Have you noticed that we use the same word to describe the mystical phenomenon that happens during sleep and the aspirations that we hold for our unfolding lives? I had a dream. I have a dream. Additionally, there is a spiritual principle that invites us to view life itself as a dream, unfolding magnificently in a symbolic way that reflects the notion that anything can happen and probably will. That was like a dream.
Sleeping dreams, aspirational dreams, waking dreams: Truly, these three separate ideas are really reflecting one singular notion that is based on the principle that we are the creators of our own magnificent destiny. When we awaken to this creative power that lives within each of us, we are set upon a path that allows us to truly live in a masterful way. As we become more consciously aware of all our dreaming experiences (sleeping, waking and aspirational) we are empowered to stop playing small and step fully into our majesty as human beings in active co-creation with the Divine.
There is a mystical text that most people in the Western world are quite familiar that offers a blueprint for understanding life in this fundamental, principled way. I myself committed it to memory when I was about three years old and I share it with you now:
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream!
This may sound like I am trying to be funny or clever, but truly, this is a piece of wisdom that we all learned at a very young age and everything you need to know about how life works is held within these four lines. If I interpret this for you, not only will you benefit from understanding the journey that life is on a deep and profound level, you will also gain some insight into the principles of interpretation that are part of my own practice and informs much of what it is that I teach people with whom I work.
One of the fundamentals of powerful interpretation is the principle of implication. Something we see in a dream has meaning because it implies something else. We are in a boat and we are going somewhere, and that implies that we are on a symbolic journey. But more important than that is the knowledge that we are the ones who have to do the rowing. There is some effort implied in this. We don’t just have to row the boat. We have to row, row, row the boat; three rows. It is work and the work is constant. We can interpret from this that we are going to have to work hard to get through this journey of life.
Just when you think that it’s all going to be hard work we are reminded of two things. The first is that we are going down stream. This is true even when it seems as if we are fighting the current and pushing up stream. Consciousness is always expanding. There is a natural path of evolution and consciousness is always expanding in exactly the direction it is supposed to go. Even when we question how some chapter of our lives could possibly be benefiting us, the foundational idea is that it has to be so. And just in case you missed the point, there is a qualification added to the mix. We are moving gently down the stream. Even though it doesn’t always feel so gentle, the truth of life is that it is moving us as gently as it can.
My favorite part is that it is to be a merry journey. So merry, in fact, that there are four of them. It says merrily four times and there are only three rows. So when you are feeling overwhelmed at how much rowing you are being required to do at any given moment, I remind you that, at the end of the day, the merrily outweighs the effort of rowing four to three.
And last but not least is the declaration that life is but a dream. Dreams are magical and mystical; they provide the mysterious landscape in which anything can happen and probably will. Just like life.
About Dr. Michael Lennox:
Highly sought-after media expert, Dr. Lennox has been seen internationally on many television shows, beginning with the Sci Fi Network’s The Dream Team and has also been featured on numerous network and cable television venues including NBC’s Emmy award winning Starting Over, Soap Talk, The Wayne Brady show and many others. His radio appearances talking about the power of dreams number in the hundreds. Dr. Lennox obtained his Masters and Doctorate in Psychology from The Chicago School and his Doctoral Dissertation, Astrology and Personality, is published by Lambert Academic Publishing. Dr. Lennox is also the author of two books on dreams, Dream Sight: A Dictionary & Guide for Interpreting Any Dream and Llewellyn’s Complete Dream Dictionary. Dr. Lennox leads workshops and retreats all over the United States and conducts a worldwide private practice based in Southern California.
Learn more about Michael: michaellennox.com