I am Elspeth Stereo

Last night I learned an interesting new slang word from the dream world.

In the dream I went to give a talk at my alma mater (SAGHS). When I got there, I learned that the 'talk' was supposed to be a reading of Daisy Chain, which everyone was excitedly anticipating ... but I hadn't brought a copy of D.C. with me.  (Hmm, not a bad idea to go and do a reading of Daisy Chain at the school ...)

Rather than rush home to get a copy of the novel (which in that moment I confirmed I should always have with me), I decided to give everyone the exercise of writing in stream-of-consciousness and let them create their own 'Daisy Chain'.

As some of the teachers and girls streamed in to the room (maybe they streamed consciously!), two of the girls excitedly said to me: "We've always wanted to meet you. We've heard so much about you! You're Elspeth Stereo." In their teen lingo, "Stereo" meant 'amazing'.

Now that I am awake, I see the many other symbolic meanings of 'stereo'.

Interesting ...

Message from the dream archives

There was a time when I used to write down my dreams every morning upon waking. While cleaning out a chest of drawers today I found a book in which I had written a few.

I like this particular short one, dated 27-06-99:

There was a large thick purple candle Everyone was trying to break it in half and couldn't. A little child said: "Let me do it." When they gave it to her she said a little prayer and instantly, easily, snapped the candle in her little hands.

Powerful Dream

The candleholder

This morning after yoga (about 4:30 a.m.) I lay down, placed my hands over my heart, fell asleep and had an amazing dream.

In the dream I was going somewhere with a friend. Having forgotten something at home, I went back to get it. I parked the car at the side of the road leading to the driveway and left her sitting there with the window down. I intended to be back in a minute or two, but somehow once I got into my room everything slowed down. I can't recall exactly what I was doing—I think I was rearranging items. I was aware that I was taking longer than planned and that my friend was waiting.

Eventually, as I was about to leave, I noticed a light glowing in South-East corner. By this time it was dark—time had passed. I didn't know where the light was coming from, as there was no sunlight. Upon closer inspection of the corner, I noticed the light was coming from a small candle holder I have with a stained glass angel on it. As far as I knew, there was no candle in it and, even if there had been, I had not lit it.

I went closer and looked into the place where the candle is supposed to go. There I saw the face of Jesus glowing brightly, as though sketched with pure white light. It was the kind of intense luminous white you get when burning magnesium. As I stared at the face, it stared back at me through its third eye, which was a glowing white crosshair (Either of two fine strands of wire crossed in the focus of the eyepiece of an optical instrument and used as a calibration or sighting reference).

Crosshair

Now as I place the image of the crosshair on the blog, I realise it has a cross in the middle. In the dream, Jesus's third-eye/crosshair was pulsing with light, projecting to me, not only as a gift, but also as a message to use the power of my own third eye/crosshair. In the blazing vision, even though Jesus had two other eyes, the third eye was the one being used.

I knew in the dream that the illuminated Jesus was real and that we had communicated with each other.

I woke up feeling very grateful.

Tuned by the Little Light

The other morning, just before I woke up for yoga, a young woman came to me in my dream. I had met her in real life, in August, when I went to the ashram with a friend. I first saw her when I was sitting on a verandah at the ashram and she (playing the dholak) and a Dutch woman (playing the guitar) were chanting mantras in Sanskrit with some Rumanians.

She was a 30-something year old Rumanian named Luminitza (meaning Little Light) and she reminded me strikingly of a very good friend in Switzerland. When I told her this after Day 1 of a healing course we were both doing at the ashram, she lit up and said: "I'm happy you feel the connection too. I thought I was the only one." She then told me that the first day she saw me, she told her friends after: "I like her. She's very spiritual and she looks like an artist."

Somehow we established a connection that felt very powerful, even though we barely spoke again after that over the two day period. It's hard to explain and perhaps not necessary. The experience of that connection just felt like an intangible extension of the healing course.   

