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OT: Tarot Cards in Dreams

kestral

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Hi, I hope it's ok to post here about this, as I don't belong in any Tarot forums, but I had a dream tonight in with Tarot cards in it and was hoping someone here in the community could offer some insight.

I had a dream in which I finally had a rock band together, and we were set to go up and perform a few songs in a few hours, but I still did not have a name for the band, and couldn't seem to decide which songs to play. So somehow in the dream, I decided to draw a couple of Tarot cards for inspiration and the two I received were: Two of Cups and The World. I looked at the two cards and couldn't really figure out what they meant, and then i woke up.

Could someone help with a possible interpretation of what this means?
 
D

dharma

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Hi Kestral,

With nothing else to go on except the dream as you describe it and the two Tarot cards...

[feel free to jump in anytime Mick!
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...I'd say, that whatever it is you are bringing together these days --that you can't quite label or hang a name on-- would best be served by playing a mutually-appreciated "love song" (2 of Cups....an agreed upon approach (to please a duet, perhaps??)

When you choose from the time-honored and classical approaches, you easily reflect the following movements....ease in at the beginning, produce a definite high point, and round it out with a joyful and satisfying conclusion (The World).

You may not yet have determined what it is you "have" but you can choose a musical theme/backdrop that corresponds and harmonizes with everyone involved. Just an idea...how does that "sound" to you?
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Dharma
 

kestral

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Hi Dharma,

Thank you so much for offering your interpretation of my dream! As you correctly surmised, in my real life right now I really am trying to form a band, and get my music off the ground. So far, going at it alone has been akin to banging my head against a wall, and I know that with the right musicians, a lot of the obstacles that seem so huge right now would not even be an issue. I've tried to play all the instruments on my own, and be an island onto myself in doing this, and it just hasn't worked out to my satisfaction. So having that dream seemed so literal, and it was the first time I've ever seen Tarot cards in dreams. Coincidentally, after your reply, I got a call from a couple of people in response to a classified ad I took out last week in search of musicians. The conversation went very well - in fact, if we get alone musically even half as well as we did conversationally and philosophically, then these could be the people!

Another possible thought, lately I've been playing a lot of open mic nights and have met lots of people. In a way, it's really good that I'm getting out there and getting my music and myself out there, but in a way, it's also very scary, because playing by oneself in one's bedroom is very different than going out there and performing songs live. As well, by going out, I really got a feel for how music was out there. I always had a picture in my mind of what my music would be like, and now, I find that I am shifting my views on it - it's scary because I've held that picture for a very long time, and I wonder whether the right way to go is to hold on to my vision, or be flexible and adjust to what I percieve now that I've been going out.

In any case, you've given me much to think about and what you say resonates with how I feel, thank you so much!
 
C

candid

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Hi Kestral.

There is a famous executive producer named, David Geffen, who spoke the following words to me after listening to my music. As a backdrop, I'll say that I was proudly holding onto my self perceived purpose as being an artist. David said I'd have to delete half of the lyrics and get on the hook and stay there for most of the 3.5 minute song, before he'd consider producing it. I proudly (and arrogantly) reminded him that I'm an artist and could never compromise my art. David smiled, settled back into his office chair and said:

"An artist's obligation is to their art. An entertainer?s obligation is to their audience. Now, you must chose."

My Manager almost killed me after the meeting, and he would have done me a great favor by beating the sense into me. But my pride was stronger than my reasoning, so it never got produced.

I thought these wise words passed down from a Prince of the music industry might prove helpful to you.

I wish you the best with your music and vision!

~Candid
 

Frankelmick

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Kestral,

I think Dharma did a great job with your dream. Thanks for thinking of me Dharma
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This is a very powerful dream.

It's as if you have the World at your feet and the way to fulfill your potential is through love and working with others.

Candid passed on good advice I think.

Fantastic dream!

Mick
 
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dharma

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Hi Kestral,

Now that I have a bit of your background at my disposal... I can confidently say that the two Tarot cards you chose in your dream are encouraging you to connect with others who share a love for a similar music style.

Since most of your efforts have been "sheltered" up till now, it is hard for you to determine what that style is and that's where The World card offers up it's own suggestion. Take your time and ease slowly into any arrangements with others --make sure they're the right people for you.

When you feel you have the right combination of people together, move to the next stage of crafting you ideas --as a unit-- this will move you gradually to the first level's satisfying conclusion, which will then allow you to move on to the NEXT cycle of your musical career. (Again, follow The World's original perscription --ease in, combine, conclude.)

.....

I can completely identify with your "anxiety", though I am not a musician myself. I have for different reasons and circumstances found myself similarly scared.

As long as I kept my ideas to myself and I wasn't giving them a chance to "breathe" and be "breathed" by others, they couldn't be developed further than the womb of my own mind.

It is in allowing others to "react" to your ideas and material that you, as an artist, can hone them to please the many. In time, what feels like "hard" criticism to swallow at first, becomes an absolute necessity that you will naturally seek out as you seriously attempt to give birth to your feelings and thoughts in musical form.

I am curious, did you do an I Ching reading for this? Perhaps you can cast some readings for the different people you meet to determine which ones are best suited to you --what each one has to offer you.

However muddled everything looks at this point, every step you take towards your dream will take you one step closer to where you want to be...and as far as I can tell, you are most definitely on your way.
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Dharma
 

willow

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Hi Kestrel,

I agree with what both Candid and Dharma say. But consider this additional step: where Dharma says, "It is in allowing others to 'react' to your ideas and material that you, as an artist, can hone them to please the many," realize that the artist in you, when engaged in the task of being an entertainer, will not wither away, but will in fact work hard to find ways to "nourish the many."
 
C

candid

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This is good! Thanks for your perspective, Willow.

The word, "craft" is applicable here. It is this mixture of clay, skill and spirit which forms the pot. The question is: who will use it? The more commercially designed pots have mass appeal, and so will be widely consumed. The more obscure types of pottery will find a niche market, if the potter is prolific enough, while retaining the spirit of his/her art; which is their true self.

Some have been fortunate enough to do both, with the original emphasis being on their art. Bob Dylan, Beatles, many others, have managed to do their art and have been received by the masses. Many, historically, post mortem.

One may do well entertaining a comparatively small following. One may decide for total commercial mass appeal, and accomplish nothing. Match task with talent. In other words, do what feels right, natural and intuitive. Combine your art with the task of reaching others (as Willow suggested), not just singing for yourself, and you will find your niche and your market. This will take great perseverance and single-mindedness, keeping your eyes upon the goal, whatever you choose that to be.

Be honest with yourself. There's no ego more easily misguided than that of an artist who desires the luxuries of the world.

Most of all, my musical friend, play! Continue to play for the sake of playing. Play impulsively and make ready your instrument for just such creative impulses. Practice the craft and reach for that sound you have in your head but haven't yet found on your axe. You'll find it if your hone the craft. Its a stretch, the average hand wasn't meant to contort this way to make that note; but yours is not the average hand. You will become its master, and it will reach that note! With practice, it will become easy, as to cause you to wonder how it happened?? There's a time for discipline. That's what separates practice from really playing. This applies to a band or to ones self. There's a time to jam and just adlib your communication between your fellow band members. There must be joy in the work or it becomes tedious; and without enthusiasm (16) there can be no real music.

~Candid
 
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dharma

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Hi again Kestral,

Afterthought:

How exactly do Tarot cards figure in your everyday life?

Are they a common presence in your life...a divinational tool you make use of often, perhaps only from time-to-time or was their appearance in your dream an odd surprise?

