Guest Blogger: Elissa Wilds
The winner of Elissa's prize is: Cecile! Cecile, check Elissa's comment to get her email address to contact her. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who participated!
Divine Dreaming
I’m flying above my neighborhood. I see the houses all dark and quiet. I hear the faint noise of sporadic cars rushing by in the distance. I smell the air, heavy with a tinge of metallic as if it would rain soon. I’m light and free. I suddenly wonder what my husband is doing right then. And whoosh – I’m standing next to our bed. He’s asleep, his long legs and arms curled around a woman with dark hair. What?? Anger rushes through me only to be replaced with confusion when the woman murmurs and shifts in her sleep and her face turns toward me. The woman is me. Instantly, I’m lying in my bed. My eyelids pop open. I’m staring at my familiar popcorn ceiling, keenly aware of the weight of my husband’s arm across my mid-section. The low-pitched hum of the baby monitor next to me breaks the silence.
I tell my husband about this experience later, and he says – Oh, you were just astral traveling. You think? I say with a half-smile.
Nighttime is my favorite time of day. I love writing late at night. I can focus and connect and tap into my inspiration much more easily when everyone around me is asleep. The quiet peacefulness of night seems to open up my senses in ways that the hours bathed in sunlight just don’t seem to do. I also, however, love my sleep. Lately, like most new parents, I don’t get enough of it.
I have always had vivid dreams. Dreams in full color, filled with weird places and faces and adventures. My dreams range from the seductive to the frightening to the exhilarating. Rarely, are they boring. The best dreams, though, are those like the one I had last night. My husband called it astral travel. That’s a subject in and of itself, but suffice it to say that many folks believe that our soul selves leave our bodies when we sleep and travel to other realms or dimensions, or sometimes, we just hang out in this one and check out the sights. Have you ever had a feeling as you were drifting off to sleep that you were falling – and then jerked awake, heart racing, wondering what the heck? Did your conscious mind, perhaps, just wake up in the middle of your spirit body’s exit, sending yourself slamming right back into your physical body? Ever had a dream like the one I just described above? Maybe you were astral travelling.
What about prophetic dreams? Have you ever dreamed something, then it came true? Some believe that loved ones who’ve passed on, spirit guides, angels, etc. talk to us in our dreams because it’s easier for us to hear them in that highly attuned, relaxed state. They guide us, give us inspired ideas and important information, or just say hello. There is even a type of guided dreaming that you, yourself can control. Seriously. Want to dream about walking down the aisle with Hugh Jackman? There are techniques you can master that allow you to engage in what is known as Lucid Dreaming. That’s a fascinating subject. As someone who has upon occasion become aware when I was in the middle of dream that I was indeed dreaming – and decided I didn’t need to be in this scary dream anymore and would rather dream I was on a cruise sipping pina coladas, and suddenly was on said cruise – I know this is actually something that is possible to do.
It’s clear from my books that I have a fascination with the possibilities of the paranormal that occur when we slide into bed at night and prepare to drift off to sleep. In both Between Light and Dark and Darkness Rising, astral travel plays a role in the plot. Prophetic dreams pop up in Darkness Rising. The entire series was inspired by a very vivid dream I had where the hero of Between Light and Dark, Axiom, pulled me into his godly embrace and swept me off my feet. I wouldn’t change one second of that particular dream. (smiles)
What about you? Share one of your nocturnal experiences and be entered to win a signed copy of my new release Darkness Rising and a copy of Scott Cunningham’s wonderful book: Dreaming the Divine: Techniques for Sacred Sleep.
I’m flying above my neighborhood. I see the houses all dark and quiet. I hear the faint noise of sporadic cars rushing by in the distance. I smell the air, heavy with a tinge of metallic as if it would rain soon. I’m light and free. I suddenly wonder what my husband is doing right then. And whoosh – I’m standing next to our bed. He’s asleep, his long legs and arms curled around a woman with dark hair. What?? Anger rushes through me only to be replaced with confusion when the woman murmurs and shifts in her sleep and her face turns toward me. The woman is me. Instantly, I’m lying in my bed. My eyelids pop open. I’m staring at my familiar popcorn ceiling, keenly aware of the weight of my husband’s arm across my mid-section. The low-pitched hum of the baby monitor next to me breaks the silence.
