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©1997 Marlene King We often hear, "That's all I can remember…", just a scrap or hint of an image or vague feeling that lingers after awakening signaling we have dreamed. As if this remnant is not important, they are often not recorded; we seldom pay attention to that small elusive image or impression. Many consider the fragment as meaningless or insignificant, as it cannot be placed into the context of the whole dream. I say, however, that that fragment is PURE GOLD, because it is the very scrap your subconscious mind chose to give you to take into consciousness. If your waking mind carries it like a talisman and focuses attention on its worth, it offers you an open door into the land of self-enlightenment. Should you experience the "fragment," acknowledge it, ritualistically, if possible, and record it – no matter how amorphous its essence seems. Treat it like the precious jewel that it is by placing it in your jewel box of dream treasures. Given attention and nurturance, it will bloom and yield some measure of meaning, just as if the whole narrative of your dream was remembered in detail. Discover a way that feels comfortable for you to "process" the fragment. Meditate on it, make it into a piece of art or some other tangible representation. Carry it on your person, if possible, slipping it into a pocket or purse. Become intimate and involved with its presence in your life. Place it in your car, gym bag, or on your desk – allow yourself to touch, observe, experience it often and notice the associations your mind has to it during the day. Listen, for it has something to say to you. Interact as much as you can on a conscious level and record what you learn. The fragment can even be used as an incubation piece itself to evoke another dream – another gift revealing deeper and more varied facets and tendrils of connections. For novice or seasoned dreamworker, the magic in dream fragments can have profound and restorative effects. I am reminded of a story told by Morton Kelsey, an Episcopalian pastor and psychologist who I heard several years ago when I was attending one of his dream lecture series. He unknowingly introduced me to the concept of dream fragments as having their own intrinsic value; that fragments are powerful and sacred pieces of the Self that hold innumerable layers of personal and universal meanings. As a young man, Kelsey had a dream of a pink peach pit. Admittedly, he harbored high expectations of dreaming a "big" or "life" dream to his credit. Therefore, he had the idea that an image such as a peach pit could hold little significance. However, its seemingly mundane quality hid the enormous light of its message. It was only after he began to "free associate" with its symbolism that the connections led him to think of the state of Georgia where peaches grow abundantly. He began to reconnect to a troublesome incident that he had repressed and avoided since being there at an earlier time in his life. The dream gave him an opportunity to re-examine and subsequently take conscious action toward meaningful resolution of an old, deep-seated conflict. He further discovered the "larger" meaning of the peach to be the Chinese symbol for immortality; also, that a peach pit (or seed) is a symbol for life and consciousness, as proclaimed in Hindu religious treatises. By confronting and associating to the fragment, Kelsey gleaned insight to past issues, as well as foreshadowing his future work as a minister and dream practitioner. Thus, the dream fragment of an 'ordinary' symbol emerged as a significant contribution toward his own individuation process. The same process is true for you and awaits your discovery. A captured fragment may be the key to the storehouse of your special personal destiny…or it may provide confirmation for the next step on your life's path…or connect you to a profound universal Truth – all with life-altering results. Polish your own dream fragments – treat them like gold, for that is what they are. |
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