If it is an oddity then perhaps you should be prepared to proceed along less-than-familiar routes to realize your dreams in the music field. You may have to open yourself up to directions and suggestions from other "mediums" all within the scope of music, of course, that you haven't yet considered.

More simply, (if Tarot's appearance IS an oddity) remain open to all possibilities, however unusual they may appear to be at first --your musical uniqueness will be discovered along different lines than what you anticipate right now.

BTW, something else I forgot to mention, The World card pretty much guarantees you success in the field you have chosen. The only thing required from you really is *patience* through all the necessary stages. Each experience will lead you into the next if you keep your eye on your goal and recognize the stages for what they are --merely the small steps along the way to your own greatness!

Dharma
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kestral

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Friends,

I am overcome by all the wonderful responses from everyone here, what a great community! I feel honored for all the great insights here.

Candid - Thank you so much for sharing your story with me! I'll try to keep what you said in mind as I continue upon this journey. You brought up something that I am just learning. I have been a songwriter most my life, holed up in my own little room, writing songs, thinking that one day, I would somehow reach people through my songs, and perhaps make an important connection somehow, to the world. Somehow, I've always felt disconnected from the world, as if everyone in the world was in a secret club and everyone was a member except for me. All the secret handshakes, the secret meetings ,the things that I wasn't invited to, as if life was a party and the whole world was invited except for me. All of a sudden, taking these songs out of the bedroom onto a stage is a very different experience. The difference between a songwriter/studio guy and a performer on stage is so completely different. When I'm at home/in the studio and I make a mistake, I can go back and start over, I have monitoring, I have nice equipment, in short, I have complete control. But live, anything goes, anything can happen (and it usually does), things are uncertain. It's scary, and Wednesday night was a good example. I tried to do a couple of new songs, and they both fell completely apart on stage - and as a result (or maybe because I did), I fell apart as well. I have to admit, I'm very frustated with playing guitar right now, I've only been playing for about 7-8 weeks, and I feel like I'm fighting the instrument, since keyboards is my main instrument. And to top it off, I'm still working on my singing (which at the moment I'm not very confident about), so trying to juggle both at once has been a challenge, to say the least, and even at my best, I'm still not happy with my performances. I can imagine how it could sound better, the mind can concieve it, but the hands and voice aren't cooperating! I think the emotional release I had last night in response to these issues, really helped. I ended up writing a brand new song this morning, and I also discovered to my surprise that one of the songs I have been singing was not even in the right key, so I've re-keyed it and am going to try it tonight. I also sat down at the piano to figure out my vocal range, and I count almost a 3 octave range (which is supposedly quite good), but it's in the mid-low end, everyone has a upper register voice, and for some reason, I am having a lot of difficulty accessing it. I can access my falsetto, and the mid-low range I mentioned, but it's that middle section that's completely missing, and that's the voice I am trying to get to. *** Update *** I tried the re-keyed song tonight and nope, once again, it was the nerves that got to me. I don't know why, these last few weeks I have been performing, getting better and better, and all of a sudden, since this past Sunday, everything has completely fallen apart. I don't understand. But someone at the Wednesday night gig who is a really good player has offered to coach me on live performance, perhaps that will help. Otherwise, after tonight, there is a small part of me that really wonders whether I will ever get as good as I think I can be and wonders whether I should cut my losses and just give this up.

Mick - thank you for your kind words. It's an honor to get a reply from you - I've been reading the posts here with great interest and you always offer great advice and insight! Most of the time, my dreams are random, non-eventful, and I usually don't remember them. I sometimes wonder whether there is insight into dreams, of it's just a bunch of random fragments that make little sense. Last night I had another dream I actually remembered and felt somehow that it was significant. As mentioned to Candid, I tried playing again last night, and once again, it just wasn't there. I know it's there, I've had it before, but right now I don't and I wonder. At this point I'm really wonder what to do, whether to give up the music or to continue on, but if so, how? Well, last night I dreamed that I was at a party are a really beautiful condo in downtown Toronto Canada (where I am based), it was lavish and beautiful, but then I had to leave for some reason, so I was riding a bicycle (which I haven't done in years) through the streets of Toronto, then I got to Regent Park, the poorest part of the city, with housing projects and high crime. Well, somehow I wandered into a housing project apartment, and to my surprise, the basic layout of the place was the exact same as the lavish condo! I couldn't believe it! Somehow that was a huge revelation. As I was leaving the house, I met a little black girl, and she asked me whether I had seen her workbook which she had lost. I hadn't but I suggested that she go back to an intersection that I had previously seen her at and look there. Then I went to a store where a gentleman wanted to buy a package of mints, and the cashier refused to ring it up because he said the sale was so small, it was not worth his effort and that the customer would have to buy something more expensive to make it worth his while. The mints were 69 cents so I told the cashier he was an a-hole for acting that way and told the guy to give him 75 cents and left. Then somehow I bump into Bono of U2 (imo he's one of the best singers ever, certainly my favorite singer) and he's asking me if I had seen the little black girl, and I told him yes, and he said we have to look for her, because her name is Alleluia she is the hope of the world. It's interesting that this name came up, because someone just lent me Jeff Buckley's Grace CD, and my favorite song on there is his rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", which I've been listening to a lot these last few days. In any case, Bono and I end up finding her and the "movie" changes scene to Hell where the Devil is upset because "the good guys" ended up finding Alleluia before he could do away with her. Then it went on that throughout time, the Devil had managed to do away with important figures that would have ushered a Golden Age in the world. Abe Lincoln was one of the figured mentioned, but this time around, he had lost and he resigned himself to that he had lost, and that the Golden Age may just come to pass, as long as Bono and I were protecting Alleluia. The scene pans back, and this time, it's me, Bono, Alleluia, her family, and we're all seated at a restaurant having a feast. All of a sudden, my family arrives (my family is opposed to my doing music and anything that can't have a dollar value placed on it in their eyes may as well be worthless), and they try to sit between me Bono, but no way, I wedge my seat between my mother and Bono to make sure I stay beside him. Then she accuses me of driving my car illegally too fast to get to the feast, but everyone else at the table comes to my defense and points out to her that it's not me that was too fast, it was her that was late and too slow. That's pretty much the dream, wow, reading it, it sounds pretty out there, but when you're dreaming it, it all seems so "normal"
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Dharma - it's interesting that you mentioned the word "breathe", because that's exactly one of the things I need to work on with my singing. Going up on stage, I get nervous, and forget to breathe properly, and sometimes run our of air to reach for notes, or sing with the amount of strength I know I am capable of. At the same time, I can feel myself holding back, it's my own fear that's holding me back, fear that I'll make a fool of myself if I try to reach for the golden note. It happened tonight, only I don't think any of the notes ended up being reached. At this point the confidence is gone. It's strange, but at this point, I'm completely second-guessing myself, thinking everything I am doing is wrong. Guess I'm hitting a huge bump in the road at the moment. I didn't think of trying the I-Ching, truth be told, I find it difficult if not impossible to read myself on the I-Ching. I can do readings for others, but for myself, the objectivity isn't there.

Willow - you bring up an interesting point, the idea of there being two different roles, an artist and an entertainer. An artist sits in his/her little studio space and does things in peace and quiet without pressure, whereas an entertainer is expected to perform and entertain, hence the name "entertainer". At this point, I wonder whether I can make the transition to entertainer, if I have what it takes.