I tell my husband about this experience later, and he says – Oh, you were just astral traveling. You think? I say with a half-smile.
Nighttime is my favorite time of day. I love writing late at night. I can focus and connect and tap into my inspiration much more easily when everyone around me is asleep. The quiet peacefulness of night seems to open up my senses in ways that the hours bathed in sunlight just don’t seem to do. I also, however, love my sleep. Lately, like most new parents, I don’t get enough of it.
I have always had vivid dreams. Dreams in full color, filled with weird places and faces and adventures. My dreams range from the seductive to the frightening to the exhilarating. Rarely, are they boring. The best dreams, though, are those like the one I had last night. My husband called it astral travel. That’s a subject in and of itself, but suffice it to say that many folks believe that our soul selves leave our bodies when we sleep and travel to other realms or dimensions, or sometimes, we just hang out in this one and check out the sights. Have you ever had a feeling as you were drifting off to sleep that you were falling – and then jerked awake, heart racing, wondering what the heck? Did your conscious mind, perhaps, just wake up in the middle of your spirit body’s exit, sending yourself slamming right back into your physical body? Ever had a dream like the one I just described above? Maybe you were astral travelling.
What about prophetic dreams? Have you ever dreamed something, then it came true? Some believe that loved ones who’ve passed on, spirit guides, angels, etc. talk to us in our dreams because it’s easier for us to hear them in that highly attuned, relaxed state. They guide us, give us inspired ideas and important information, or just say hello. There is even a type of guided dreaming that you, yourself can control. Seriously. Want to dream about walking down the aisle with Hugh Jackman? There are techniques you can master that allow you to engage in what is known as Lucid Dreaming. That’s a fascinating subject. As someone who has upon occasion become aware when I was in the middle of dream that I was indeed dreaming – and decided I didn’t need to be in this scary dream anymore and would rather dream I was on a cruise sipping pina coladas, and suddenly was on said cruise – I know this is actually something that is possible to do.
It’s clear from my books that I have a fascination with the possibilities of the paranormal that occur when we slide into bed at night and prepare to drift off to sleep. In both Between Light and Dark and Darkness Rising, astral travel plays a role in the plot. Prophetic dreams pop up in Darkness Rising. The entire series was inspired by a very vivid dream I had where the hero of Between Light and Dark, Axiom, pulled me into his godly embrace and swept me off my feet. I wouldn’t change one second of that particular dream. (smiles)
What about you? Share one of your nocturnal experiences and be entered to win a signed copy of my new release Darkness Rising and a copy of Scott Cunningham’s wonderful book: Dreaming the Divine: Techniques for Sacred Sleep.
********
Elissa's winner will be chosen and posted here on Tuesday night. Check back to see if you've won!
posted by Lynda Hilburn at 8:17 PM
30 Comments:
Hi Elissa! Like you, I am a very vivid dreamer. I have often had prophetic dreams, although they're usually so far in advance (or out of context) that I don't realize right away that's what happened. My aunt, on the other hand, is much more useful--her dreams have predicted births, etc. Great topic!
Hey, Elissa! Thanks so much for guest blogging here at Paranormality. It's wonderful to have you. Excellent topic!
Elissa, this is a fascinating post. Most the time I don’t remember my dreams. When I do, they stay with me for weeks, leaving me to wonder what exactly they meant.
When I was young (first grade through third grade), I used to dream the same dream over and over again. Back in those days the teacher would pick a student to take the lunch money to the lunchroom. There you’d be given the lunch tickets to return to the teacher.
In my dream I also went into the lunchroom as normal, but when I came out I would be on an Indian reservation and things weren’t going well. And as always, before something bad could happen to me and very large brown bear (who could talk to me) would come from nowhere to stand behind me and protect me from whatever danger was approaching. The Indians always seemed to give him wide respect and I no longer seemed to be a threat to them, but was accepted.
I never really figured out the dream other than perhaps the bear was or is my spirit guide. It stopped somewhere in the middle off third grade.
Please don’t enter me in the contest as I have your book and I’m reading it next. :)
Great post, Elissa.
I would love to have astral travel dreams, but mostly they just don't make sense. I have had dreams where I know I'm dreaming.
