Dreams have intrigued humanity for thousands of years, acting as windows into the psyche, they reveal our deepest fears, aspirations, and emotions. Certain dream themes recur universally, reflecting shared human experiences. By exploring common dream themes, you can gain valuable insights into your waking life.

As I travel internationally, one of the most prevalent dream themes occurring now is the sensation of falling.

This dream can be terrifying, often jolting the dreamer awake. Adults and children alike are telling of their experiences of falling in the dreamtime. Psychologically, falling dreams are typically linked to feelings of insecurity or of losing control in some aspect of your life. In the world of today, it is no wonder that this dream theme is making the rounds. From ecological crisis to political unrest, from the threat of war to the fear of financial loss many are experiencing the peril of the “Fall.” Images like falling off the edge, falling from grace, falling in esteem, falling in a plane crashing to the ground are frequent visitations in dreams. Whether related to work, relationships, the world, or personal goals, the falling dream may be urging you to regain your footing and address the challenges that are causing you distress.

The good news is that dreams, even the most frightening, come both to warn and to tell of new possibilities. Nightmarish dreams most often carry both torment and, too, the creative spark.

If you are experiencing dreams of falling, you may find value in experimenting with these steps:

1. Make a sketch of the dream.
2. Notice where the fear of the fall is in your body (Where is the grip, the fear, the anxiety?)
3. Name what you imagine is the catastrophic consequence of the fall (an inevitable crash, a loss of esteem, feeling powerlessness)
4. Next, summon an ally, a supportive companion. (This could be a dear friend, a mentor, a loving pet, a supportive dream figure.)
5. With this supportive companion by your side, look again at the sketch you created of the fall. Notice where you have landed, even if still suspended in space. Feeling the support of your companion, look about. What do you notice now?  Open, then follow your curiosity. What resources are present here, what comes into awareness. As fear and insecurity lessens, what experience enhances?
6. To complete, imagine three ways you can utilize these resources in the world over the next week.

In community, we can support one another in tending even the most challenging dreams. Now is the time for us to come together and discover the sparks of generativity.

Warmly,

Steve

Inside The Curious Mind

A quote that resonated with me this week…

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

— Confucius