability. When you dream in color and that color resonates with you deeply, it is a clear message of the subconscious notifying you of goodness prevailing. Every instance that I research a color dream (usually green, blue, silver, yellow, and pink) I absorb the meaning of each and apply it to where I’m stuck or where I’m happily progressing.

I dreamt of silver crocodiles the other night, and it stood out so vividly, I couldn’t fall back asleep. Hmmm…

And that brings me to animal dreams and the very nature of my crazy brain and how it sees the world. Bears, a praying mantis, those crocodiles I just mentioned, packs of large dogs, lady bugs, butterflies, sometimes a snake, whales, condors and most recently a sweet puppy—these animal dreams encompass the large and small.

When I do the exploratory meaning I often wind up with a few definitions that make no sense at all, or I’ll heed the call of a warning, or I will feel as though something big is about to happen. The animal always gets my attention.

House dreams come up often for me. I feel like I’m on some grand house tour in the recesses of my mind. Strangers’ homes, luxurious homes, tiny houses, well-decorated rooms, or oftentimes a cool bed cover with tons of pillows. I find that house dreams fall into the stability category, and they can also tie in with the color theme. When I wake up from a dream reference to a home, my initial thought is one of relocation. Yet, it could also be my subconscious telling me that I need to change up something in my abode to make it more flowing and growing.

Another full moon is almost near, that big bright beautiful orb gracing our skies. This one challenges us to play nice with our fellow man. Dreams will be abundant and sleep will be needed. Pay attention to what comes up in your dreams, if at all. It is the “cold moon” dubbed by astronomers, as the winter solstice is ringing in shorter and darker days. The awesomeness surrounding this December prosperity is more time to sleep and dream. What a magnificent opportunity to take stock of all that we have and all that we can give!

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Editor: Rachel Nussbaum

Photo: Flickr