Who’s to say that dreams and nightmares aren’t as real as the here and now? ~ John Lennon

Do you know that your nightmares may be a gift in disguise? It is easy to forget a sweet dream, but a frightening nightmare can last a lifetime. How can we stop a recurrent nightmare?

It is easy to dismiss a sweet dream that allows us a good night’s sleep. On the other hand, nightmares can show us something to change in our lives, like remembering not to forget a vital childhood event, so we don’t make the same painful mistake again as adults. All our life challenges, no matter how sad, were and still are learning experiences.

Often finding the hidden nugget-of-gold or gift-in-disguise stops the nightmare forever. If you have ever had a nightmare that was so horrific, you were afraid to go back to sleep. Good for you! Nagging nightmares do not terrorize us for fun. They have a positive purpose.

According to Dr. Deirdre Barrett, a psychologist at Harvard University, “Nightmares are helpful to our survival or else they probably would have been done away with by evolution.” Barrett theorizes nightmares act as the brain’s way of focusing attention on issues the dreamer needs to address.1

A nightmare may be a call to action to help you revisit painful incidents in your childhood so you can heal emotionally now. Your dream world is the perfect opportunity to try out new solutions to an old problem. The frightening emotion you awaken with could be a piece of something bigger, like your future.2

A Latin proverb dating from the 16^th century says ‘praemonitus, praemunitus’, which loosely translates as ‘forewarned is forearmed.’3 Might our nightmares be arming us? Could this be our gift in disguise? The trick is to remember the details between our many nightly dreams.

We shift in and out of our dream doors approximately four to six times during the night.4 Between our dream cycles, we can have a significant nightmare while in the deep sleep level of REM; Rapid Eye Movement.

But what is the agenda of nightmares so disturbing they wake us in the middle of the night?

Nightmares have three essential purposes. They get attention using fear because fear works. Then they keep your attention by making the experience unforgettable, thereby gifting you important information for your waking world. This dream guidance could be a call-to-action with specific verbal directions, another golden nugget in your nightmare.

Your nightmares are personal gifts from your inner-self for your waking life. Embrace your nightmare’s gift in disguise, decipher its meaning and message, follow the call to action, and thank your dreams for the opportunity to use the fearful information to live a more joyful life.

Originally published on Bizcatylst 360.

References :

• https://www.livescience.com/32730-why-do-we-have-nightmares.html
• Dreams That Can Save Your Life: Early Warning Signs of Cancer and Other Diseases; by Larry Burk M.D. C.E.H.P. and Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos, Findhorn Press; 2018th edition (April 17, 2018) https://amzn.to/2lPkm0p
• https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/forewarned-is-forearmed.html
• https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/dreaming-overview#:~:text=Dreams%20can%20happen%20at%20any,to%20six%20times%20a%20night.

Mayhem bombards us daily, but we seldom hear about the miracles that happen despite or because of the chaos. The miraculous happy endings reassure us and remind us that the good guy still wins and can ride off into the sunset on a white horse. The trick is to see, embrace and give thanks for our miracles. Mayhem is all a part of our unforgettable Hero’s Journey of Life.

In high school, I sang in the school chorus. One of my favorite songs was the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II hit “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” which was later sung by many crooners, including Gerry and the Pacemakers and Elvis Presley. The lyrics that resonated with me most exemplify this book are:

Dreams are a fascinating aspect of human consciousness, serving as a bridge between our waking life and the deepest realms of our psyche. They offer us a unique means of inner guidance and a dialogue with the self that transcends the limitations of our conscious mind. Through the language of symbols, emotions, and narratives, dreams communicate our fears, desires, and unresolved conflicts, providing insight into our innermost thoughts and feelings. This dialogue can illuminate paths for personal growth, highlight aspects of our lives that require attention, and even foster creativity and problem-solving. By paying attention to our dreams, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and navigate life with greater awareness. So, what’s in your dreams?

Aries (Mar 21 – April 19) You need a change of scenery. Make travel plans that YOU will enjoy. Bucket List?

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Tell yourself you deserve a Mental Health Day concerning your family.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) You will enjoy a short trip to meet new people and make new friends.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) You are a frugal sign but deserve to buy something extravagant. Just do it!

Leo (July 23 – Aug 22) You are a generous sign so be careful not to go overboard. Just say “NO!”

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sept 22) This is a playful month for you so just kick back and relax. You deserve it.

Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22) Family and a parent will be your focus. Embrace your responsibility with love.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) Embrace your “Stinger” as a loving and protective part of yourself.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) You deserve to live your dream. So just do it.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19) Focus on making at least one new friend this month.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18) Water is in your blood, find ways to do water activities.

Pisces (Feb 19 – Mar 20) Let go of the past, and focus on the present to build your future.

You may have heard the saying, “Laugh till it heals.” Current research agrees; laughter is considered a form of medicine. And it is a sharp gift that can cut through fear.

During these stressful times of facing a buggy-man named COVID-19, it may be time to use this gift as a blessed weapon because laughter is contagious, too. You may be thinking, “What? Laugh at a time like this? Is she nuts?” Please allow me to share a story and present research to validate my statement.

