i love the Egyptian word for dream, rswt, which means “to be awake”- written with the symbol of an open eye. there’s something special about a dream you remember- a potency. a pushing through-ness. a dream birthed into your waking world.
there are many types of dreams. when we define these varying experiences using a single word like “dream”, we are forgetting that these individual dreams are each unique. our desire to categorize a group of experiences as one singular thing creates a barrier between us and the larger truth- that there are many nuanced types of dreams.
we forget that we have the capacity to comprehend dynamic things, or that we can build our capacity to hold broader truths like a muscle. and we can do this by using better language for the experiences we have.
this loss of definition is a product of colonization and displacement. each of our ancestral lineages had words for describing and understanding their dreams in ways that were much more sophisticated than what we have today.
in my Celtic lineage, the Tuatha tribes and the Ancient Druids describe their dreaming lives in ways that deeply resonate with me. i encourage you to explore how your ancestors described their dreams.
in a desire for a common language that is one step closer to nuance, here are some dream terms i’m working on:
a “neuro” dream: dreams in which the brain is “taking out the mental trash”- clearing out mental loops regarding daily tasks, appointments, to-do lists.
a “shadow” dream: dreams in which the subconscious mind is presenting scenarios around our shadowed or unseen hopes, fears, desires, etc.
a “wandering” dream: dreams in which we leave our waking life’s space/time reality and enter liminal places, spirit realms, dimensions, and astral planes.
a “tarot” dream: dreams in which symbols deliver a deeper meaning through shapes, numbers, animals, or other metaphorical or archetypical elements working to awaken an internal knowing or wisdom.
an “omen” dream: dreams of prophecy, future events, or foretelling.
in our waking life, not all moments are mystical and not all moments are monotonous. our experiences shift. this is also true for our dreams. if we discount all of what is mystical for what is not, we will be missing a deep well of ancient wisdom and inspiration made available to us every night.
on loop
this playlist for sleep is my tried and true