That brief summary helps put into context my dream of two mornings ago. Just before waking up for yoga, I was in an airport in England, preparing to return to Trinidad, but not particularly wanting to. Luminitza appeared. Perhaps because (in 'real life') I have been playing my guitar and chanting a lot lately, I immediately suggested to her that she play the dholak while I play the guitar.

She said: "I've become very good with the dholak."

The next thing I recall is hearing the notes of the guitar strings being tuned ... only the strings were in me (sounding more like a sitar) and I was being tuned by Luminitza (even though she was not physically doing it). Just as the final high E note was tuned and had finished vibrating, Jasper stepped on my chest and woke me up.

Perfect timing!

I had been tuned up by the Little Light and awakened by the Treasure Seeker*

*(Jasper means Treasure Seeker).

Dreams coming true x 2

The harvest moon in motion

She never introduced herself—just looked me directly in the eyes and started to speak. The first thing I remember her telling me was: "Have two exhibitions by the end of the year."

"How about one?"I asked her.

"Two," she said. Her expression never changed. She had a constant slight smile. She came across as kind but firm.

Then she said: "Never travel as if you are alone."

"But what if I am?" I asked her.

"You are not."

 ****

The above is an extract from this dream.

I didn't have to think about how the two exhibitions would happen. They are happening. The press release for one of them (written by the organizers) is below. The other will be announced in due course.

PRESS RELEASE

Masman Brian MacFarlane and international photographer Alex Smailes have lent their support to the first-ever traveling exhibition in the country.

MacFarlane, the man behind last year’s opening ceremony of the Fifth Summit of the Americas, has endorsed the exhibition “The Environment is You”, which promises to have a rather disturbing and dramatic effect on viewers as it catalogues the horrific pollution that has become the norm in Trinidad and Tobago. MacFarlane, who is currently in India showcasing two traditional Carnival characters at an international exhibition, says the aims of this photographic display are similar to his 2008 band Earth: Cries of Despair, Wings of Hope in its attempt to wake the people up to what is happening to our planet. “They must see the stark and grave reality of the environment that we live in,” he said.

Smailes has worked as a photojournalist in Haiti, the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, and now calls Trinidad home. His trademark searing images will be featured in the exhibition, which captures the damage done to our islands daily – the burning and clearing of hills for development; the careless disposal of cigarette butts that can cause fires during the dry season; rubbish strewn along highways, waterways, drains and beaches, and so on.

Artist Elspeth Duncan has also contributed her “Side Walk Series”, which shows the effect of poorly maintained manholes on unsuspecting citizens, with often tragic and unfortunate results.

The inspiration of Sandra Allum, director and lead tourism consultant for International Consultancy Limited, “The Environment is You” exhibition follows last year’s open day on San Fernando Hill where the focus was recycling, and the target group schoolchildren. “In essence, this year’s exhibition reflects the message that Nature is an enduring gift from God - treasure it! We hope to inspire our citizens and decision makers to make a serious attempt at preserving our environment,” explained Allum.

The concept of the travelling exhibition is the first of its kind in the country. The twenty large (6ft by 6ft) posters will make their debut on the fence of Queen’s Royal College around the Queen’s Park Savannah on October 3, where they will remain to haunt motorists until October 9. They will then be moved from location to location, taking their message throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

Corporate support for the project comes from bptt (British Petroleum), recyclers Piranha International, the Trinidad Hilton, Bella Treats and Green Cyclone Incorporated. Non-profit organisations such as the R4 Initiative, Greenlight Network and Earth Strong Trinidad and Tobago have also pledged their support.

The launch of the exhibition “The Environment is You” will take place on October 3 at the Savannah Terrace, Hilton Trinidad at 5pm.

All media houses are invited to attend. 

Dream woman gives me direct messages

Something just sparked the memory of a very clear part of my dream last night. I feel I remembered because I'm meant to do what was told to me.

I was at a gathering at someone's home. An attractive older woman, perhaps in her early 50's, left what she was doing and came across the room to me. She was wearing a khaki all-in-one "dress" that looked like some kind of protective services uniform. I got the feeling that she had just come from 'work'. She looked familiar and I can still remember her face, but I don't know her.

