A game of dreams

Sometimes on these dream weekends the dreams of many become one dream. Here, for example, are the dreams of Day 2 of last weekend’s dream retreat, in the order they were reported. We had been talking the evening before about family patterns and relationships, children, and the young, vulnerable parts of ourselves.

Dreamer 1: I was playing a game with someone, jumping pegs that were black on the outside with green or teal translucent cores.

Dreamer 2: A member of Dreamer 1’s household was in this dream. There was lots of chatter. I was cutting long carrot and celery sticks in half, making them edible. A phrase: “Single life? Double life?”

Dreamer 3: We are at a store. My daughter, who may also be Dreamer 2’s daughter, plays a game by hiding green leather slippers we intend to buy by a sidewalk. Where are they? She says, “They are next to the 5,” referring to a hopscotch game drawn on the sidewalk.

Dreamer 4: All of us were watching games—there was a crowd. I am protecting my child on my lap. A man on my right has his hand on my leg. I think if anything else happens I must do something. We go to a store to get something but I stay with the child. An energy spirit comes to take the child. I scream for help, then body tackle the spirit, which turns into human form with 4 arms. I have no handcuffs so I tie the arms to each other. In another dream I am protecting children by pools. I hear English being spoken in this foreign land. I have to decide how to act. I must be polite though I am uncomfortable with the English speakers’ presence.

Dreamer 5: I was with schoolkids in a big office building. One student went to look for something and didn’t come back and I went to look for the student. I entered an elevator the size of a room, where people were working. I went down with them.

Dreamer 6: I woke with two phrases from the movie The King’s Speech in my head: 1) “I have a voice.” (spoken authoritatively)  2. “P-p-p-positively medieval, Bertie” (mockingly spoken to the stuttering future king, referring to the younger brother kicking the older one off the throne. At this point Bertie lapses into stuttering again.)

These dreams had particular meanings for the individual dreamers but when we looked at them together they spoke to all of us as one dream, with these themes and messages:

1)   Life involves playing games, that is, following patterns and rules established in families and society or by individuals or family members. Whether they are helpful, playful, or destructive, it is important to be aware of them, recognize them.

2)   Protect the children, the young ones around us and the ones we carry within us all our lives. Be aware, too, of the games these children play in the family and the way they set family patterns.

3)   Find your voice. Do not let a voice be silenced by mocking—which is also a game.