Elissa, it sounds like such a great book. I had one dream of flying when I was very little. I believe I was a witch in it, or so I thought. :)
Lynda, I came by to say thanks and aloha from the island. :)
Hi, Elissa!
Dreams fascinate me. Mine are vivid. I usually remember them, but they rarely make sense to me. I am glad they don't seem to be prophetic -- too surreal.
I have had recurring dreams -- one in which I am seeking shelter in a house that is mine (but isn't really), where I find hidden rooms. Had fun researching the meaning of that one.
I think dreams may be a way for our subconscious to tell us something we need to know.
Astral projection would be awesome. No passport required.
Thanks for sharing. The book sounds terrific.
Hi, Jennifer! Waving to you on the island!
Lynda
Thank you, Elissa Wilds, for your guest blog about dreams. They're a fascinating topic that paranormal authors as a whole can use more to create plots and situations.
I've enjoyed reading and writing such stories, but in my my case there aren't any real-life references. I can't remember my dreams, assuming I have them. I used to be able to do so, but that was long ago.
Of course, this very lack of ability also suggests possibilities for creating stories. If a character can't remember his or her dreams, what's really going while this person is asleep? Is it too terrifying to remember, too dangerous---or too seductive? But that story will have to wait until I'm finished with my current project.
Keep up the good work!
Erica! Hiya! Wow - you aunt has birth-predicting dreams? That's way cool. And I'm glad to see you have prophetic dreams too. Exciting when that happens!
Lynda - thanks for having me here! :)
Hi Vicki! Thanks for being here! Yes, I'd agree - the brown bear is some sort of totem for you. Have you looked up it's meaning? If not, I'm sure I've got a reference guide here and can look it up for you. :)
Cheryl - if you're already having lucid dreams, astral traveling probably wouldn't be that hard for you to learn to do. The best book I've seen on the subject is from Robert Bruce and is called Astral Dynamics. Thanks for stopping by!!
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for being here. Having dreams about being a witch are positive omens. Perhaps it's a sign of your own inner power!
Hi Sandra! I agree with you, I think dreams can be a good way for our subconscious to get us messages. I'm glad to see you!
Hi Mary Anne! "If a character can't remember his or her dreams, what's really going while this person is asleep? Is it too terrifying to remember, too dangerous---or too seductive" Oh man! I can't wait to read that story!!!
Hey Elissa,
Like you, I do OBE (out of body experiences)all the time...have you read any of Robert A. Monroe's books like "Journeys Out Of The Body" or "Far Journeys"?
Awesome books and you'll feel right at home while reading them.
He has a retreat now where he will teach poeple how to do OBE.
The only time I dream is when it's a dream that will come true...I don't know any other kind of dream.
Life is an interesting GAME isn't it?
Hugs
Hawk
Great post!!! Dreaming has always kinda freaked me out. Maybe because when I dream, I would actually get up and start doing what ever I was dreaming - sleepwalking - scary. From childhood to mid twenties I was a sleepwalker. My husband came and steered me out of the kitchen one night in the midst of making dinner at about 2 in the morning. Don't do it now that I'm older.
Hi Elissa,
Interesting topic! I've found lots of information on dream interpretation on the web. I kept having a re-occuring dream that I used as the premise of my first novel that was just published. Your blog was fascinating.
Vicki Roder
Elissa - I'd love to know what the bear actually means. If you have the book and the time that would be great. :)
Hi Hawk!I have not read Monroe's books. I will have to look them up. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hi Cyberclipper! I've heard of people who sleepwalk, but never actually met one. Wow! Good thing you didn't live alone while doing that sleepwalking - could have been hurt! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Hi Victoria! Do you think that creative people just have more imaginative dreams? I wonder sometimes...especially when other writers tell me that their books were premised on a dream they had too...hmmmm. Thanks so much for being here!
Great Post, Elissa!
I'm with Cheryl, I'd love to have astral travel dreams. I do dream a lot and I love to try to figure out the underlined meaning.
CC
Hey Ms. Lynda!! Thanks for having Ms Wilds here today!
I have vivid dreams, when I do dream. And when I do dream, I always view the dream as if I were really in it. And I hate it when I do dream I am falling and I jump in my bed!!! I have not had prophetic dreams. But I have learned to control my dreams. When I watch a scary movie, it would run in my dreams and I would really get scare. Now that I am older, I have found that I can stop the dream or change its course. Strange... Yea I know!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, a great monday and a wonderful tomorrow!