She never introduced herself—just looked me directly in the eyes and started to speak. The first thing I remember her telling me was: "Have two exhibitions by the end of the year."

"How about one?"I asked her.

"Two," she said. Her expression never changed. She had a constant slight smile. She came across as kind but firm.

Then she said: "Never travel as if you are alone."

"But what if I am?" I asked her.

"You are not."

The dream itself was surreal and dreamlike, but the part with the woman felt real, which is why it stood out. Did she mean to have two exhibitions by the end of the year 2010?

It is possible. "Exhibition" doesn't necessarily mean a big solo exhibition like I've done in the past—one which takes a while to produce. It could be something on a smaller scale.

I am 'exhibiting' new (and old) work all the time in various ways—mainly, as of late, through film screenings at festivals or at smaller events like this collaborative one at which my video for You Are Calling will be screened. But the two exhibitions she wants me to produce could be anything.

The thing is ... do I want to add anything more to my plate? Do I have the energy to focus on new projects now? Today, of all days, when I woke up and decided to focus on fewer things.

But the dream woman's directive was specific. It feels like it's beyond my logic and comprehension. Not something that I am to figure out—simply allow it to happen. Two exhibitions by the end of the year. I feel that by even writing about this on the blog, I am publicly announcing my agreement.

YES. I trust you. I accept the challenge. I accept my role as the clear channel for whatever and why ever these two exhibitions are meant to be.

STAY TUNED

The moral of the story is ...

Source of image

Last night, at one point in my dreams, I went up to the top of a mountain and sat under a tree. It was a barren mountain, akin to the one in the above image. I'm not sure of the location, but it felt like Greece or Jerusalem.

I can't recall why I went there, but I was content. At one point I saw a man approaching. He was what we would call a dangerous, mad vagrant—wiry and wild-eyed, wearing layers of clothing that were leathery with years of caked dirt, wielding a rusty 12-inch knife.

Being alone on the mountain with no one to hear me if I called for help, my first instinct was to run. But something made me stay. I stood as still as the tree, looking at him directly as he headed for me. He stopped before me, shoved his knife into a leather sheath, said something (can't remember what) and stuck out his hand to shake mine. It was a strong, firm, congratulatory grip. I felt that I had passed a Courage test.

Now that I'm writing about this, it reminds me of a story I read ages ago, about an old couple living in a Greek village. One day two beggars came to their door and asked them to stay for the night, as they had nowhere else to go and were hungry and tired. The old man and his wife, who were very poor, welcomed them in. They killed their beloved pet goose to feed the beggars and gave them their bed, while they slept on the cold floor.

The next morning when the old people woke up, two large, glowing Angels were with them in their hut. The old couple's kindness had caused the beggars to reveal their true identity. They told the old couple that everyone else in the village had rejected them. As a result, the floods that were coming would drown everyone, but the old couple would be saved. The Angels told the couple they could have anything they wanted—a huge house, lots of money, a comfortable bed, the best food. Just ask.

The old couple didn't want any of those things. Their only request was that they be allowed to die together. Due to their love, one did not want to die before the other and leave the Beloved behind. The Angels granted their request by turning them into two trees which grew intertwined and, according to the legend, can still be seen in Greece today.

Source of image

Near future dream date

Cover of book similar to one in dream, which I have in 'real' life

*

There was a point in last night's dreaming when I woke up and thought "Wow, I have to write this down." But I was feeling too drowsy to open my eyes, get out of bed, get a pen, get paper. I lay there thinking I would remember the details when I woke up again.

I drifted off and, some time later, woke up with the same feeling - to get up and write down the dream. Again I didn't bother, telling myself I would remember when I got up for sadhana.

Now, several hours later, I don't remember all of the details, but the main part is somewhat clear. I was in a large colonial style house with wooden floors and old furniture (but it was nowadays/the modern day). I was visiting someone. At one point, for reasons I can't recall, I wrote my name on a piece of paper, along with the date 29-07-10 (which is next Thursday, 29th July 2010). Why that date?

