Two Types of Dreams

Beloveds,

There is a Hafiz poem that begins:

"All your images of winter

I see across your sky"

It goes on to state that to heal:

you must

"forgive the dream."

I want to talk today about dreams.

It seems there are dreams that move us forward and dreams that hold us back.

It's worth contemplating at least.

What are our dreams?

What is our relationship to the dream?

Is it serving us?

Is it chaining us down or holding us back?

Poems have a way of piercing our facades, getting to our hearts - our core. This poem titled, "Forgive the Dream," grabbed me from that first line. It had my number, drew me in, and kept me to the end.

So much of the poem made sense to me, but I didn't understand the dream. What is this dream that I need to forgive? What is the dream holding me back from "a Perfect One's circle"?

As poetry invites, I sit with this questioning wisdom and I invite you to do the same.

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I also know there are dreams that I hold, longings, that I am afraid to pursue - afraid because maybe I'll fail, maybe I'll not do it right. This is a dream that wants to pull me forward into the future, but fear and insecurity hold me back from it.

Am I capable of creating the future I envision? Is it possible to continually work towards something that will takes years or possibly decades to realize? Can I learn all the things I'll need to learn and navigate all the twists and turns?

There's only one way to find out and that is to move towards that dream with the next step you can - whether via tangible means, an internal process, or something communal and relational.

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Dreams require learning, which is a place these two types of dreams overlap. There are dreams I hold that keep me from the future that wants to emerge, and there are dreams that will only emerge if I step into the future.

Learning is change. It is the opposite of stasis. Learning is curiosity. I requires reflection, communication, adaptability. It is growth.

Dreams require these.

Dreams require learning, growth, curiosity, risk, reflection, and adaptability.

Looking for how these characteristics show up in relationship to your dreams will inform you about your dreams. Through this process you can gain insight into whether this dream is holding you back and needs to be "forgiven" or whether this is a dream inviting you forward deeper into the miracle of life.

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I'm in process with this.

And I hope you are too.

I'd love to hear about your dreams, your relationship to them, and what wants to arise.

Open hands, open arms, friends.

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May you always see the blessing.

-esb

1. What are your obvious dreams?

2. What are you not so obvious dreams?

3. How do your dreams relate to your wounds?

4. Do you have any dreams to forgive?

5. Do you have dreams to bravely take next steps towards?

May you always see the blessing,

-esb

P.S. - Thanks for being here. I’d love to hear how you’re doing!

P.P.S. - The art and information in these emails is my copyright, unless otherwise indicated/credited.

P.P.P.S. - Interested in more about dreams? I’ve recorded a LYHL Podcast episode on the Two Types of Dreams (and I did it out in nature). Link below! Oh yeah, in the podcast I reference my I.L.Y. merchandise is available on RedBubble accessible —> here.