dream studies

an early autumn medley

~ kimberly mascaro ~ Leave a comment

It’s been a busy Fall season here! Didn’t Fall just begin? How about for you? How are you holding up?

Before we get going, I want to tell you about The Shift Network – they offer amazing summits and courses online on a variety of topics that touch the soul. I’m honored to have been invited to host this year’s Dreamwork Summit. I can’t believe the event was free! Did you see it? The 20+ dream experts I interviewed shared valuable and profound information on dreaming, including lucid dreaming and dream yoga, various methods on ways to conduct dreamwork, and much more. I was grateful to have presented on how visitation dreams and shrine-making intersect. If you missed it, but are interested in that subject, I will be posting the video interview on my website soon.

Shifting gears now…Today, I want to share some of the things that have kept me occupied and inspired lately. These just might entertain you for a while too, especially during this pandemic and seasonal shift.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

First, Joe at SacWellness asked me to write an article for their blog and I jumped at the change to write about the importance of the breath. Believe me when I say that breathing with awareness is everyone’s best friend. Our breath has our back! Deep, conscious breathing supports the parasympathetic nervous system – aka ‘the brakes’  and our ‘rest and digest’ system. Furthermore, our breath can become our most trusted guide and most easily accessed inner resource. Here’s the link to the article with video: https://sacwellness.com/the-importance-of-breathing/ My YouTube channel has additional videos on breathing techniques – see my series titled, “Let’s Breathe” at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5uiyWhrG8N8gNsYbZbGK8w

Life Coach Path is a place for all those in the coaching industry. I had a good time when Brandon interviewed me on their Coach’s Circle Podcast. The Coach’s Circle Podcast is brought to you by Life Coach Path, an online resource for anyone who wants to learn more about becoming a life coach. During that very fun interview I shared how I came to practice the way I do, along with how I went from being an artist to a licensed psychotherapist and somatic psychologist. Since my practice is eclectic, I explained how I weave together traditional therapy with hypnosis, art-making, yoga nidra, and more. We also touched on imposter syndrome near then end of the interview. Listen here: https://www.lifecoachpath.com/coachs-circle-73-kimberly-mascaro/

Dr. Joshua Black has conducted some fascinating research on dreams of the bereaved. He invited me onto the Grief Dreams Podcast to discuss the power bereavement dreams can hold for so many people experiencing loss. This is a topic close to my heart. Our conversation was deep as well as touching. You can list to our conversation, if you like, here: https://griefdreamspodcast.podbean.com/e/e173-dr-kimberly-mascaro-announcing-dreams/

National Parent’s Union delivers a powerful webcast, regularly. I love how it begins with a moment dedicated to self-care, after all it is “a nightly restorative check-in!” Dr. Enjolie Lafaurie hosted me on October 9, 2020. We discussed so many dream-related topics such as our experiences with visitation dreams, my research on announcing dreams, a colleagues research on wellness and health dreams, how to work with dreams and more. These webcasts are live on Facebook and can be accessed here: https://fb.watch/1a0T-bgF4t/

Well there you go, enjoy those links to dream-related topics as well as self-care and conversations on life’s big moments and decisions.

Happy October to ya,

Dr. Kim

a pathway to lucid dreaming

~ kimberly mascaro ~ Leave a comment

From an extraordinary dream to a hypnotic state, chimera made a meaningful presence in my life. Numerous others have seen significant images of people, animals, and more, in dreams, hypnosis, and other non-ordinary states of consciousness. Anyone can wait for a particular image to reappear, although at times, one is moved to act and discover more sooner than later. While there are a variety of techniques and practices that exist to propel such a journey, lucid dreaming is one such pathway to regain access.

In his preface to his first book, Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self, Robert Waggoner (2009) writes that lucid dreaming is “the ability to become consciously aware of dreaming while in the dream state.” Stephen LaBerge, has researched this phenomenon for decades. In one of his books, Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life, he states that “lucid dreamers can consciously influence the outcome of their dreams” (2004, p. 3).

These books, among several others, offer tips and techniques for lucid dreaming success. In my experience, a daily concentration meditation practice has been very helpful. Whether it is counting each breath, walking slowly and mindfully with intention, focusing on an object (candle flame, flower, glass of water), or vocalizing a mantra, the act of focused attention itself brings about benefits. In addition, attending to the present moment through intentional awareness, whether you are showering or doing the dishes, enhances faculties needed for awareness in the dream state.

If you are new to this, start small. Consistent shorter periods of time are better than skipping days or nothing at all, or inconsistently practicing for longer periods. Try for five minutes a day, then 10 the following week and so on. An hour a day is wonderful, and can be split into a morning and evening practice (30 minutes each). In addition to gaining enhanced experiences in dreamtime, your physiology will thank you too, as such practices are known to relieve stress and bring a sense of peace and calmness.

If you want to learn more about an image or experience you’ve had in an ordinary, typical dream state, dreaming with awareness, or lucidly, can allow for such conscious engagement. If you’ve had such an experience, and are moved to share it, I’d love to hear from you.

Happy dreaming,

Kim

why “conscious chimera?”

~ kimberly mascaro ~ 2 Comments

Why “conscious chimera?” There is so much in a name. Chimera appeared to me many years ago, in dream. At that time, chimera presented itself as a small statue, or figurine, able to fit in my open palms. In the dream, this image, this mythological creature, felt significant. I came upon it in a dream basement. Upon returning to an ordinary wakening state, I researched its meanings and pondered its significance. I was somewhat familiar with the history of chimera, but why would it be with me in this way, at this time?

chimera

Chimera did not return for what felt like ages, even while I revisited its meaning and history from time to time. A few years ago, though, I was invited to attend a monthly dream group, and it was there that I shared the dream. The dream group’s members, after a process of analysis, offered meaningful insights and possibilities for such a dream. That evening, I left the group refreshed and with purpose, although still somewhat bewildered. And still, I continued to hold chimera in my thoughts and daydreams. I had hoped to reconnect.

During a presentation and workshop at the 2015 IASD conference, interested attendees were guided into a state of relaxation – a light hypnotic state – and furthermore, welcomed to imagine an image from a dream that needed greater clarity or insight. Naturally, chimera emerged. This time, chimera was no figurine, but full-grown, and even better – fully alive! Having had years of experience with hypnosis, I guided myself to go deeper and felt very relaxed and comfortable, so much so, in fact, that I imagined becoming chimera itself. Our essence merged, you could say. At that moment, we leapt into the air and ran at high speeds through the landscape. My conscious awareness shifted from being the chimera to riding the chimera – both were just fine. It felt good, and safe, and I felt well-cared for by chimera.

As the experiential portion of the workshop came to close, I emerged from this non-ordinary state of consciousness with a great appreciation for this creature. No longer mythological, and no longer separate, but instead, a seemingly real guide and companion that would remind me of my inner power and my path, and fill me with gratitude.

Here’s to the journey…

Kim