Later in the dream, a woman came to the house to gave me a gift. It was a hardcover blue book, brand new and sealed in plastic wrap. I opened it and all of the pages were blank, except for one. It contained (in my handwriting) my signature and the future date 29-07-10 ... just as I had written it on the piece of paper earlier. The only difference was that there was a sentence written between the date and my signature. Now that I'm awake, I can't remember what the sentence said - and I'm not sure it was in my handwriting. Perhaps the woman had written it and I had signed in agreement.

I remember (in the dream) being awestruck by the sentence and the fact that my signature was in the book without it having ever been opened. The woman who had given the gift to me never said anything - just stood by my side smiling at my how-did-you-do-this amazement. Overall, it was a positive experience. Never was there a feeling of resistance to the sentence/agreement - only a sense of wonder. Even though I never got up to write the message on paper, it must be written in my subconscious.

In "real" life I have a blue book like the one in the dream. I haven't looked at it in ages, but pulled it out this morning out of curiosity. Hardly anything is in it - just about 5 pages of sparse writing - more like notes. What resonated most is what is jotted down on page 5, dated 09-09-09 under the heading YOGA BUSINESS. Simple reminders.

I wonder what it is about the 29 July 2010 ...

Side view of book

This Play Whe dream thing really works

Because of my dream the other day, I had suggested to those who play Play Whe to play Big Snake today, Sunday 4th July. Then Luna had commented on this post:

Hi Elspeth,
Funny thing is, I'm not sure Play Whe is played on a Sunday. Perhaps your mention of 3s today, means Saturday 3rd July would be the day for the Big Snake :)

I agreed with her valid point ... and she was right! When I checked the papers today to see what played, it was King (in the morning) and Dog (in the afternoon). Big Snake is also King and Dog!

I remember (from when I used to work in advertising and we had to do Play Whe ads) that each mark also has 'spirits' (I think that's what they're called) - i.e. other marks that could play instead of them. So someone who felt that their dream of a Big Snake was powerful enough to warrant betting on it would also play Dog and King.

I think that's how it works. But ... how do they know which one plays when (morning or afternoon)? Does it mean they bet on Big Snake, Dog and King in the a.m. and p.m.? That's a lot of money to put out. But then again, if they win, I guess it's a lot of money to win.

I am just fascinated by the fact that my Play Whe predictions based on that dream came to pass.

Lucrative Dreaming

I don't play Play Whe, but if I had played "snake" (to be safe - both Big Snake and Little Snake) on the day I wrote about this dream, I would have won some money. Out of curiosity I checked the results for that day's draw and Little Snake played in the afternoon.

So, maybe (as I suggested in that post), the 4th of July will also be a day to play Snake. Perhaps this time it will be Big Snake - just like the biggest pencil in the world which will be unveiled that day at the Queen's Park Savannah.

Years ago I was with a friend at Long Circular Mall and we kept noticing the number 3 everywhere we turned. Or the number 30, which adds up to three (3 + 0 = 3). Or numbers like 12 or 21 which add up to 3 (2 + 1 = 3). So bombarded were we by threes or numbers that added up to three, that we decided to play Play Whe and place the little bit of money we had on us on #3 to see what happened. Three was one of the winning numbers that day and, if I remember correctly, we won $60. We were so thrilled, you would think we had won a million.

Big Snake Kundalini & something to do with/for your new love(r)

Anna's outfit (Anna the rainbow boa)

Last night I had many intense dreams. In one of them, I was at the Queen's Park Savannah having a picnic with a friend. I can't remember now who she was, but in the dream we obviously knew each other well. We were sitting on the walkway, rather than on the grass, but no one was there walking. I was rolling around on my back, like dogs do when they're happy. At one point I rolled and my face met with the face of something looking like a large frog. Jumping up, I realised it was a large snake. I had never seen anything so huge. Its length stretched across most of the savannah.

