Jung wrote, “So difficult is it to understand a dream that for a long time I have made it a rule, when someone tells me a dream and asks for my opinion, to say first of all to myself: ‘I have no idea what this dream means.’ After that, I can begin to examine the dream.” Dreams are indeed difficult to understand. Jung’s method of working with dreams invites us to deepen into their mystery but sometimes it can be difficult to know how to get started. Especially when working with long or difficult dreams, how can we find a toehold?
In this workshop, we will explore working with dreams using a series of prompts that can challenge the ego’s stuck thinking to open up the meaning of dreams. We’ll focus on areas of dreamwork that can be especially challenging, including complex dreams and anima/animus dreams. We’ll focus on the dream’s structure as well as the role of emotions in dreams.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
1.Explore the difference between a symbol and a sign and learn to avoid a key mistake in working with dreams.
2.Discuss three tools that can quickly open up a dream’s meaning.
3.Illustrate methods of working with long and complex dreams.
4.Demonstrate techniques for working with emotion in dreams.
5.Consider ways of conceptualizing anima and animus in dreams.
Assignment:
Please bring several dreams with you that we will work on. These can be your own dreams, or client dreams, or a combination. You will have a chance to share these dreams with the group but will not be required to.