Candid - thanks so much for the kind words. Yup, at this point it's crunch time, do I quit or do I go on and apply myself to my craft. It's so discouraging at this point to perform, but deep down inside, it's what I want to do, just so scared of doing it and looking bad - ironically, that's what's been happening lately. I was improving, and then somehow, I hit a wall and started going the other way. At this point, I wonder where the enthusiasm is.

Dharma - as far as Tarot cards go, they figure in my life in that I have a deck, and once in awhile, I ask it questions, but it seems that I lack the objectivity to really read myself, once again. Reading other people is so easy, and I've been told it's accurate, but myself, it hasn't really worked. When I dreamt of the 2 of Cups and World, I know enough to know that they are very good cards, but what does it mean? 2 of Cups I know is a love card, and the World card is a card of completion, self-actualization, beginning of a new and better cycle, the clearing of negative karma and emotional baggage. I am single right now, and have been for an extended period of time, and I sure don't feel very self-actualized or complete at the moment, so those two cards represent to me my deepest desires. I think I can reach the "World" through my music, but at this point, it looks like I am having a very difficult time with even accessing it myself. As for love, I've also been in an extended losing streak in that aspect of my life, to the point where I wonder if there is negative-synchronicity going on, so I wonder why those two cards would come up for me in my dream. Once in awhile, when I feel emotionally distraught, I'll just pull a Tarot card to see what comes up as an indication of what's to come, what to do, and how things will turn out. These last 3 days have been especially trying so I pulled up a card every night. The first night I got the 4 of Wands, the second night I got the Lovers card, last night, when I was at my most distraught, I got the Sun card. I remember the first thought I had when I saw the Sun card, it almost felt like an insult. I mean, here I was feeling my worse and I get the happy friggin' Sun card, what's up with that? So that was the state of mind I was in before going to bed last night.

Just based on everything that has been going on lately, I feel as if at this point I am at a major crossroads, and what I choose to do could have a huge effect on how things could turn out. Thanks so much Candid, Mick, Dharma, Willow for your insights, if you have any additional comments to offer, would be greatly appreciated!
 
C

candid

Guest
Dear Kestral,

You may be a young man but you have a refined soul. Its exciting to me to see the grasp you have on things. Your eyes are open! You may not know how rare that is, but from my experience, its precious and few.

Your dream is phenomenal! WOW!! Bono is your hero-figure. The little black girl is who you are to protect. Think, Kes! Think what image your mind might pick up on to illustrate the ?soul? of the music you?re striving for! A young black girl who lives in the poor side of town, but who is as rich as the uptown condo? Bet she could hit that note without a second thought.. Bam! ?.nails it! This is who your are protecting from the devil. The devil steals the soul of men and binds them so that there will be no further creation. He?s a jealous ole bat. But, you and Bono? well, you make a team. He?s your hero figure, an image your mind has chosen to represent the hero in you, Kestral. That little black kid, Bono and you are gonna kick some serious ass, if you can endure each other long enough to see it to fruition.

Kestral, I never made it really big. All the years of work and pleasure I?ve poured into my music since 4, never got me to that condo. I just wasn?t prepared to sacrifice enough, including my wife and two sons. But man, I got to do something most cats just dream about. I?ve stepped out on those stages with thousands of warm bodies and minds, full tilt sound system to make the most of what I had to offer. There were times when I?d go 48 hours without sleep (can?t sleep in planes and hotels are just not home), then go out and do a double header, opening for my own heroes. Rush?! How many can they smoked a fatty with John Lennon? LOL See.. it wasn?t whether I made it or not in the end. The main thing is, I never would have gotten to do those things (what memories are made of) if I didn?t believe enough and work hard enough to do them. I?m not sorry for it in the least. It wasn?t a waste of time, in spite of the hounding I took from my beloved Mom and Dad. They meant well, they really did. They had no idea of the fire that burned in me, and still don?t to this day. So? I love them anyway!

Its true that if you spend your time and energy in this musical endeavor, you will lose it from somewhere else. You could choose to apply your time and work to become credentialed to teach and many other doors would open to you. You could choose a balance, live in moderation in music as in other endeavors. That wouldn?t be a wrong thing, nor would it be right. Its just a matter of choices and the passion and reasoning that help us to make the best, most profitable ones we can. But remember, when considering profit, recall that the inside of the impoverished housing was every bit as elegant as the penthouse.

Next time you play, just give it up to the little black chick, let go of it and give it to her. Guard her and don?t expect her to get allot of respect, except from you and those of like mind. Its doubtful your parents will hold her in high esteem.

Oh, don?t sweat the range of voice too much. Rather, work the key around your strongest natural vocal range. Its not unusual to have a ?blank spot.? Develop your strength and manage your weakness. You can actually use that blank spot for creative effect, as yodelers have done. There are little tricks you can learn to transition over those spots. Look at contemporary music?s greatest hero?s. Think they had those troubles? well, maybe not Michael Jackson or Barbara Streisand.. but for most vocal mortals, they weren?t all that great of singers, technically. They just used what they had creatively. If you naturally sing in second tenor or even baritone, so be it. Yeah, most male pop singers sound like girls.. so what? Use what ya got and give it over to your soul sister.

Oh, a little hot water and lemon works well just before going up on stage.

Sing on Bro!

~Candid
 

alisa

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Here is one dream expert's experiment, and opinion on dreams:

Every night, going to sleep, while you are just half-awake, half-asleep, slowly going deeper into sleep, repeat to yourself, "I will be able to remember that it is a dream".

Go on repeating this until you fall asleep. It might take a few days, but one day you will be surprised: once this idea sinks deep into the unconscious, you can watch the dream as a dream. Then it has no grip over you. Then slowly, as your watchfullness becomes more sharp, dreams will disappear. The are very shy; they don't want to watched. They exist only in the darkness of the unconscious. As watchfullness brings in light, they start disappearing.

So go on doing the same exercise, and you can get rid of dreams. And you will be surprised: getting rid of dreams has many implications. If the dreams disappear, then in the daytime your mind's chattering will not be so much as it used to be. Secondly, you will be more in the moment-not in the future, not in the past. Thirdly, your intensity, your totality of action, will increase.

Dreaming is a disease. It is needed because man is sick. But if dreams can be completely dropped, you will attain a new kind of health, a new vision. And part of your unconscious mind will become conscious, so you will have a stronger individuality. Whatever you do, you will never repent, because you will have done it with such consciousness that repentance has no relevance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm on day three of this experiment.

The first night of the experiment I repeated over and over "I will be able to remember that it is a dream" and awoke that night at 1:30 a.m. very aware of a dream and that I was dreaming. I wanted to write the dream down, but as usual, I didn't--my theory being that I won't/can't get back to sleep if I wake up and if I can't get back to sleep I will feel all zombie-like the next day.

But I'm working on this problem ;-)

The second night was the same as the first night, i.e., I awoke in middle of the night and recalled a dream.

I let you know if this experiement transforms my day life!
 
D

dharma

Guest
Hello Kestreal,

In our dreams we are, in a sense, talking to ourselves and the conversations we have are much more meaningful than the trivial 'thought-talk' in which we often indulge while carrying out boring, everyday tasks. When we dream it is our UNCONSCIOUS doing the talking, and listening to it could be more beneficial than we realize. What the unconscious is saying to us in our dreams is presented in a totally undisguised way and if we cannot understand them [dreams] it is only because we have lost touch with the language of symbols, which is rightly the language of dreams, and anyone who is at home in the world of symbolism--as so-called 'primitive' people were and are--will have no great difficulty in understanding them.