Upon seeing me, it started to move slowly in our direction. I realised that despite its size and power, it was harmless and gentle. This being Trinidad, I knew that people would start chopping it and trying to kill it, so my first instinct was to protect it. To cut a long story short, a long line of people lifted it and were carrying it somewhere in the direction of the hospital. I went to its head, which was bleeding (I guess people had already started to attack it) and it rested against my chest, telling me something which I can't remember. That part of the dream ended there.

Kundalini (from this source)

Dreaming such a large snake, I thought two things:
1. Kundalini
2. Those who play Play Whe would play Big Snake (also Dog and King) today and on Sunday 4 July. Why 4th July? Because a moko jumbie I met recently called to invite me and some friends to the Folk Fair on that date in the Queen's Park Savannah. There, the Prime Minister (Kamla) will unveil a massive pencil built by this moko jumbie. It is the longest pencil in the world and will go into the Guinness Book of World Records. (Long pencil ... savannah ... long snake). I feel this 4th of July will be a very important day on many levels.

In another part of the dream, I was visiting Chookooloonks in Texas. We were in a small, brightly-lit studio (lit by sun through the window), talking. At one point she offered me a drink and I chose herbal tea with one level teaspoon of brown sugar. Before she left, she mentioned a friend she had who is a hairdresser and who was there at the house. I asked her if he could give me a haircut and shave off all of my hair. She thought it was a great idea and returned with the tea, the friend and his machine to shave my hair.

In the time that they took to come, I made the decision to leave my hair long - remembering that hair is considered a great conductor of energy and also that "Kundalini" comes from the Sanskrit word Kundal - meaning "lock of hair from the Beloved". The awakening of Kundalini is the "uncoiling" of this hair, releasing the creative potential in each of us. In the dream I felt that cutting it would be cutting something that was coming into being on various levels.

As the friend of Chookooloonks walked in, from the look on his face I could tell his first thought: Why are you shaving off your hair? My first thought was that I knew he was gay even though he didn't "appear" so by societal standards.

I told him that I had decided to leave my hair long, but that I wanted to pay him anyway. I gave him two five dollar bills and told him: "Spend one to buy something special for yourself and one to buy something special for someone you are in love with - and share." As I said that, he looked at me and his face turned red, as though to ask: "How did you know that I had just met someone special?"

As simple as it was, I felt like what I had given him had opened a door to success in this new relationship. Maybe it is something to try. If there is someone new that you are interested in romantically, take two five dollar bills. With them, buy one special thing for yourself and one for the other and share.

Why do we fear?

I woke up earlier than usual this morning and did yoga. By the time I was finished, it was only 4:40 a.m., so I went back to bed. One portion of my dream was very clear: I was somewhere I'd never been. A friend of mine was driving and we pulled into a small town with little wooden buildings and a dryish landscape. It had an Arizona or New Mexico kind of feel to it. We parted ways - he went off to do his own things and I went to do mine.

I kept walking and found myself on a wide dirt mountain road. There was a vast river running below. Despite a discomfort with heights, I climbed up and stood on the narrow ledge at the roadside to look down at it. I had never seen such a large body of running water. I suddenly felt I was in Guyana (the first time I flew over Guyana I cried when I saw how huge the rivers and trees looked from the plane).

The water in the dream was miles below me, yet because the river was so huge, the spray coming up from its gigantic rapids reached my face. I was frozen, unable to come down from the ledge. When I eventually did, I flopped onto the ground. Because it was bare earth and wet from the spray of the river rapids, it was muddy. I lay there and started to cry in a heaving, chest-opening kind of way - not from sadness or fear, but because everything was so big - in a way that I had never experienced and never imagined experiencing. I was overwhelmed by the unbelievable vastness of the road, the river, the mountainside, the sky, the openness, the emptiness ... and my smallness, like a pinprick in the midst of it all. In that moment I realised it was just me, physically alone, in a place I'd never been, with no one around, no way of getting in touch, no way of knowing if I would ever return. I was totally in Unknown Territory ... and yet for the first time ever, I felt that I was not alone. This realisation is what made me cry. That something so big and open and empty could still embrace me and make me feel like I belonged.