In the echoes of my mind sits a British woman named Petronelle who lived on Cape Cod. Pete, as she preferred to be called, mentored me during my battles with breast cancer and the writing of my first book. Petronelle’s numerous novels of espionage, romantic suspense, and mysteries were published worldwide. If not plotting a murder, she could be found sitting on her blue recliner watching TV and laughing at the nightly news.

Petronelle’s joy was addictive. If I felt frightened, I phoned her to get a “hit of Pete.” The worse the situation, the louder she laughed. At first, I found this behavior quite alarming and questioned her state of mind. However, over time, I realized it made any crisis seem less dire, even a life or death situation. In my case it was cancer. In her case, it was her eyesight. “Yes, the doctor told me I’m going blind,” she laughed. Wiggling her fingers as she continued, “So, I’m learning braille because although my eyes may fail me, my fingers still work.” Then she belly-laughed while rocking in the chair. There was something about crisis delivered with a British accent followed by howling laughter that made everything seem better. “Eventually, we are all going to die,” she chuckled, “so, it really doesn’t matter, Dear, does it?”

Petronelle had a point. The truth made me giggle. She conquered fear from the higher vibration of joy and laughter. I loved her for it because she always made me feel so good about myself by making me feel good about the outcome of any situation. I felt invincible.

Leading by example, her giggles taught me to laugh in the face of fear. So, while I went through breast cancer, recurrence, surgeries, treatments and tests, I followed in Petronelle’s footsteps and laughed as often as possible, about anything, or nothing. At times my husband wondered about my mental state.

Delivering catastrophic news via laughter chased Petronelle’s blindness (British) “bogeyman” and my cancer boogeyman away. Fear cannot live in a laughter-filled environment. I decided to research why the power of laughter worked and found that something amazing happens to our mind, body and soul when we laugh.

According to current research, laughter creates scientifically measurable positive change. It is also an excellent treatment for relieving stress and research shows stress is a killer. Forbes magazine explained how laughter has an anti-inflammatory effect that protects blood vessels and heart muscles from the damaging effects of cardiovascular disease.1 Regular, hearty laughter should probably be part of every heart disease prevention program. And, according to the Journal of Neuroscience, laughter is a potent releaser of endorphins, our natural, feel-good chemicals. 2

The endorphin effect also explains why social laughter is so contagious. Laughter contagiously forms social bonds. When an endorphin release spreads through groups, it promotes a sense of togetherness and safety. Each person in the social unit becomes a transmitter of good feelings to others via laughter. It explains why when someone starts laughing, others laugh, even if they are not sure why everyone is laughing. The reason is not as important as the good feeling of belonging.

At first, the concept of laughing in the face of fear felt forced to me. But, over time, it replaced my old behavior of becoming anxious. When necessary, “fake it till you make it.” Allow laughter to become the new habit that naturally enhances focus for problem-solving. It is easier to see a solution when fear is removed from the equation.

Petronelle died with her eyesight. I still miss her, but her laughter lives in the echoes of my mind. Despite the odds of surviving cancer three times, I stand in the protection of my Higher Power during challenging times, and laugh.

“Laugh at fear and uncertainty? Impossible!,” you may say. Try it. You might discover your new happy-pill.

Originally published in Desert Health Magazine in May/June 2020.

References:
1) Six Science-Based Reasons Why Laughter Is The Best Medicine. https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2017/06/05/six-science-based-reasons-why-laughter-is-the-best-medicine;
2) Social Laughter Triggers Endogenous Opioid Release in Humans ; Journal of Neuroscience 21 June 2017, 37 (25) 6125-6131; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0688-16.2017 https://www.jneurosci.org/content/37/25/6125

Dreams are a fascinating aspect of human consciousness, serving as a bridge between our waking life and the deepest realms of our psyche. They offer us a unique means of inner guidance and a dialogue with the self that transcends the limitations of our conscious mind. Through the language of symbols, emotions, and narratives, dreams communicate our fears, desires, and unresolved conflicts, providing insight into our innermost thoughts and feelings. This dialogue can illuminate paths for personal growth, highlight aspects of our lives that require attention, and even foster creativity and problem-solving. By paying attention to our dreams, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and navigate life with greater awareness. So, what’s in your dreams?

Aries (Mar 21-April 19) Food Dreams – If partying, you try not to eat, drink, or spend too much.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Joyful Dreams – Focus on yourself and your happiness.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Travel Dreams – You will enjoy short trips and meet new friends.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Bank Dreams – Be careful when spending money, especially on a pet.

Leo (July 23-Aug 22) Money Dream – Your financial judgment may be off this month.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sept 22) Livingroom Dreams – Make where you live more attractive.

Libra (Sept 23- Oct 22) People Dreams – Don’t promise more than you can deliver.

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) Boss Dreams – Be careful when talking to parents, bosses, and authority figures.

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21) Home Dreams – Be a tourist in your town and explore your neighborhood.

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) Bartering Dreams – Don’t agree to something you may regret later.

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) Angry Dreams – Don’t be demanding. Work on Cooperating with others.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20) Busy Dreams – Get organized now so you can have more fun playing later.