Although unpleasant, nightmares and restless sleep can help us if we know how to use them to our advantage. Next time you have a nightmare or bad dream, follow these steps:
1. Don't immediately go back to sleep. There is a high chance that you will go straight back into the nightmare even if you can't remember doing that. Regardless, you will be abandoning yourself to an anxious, fragmented state with little sleep value. You will most likely wake up tired and out of sorts. You may even wake up sick as anxiety affects the body negatively. Certainly, you will have learned nothing from the night's adventures and made no progress in the general state of your consciousness. Instead of going back to sleep, get up, make some tea, get warm, and settle into another room telling yourself that this time is much more valuable to you than fearful sleep which can only tire you.
2. Once settled, try to understand the fears that have come up in the dream, what they mean, and where they have come from. Try to recognise who or what is being represented in the dream. In this way, you can learn much about yourself and other people.
3. You may be given a warning which could save you or others from harm's way. I remember once dreaming of a close friend and her face turned into an ugly and vindictive skeleton. The dream was very clear but I instantly dismissed it as one of those "crazy" thoughts. For some reason still unknown to me, that friend's thoughts had become unreadable to me and my trust in her was high. I knew she was a little jealous of me but I put it down to "normal" competitiveness and felt, with time, she would learn to let it go in favour of a loving friendship. It was only a matter of a month or so and I found out about her malicious plan to hurt me which not only destroyed the friendship but, unfortunately, did much damage to her mental health.
4. You may be given the direction you need to make a decision. Our subconscious mind knows many things and has much instinctive wisdom. It serves us to learn how to communicate with it.
5. You may be given creative ideas from sources outside of yourself. I frequently get ideas, words, and phrases for writing when I am asleep. It is usually just before I wake and so I quickly get up and write them down before they disappear back into the ether. Sometimes, I wake in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. I get up and sit in my chair and think about whatever seems to have woken me up. The time may be used for my own healing and spiritual realignment or for creative purposes. I could get a specific idea or a whole poem could materialise. The stillness of the night makes us receptive to all sorts of ideas.
6. At the least, by engaging in this process, you will learn a little more about the thoughts which live with you and affect you greatly. You can start to eliminate the ones you don't want and feed the ones that are beneficial to you. Half to one hour of this process is generally enough. Otherwise, you can get so mesmerised by the bad thoughts that you will have difficulty getting away from them.
7. Now it is time to move onto the second stage. Have your special inspirational books/music close at hand. Read and listen to them openheartedly, trusting that the Divine wants you to feel better. A few lines of something which has genuine meaning to you has infinitely more power than a whole book which only speaks to your intellect. Gravitate towards that which touches your heart and soul even if you don't understand why it has that impact on you. Remember that there are many who go before you and have walked exactly the same path and are more than willing to help you in every possible way that they can. Also, ask the angels to help you even if you don't believe in them. Simply by asking something higher than yourself, the invisible forces will then have permission to help you.
8. If you have nothing else then say this prayer slowly and sincerely.
I am always safe.
I am protected by God who cares for me every second of the day and night.
God's power is infinitely greater than any power to the contrary.
The angels are around me and are keeping me safe.
There are many loved ones in Heaven, even those I do not know, who watch over me and pray for me.
I have a purpose on Earth and God will help me to fulfil it.
I release my fears. I am at peace.
The angels are whispering good things into the ears of my friends and enemies.
Everything will work out for me, those I love, and even those I find difficult to love.
9. After a while, you will start to feel better. You will know when it is time to go back to bed. Even if you don't get much sleep afterwards, you will still be in a better mental space. A quietened, meditative mind repairs the body much more effectively than sleep. If you keep returning to this process, over a few years you will be surprised by the great impact it has on your mental and spiritual well-being.
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