When I got up, I was muddy. I had no cellular phone, no way of knowing how I would get back to the town (because I'd walked so far) and no way of knowing how I would find my friend so that we could drive back "home" (wherever we had come from). Yet it didn't matter. I got up, chose a direction, started walking and made my way back.

This dream was very important. I find myself wondering why I/we ever fear anything.

Why do you doubt? The One who made you will take care of you.

- Yogi Bhajan -

An interesting dream

Leaf in floor of subway station in Toronto
*

Last night in my dream I was in Toronto. I was in a house or large studio apartment with several other people. I think I was a visitor, but I felt at home and was familiar with the place we were in. It was sunny and warm, maybe summer. We were preparing for some kind of celebration.

At some point, people started arriving, then some musicians walked in carrying drums and sitars and I realised that whatever we were celebrating would soon be getting started.

I was wearing the same clothes I had had on all morning as we were preparing, so I went to bathe and change. In a medium sized suitcase I had several pieces of clothing in various colours. I was drawn to a white pair of jeans (so white they were glowing) and an elegant white cotton shirt with very thin but visible brown stitching on its seams. My energy started to glow and heighten when I saw the white, so I knew I had to wear it.

In the room, by the window, there was another girl in a red t-shirt. She also had to change. We started talking and she was showing me something. I can't remember what, now, but it was visual - like photographs, but not quite. Whatever it was made me curious and I asked her what she does. She showed me a dropper and said: "I go around collecting colours from nature."

Somehow, even though we were in the room, she was able to demonstrate by touching a leaf out in the garden and gathering the green as a liquid in her dropper. It wasn't like she had taken something from the leaf, but as though the leaf had given something to her. I was fascinated.

The dream ended there, so I'm not sure what she did with the green. But maybe I instinctively wore white because I knew I would be the canvas.

Dreamweaver

Pulling strands
Catching Light
Enlightening me
Illuminating my path

Spider in garage the other morning at sunrise
*

Below, an extract (full article here):

Spider honors each individual's essence. Honor and encourage each person's individual essence, recognizing and gathering only the sweetness. In our world, humans are often honored for their actions instead of their essence. We often look to be fed by what we do instead of who we are, by work and play instead of our divine essence. Spider assures us that a thousand hours of work will never be as valuable to her or Great Spirit as one drop of your essence.

Have you ever looked closely at a spider's web sparkling in the sun? Each place four directions intersect (much like the intersection of our world) is the home of countless rainbows, adding to the spectacle that is the kaleidoscope of her creation. Can you be dedicated enough to Beauty to encourage each of her creations to shine forth their own light so that the whole web can sparkle its infinitely complex pattern? When an individual's essence is not honored, a rainbow is stifled. Are you secure enough in your own shining that you can allow others to join and compliment your light?

Veronica gets her house today ... and what about us?

Faith makes all things possible.
Love makes all things easy.

- Dwight L. Moody -The Dream Trees when they were small.

*

Today is the handing over ceremony at which Veronica and her two children will get the keys to their new home. In a twist of synchronicity, tonight is also the night that Invisible the Dance will compete in the Best Village finals at Queens Hall (from 6:30, for those who wish to be there).

The Veronica's House initiative began in January 2008 with the seemingly impossible task of Katie (my production assistant on the documentary (Invisible) - who soon after had to return to Toronto) and I deciding to build Veronica and her children a house. People told us: "Great idea, girls, but ... that's a huge undertaking! You all know anything about building a house?"

Even with 'obstacles' (for a very long while not much support financially or physically) there was never the feeling that this was impossible. It would be long winded of me to go into details of the entire process, but suffice it to say, there is indeed an Invisible (pun intended) Force that moves us and moves with us, pulling the necessary elements together when something is to be manifested.

Earlier this year when I made the Dream House window lamp, it was primarily to promote the cause of building a house for Veronica. However, I felt that rather than it just being about her dream (a house), it would be even more powerful if it was about our dreams too.