Dreams inform the conscious mind of any unhealthy processes that may be at work within us. To ignore our dreams is therefore, to refuse the self-knowledge that is the key to true happiness, the key to inner peace and joy, the removal of the tension that is a symptom of inner conflict, the solving of your personal problems and the establishing of a more richly satisfying mode of life. They contain all we need to know about the causes of our psychic troubles: they can tell us why we are as we are--victim or martyr, sexually impotent, or whatever--and they can also show us the REMEDY for our disorder.

The unconscious is not concerned merely with putting right the things that have gone wrong in us, either. It aims at our well-being in the fullest possible sense; its goal is nothing less than our complete personal development, the creative unfolding of the potentialities that are contained in our individual 'ground-plan' or 'destiny'. This means not just healing but wholeness. You see, the unconscious is much more than a mere dustbin, a receptacle for rejected emotions and desires. It's not merely a bundle of instincts centering on hunger, sex and survival. Herein lies the secret of life's meaning, which is normally hidden from the conscious intellect. The unconscious will reveal that secret in our dreams--if only we are receptive enough, which means being humble enough.

I agree with Alisa that the fact that we dream at all is proof of our neuroticism, however we cannot rid ourselves of our neurotic tendencies by simply ELIMINATING them. If it were that simple, we'd all be doing it already. The difficulty lies in the fact that we must travel THROUGH all our neurosis' to be healed. As I've stated a few times elsewhere on this board, DENIAL of anything, material, emotional, intellectual etc, doesn't serve our spiritual cause and growth in the way we hope and anticipate --it merely keeps us going around in circles. Until we FACE, CONFRONT and LIVE through the illusions and fantasies we've formulated about reality DIRECTLY (consciously and fully aware), the illusory world we've created around us continues to exist and true enlightenment can't occur. More simply, we can't let go until we've a good handle on it --we can't free ourselves from our neurotic prisons until we thoroughly understand how we've locked ourselves in.

I rather liked Candid's take and interpretation of some of the elements in your dream and I believe he gives you an interesting take on the images that emerged and sound advice. However, I'd like to point out that members of your family who appear in your dream are the reflections of how you've INTERNALIZED their actual attitudes and beliefs about your music and made them your own --in that sense, you have now become your own worst enemy. You hold yourself back and trip yourself up everytime you assess yourself in a negative way and view your efforts under a negative cast of light. What you would like most from your family (in terms of support and trust) is what you need to RE-condition within yourself so that you can get further ahead with your music.

You are riding a bicycle and not something bigger and more powerful in the dream precisely because your past conditioning continues to keep you moving very slowly towards your ideals. Watch out for the times when you judge your efforts as inconsequential and can't even be bothered to acknowledge your gains because that is what the cashier who won't ring up the sale in your dream is trying to show you about yourself. You have internalized your family's belief about what is valuable and what is not-- "my family is opposed to my doing music and anything that can't have a dollar value placed on it in their eyes may as well be worthless" --You must CONSCIOUSLY remind yourself often that every little bit you do counts to your overall success, however small the stride, until it becomes a natural part of your thinking process.


BREATHING

"Our breath is the bridge from our body to our mind, the element which reconciles our body and mind and which makes possible oneness of body and mind. Breath is aligned to both body and mind and it alone is the tool which can bring them both together, illuminating both and bringing both peace and calm." ~~Thich Nhat Hanh

.....

Breathing is the most natural thing in the world. It is at the very center of our physical lives. It is instinctive and involuntary and yet how often do we let it work naturally? Most people most of the time are unconsciously hindering the full extent of their breath. Look at the breathing of a young child, and you will see the whole system working effortlessly. All the movement is centred in the middle of the body. This is because that child has not had time to learn any bad habits that can interfere with the natural process.

Now take a moment to observe yourself. Is your head freely balanced on the top of the spine, or is it held tightly in position? Is your jaw or throat tense? Are your shoulders braced up toward your ears or slumped forward? Is the upper chest caving in or being pulled up? Is your stomach relaxed? How free are your knees and feet?

All these little details, habits born from experience, can affect your breathing, making it inefficient. If your posture is bad, for example, the muscles that create the changes in the body that lead to the intake and outflow of breath are restricted in their natural movement, and the lungs cannot expand to their full potential. This can result in breathing only in our upper ribs, a habit we get used to and accept as normal.

Also, the breath and emotions are interrelated. When you are angry, you might hold your breath, or, if you are particularly nervous or stressed, your breathing might become very short and shallow. Most people only use their lungs to their maximum potential when they laugh or cry deeply --laughter and crying both leave behind a feeling of relaxation, a release of emotional tension. Think of how tired and cleansed you feel after a bout of wholehearted laughter, or relief you feel after a deep sigh. If you have ever had a massage, you will have noticed that as your muscles relax, your breathing deepens and slows.

Try is little exercise, it will allow you to feel how deeply you can breathe.

Stand upright with your feet hips' width apart. Cross your arms in front of you, and rest the palms of your hands on your shoulders. It should look as if you were giving yourself a hug.

In this position, relax your arms and shoulders. There should be no unnecessary tension in the upper body. Drop your head forward, bending from the waist. Breathe all the way out, and then slowly, naturally allow a big breath in. You will be aware of your ribs opening in your back, and it should feel like the breath will be moving right down your spine.

This is very good for relaxing the lower back, if nothing else. Repeat a few times. Drop your arms, and then return to an upright position, slowly--if you stand up too quickly you may become dizzy.
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Also,

Breathing can either raise or lower your energy, depending on how you choose to breathe. If you want to lower your energy and become calmer, practice this method of breathing:

1. Inhale to the count of four.
2. Hold your breath to the count of four.
3. Exhale to the count of eight.


If on the other hand, you want to bring your energy up, the method you'll want to use is the opposite:

1. Inhale to the count of two.
2. Hold your breath to the count of two.
3. Exhale to the count of one.

If you're always exhausted, this energizing breath is for you. If on the other hand, you have too much energy or are anxious and stressed out, practice the first technique. A general rule is to practice for one minute four times a day.

These techniques affect not only your energy level but also your consciousness and alertness. If you are extremely energized, you may become over activated, and as a result, your focus will begin to narrow. You'll see less. You'll be fully aware only of what's right in front of you.

The same principle holds true for the reverse. If you're about to confront an audience of many people, you'll want to bring your energy down so you're centred and relaxed. But you don't want to be TOO calm --a certain amount of tension is necessary for you to connect deeply with your audience.
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I hope all this is somehow helpful to you.
Dharma
 

willow

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Alisa,

That is an interesting dream theory, and I hope you open a topic to discuss/report on it. My first reaction is that I wouldn't want my dreams to disappear. And the only dream book I've read (I think it was called Pathways To Ecstasy) suggested that becoming more aware of dreams as they happen can lead to what she called "lucid dreaming" (a steering wheel appears, and you drive the car). Her sense of why one would want to remember dreams was to develop a sort of personal mandala of dream images.

On the other hand, I do know one person who claims never to have had a dream ever - someone who successfully overcame a very difficult upbringing. And this person is notable for the characteristics you suggest - being very in-the-moment, and unified, having a sort of "totality of action." The thing is, I have never been able to figure out if this person is the most repressed person I know, or the most enlightened.
 

willow

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Kestrel

Dharma slipped in there, and has commented better than I could on many of the things I also noticed. I like the breathing exercises very much. You *are* at a crossroads, and from your description of the first dream at the top of the topic, your heart is out ahead ("I finally had a rock band together"), and your mind is lagging a bit behind ("but I still did not have a name for the band, and couldn't seem to decide which songs to play"). This is a very normal place for people to be - you *want* something, but as you approach it, you hardly understand what it really is. Well, what keeps heart and mind together at such times? Body. Attention to breathing will remind you to bring your body along for the ride! Don't loose yourself, be yourself. Interestingly, you said it yourself up there in a way: "I decided to draw a couple of Tarot cards for *inspiration*." The root meaning of "inspiration" is to breathe in, to fill with breath, to fill with spirit."

