Treat Your Sources with Caution

The world of information is quite different today from when I was growing up. If I wanted information on a topic, I had to depend upon often-outdated articles in an encyclopedia and limited resources at the local library. Now in seconds articles can be found using a search engine such as Google. Resources like this make my job as a writer much easier, but there is a risk associated with the explosion of easily accessible information. Not all articles are accurate; many are misleading at best and completely wrong at worst. There is no certification or licensing for the author of the article. Anyone can create a blog or a website and begin to pontificate his or her views on a subject or the state of the world.

Great care is needed to determine the qualifications of the author and relevance of the views espoused. I would hope that anyone who follows my posts has taken the time to check out my biography. My posts are my views and not meant to be a scientific dissertation. I believe what I write is supported by current research and is consistent with metaphysical teachings, but they are still my views. I have tried to state clearly the purpose of my book and the objective of my posts. My claim is that I have worked extensively with my dreams for over forty years and have realized most of the benefits said to be possible by sensitives such as Edgar Cayce and Jane Roberts. Because of this, I decided to share what I have learned and explain the process I used to realize those benefits.

My book is a memoir, not a book on dream interpretation. However, I believe it contains many valuable suggestions for interpreting dreams and provides the process I used to identify precognitive dreams. Although the views are mine, I find that my experience with dreams is consistent with the experience of those who received readings from Edgar Cayce and the experiences of study group members who recorded and reported their dreams.

I am pleased if you find my story and posts of benefit, but if you do not, then spend your time elsewhere. There are many paths and approaches, and only you can determine if a particular one is of value to you. The Kirkus Indie review of my book, with an excerpt on the back cover, said my approach of taking personal responsibility and applying the guidance from dreams was a strength. I do not promise that it will be easy or that the interpretation of a few dreams will solve all of your problems. My approach is not spiritual fast food. However, I think the rewards and benefits far outweigh the amount of effort required.

Some will think it is just easier to use a dream dictionary, go to a psychic, or someone who claims to be a dream interpreter rather than putting forth the effort to understand all the symbols. This approach runs counter to very specific statements made by metaphysical sources such as Edgar Cayce and Seth concerning the meaning of dream symbols and the ability of another to decipher your dreams. You can find information on the Cayce view of dreams through the Association for Research and Enlightenment (www.edgarcayce.org), and Seth’s view can be found in Session 641 in The Nature of Personal Reality by Jane Roberts. The books about Edgar Cayce as related dreams are also a good resource. Two older books that contain the basics are Dreams Your Magic Mirror by Elsie Sechrist and Edgar Cayce on Dreams by Harmon H. Bro, PH.D. They provide the Cayce view and contain many excerpts from his readings on dreams.

It is true that Edgar Cayce interpreted many dreams for individuals, but he also strongly urged people to learn to interpret their own dreams and apply the guidance for maximum benefit. If you take a dream to another person for interpretation, you might get lucky and find someone with a real gift. But even if the interpretation is accurate, you are losing one of the most important benefits, which is self-realization. After a period of struggle with a dream or dreams, there is a special feeling that occurs when you finally realize what the dream is telling you. This is how we grow as individuals, and it is not the same as someone else just telling us something, even though it might be true. Furthermore, to understand fully the other person’s interpretation, you will still need to reflect on the symbols in the dream to understand his or her interpretation.

I do not provide a theory of dream interpretation. There are in fact several different theories. My approach is a very practical one. What do your dreams mean to you and how can you benefit from them? Do they help you in your daily life? If the answer is no, then your time may best be spent on something else. I believe that if you consistently follow my suggestions about remembering and interpreting dreams and sincerely try to apply guidance from your dreams in your daily life, you will begin to experience the benefits I have been describing in my posts. But you have to do the work. Your dreams are about you and your associations, and therein lies the key to their interpretation. As you study your dreams, you are studying yourself and gaining in understanding of your motives, desires, and potentials.

Be cautious about your discussions with friends and relatives. Some will be very negative and tell you it is a bunch of nonsense, that dreams are meaningless. They typically are people who have not worked with their dreams; they are people who have made a decision about dreams without any real investigation. If you find yourself surrounded by naysayers, don’t argue with them because it will be unproductive. Seek out those with a common interest. Many people are interested in dreams and have a positive attitude toward them. You can find these kindred souls at New Age bookstores, lectures, yoga classes, and metaphysical retreats.