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Awake and asleep, we continue to think.
Mental activity takes different forms, from the visual imagery of dreams
while we sleep, to wisps of thoughts that divert us in waking hours,
to more focused attention on specific topics. In this book, mental health
counselor Joan Mazza encourages us to find the common threads in our
self-reflective thinking. She then urges us to translate our wishes
into life-enhancing action.
Nighttime dreams frequently highlight pressing emotional concerns. Nightmares,
in particular, sound a call for action. We all have core issues that
we wrestle with throughout our lives, Mazza notes. These may include
problems with authority figures, an inability to commit to something
or follow through beyond an enthusiastic beginning, or taking on responsibility
for others instead of allowing them to be responsible for themselves.
By understanding dream signposts and recurring metaphors, Mazza says,
and by incubating or programming dreams to answer specific questions,
we can find solutions. Talking with others about our dreams may help
us see things we otherwise might not have noticed. She stresses, however,
"You are the true expert on the meaning of your dream."
If you've ever reproved yourself when you found your mind wandering
in the daytime, Mazza's words may relieve your guilt. Our culture, she
asserts, assumes daydreaming is a kind of mental doodling and therefore
unproductive. We attribute daydreaming to having too much on our minds
or not having better things to think about. "In fact," she asserts,
"fantasies are one of the ways we keep ourselves in balance." They let
us try on new behaviors and rehearse future conversations, giving us
hope that our lives can be better.
To help you use the insight gained from examining sleeping and waking
fantasies to redirect your life, Mazza offers numerous exercises. You
might choose to interview your future self, write a personal mission
statement, and learn better ways to set boundaries. As an aid to the
latter, she offers 16 ways to say no with a smile, without explaining
your reasons. The easiest: "No."
Many people profess not to remember their dreams. They often dismiss
daydreams, too. Some find these seemingly random thoughts hard to decode,
while others see their contents as strange or embarrassing. The biggest
barrier may be time. We're all "too busy." If that's your excuse, a
little time with this book may help you set new priorities.
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