I'd be interested in knowing what has prompted you to bring your music out at this particular time. You know, to be performing in public on a new instrument that you've only been learning for 7-8 weeks, trying out new versions of songs, that takes quite a talent and bravery in itself - that's no 69-cent achievement!
 
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candid

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"I hope all this is somehow helpful to you.
Dharma"

Dharma, its very useful to me. Especially your help on breathing and the effects it has on mind and body. I've underestimated this importance of breathing and will be more conscious of it, utilizing the methods you've described.

Its also brought to mind a little exercise, taught to me by a Grand Old vocal coach. It concerns the tongue and its importance in vocalizing. When we stress over what comes out of our mouth, we retract our tongue. Its an automatic response which we are largely unaware of. When our tongue muscles pull back into our throat, it restricts the air passage, like pinching the mouthpiece of a balloon as we let the air out. This gives our voice a thin quality and our diction suffers greatly.

It may sound silly, but here's the exercise:

Take an ordinary pencil (clean it) and place it deep UNDER your tongue sideways. This should create a sort of smile on the corners of your mouth. Now, curl your tongue under and grip the pencil with it. Stretch the tongue further out and around the pencil, pulling your tongue out from in back of your throat. These muscles aren't used to being stretched and so you, at first, you will experience fatigue in your tongue quickly. Curl it over the pencil.... and speak, especially, sing that way.
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You probably will want to do this where no one can see or hear you cuz they'll either think you're nuts or really ill and call emergency. It sounds lame, but keep talking and singing, pencil firmly back against the corners of your mouth, tongue curled tightly over the top of the pencil. Keep at it, though you will sense the fatigue, for 3-5 minutes. Now, removed the pencil and listen to yourself speak and sing. You will notice the difference IMMEDIATELY! Your Esses, Tees, Vees, Bees and Pees will suddenly sound crisp and your diction will become naturally, but articulately pronounced. Sing your favorite song and listen how much clearer it all sounds. Obviously, this technique works to improve any speaking engagement, from an audience performance to a simple telephone call. It works immediately, but as with any exercise, it takes repetitive doing to train the muscles on a more permanent basis.

Now I'm going to do some breathing exercises and then going fishing with my son for Father's Day.
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Tai!
~Candid
 

Frankelmick

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Kestral,

Thank you so much. What you wrote means a lot to me.

"Mick - thank you for your kind words. It's an honor to get a reply from you - I've been reading the posts here with great interest and you always offer great advice and insight!"

Thanks very much
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Your Bono/Alleluia dream is quite extraordinary in its scope. Even Abraham Lincoln puts in an appearance!

There is a lot of symbolism in your dream. Too much to look at in one go. Here are a couple of ideas.

The suprising realisation that the beautiful condo and the housing project apartment have the same layout represents the fact that you need to value what's inside rather than how things appear.

Perhaps this image shows you that to some extent, everyone is the same inside.

Bono means good will as in the phrase "Pro Bono".

Abe Lincoln represents honesty.

The Devil is the illusion that you have no choice.

And Alleluia? She is you.

She is looking for her workbook which she has lost.

Perhaps this represents that it's time to roll your sleeves up and get on with it.

Don't let your mother's discouraging voice inside you put you off using your good will and honesty to find what you're working towards.

- - -

Remember, these are just my ideas but I hope some of it is helpful to you.

Best wishes,

Mick
http://www.north-node.com/dreams
 
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dharma

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I'm glad you find the exercises practical. I can't always know for sure what info is new and therefore helpful to the readers on this board.

Candid, the exercise you yourself described [with the pencil] is in some ways similar to the lion pose in yoga combined with the exaggerated A, E, I, O, U exercises I do in my classes, which focus on the facial and neck muscles, that would otherwise get overlooked and neglected.

Many people tend to have that thin, weak voice you mentioned as a result of not working the throat muscles out. The throat chakra is often a very unbalanced one for many people and they either don't speak up at all or are too violent and aggressive in their expressions.

Stretching any muscle out of its normal position allows the energy held there to be released. The more often we do it the less likely we are to hold energy in that area afterwards. For the neck and throat, it means clarity and strength in one's speech. The stronger the quality of one's voice the more appreciation and respect one commands from others.

Dharma
 
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candid

Guest
Greetings all!

Dharma, your A, E, I, O U, exercise makes allot of plain common sense. We're provided with the physical tools we need, but neglect some of the most crucial ones. Speaking-communication is vital to successfully find ones place within a social order of any kind. Humans, especially, have the capability to articulate their language using complex manipulations of both, gross and fine motor skills.

That particular exercise (A, E, I , O , U) reminded me of another vocal strengthening exercise, also taught to me by the same vocal coach. For casual note; she was in her 80's when she instructed me over 25 years ago. She was also Frank Sinatra's coach early in his singing careers. (OH! The stories that grand old woman could tell!) She simply would not tolerate timidity. She continued teaching until her death, through her love of doing it. She literally lived to teach vocal skills.

One of her exercises was to say, "open your mouth as wide as you can," then shove a large ball into your mouth. I'd be standing there, unable to speak as she went about her stories, as though to entertain while waiting for the muscles in my jaw, mouth, tongue, throat, to open and expand, stretch and, as Dharma pointed out, release the energy to a greater potential. It was sort of awkward, nodding my head as she spoke, unable to do anything but listen. (laughing) When the time was fulfilled, she'd pop the ball out and command to recite something from memory. Again, the pronunciation difference were so obviously improved and immediate, it was shocking to hear myself speak. As a result, I not only was able to improve my vocal skills, but got allot of funny looks from other auto drivers as they'd see me driving with either a pencil under my tongue or a ball wedged into my mouth. She taught me to let go of timidity, or caring how others view my self-improvement. I had a goal, and that's all that mattered. I wanted to be able to express outwardly, what I had so deeply felt inwardly, and so, the exercises continued without consideration of how silly I might look to others.

A, E, I, owe you!
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~Candid
 

kestral

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Wow, once again so many kind people came through with so much wonderful insights and valuable information. Which is why I apologize for taking so long to write back, there was just so much to read, go through and reflect upon that I wanted as much as possible to sink in first.

I hope you all can indulge me in some general comments first before individual responses. The more I think about it, the more I'm amazed at how the "microcosm" of my musical life so mirrors other parts of my life (be it my love life, my career life, my social life, etc...) and in fact, in the entire "macrocosm" of my life. The same struggles I deal with in other parts of my life are all here in the musical microcosm. My almost crippling perfectionism, my difficulty in expressing myself in the way I want, the lack discipline necessary to achieve the things I want to achieve, my fear of doing things and "going for the high note" or even singing in my true voice, for fear of what others would think of me, my inability to do one task at a time and when doing it, staying in the present moment instead of thinking of some dead past or unborn future, the seemingly neverending pessimism and criticism that erodes at one's confidence and self-esteem. All these things are here. I wonder if I were to finally overcome these things in my musical microcosm, whether it would translate into the macrocosm of my life. But it does make me think, how everything in the macrocosm flows into the various microcosms, having a similar effect in my life, and so if I'm to affect change and somehow overcome these issues, it's going to be through influencing that macrocosm, whether through direct change, or if the change is somehow made through a microcosm.