I had said back then that the day Veronica gets the keys to her house is the day that something special will happen for all of us who placed our dreams into the Dream House Window Lamp ... (dreams thereafter planted with the Dream Trees featured above - now MUCH larger than they were back then).

So ... today is a very special day. Not just for Veronica and her children, but for all of us who trusted/trust our dreams to the Invisible Force.

The 'seemingly impossible' task of what started as 'two girls setting out to build a house' is now AN ACTUAL HOUSE (thanks to help from the Invisible Force and Habitat and anyone else who came on board along the way).

Have no doubt that our dreams are manifesting big time also.

Duck Dream

This morning I went into a thrift store to see if they would take the packed up items that I will give away, rather than discard (... and they will, so I'll go back with the things on Wednesday). Inside, amidst the books, clothes, shoes and other odds and ends, I came across an old little box containing two tiny gold ducks on springs. They bobbed up and down when I touched them and suddenly I remembered my dream from last night.

I was standing naked in front of a mirror by a window. The room was dark, but my body had a glow to it that made the air around me bright. Suddenly I heard a voice calling. It was my neighbour, Mrs. C, calling what I thought was her dog. My first instinct was to dart away from the window, but then I realised she couldn't see me. I looked out and realised she was calling not to the dog, but to swarms of ducklings. I was amazed to see hundreds, maybe even thousands, of baby ducks running around outside the window. I had never seen anything like it.

As I played with the two little gold ducks in the old box, I told the woman in the thrift store (who was walking around with me, talking): "I now remember that last night I dreamt a whole set of ducks."

"Oh, you know about dreams?" she said.

I told her I had never dreamed ducks before and that when I got home I would look them up.

The Duck is symbolic of water energy (emotions) and the ability to deal powerfully with them. The Duck is also known as a helper of clairvoyance and seers. His message is to listen to emotions and feelings as the bringers of truths, as opposed to side stepping or ignoring them as intolerable or shameful. Water Energy is the carrier of intuitive messages that can be missed due to intellectual stifling.

Source

Dream Cat-cher 2

I came back from dropping T off at the airport and saying godbye ... to find a gift on the bamboo mat in front of my bedroom door. Another lizard (courtesy Jasper who clearly didn't want to be outdone by Herman). Confirmation that dreams are on course.
Lizard is about dreaming. In our dreams we imagine different futures and choose which we will materialize. Lizard teaches us the importance of respecting and remembering our dreams, incorporating the messages from our dreams into our lives.
(Extract from here).

Dream Cat-cher

by
Elspeth Duncan & Tresa Yung
Herman, the cat at Lillibet's (Castara) where we spent our first few days in Tobago.

*

On our day of departure from Lillibet's, Herman THE DREAM CATCHER caught a lizard which he laid in our path as a goodbye gesture. Having had lots of experience with my cat Jasper and his gifts, I immediately saw Herman's lizard as a power animal. The lizard as a power animal is about dreaming and intuition ... and I've been having some very notable dreams on this trip.

I'll now hand over to Tresa to write a few words ...

*

Not only have Elspeth's dreams been vivid and telling of intuitive messages, but we've come to find a mutually inspired and inspiring purpose; suddenly, it feels as if a door has opened ... as if our "life purpose," "life dreams" and the revelation of each is now further unfolding in the subtle realms for both of us. It has truly been a unique, magical and exciting trip, each day filled with the synchronicity & divine guidance that being open brings. Now, it's time to let go of limiting beliefs and trust in faith.

Back to you, Elspeth ...

*

I agree totally with everything that Tresa just said. Being here, stepping out of 'life as we know it' has revealed the many possibilities that exist in 'life as we don't know it' (yet) when we find the courage to surrender to the calling of our hearts. Here we had 'nothing to do' and 'nowhere to go'. This has nothing to do with being bored, being lazy or being uninterested in the rush of life. For us, having nothing to do created the space for anything and everything to be possible, even if just in our imaginations (for now) ... and having nowhere to go meant that we could go anywhere (if we wanted to) or stay right where we were.

