I have taken several of Aizenstadt's DreamTending classes, including the six-month program. It is his principles of dreamwork that really turned me on to dreams, even though I'd had classes in dreamwork by others. I love DreamTending and have developed some facility at the method. However, I have noticed that it mainly works with people who know about it, and the setting has to be just right. I am an executive and career coach, and I like to bring different depth methods into my work when it seems appropriate and the client is comfortable. When the subject of their dreams comes up and I suggest that we do some work around it, the client has an entirely different expectation of "dreamwork" than is the case with DreamTending. It's almost as if they are expecting some kind of parlor trick, even though I explain in detail the process and what I'm up to. DreamTending is very deep work and because it takes a fair amount of time and often it butts up against the vanguard of someone's consciousness (and, thus, their resistance), I have not been very successful using DreamTending with clients. I am able to use it with people who are already well-experienced with other forms of dreamwork and attending to their dreams in some way. As a result, I have come up with what I call "DreamTending Lite," which is a mix of the principles of DreamTending and those of other methods. I love DreamTending and would really like to do more of it precisely the way Stephen teaches it. Do you think that DreamTending is only really appropriate for licensed therapists to use, or that it is mainly for seasoned dreamworkers? I'd value any opinions.
You need to be a member of Depth Psychology Alliance to add comments!
Sounds like we are discussing the differences between a Jungian approach and a Hillmanian approach, the later allowing the image to speak for itself without the Jungian amplification process. I have DreamTending but have not read it yet...seems like I'm getting the nudge.
Dorene Mahoney > Ed KoffenbergerJanuary 15, 2011 at 1:05pm
It's a great book, Ed. You may be right--Hillman is adamant about letting the images speak for themselves, but even Jung would say that the images themselves are alive and have something to say. When most people on the street think of dreamwork, they think, "what does a cat mean," or "I had a dream about a house; what does a house mean?" They expect a quick and tidy answer. The cool thing about DreamTending is that it expands the definition of image to include landscapes and inanimate objects in the dream. Each image has a life of its own and individuates as the dreamer engages with it in "conversation." For example, a car or desert become figures that one engages in conversation. It's really astonishing what comes forth. I'll be interested in what you think of the book.
Bonnie Bright > Dorene MahoneyJanuary 15, 2011 at 11:37pm
Hi Dorene: Its so wonderful to have you back from the holidays. You have such a wonderful gift of insight at the nexus of dreamwork and coaching/business. This is not an easy arena to navigate as you have pointed out. However, regardless of how even the most hardened of executives (speaking from experience) may denigrate "dreamwork", everyone on the planet can relate to "imagery". It's the natural language of the unconscious, but also has its biological basis in the "reptilian brain"--the part of the brain that we have in common with crocodiles and with Jung's "two million year old man".
I am one who is fascinated by dreamwork but don't have a natural gift for it, so sometimes for me the only way in--and through--a compelling dream is by isolating an image and engaging with it so it can do its work on me. Sometimes I can't even manage to engage in articulate (English) conversation, but even sitting with it seems to have some kind of odd effect, as if the image itself were a language that penetrates me to the core...
Dorene Mahoney > Bonnie BrightJanuary 16, 2011 at 9:36am
That's good insight about the reptilian brain. So, I guess that the archetypes are embedded in the reptilian brain, yes? I hadn't thought about that. You know, Bonnie, I didn't think that dreamwork was my gift, either, UNTIL I found DreamTending! It's a very different approach than many other forms of dreamwork.
In response to Ed's comment about people in the faith community being leery of secular practices of dreamwork, I have found some of that, though to be honest I haven't done dreamwork with that many clients. Regardless of their religious traditions, people get hinky when you bring it into a business context. The setting has to be perfect, which is rare in my case. I will say that one of the things that I most appreciate about Jungian style dreamwork is that it's more about letting the images speak for themselves, rather than fixing them in place by drawing from a book of meanings.
Whenever something isn't working with a client, I don't look at their experience, resistance, etc..., I look at what this "not working" is saying about our work together. Hope this can be helpful.
Colleen
Dorene Mahoney > Colleen HendrickJanuary 15, 2011 at 9:00am
Yes, thank you, Colleen. I do find myself moving constantly back and forth between ground level, 10,000 feet, 30,000 feet, etc. to see what's playing out in the coaching relationship from every angle--it's all data that, hopefully, I can leverage to the client's benefit.
In response to your question about those who do dreamwork and their proper background and training, I would suggest that there is still a rich tradition of spiritual direction within all religions that works with dreams. I know that there is a suspicion of such religious perspectives and find an interfaith approach most helpful. As to the readiness of people to approach their dreams, I'm guessing that even a Westernized follower of any faith tradition would balk at the suggestion, unless they have chosen a spiritual director as their witness.
Ruth Martin > Ed KoffenbergerFebruary 12, 2011 at 10:59am
Hi Ed, et alia, re: spiritual direction. During the 90's while I was recovering from a head injury I spent a lot of time at a monastery in Big Sur. This was/is a hermetic Catholic order. The only hermit order left in today's world. This group is very interested in Jungian work, and my analyst was asked to provide a weekend for them. He told me about this group and suggested I visit while recuperating. I did, and spent a great deal of time there over about 3 yrs. Eventually when I became a 'known quantity' I was asked to present to the monks and to do individual counseling, and dream work. It became a wonderful experience on both sides. Many of the men were more interested in other than catholic imagery. They were into archetypes and meanings other than their personal relationship with the divine.
Replies
Hi Dorene: Its so wonderful to have you back from the holidays. You have such a wonderful gift of insight at the nexus of dreamwork and coaching/business. This is not an easy arena to navigate as you have pointed out. However, regardless of how even the most hardened of executives (speaking from experience) may denigrate "dreamwork", everyone on the planet can relate to "imagery". It's the natural language of the unconscious, but also has its biological basis in the "reptilian brain"--the part of the brain that we have in common with crocodiles and with Jung's "two million year old man".
I am one who is fascinated by dreamwork but don't have a natural gift for it, so sometimes for me the only way in--and through--a compelling dream is by isolating an image and engaging with it so it can do its work on me. Sometimes I can't even manage to engage in articulate (English) conversation, but even sitting with it seems to have some kind of odd effect, as if the image itself were a language that penetrates me to the core...
Hi Dorene,
Whenever something isn't working with a client, I don't look at their experience, resistance, etc..., I look at what this "not working" is saying about our work together. Hope this can be helpful.
Colleen
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next