Candid - You're so right about Bono - in many ways, I think he's done very well, because when he first started out (listening to those early U2 albums), he wasn't a very good singer, but he was passionate and knew how to express that. And over time, he became a great singer. Between Bono and Jeff Buckley, they are my two favorite singers. It's funny because I only discovered Jeff Buckley's music very recently, two different people from two completely different circle of friends told me about him, and one of them even lent me the CD right there and then. Taking it as a sign, I listened, and was most definitely rewarded! For some reason, just listening to him interpret a song is a revelation. I spent all these years thinking to myself that "Songwriting is key", so that's where I focused on, writing great songs. And now, I'm learning that I also need to learn the performance aspect of it. Songwriting is the "internal" part of the game, performing is the manifestation, the taking of internal and bringing it into the external world. It's almost like sorcery. I know the spells, I just need to learn how to cast them.

Bono also said something interesting once, that you can tell how "free" a person is by the way they sing. People who are to restricted sing in more limited ranges, whereas someone who's more free-spirited, they sing in wider ranges. It's interesting how ever since he mentioned that was when I started widening my range. I think a few years back, when I did try to take vocal lessons, I only had an octave and a half range. As mentioned, I actually took the time to sit at a piano and figure out my range, and I now have a three octave range, plus a falsetto an octave above. Which means there's still an octave of voice I can potentially access, giving me five octaves. So it looks like I really need to find a good singing teacher (or become one), strengthen my voice, and work on my guitar playing as well. Something else interesting happened, I met someone who was in an incarnation of Buffalo Springfield, and we talked, and he likes my songs and he's going to help me with what he calls, The Art of Performing. This guy is an incredible singer/guitarist/songwriter/performer, so I'm really looking forward to this. But I know there's a lot of work that needs to be done at this point. BTW, over the weekend I read Jeff and Tim Buckley's biography, "Dream Brother", and also learned a lot from that. So far, I've been getting a lot of inspiration from this, it's been a long time since I've had a new musical influence/inspiration in my life, so I'm really enjoying this.

From the sounds of it, you didn't make so much a sacrifice, but rather, a choice - I'd wager that to have a wonderful wife and two great kids is more fulfilling than a music career. Fame is fleeting, but family is forever. Maybe it's a choice that I would make too, if I could. But I think in our lives, some of us are presented with certain choices and some are not. I mean, for me, I have always had difficulty in the microcosm of love in my life. It's eluded me like a master thief. If it's not difficulty in finding someone I truly feel passionate about, then it's the fact that she doesn't feel the same way, or that there are obstacles in the way that prevent anything from happening. I was really inspired to read that Jeff Buckley had faced a lot of the same things in his love life. Interestingly enough, a lot of my musical heroes did (ie. Elvis, Jim Morrison). So maybe that's just part of my path - at least for now. Doesn't make it any less difficult to face.

But it sounds like you had a wonderful adventure in music, something that you can treasure for a long time, and even better, you've got a great family!

As far as where to spend energy goes, I think you're right. I mean, I've been having literally zero luck finding a job - and a few times where the possibility of a job came up, I have to admit that I was scared, scared because it would mean that would take away from the energy I have from music. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I had quit music for two years, and it took a number of synchronous (or should I say anti-synchronous) events for me to get back into music. Maybe all this, having the difficulty in finding a 9-to-5 job, and someone special, all has to do with this. Maybe this is the time I need for doing my music, the incubation before the hatch. At this point I'm doing fine, my last job paid well and I have quite a bit in reserve. I can last another year on my savings, plus a small 20 hour a week job has come up that I could potentially take which could keep me afloat indefinitely (though it means I'm not advancing financially) so that I could do my music. Perhaps that's what I should do. More and more I'm learning that money isn't everything, and in fact, it was when I had the most money and the best paying job that I was the least happy. So maybe all this is exactly what I need at the moment, the right environment from which to re-gestate or transform.

About the Devil in my dream, I was surprised that in my dream, he was so easily defeated. Maybe it's a sign that my own inner demons may look threatening and overwhelming, but are easier to overcome than I think. I had another dream this weekend, before I went to sleep, I had a question in mind that I really wanted to know what I needed to do to have a sense of flow and direction back into my life. When I woke up, two words came to me, "negative gravity". I just looked it up on the Internet, and I didn't realize Einstein actually had a theory by such a name. I've been fascinated by space before (talk about the ultimate of macrocosms!), here's what I found about "negative gravity". It is the manifestation of the cosmological constant. Because the amount of negative gravity in any given volume should be minuscule, its effects would not be felt in everyday life.? But over vast distances involving huge volumes of space, the effect would be powerful enough to push galaxies and clusters of galaxies apart from one another.

Alisa - that's a very interesting theory, I've never though to dreams like that before. I always used to think that they just made no sense, but more and more, I am fascinated by its symbolism. I think it's a way for the subconsicous to express itself to the conscious, that it could be in fact a good thing - after all, it's a sort of beneficial biofeedback, that could provide important information. Now that there has been some time, I'd be really interested to find out how your experiment went!

Dharma - thank you so much for the wonderful discourse of dreams. You are so right, it's all about how things have been internalized, and as a result, therein lies the solution. It's like the Holy Grail legend. If the king is healed, the land will be healed as well. If I can somehow repair that internal macrocosm, the external macrocosms will be healed as well. It's as you said about the neurosis. Getting rid of the dreams isn't going to overcome the neurosis - they'll probably just express themselves in some other more twisted way. But if one can strike at the root, then the rest of the weed will surely perish. Your insights are so amazing, so many times I've judged my results as inconsequential, in fact, I used that exact word privately. A lot of times, I feel as if no matter what I do, it's not good enough, and that even my best is never as good as someone else's half-hearted attempt.

You mentioned something interesting about breathing, that it is the most natural thing in the world. But all my life, I've coped with respiratory problems. A lot of times, I feel and sound stuffed up. And I have the sniffles, even in the hot summer weather. In fact, a couple of years ago, I developed allergies - especially to cats, which we have two of here in the house. But I think I may be allergic to dust, pollen, cigarette smoke and mold as well. But I found it interesting that this only came up a couple of years ago, I wonder if it's not a byproduct of something psychological (I've read a lot and more and more, I wonder if most illnesses are physical manifestations of psychic troubles). In fact a lot of times, my chest feels tight, as if I was in a vice. There's only been a couple of times in my life where I remember when my chest felt free, and that was when I was in the throes of love. In fact, I usually find it difficult to fall asleep, and that's the only time I've ever just fell into bed and drifted soundly to sleep was when I was in love. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my family was never very close, I never bonded with them, and as a result, certain deep emotional needs unmet manifest themselves that way? I don't know. Maybe that's why I see romantic and even social relationships as much more intense as they should be, making it more difficult for me to connect with people? If that's the case, I wish there was some way to somehow connect with myself in a way where I can complete that which should have been completed a long time ago. Perhaps this is another piece of the puzzle.

In the meantime I've printed out your breathing exercises (in fact, I printed out this whole thread) and will practice them!

