Pagan Dreaming: The Magic Of Altered Consciousness Paperback – August 28, 2015

For too long the world of dreaming has been relegated to finite descriptions of interpretations found in the varied Dream Dictionaries already published. Anyone hoping to learn more about the magic and mystery of dreams is forced to do a great deal of independent research and shifting through the limited books of dream symbols. Nimue Brown has changed that with her book Pagan Dreaming. This book instead focuses on the processes used in dream work, the many varied influences (physical, cultural, momentary, ect) on our dreams, and how one can use dream work in their Pagan practice.What I love most about this book is that the reader is wholly respected. The author spends a great deal of time walking the reader through the process of dream work without ever reducing dreams to mere acts of neuron randomness or elevating dreams to an illogical height of mystical power. Balance is both the key to dream work and the success of this book. One of the biggest take aways for me is that the meaning behind a dream is dictating by many elements and the best person to bring those elements together with clarity is the dreamer.I myself have only done limited dream work. I've never kept a dream journal or intentionally set out to have a deity inspired dream. My dreams are just a fantastic part of my night that I enjoy reflecting on in the morning or sharing with friends. I recognize when my dreams are just reflections of the day before or when they are bringing up problems I'm not addressing in my daily life. This book has empowered me to continue in this work and put more energy into recognizing the patterns in my dreams.I found this book to be fascinating and easy to read. The author does a wonderful job making her point of view understood without saying it is the only method or idea that is correct. For instance, towards the end of the book the author talks about different lifestyle and cultural choices that can impact ones dreams. If one hopes to re-wild their dreams, there are certain elements that might be useful to change. The author points out many of these elements including porn and video games. As a reader I didn't agree completely with those points in particular. Never did I feel like the author didn't allow for the disagreement. Such issues can be hot button issues and they were handled with grace and clarity.If you are looking for a book to kick-start some dream work or are just curious as to how dream work might enhance your practice or understanding of self, you should pick this book up. Skip the dream dictionaries and go right for the juicy stuff!

As a person interested in earth-centered spirituality, I've heard plenty of theories on dreams and dream interpretation. I've always been fascinated by the subject, but never committed to a paradigm. I've read both mystical and psychological texts on dreams, but didn't feel that the theories and interpretations made intuitive sense.Now finally there is a book for people like me--the practical and scientific-minded mystic. Nimue Brown's Pagan Dreaming: The Magic of Altered Consciousness is a non-traditional dream manual that not only makes sense, it is also a comfort to read. The tone is like sitting down to a cup of tea in a homey kitchen with a woman who takes no nonsense and puts on no airs.Brown's approach is dramatically different from the many dream dictionaries that claim that dreams speak to us in a universal symbolic language. Instead Brown argues that symbols are varied and--in our diverse world--likely to be individual in their language. This book is more about learning your own symbolic language of dreams than using someone else's.Pagan Dreaming presents both the physiological and brain chemistry side of dreaming as well as the processes by which giving dreams their rightful place in our lives can enrich a spiritual life. It's more of a manual of techniques and thinking than it is a dream interpretation book. And this sits well with me.The premise of the book is that most dreams, probably the vast majority of dreams, are ordinary processes of the body reflecting physical needs or sorting memory--essentially the "system check" mode of our bodies. And then there are a few dreams which may--and then really only subjectively--be considered to have emotional or spiritual meaning. This is the experience of most people.Many books have claimed that the more one can act coherently in dreams and choose the type of dreaming, the more spiritually aware and integrated the person. Many books have claimed that a truly spiritual or enlightened person should have prophetic or significant dreams. These books are likely to make those whose dreams are more like a"system check" feel inferior and perhaps ready to accept the wisdom of a supposedly enlightened teacher. Brown is selling none of that.Instead she gives a guide to learning about one's own dreams, empowering the individual to be their own teacher. As such, I did not find in this book the answer to questions I have about some rare bit eerily predictive dreams I have experienced since childhood. I did not learn how to turn my mundane dreams into more of the predictive kind. But I did gain some ideas and a structure in which to start looking for a greater understanding.