How to Start a Dream Group

First of all, why would anyone start a dream group? The short answer is that dreams are important.

Dreams are the language of our being. They tell us who we are, where we are, what our potential is, where we are blocked, and how to get past that block in order to fulfill our potential. They do this by mirroring back to us our experiencing. This mirroring back is given to us by a language – the language of dreaming – which is real, clear, and simple to discern, as opposed to a conglomeration of obtuse symbols that require a dictionary as many would have us believe. To learn the language of dreaming one must simply learn how to dream – and this is where a dream group comes in.

Dream groups, as I teach them, are a way of learning to speak the language of dreaming. To start a dream group, it is best to have no more than ten people, and best to meet with regularity – once a week is good – so that your body knows you are serious. If you send the message to your Self that you are ready to work with your dreams, your dreams will respond in kind.

Having chosen your meeting space and time, each person will bring one recent dream to the group – a dream from the week between meetings is best (dreams are present tense!). Then, you will do a short intuition exercise to determine whose dream will be opened. Everyone will do the exercise together, with eyes closed, and then afterward report what they see.

Here is that exercise:

Close your eyes. Watch your breathing for a moment. Then, exhale three times, counting backwards on each exhale from 3 to 1. See the number 1 as tall, clear, and very bright. Then breathe out to the zero, blowing it out as a ring of golden light in front of you. Then see, in the ring, the face of the dreamer whose dream the group should open that session. As soon as you see it – and it should pop in immediately – breathe out and open your eyes.

Once everyone has opened their eyes, that day’s facilitator will make the tally and the dreamer with the most counts will be the dream to be opened that day. This person then becomes the Original Dreamer, with each other person in the group a Secondary Dreamer. The Original Dreamer then reads their dream without interruption while all Secondary Dreamers write it verbatim (unless copies are provided).

After reading the dream, the Original Dreamer then answers short precise questions to clarify the dream – these are not emotional questions, rather explanatory ones; for example, “did the monster go into the house or around to the back of the house?”. Then, any questions of verification are asked, which are questions to distinguish which, if any, of the dream conforms to waking life; for example, if you dreamed the license plate in your dream is that the license plate you currently have in your waking life.

Having gotten all of the necessary information, the Original Dreamer is then silent while each Secondary Dreamer “dreams back” the dream as their own dream, taking turns. During this time the Original Dreamer simply listens, without engaging or interruption, taking in what may resonate. All Secondary Dreamers do not look at the Original Dreamer, nor do they use the word “you” (as in, “you” felt angry when “you” did xyz….). Instead, Secondary Dreamers use the word I, as they truly dream the dream back from their unique perspective, beginning their re-dreaming with the phrase : “As the Secondary Dreamer of this dream I feel … ” This ensures there is space, boundary, and distinction between the Original and Secondary Dreamers, and keeps the Secondary Dreamers to staying in their own response for their own edification. While we dream individually, all dreams chosen for dream group have a message for everyone there.
After each Secondary Dreamer has dreamed back the dream it is then returned to the Original Dreamer who is free to comment, or not. After the Original Dreamer has commented – if they choose to do so – then dream group is over for the session – there is no further discussion, no taking the dream out into the public after. This practice also preserves the sanctity of the space, as well as respects the fact that dreaming is present-tense and now it is time for the next dream.

This is an extremely pared down how-to on forming a dream group. Dreaming, in fact, is a life-long pursuit, and dreams are multi-layered, multi-nuanced, and there are many more tools for re-dreaming and understanding our dreams.

If you would like to know more I have full descriptions of how to work with dreams and form a dream group in my book (“Dream Your Self into Being“), and I teach dreaming in person and online.

Want to experience a dream group? I have two dream groups beginning Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Click here to learn more.

I will also be teaching an online class on dreaming for IBelove.com beginning Sept. 22.

Happy Dreaming!
Bonnie