Willow - I agree with you, on some level I enjoy having dreams, and would probably miss them, even though I forget almost all of them, and most of them don't make sense to me. For example, I had a dream in which an acquaintence of mine and I were working at a shoe store selling shoes. That's all I remember, doesn't seem to make much sense. As far as what brought me to perform, I have been playing keyboards and writing songs for about 15 years now, and could never find a guitar player, and always wanted to sing, so I figure that if I'm going to to do it, then I should do it. I had been attending an open mic night for two months watching people play guitar and sing and perform solo, and finally, after a few pep talks from the guy who runs the show, I decided to just go for it. That's the thing, I want this, I really want to do this, and to do it well. It would mean so much to me. I mean, there's many things in my life that I've wanted. For example, love has eluded me at every turn, it seems, and I want it so much, to paraphrase Moby Dick, if my chest was a cannon, I'd shoot my heart out hoping to hit the right person. But that is something that is so out of my control, for how could I impose my own will upon someone else's? Whereas wanting to perform and well, that to a much larger degree is within my control. Here at home, things are turbulent and I don't get much chance or space that I need to practice. So going up on stage is also a form of practice for me. You're so right, I've been discounting my achievements after only such a short time. Given time and practice, I hope to improve greatly to the point where I feel proud of what I do, for now, I want to focus on being proud of just getting up there to do it. It's as Woody Allen once said, 80% of life is just showing up. I'm trying my best to show up at the moment.

Mick - thanks so much once again for writing back! Your interpretation really puts things into perspective. You make it seem so simple and obvious, which is a testament to your skills as an interpreter of dreams.

Dharma - I'd be interested to know more lion pose in yoga combined with the exaggerated A, E, I, O, U exercises you mentioned. I think having a stronger voice is a key part of what's been missing in my macrocosm, which has translated to more of the same in my various microcosms.

Candid - lol! Thanks for the wonderful story! You know what, I actually tried what you suggested, I stuffed a ball in my mouth, for a few minutes and noticed the difference right away! Just curious to know, is there any particular method to this, or do I just do it until it feels like time?
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alisa

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Hi Kestral, I would like to give you (all) a progess update regarding the dreams, but since I'm at work (time is limited) and my computer (modem) at home died on me, I won't be able to give you an update until after July 8. That's when I'll be back up and running.

Until then, sweet dreams!
 
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dharma

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Hi Kestral,

You said: "...all my life, I've coped with respiratory problems. A lot of times, I feel and sound stuffed up. And I have the sniffles, even in the hot summer weather. In fact, a couple of years ago, I developed allergies - especially to cats, which we have two of here in the house. But I think I may be allergic to dust, pollen, cigarette smoke and mold as well. But I found it interesting that this only came up a couple of years ago, I wonder if it's not a byproduct of something psychological (I've read a lot and more and more, I wonder if most illnesses are physical manifestations of psychic troubles)."

Absolutely!

Chakras, which in Sanskrit means constant spinning wheels, are our "energy anatomical system" where the incoming and outgoing life force is concentrated and distributed. There are seven traditional centers (though there is an additional eighth center that most people are not familiar with, located about an arm's length *above* the crown of the head, where our "transpersonal archetypal energies" reside) forming our "energy spinal cord" through which the life force flows.

Each one represents a different configuration of physical, emotional, and psychological concerns and they regulate everything from our survival instincts, sex drive, and self-esteem to our emotions, intellect, will, and spiritual aspirations. Whenever these centers are blocked or not fully clear, our outer experience is affected. We create the blockages from the way we live our lives --the things we eat, the way we breathe, our habitual thought preoccupations, our emotional cares and fears, etc-- and we clear our blockages when we effect changes to these areas of our experience and by engaging in physical poses and postures that specifically target the chakras like Yoga does.

.....

You said: "I'd be interested to know more lion pose in yoga combined with the exaggerated A, E, I, O, U exercises you mentioned. I think having a stronger voice is a key part of what's been missing in my macrocosm, which has translated to more of the same in my various microcosms."

.....

The Lion pose massages the throat region and squeezes out stagnant, impure blood so that it returns to the kidneys for purification, leaving the muscles and blood vessels of the throat relaxed and allowing a freshly oxygenated supply of blood to circulate in this region. It's rejuvenating effect in the throat makes it a useful practice for preventing and healing sore throats, laryngitis, and general throat ailments.

In the throat there are many other vital organs. These include the thyroid glands, the pharynx, the salivary glands as well as the auditory system in general. Since these provide essential functions of the body, the improvement in their health through this simple practice has vast repercussions on our whole body health.

The thyroid glands, for example, are part of the endocrine system and determine our rate of metabolism. If they are overactive then they tend to make a person thin and very nervous and excitable. If they are underactive then a person becomes fat, dull and lethargic.

All nerves connecting the body to the brain must pass through the neck region. It is a vital crossroad. Also in the throat region there are various nerve plexuses which control the organs of the throat. The Lion pose stretches these nerves and removes stagnant blood. This allows the influx of fresh blood and together, with the stimulation that the nerves also receive, results in better nerve connections to the brain, and in turn, more efficient glands and organs throughout the whole body.

At the back of the mouth in front and on each side of the throat are two masses of spongy tissue called the tonsils. Similar masses, called adenoids, are found at the back of the nose, on the back of the tongue and also scattered over the walls of the throat. These form part of the lymphatic system, and are known as lymph nodes.

The lymphatic system eliminates toxins from the body. Antibodies, which are produced within the lymph nodes, neutralize toxins and bacteria from the body's system and are trapped and concentrated in the lymph nodes prior to expulsion from the body. However, the buildup of toxins within the system is sometimes too great and this overwhelms the lymph nodes causing you to experience the allergic and sinus conditions that you have described.

THE LION POSE

1- Separate the knees to a comfortable distance apart - about eighteen inches. The toes of the feet should remain in contact. Lean forward and place the hands on the floor between the legs. The hands should be side by side with the fingers pointing backwards. The elbows should point backwards.

2- Straighten the arms and arch the back; this is important in giving the maximum stretch to the front of the neck. Tilt the head backwards sufficiently so that there is a comfortable amount of tension in the neck. The eyes should be kept open during the practice, with the gaze directed at the centre of the eyebrows at a point on the ceiling in front of the body.

3- Keep the mouth closed. Fold the tongue backwards so that the tip presses hard against the soft palate at the top of back of the mouth. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose. (While inhaling be aware of the pressure of the tongue on the palate and breath.) At the end of the inhalation release the tension of the tongue, open the mouth and extend the tongue outwards and towards the chin as far as possible.

4- Simultaneously produce a clear, loud and steady vocal sound from the throat; in other words, an AH sound. If YOU wish, the tongue can be also moved from side to side whilst emitting the sound. (While exhaling be aware of the sound and vibration produced in the throat.) At the end of exhalation, again press your tongue against the upper palate of your mouth. Close your mouth and breath in. This is one round. Do as many rounds as time permits.

.....

The purpose of pronouncing the vowels (A, E, I, O, U) in an exaggerated manner is to tense up all of the facial muscles and thus release any tension/restrictions that are present in the throat. Try it....say each vowel slowly but with a lot of emphasis. Exaggerate the sound of each sound by screwing up your face as you do so --open the eyes and mouth wide, and tense the neck muscles as you do it and then relax. You'll feel a significant alleviation in the muscle tension around the face and throat area.

.....

I hope that this too is helpful.

Dharma
 
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candid

Guest
Welcome back Kestral and thanks for your feedback.

Dharma- Is the starting position to begin the Lion Pose, lying on the floor (mat) face down? Its been a long time since I've practiced yoga, but I seem to recall the pose. Also, if memory serves me, is this a potentially dangerous exercise if not conducted with great care and gentleness to the spine? I recall a Chiropractor warning me a particular pose, but I'm not sure if this is the one.

Thanks!
 
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dharma

Guest
The Lion pose begins in a kneeling position with the balls of the hands on the top of the knees. I can see now that, though the rest of the instructions are fine, I wasn't clear about the way to begin. Sorry about that! (Thank you Candid for bringing it to my attention.)

