3 Steps to Incubating Dreams for Recreation & Problem-Solving

In the series, Star Trek: Next Generation, the crew of the USS Enterprise had a resource available to them that would allow them to learn new skills, develop their talents, take vacations, and consult with experts to find solutions to problems. 

This resource was The Holodeck where the onboard computer could generate any desired virtual reality holographically.

Far out, huh?

Well guess what? We all have our own personal Holodeck. And it is generating a series of virtual realities every night. We call them dreams.

So if you want to "live long and prosper" start programming your Holodeck to give you specific experiences! Want to take a holiday? Program it in! Want to improve a skill? Or discover a new talent? Program it in! Working on a problem you need some help with? Call upon your Inner Genius to counsel you with dream incubation.

Dream incubation is as easy as setting an intention.

The first step is to formulate a clear intention. Decide on a theme or subject you’d like to have a dream on. Then write it down!

If you’re working on a problem, write down all the details and facts related to the problem. The idea is to saturate your conscious mind with the idea. As you drift off to sleep, the critical factor goes into abeyance, allowing your consciously-held intention (and all the relevant data) to drop down into the subconscious mind.

Emotion is the motivating power of the subconscious mind, so be sure to bring up any feelings associated with the issue. And stay focused on that single theme until you fall asleep.

When you do, your subconscious mind, the most powerful, goal-achieving mechanism in the universe, will go to work. This is what a night time dream is. It’s your subconscious mind working behind the scenes - while you sleep!

The second step is to look for the dream immediately upon awakening. Instead of rolling out of bed with a “carpe diem” attitude, lay still and notice what’s there. Give the dream time to surface.

Whatever comes, don’t judge. Just write it down. Rough notes is fine. Just write it down!

Sometimes I wake with a song.  Sometimes it’s just a picture, or a vague sense of a scene. Or a mood.  Whatever is there, I write it down.

And as soon as I start putting pen to paper something interesting tends to happen. More comes. The story starts to flesh out. The feeling gets stronger. And the next thing you know I’ve got a full-blown epic movie. 

And it's all about me!

The third step is to write it down exactly as you recall it. The conscious mind may want to analyze and reorganize events so they make sense. Don’t let it! Remember, the subconscious mind uses the language of images and emotion. Logic is not helpful at this stage. (Later it will make sense.)

So, step 1: formulate a clear intention and let yourself feel it!

Step 2: notice what’s there without judging

Step 3: honor the dream by reporting it exactly as it is presented, without editing.

These same steps apply to therapeutic hypnosis.

Think about it. The first step in addressing a client’s issue is to establish the therapeutic goal. And as emotion is the motivating energy of the subconscious mind, there must also be a strong desire to achieve that goal. The subconscious mind will then act on the energy of your request.

So if you’re wishy-washy about losing the weight, breaking free of some habit, or resolving any problem you are faced with - you’re not yet ready to work on that issue. Similarly, you must be sincere in your desire to have a dream about your chosen theme or issue.

The second step is to focus inside and notice what’s there. Hypnosis requires focused attention. So any awareness of feeling or emotion is connected to the feeling part of the mind. The stronger the emotion, the deeper the hypnosis.

To begin, it might be an awareness of feeling or sensation in the body. Thoughts may surface in association to feelings. There may be a picture symbol. Or the client may spontaneously regress into a scene from the past. Whatever arises, we don’t judge it. We allow it into consciousness as valid information from within.

The third step relates to the uncovering process which occurs during an interactive hypnosis session. What we must teach our clients to honor what the subconscious mind has to say.

The way to honor the subconscious is to simply report what’s coming up without trying to think or judge or figure it out. First impressions are more important than being “right” or trying to come up with an answer that makes sense.

Trying to figure things out just brings in the conscious mind. And that just gets in the way. We want to stay focused on the feeling part of the mind because the conscious mind doesn’t have the answers. (If it did the problem would have been resolved by now, right?)

I’ll go deeper into the uncovering process in my next blog on Recording Your Dreams.

Until then, pleasant dreams!

Dream Working really can make you a better hypnotherapist!

Some of you have been asking, 'What's happening behind the scenes?'

I have been spending a lot of time in my personal holodeck coming up with ways to make it easy for you to join me for the first DTI-VI-2012. 

You're going to LOVE what my subconscious mind has given me! (As they say in Mexico, "almost free!")

I can't give you the details just yet, but soon, very soon.... 

So for now, share the dream and plan to be here in May on beautiful Vancouver Island!

Be a better hypnotherapist!

• Discover the WHY’s to regression hypnotherapy. (What you're doing should makes sense!)
• Learn ways to work with night dreams, day dreams, and THIS dream! (Is there a difference?)
• Become a Dream Coach and Dream Healer.
• Learn how being an alien will improve your uncovering results. (Nanoo-Nanoo!)
• Learn how you can make more money by facilitating self-hypnosis and dream working classes. (But only if you want ...)
• Have a blast making new friends!
• Discover how much you already DO know! (You're basically brilliant!)

www.devilstherapy.com

PS My apologies if you've visited the website and found it a bit scrambled. We're still working out the glitches. So thanks for your patience and DO check it periodically for updates. Good stuff is on its way!