Interesting topic. I've had night terrors and nighmares since I was 10 years old. But in recent years I've been at that halfway point between dreaming and waking and I will often feel someone touching my hip or rubbing my back. I'll open my eyes and know I'm awake and stiil feeling a hand on me but when I turn my head...no ones there.
Hi, Elissa,
What an interesting topic. My hubby's grandmother is always trying to interpret our dreams, so it's something I've been keen on too for a while. I don't necessarily try to interpret mine anymore, but I do believe dreams to be powerful, too; for a long time now, I've had what I call story dreams and always end up scribbling scenes like crazy, when I wake up. :)
D'oh! forgot to say, I already have these books. ;) So no need to enter me in the drawing. Thanks again for a great post!
Hi Christie! Thanks for stopping in! The books by Robert Bruce, a couple by William Buhlman are great for learning astral travel. You can actually train yourself to do it consciously. Pretty wild stuff!
Wow, Cecile! It sounds like you've got lucid dreaming mastered!!
Mary, thanks so much for sharing your story. It sounds to me like there is a spirit guide or perhaps a deceased love one trying to make contact with you. That's awesome!
Juli - you've got to love those inspirational dreams, huh! Pretty darn useful. (smiles) Thanks so much for stopping by!
I've had so much fun blogging here today! Lynda, thanks for having me and thanks so much to everyone who stopped by and shared their inspiring dream related stories! I will have hubby pick a winner randomly tonight and the winner will be posted by tomorrow night. So please check back and see if you're the lucky one!!!
Elissa (who is off to catch some zzzzz's and perhaps an inspired dream or two!)
I'm late, but I wanted to share my most vivid dream that I believe to have been a communication from my grandfather. He'd been gone about a year when he popped into my dream, full of life, just as I remembered him. He winked and smiled at me and said these words. "Tell your Grandma I love her." And then he was gone.
Needless to say, I called her the next day and told her about my dream. She confessed that she'd seen him in their house and it made her feel as if she were going crazy. He'd be standing in a doorway and when she turned her head he'd be gone. I had just read an article about grieving and learned that it wasn't unusual for people to see their loved ones. Whether it was a deeply embedded memory breaking into reality or if she was actually visited, I don't know.
But my dream, and the chance to talk about her experiences, gave her peace.
Hi there!
I can't say that I remember my dreams and if I do, it's only little snippets!
Although my most recent I know I was scared, but I'm not quite sure why. I used to dream and I used to keep a dream journal - I'd keep them for ideas for my book, but for the longest time now I can't remember dreaming at all.
I love the topic though.
Count me in for this giveaway!
Hi Elissa and Lynda!
I do have dreams, but nothing I can recall. I know I dream because sometimes I have a deja vu experience and realize it's from a part of a dream. Weird feeling when that happens.
Your book sounds great! Thanks for a great contest.
Dottie
This comment has been removed by the author.
Emily! Hi! Thanks so much for sharing the wonderful story about your grandparents. I've no doubt it was really him making contact. :)
Hi Ruth! You're not alone. I know other folks who never remember their dreams, though that seems to be fairly unusual. I know there are techniques out there for helping you remember but I've never tried then because I seem to recall mine without trouble.
Hi Dottie! Great to see you! Deja vu! Ah, another great topic. Are you remembering a dream or a past life? Is the dream itself merely a past life remembrance. And so the circle goes....
And the winner (chosen randomly by my hubby who sighs whenever I ask him to do it LOL) of a signed copy of Darkness Rising AND Scott Cunningham's book: Dreaming the Divine is....Cecile!
Cecile, email me at author@elissawilds.com with your mailing address. And thanks again EVERYONE for stopping by and sharing your own magickal dreams!
Hey, Cecile! You're the winner. See Elissa's comment for her email address to claim your prize!
Lynda
yayayay! Thanks you guys!! Thanks Ms. Lynda for having Ms. Wilds here and introducing her to us!!!! Thank you... heading over to email central right now!!!!
I hope everyone has a great night, sweet dreams and a wonderful tomorrow!!!
Congrats Cecile!
Dottie :)
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