This is not a dangerous stretch and in fact can sometimes be performed standing up (with the hands above the knee area) if the kneeling position is inconvenient. When you straighten the arms and arch your back to get the maximum stretch to the front of the neck, you will find that your body can only go so far --I can't imagine anyone hurting themselves doing this.

Does my explanation of how to position yourself make more sense now? Let me know how you fare.

Dharma
 
C

candid

Guest
Dharma,

This took a bit of doing, following the instructions carefully while going for the pose, but I managed to get the rhythm going pretty well I think for only 8 good reps, but that was enough for a start. First thing I noticed is how many little muscles and associated strings there are and how dormant they actually have become. There followed the sensation of a slightly sore throat followed by a marked loosening of congestion. Breathing seemed easier afterward. There?s two inflamed disks under 2 and 5, which acted up a little, but not a big deal. (I?m no spring rooster!)

How many reps (for a beginner) would you consider enough to achieve the blood cleansing and other benefits you spoke of? Do you do 10 times, rest, and do it again, or is it a once per session thing?

Thanks!
Candid
 
D

dharma

Guest
Candid,

I appreciate you taking the time to try this out and experience the benefits first hand.

For general health purposes practice up to three minutes daily --it can be practiced at any time. For specific ailments of the throat the number of rounds should be increased according to individual requirements --base it on how comfortable it feels to you-- regardless of how many times, just doing it makes a difference.

For another 10 'animal' yoga poses that benefit other parts of the body, and an alternate nostril breathing technique, go to:

http://www.netguides.org.uk/guides/yoga.html

It's a single page with very simple to follow instuctions. Of course, pick only those that won't aggravate your already inflamed disks!

Tai Chi may be more your thing though, there's some easy to follow movements on the same site, go to:

http://www.netguides.org.uk/guides/taichi.html

Have fun!
Dharma
 
C

candid

Guest
Cool! Thanks! Yes, I've given much thought to tai chi lessons... seems fitting for this time of life. Just some basics to meditate in movement. Will check them out.
 

alisa

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Hello, I'm back sooner than I thought. First the modem, then the power supply.. ugh.. just buy a new computer.

So, I've been practicing the excersise of "remembering" in my dreams. It is anything but easy. Can't even get in there! Almost impossible! It will take anywhere from 3 to 9 months, they say. Okay, I'm being a little impatient, but I can definitely feel and see the changes happening already. The day I can watch that I am dreaming will be a different world for me. One thing I did notice about this excersise, this practice of watching/witnessesing. There's got to be an undercurrent of watching 24 hours a day. Walking, eating, reading, driving, showering... If I do that then it is only natural that it also happen in my dreams.

For those interested in becoming a Watcher:

<CENTER>The Invisible Touch</CENTER>

Whatsoever you are doing---walking, sitting, eating, or if you are not doing anything, just breathing, resting, relaxing in the grass, never forget that you are a watcher.

You will forget it again and again. You will get involved in some thought, some feeling, some emotion, some sentiment-- anything will distract you from the watcher. Remember, and run back to your center of watching.

Make it an inner process, continuously.... you will be surprised at how life changes its whole quality. I can move my hand without any watchfulness, and I can also move my hand absolutely watching from inside the whole movement. The movements are totally different. The first movement is a robot movement, mechanical. The second movement is a conscious movement. And when you are conscious you only know the hand from without.

You have known your face only in the mirror, from the without, because you are not a watcher. If you start watching, you will feel your face from within---and that is such an experience, to watch yourself from within. Then slowly, strange things start happening. Thoughts disappear, feelings disappear, emotions disappear, and there is a silence surrounding you. You are just like an island in the middle of the ocean of silence... just a watcher, as if a flame of light is at the center of your being, radiating the whole of your being.

In the beginning it will only be an inner experience. Slowly you will see that radiation spreading out of your body, those rays reaching other people. You will be surprised and shocked that other prople, if they are a little bit sensitive, will immediately become aware that something has touched them, which was not visible. for example, if you are watching yourself, just walk behind somebody, watching yourself, and it is almost certain the person will turn and look back suddenly, for no reason. When you are watching yourself, your watchfulness starts radiating, and it is bound to touch the person who is ahead of you. And if he is touched by something that is invisible, he is going to look back: "What is the matter?" And you are so away you cannot even touch him with your hand.

Slowly you will also become able to feel the touch through the rays. That is what is called the vibe. It is not a nonexistential thing. The other person feels it; you will also feel that you have touched the other person.

The English term, being touched, is used very significantly. You may use it without understanding what it means when you say "I was touched" by the person. He may not have said a single word to you. He may have passed by. He may just have looked once at your eyes, and you feel "touched" by the person. It is not just a word--it actually happens. And then those rays go on spreading to people, to animals, to trees, to rocks.... and one day you will see, you are touching the whole universe from within.
 

alisa

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"And when you are conscious you only know the hand from without. "

That was supposed to read:

And when you are NOT conscious you only know the hand from without.
 

alisa

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Kestral,

I copied your Bono dream above and went to freakydreams.com/interpret.html for an interpretation.

I this tool it to be pretty darn freaky because much of what it says about my dreams is accurate.


Words like Car: Personal power. Ego.

Words like May: To dream of this month denotes prosperous times and pleasure for the young. Do not be discourage.

Words like Back: Unconscious. Jealous people are against you and there is opposition in love.

Words like Eyes: Vision. Consciousness and clarity. You will have a pleasant and profitable business and a congenial companion.

Words like Black: Black signifies isolation and transition period. It shows up conflicts and friction with relations and friends.

Words like Accuses: Beware of scandal. Danger and misfortune.

Words like Age: Approaching illness. Being deceived. Death in the family.

Words like Apartment: A part of the total house of self. Avoid rivals.

Words like Back: Misfortune in life and will die in misery. Unconscious.

Words like Bicycle: Self-propulsion. Recreation. Will have to make an important decision.

Words like Buy: Average success. Good luck. Compensation. Reward.

Words like City: Ambition Civilize order. Culture. Conclusion of hopes.

Words like Crime: Guilt. Shame. Powerlessness. Some inner fear that threatens you.

Words like Driving: Work on energy and power. Looking for the desired destination.

Words like Family: Kin. Group. Prosperous times ahead.

Words like Finding: Discovery. Realization.I nfidelity.

Words like Girl: Learning to be receptive. Happiness and tranquility.

Words like Hell: Complete change of your circumstances. Spiritual agony. Lack of control. Torment.

Words like House: Financial security. Happiness within the family. Honor and dignity. Being.

Words like Leave: Changes approaching. Cold feelings.

Words like Lost: Out of control and direction. Lacking in confidence somewhere in your life.

Words like Mother: Approval or disapproval. From what do you need to feel nourish and protected?

Words like Music: Big pleasure in life. Rhythm. Harmony. Need to express yourself.

Words like Night: Darkness. Mystery. Unconscious contents. There is a mystery that you want to penetrate.

Words like Package: Expectation. Mystery. Secret will be reveal. Looking for something.

Words like Party: Celebration. Festivity. Pleasure. Want to participate in a common activity.

Words like Restaurant: Choices. Nourishment. Changes in favor of your well being.

Words like Ring: Commitment. Promise. Security in love.

Words like Sale: Good value. Fear of taking a good opportunity.

Words like Store: Abundance. Options. Variety.Seeking for new choices.

Words like Table: Place of activity. Workplace. Ready to start with your plans.

Words like Time: Irreversible. Continuity. Arrival or departure of feelings. Organizing your inner self.
 

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