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Are you a dreamer? Dreams are fascinating experiences. They offer us a peek into our subconscious in ways that often perplex and even scare us, but the fact is that our dreams are also clues into ourselves that can help us transform our relationship with not only our stress but also our lives as a whole. That is why I brought on The Stress Less show Abigail Vettese, an herbalist and dreamwork enthusiast, to help us really dig into the power of our dreams.
From a very young age, Abigail has been deeply inspired by the mind and nature. Throughout her life, she has continued to explore the mind through both her dreams and her work as an herbalist and a visual artist.
“I've just had a really creative, overactive kind of just very cerebral perspective on life, and particularly when it comes to dreamwork.”
Experiencing and delving into the recurring themes of her own dreams, Abigail has a few tips to share for deepening that connection we have with our dreams and beginning to explore a more active dream practice.
Tip #1: View Sleep and Dreaming as a Form of Self Study
Abigail’s first tip is to first recognize the importance of sleep and dreams as a window into ourselves. We all know how important it is to sleep, but our dreams are just as important to value as they often can be one of life’s biggest spiritual teachers. Abigail highlights that our dreams allow us to tap into a brand new perspective on ourselves.
“One of the most profound things about the dream state is our ability to really transcend our ego and take all these different lessons from whatever themes are showing up in our dreams in order to reassess some of the programming in our day to day lives.”
Starting a dream journal, for instance, can be a valuable practice to begin what Abigail views as a study into ourselves and our inner world. By investigating these common themes in our dreams, we are able to begin using these insights to better understand the challenges we face in our waking life and beyond.
Tip #2: Incorporate Herbalism into Your Dream Practice
As an herbalist, another useful tool Abigail suggests trying is incorporating plants and herbs into our dream practice so that we can find an even deeper connection to what is inside of us.
“By using an herb like mugwort before bed, we can really induce this vivid textural landscape in our dreams.”
In combination with keeping a dream journal, mugwort, Abigail notes, will help us fully immerse ourselves in the self-study that dreaming provides. As always, when it comes to using plant-based practices, use your judgment and listen to expert advice. However, Abigail clarifies that mugwort is not a drug and can be found in any health food store as it is safe for most to brew in a tea or leave out as an aromatic.
“If you're pregnant or you're lactating [don’t] use mugwort because it can have an impact on women's reproductive systems. But aside from that, it's very safe.”
Tip #3: Ask Questions to Connect With Your Dreams
Abigail’s final tip in connecting with your dreams is to be direct in what we are searching for. By focusing on the things we need to know in our lives before we go to sleep, we can actually tap into our subconscious mind and find answers and inspiration in our dreams. To do this, Abigail suggests that we ask ourselves questions before we go to bed.
“[It] could be something as broad as what do I need to bring my attention to right now in order to ease or mitigate my stress? Or that can be an even more specific question like I'm trying to figure out what to draw and I need some creative insight.”
Abigail uses this approach in her own work as an artist and in her daily life. By connecting with our dreams, we find new parts of ourselves to explore freely and without stress or anxiety getting in the way.