Ever wonder why we have dreams that recur over and over? What about nightmares? How about those dreams that leave us with a great emotional feeling of fear, happiness, dread, etc.? We will examine the nature of dreams and their purpose in our lives. Dreams are given to us each night to help us come to know ourselves better and make adjustments in our conscious lives. Dreams speak to us in the language of symbols. This workshop will examine some important symbols that occur in dreams. We will explore the meaning of the dream of Jacob’s ladder in the Hebrew scriptures. Guidelines for recording and exploring the meaning of dreams will be suggested. The process of active imagination will be introduced. Only the dreamer holds the key to understanding the dream which is a gift from the unconscious, a gift from God to help us discover God and our own psyches.

Mercy Gilpatric, D. Min., is a Jungian scholar and teacher with a lifelong interest and commitment to the transforming influence of spirituality and religion.

In the afternoon, bring a dream to share with the group.

We will identify the symbols of the dream and explore the meaning of the dream through the statement: "if this were my dream, I would associate ________, with the image of _______.

We will come to appreciate that God gives dreams for the benefit not only of the individual but for the good of the community as well. All dreams will be honored with respect and confidentiality.