Dreams: Our Spiritual Gateway to the Universe
Around the time my father passed away, I had a dream that he met me outside in a parking lot during a snowstorm and asked me what I was doing there. We spoke briefly and, in my dream, he seemed happy, at peace with the world. I remember a feeling of content and hopefulness watching him walk away in the soft powdery snowfall.
Shortly after, I received a call from my brother with news that he had passed away.
The power of dreams
Throughout history, civilizations have used dreams to explore the possibilities of the unknown. Our ancestors considered dreams a spiritual portal providing insight into the past, current, and future.
But over the ages, science has slowly eroded our belief that dreams can give glimpses into another realm. Despite the many personal stories of dreams foretelling the future, or enlightening the past, science explains the phenomenon away as pure coincidence rather than any sort of premonition.
Even though western society by and large has dismissed the magical aura of dreams, some psychologists believe in the power of dreams and even collective dreaming to influence our future on earth.
Ancient history of dreams
From some of the earliest written history, we know that Mesopotamians and Egyptians placed high value on dreams. Leaders considered dreams spiritual guidance for making religious and ruling decisions, and in everyday life. They believed messages came from the other world of powerful spirits or gods.
Dream interpreters were visionaries in ancient civilizations. Tribal elders, matriarchs, priests, and shamans translated dreams, and some were even able to enter a dream through trances to recover lost souls. The “seers” in ancient Babylonia deciphered hidden meanings to avoid consequences from unfriendly gods.
Native Americans and the spirit world
Native American cultures believe that dreams are a bridge between the physical and spiritual realm—a glimpse into the cosmic tapestry—connecting us to our ancestors. The soul, they believe, travels outside the body during dreams, encountering spirits and messages from the other realm.
Medicine men and shamans see visions and can prophecy the future by interpreting dream symbols and patterns, unlocking hidden wisdom to counsel the community. These prophets understand how dreams can predict events and alert us to danger. Animals in dreams are often considered spirit guides, providing warnings and insights about strengths, weaknesses, and life paths.
Indigenous tribes believe messages from the spirit world confirm the interconnectedness of all living things, deepening our understanding of the world and the cosmos. Dreams, they believe, can also be a catalyst for resolving inner conflict, finding emotional balance, reaching a spiritual awakening or experiencing harmony with the universe.
Dream Catchers
Our native People create dream catchers with a willow hoop, sinew, beads, and feathers to filter out the negative energy in nightmares and allow positive dreams to pass through.
Western society has appropriated dream catchers, originally from the Ojibwe culture, who believed sharing and interpreting dreams helped build community. By revealing their personal experiences through dreams, the Ojibwe gained insight into the collective history of humankind.
Indigenous Americans believe the earth and the individual cannot be separated in the web of life—dream catchers symbolize this holistic connection with mother earth and all living things.
Leaves of Grass and sublime oneness
In his famous poem, Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman stresses the uniqueness of all individuals, and how our diversity and our differences become our beauty. Whitman expresses the connectedness of the natural world with humanity, much like the Native Americans.
He also suggests that the soul is immortal. There is a transformation at death to an eternal transcendence beyond the human body. The intertwining of all living things is the sublime oneness of the body and soul.
The cycle of life and death is our unity with the natural world. Every person is part and parcel of the interwoven fabric of life on earth.
Dreams dissolve space and time
There is growing awareness of the connection between dreams and reality. We are not passive in our dreams, but experience them consciously by talking, running, laughing, or crying. We are rarely able to control our dreams—we simply go along for the ride—and they subconsciously become part of our reality.
Dreams are a kind of spiritual gateway, a self-exploration, offering glimpses of guidance and meaning. The boundaries of space and time dissolve in our dreaming world, allowing us to connect to a higher realm where subliminal messages lead us toward an awakening.
My father’s goodbye
Dreaming of my father either before, during, or after he passed away, was a spiritual gift. Was it my own subconscious at work, preparing myself for his inevitable passing, or was it a connection from beyond?
Nevertheless, I personally experienced a touchpoint—the interrelation of all living things through the limitless power of dreaming, allowing me outside the constraints of my physical reality to gain a far greater understanding of myself as one with the cosmos.
Sources:
What Do Dreams Mean? 9 Common Dream Interpretations (verywellmind.com)
Premonitions and the Future of Dream Research | HowStuffWorks
The Significance of Dreams in Native American Mythology – MythologyWorldwide
Dreamcatchers are not your “aesthetic” — The Indigenous Foundation
Understanding Spiritual Dreams: Insights & Meanings (lucidsoulvoyage.com)