I have always been intensely interested in the Dream world. Shamanic healing requires the Shaman to work in the mythic realm and what is more mythic than dreams? It's a perfect fit. Over the years I have created a power healing practice I call Dream Work. If you would like to try it I have detailed my practice below.
Dream Work
Dream time is one of the best places I've found to do intense healing work. About 8 years ago I created a dream work exercise to learn to do this work. For this exercise you will need a tarot deck and a journal. You should keep this journal at your bedside at all times and always keep a pen or pencil with it, so that the minute you wake up you can write down everything you remember.
I use this deck for this exercise but you can use any cards that speak to you.
Since I used the goddess cards, my description of the exercise will refer to goddesses. But whether its goddesses, power animals, archetypes, angels or whatever symbol is meaningful to you.... take the deck in your hands and quiet your mind.
Do a little visualization, meditation, open your 8th chakra or just take a few breaths until you are relaxed and clear headed. When you feel calm and relaxed begin to shuffle the cards. As you shuffle, ask for a goddess to come to you in your dreams and guide your dream work. I used to say "Please send me the goddess who can help me heal on my deepest level." I liked to tap the cards as I said the words (like sending your intentions directly into the deck).
Then I would pull a card. The cards I use have a description of the goddess and their powers on the back so I would jot down the meaning of the goddess in my journal. Then whatever goddess it was, I would then ask her directly to help guide my dreams for my deepest healing. I would also set the intention to embody her in my dreams so I could see the dreams through both her perspective and mine. To do this I would write on my hand. If I pulled Venus, I would write "I AM VENUS" on my hand.
After doing all of this I would then journal for a few moments about WHATEVER I was thinking about, anything that was bothering me, or that I was obsessing about. The point of this is to clear your everyday thoughts out before you enter the alpha state, that way from the minute you fall asleep you can begin your healing work.
As I was falling asleep I would talk to whatever goddess I had pulled, always asking her to help guide my dreams, to nurture me, to merge with me so I could see through her eyes. If you decide to do this exercise you will find that you develop your own voice in talking to each goddess and everything you ask for help with will be answered.
When you wake up do not do anything else besides write down your dreams. Write every detail you can remember. If you only remember certain parts that don't connect write them down in whatever way makes sense. I never stopped to read what I was writing as I was writing it... this stage is basically a brain download. You can read it later in the day or add to it if you remember more details, but the point is to channel your dreams onto the paper.
If you decide you want to do this, you will find that as you practice Dream Work you will remember more and more details about your dreams and you will be very surprised at the deep symbolic messages you can give yourself.
