DREAM INCUBATION

This is a time-honoured ritual of sleeping in a sacred place in anticipation of receiving a divinely inspired dream. This ritual mirrors a natural inner process of self-regulation, healing & transformation. It facilitates externalization of psychological processes & can act as a catalyst to problem solving. Dream Incubation rituals have existed in most of the older cultures, like  those of Greece, Rome, Egypt, China, Iran & India. They were primarily used for guidance & healing.

Dream Incubation is a fascinating process which together with the technique of visualization & meditation brings out the dynamic synergy of intellect & intuition. Visualization is a powerful technique and we are familiar with it from early childhood much before we learn words. Visual thinking is very specific to dreaming and relates well with the dreaming mind. It is not concerned with logic, common sense and convention.

Many of us have gone to sleep with a problem & awakened the next morning with solution clearly in mind. One can develop the natural problem solving function of one’s sleeping mind by learning to incubate or target one’s dreams.

Dream Incubation Process

Often, a strong & determined resolve to find an answer needs to be planted during the dream incubation session. Once the seed of a certain resolve or “Sankalpa” is planted deep into the subconscious, the collective forces of the mind bring it to fruition. A “Sankalpa” is more than just a resolution or goal-setting exercise. It is an affirmation that aligns our throughts, actions and beliefs with our deepest aspirations. “Sankalpa” is the seed and the subconscious mind the sub-soil. Once the seed is planted and followed by necessary actions, the universe helps overcome the obstcacles and guides the dreamer towards its fullfillment.

This powerful seed eventually manifests into action at the conscious level. It most likely occurs when one incubates a dream for generating new ideas or solutions to specific problems in Science, Project Development, Sports, Design & Habit Control. In an organizational environment, the interpretation of incubated dreams often provides an insight into a core issue and uncovers unrecognized ideas. Thus, facilitating problem-solving, creativity & personal development.

I have covered this topic in detail in chapter 2 of my book,  Daring To Dream. To know more about my book please click on this link.