One of the things that makes it possible to live in, enjoy and flourish in apparent nothingness is living by what we referred to on this trip as 'third eye time'. It is a completely different time that has nothing to do with the clocks we become accustomed to and dependent on in 'everyday life'. Some of you may already be familiar with kronos (chronological time) and Kairos (Divine Time). We did not live by Kronos time here ... and hopefully, upon returning to 'civilisation' we will not lose our awareness of Kairos.

There is a lot that is unfolding and all will be revealed in Divine third-eye time. Being here has reminded me that we are visionaries. From wherever we are, we can extend ourselves beyond that time and space to a reality that may not exist yet in our material surroundings, but is no less 'real'.

*

Back to you, Tresa ...

Yes, Elspeth, I concur. This experience has made me take pause and see how I, as well as many people I know, can sometimes become so driven, attached to or focused upon our current lifestyle, purpose or status that we can no longer see the unlimited number of things possible in our lives (besides just that which we currently hold on to).

It's also been such a relief to see that creativity can come through things other than pain or suffering. This has been a very light and joyous trip and it's been filled with brainstorming potential. I know so many creative artists who think that they have to remain connected to their struggle in order to create something amazing.

I've done the same thing and I'm ready to step off of that path. When I let go of my self-created limits, anything is possible.

Are we Dreaming?

The Dream Catcher which was once a part of the Dream House Window Lamp - now hanging under the sapodilla tree at the bottom of the garden.
*

A few months have passed since we placed our dreams in the Dream House and then planted them with the Dream Trees. So much has happened since then ... and still so much promises to come as life shifts, allowing our dreams to manifest.

Is there anyone reading this who placed a dream in the Dream House or in the clay vessel when we planted the trees? Are you seeing and feeling your dream(s) unfolding?

The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.
- Tom Bradley -

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
- James Dean -

I think we dream so we don't have to be apart for so long. If we are in each other's dreams we can be together all the time.
- Calvin & Hobbes -

Dreams are illustrations ... from the book your Soul is writing about you.
- Marsha Norman -

You see things and you say "Why?" But I dream things that never were and I say: "Why not?"
- George Bernard Shaw -

You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
- C.S. Lewis -

Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe -

If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams and endeavours to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
- Henry David Thoreau -


Source of Quotes

Raw dreams and a mysterious nocturnal experience

The above image comes from this site. Take a look at their decadent desserts.
*

Last night I had a delicious raw dream followed by a mysterious experience.

I dreamed someone made a huge raw chocolate cake for me and I was eating a massive slice. I was fully enjoying it, actually experiencing the tastes and textures ... in fascinated disbelief. It was a "wow" moment, as I have never made a raw cake of my own and never tasted one 'in real life'. The one in the dream was towering, impressive and delicious and the experience of eating it in the dream was authentic. Even now as I am awake writing this, I am still tasting it, as though what I tasted in the dream is embedded in my gastronomical memory.

I am not aware of the order of the night's events, so I can't be sure if the 'mysterious experience' happened before or after the raw dream. I was awoken at some point in what felt like the early morning by the sound of music playing loudly. I slowly came to my senses, my eyes opening to the dark room ... and to the sound of the yoga CD that was in my CD player, playing loudly! I lay there in a half-asleep daze, listening as the Mul Mantra (track #1) played. It took me a while before I woke up enough to realise: "Hold on a minute ... there's no-one in my room but me ... and I was asleep. Who turned on the CD?"

There's no 'logical' way that it can play unless someone presses PLAY with their fingers. But clearly something had made it play, even though it had been off when I went to sleep. It also sounded like the volume had been turned up, because it was sounding louder than I'd had it playing the day before (perhaps because the night was so quiet?) I got out of bed to turn down the volume, just as the healing mantra, RA MA DA SA SA SAY SO HUNG (track #2) came on. Playing softly in the background, it put me back to sleep.

(N.B. For those of you who don't know Ra Ma Da Sa, there are various versions - all of them soothing. Have a listen to this lovely rendition by Snatam Kaur):