3 Simple Steps for Problem-Solving While Sleeping

Did you know the idea for Google came to co-founder Larry Page in a dream?

James Cameron’s $78 million dollar box office hit The Terminator was also inspired by a dream he had, which birthed a billion-dollar enterprise.

And The Beatles’ beloved hit single “Yesterday”? Yep, also materialized in a dream by Paul McCartney.

Are you receiving the important messages your soul is sharing with you while you’re sleeping?

One of the biggest misconceptions most people have about their dreams is that they think dreams are nothing more than random thoughts their brain uses to process the day.

The truth is very different.

Some History on Dream Interpretation

Carl Jung, the world-renowned psychoanalyst, believed that dreams offered a powerful bridge to the wisdom of your soul.

“Dreams are the guiding words of the soul,” Jung writes in The Red Book. “Why should I henceforth not love my dreams and not make their riddling images into objects of my daily consideration?”

The ancient Egyptians understood the power of dreaming and created temples to “incubate” their dreams. Dream incubation was a widespread practice where people looked to their dreams for specific guidance.

Edgar Cayce, known as the “sleeping prophet,” was an American mystic and clairvoyant who believed that dreams offered a powerful opportunity to solve any problem. Said Cayce, “Dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions.”

Learning from these historical thinkers invites us to ask the question: How many of life’s opportunities are we missing out on because we aren’t paying attention to our dreams and the lessons they try to reveal to us?

The Possibilities of Receiving Dream Guidance

Whether you believe it is your subconscious, your unconscious, or your soul that speaks to you in your dreams, the reality is that your dreams can powerfully guide your every decision, opportunity, and stage in life.

Albert Einstein discovered the principle of relativity after having a vivid dream.

A dream inspired Elias Howe to invent the sewing machine.

Imagine for a moment that you are just one night's sleep away from your million-dollar idea.

Listening to your dreams can also help you avoid many painful life lessons. It’s like having your own master coach to guide you each night when your head hits the pillow.

The problem is, if you don’t know how to program your dreams or interpret them accurately, you’re missing out on receiving nightly guidance from your coach.

I work with my dreams nightly. If I need to solve a problem, I’ll program my dreams to deliver a solution.

I also teach my clients how to sharpen their “sixth sense” and harness the power of their soul and dreams in both their business and personal life.

Whether we remember our dreams or not, each of us dreams every time we fall asleep. So, why not master this powerful practice?

Here’s how.

How to Use the Dream Incubation Technique

Identify the problem you want to solve. Try to be as specific as possible and understand clearly why this problem is important to you.

Program your dreams for guidance. Again, it is important to ask a specific question. Write your question down and place it under your pillow before you go to sleep. This nightly ritual programs your soul and your subconscious mind to solve any problem.

Have a journal, pen, and flashlight ready to record your dreams as you wake. To help me capture those vivid early morning dreams, I voice-record them on my phone.

If you can’t remember your dreams, there may be a limiting belief lurking in your psyche. A little detective work can help you uncover the belief. Perhaps you think dreams are unimportant or that it takes too much time and effort to remember them.

Take time to consider your beliefs on dreaming. Awareness is a powerful tool, as it is easier to make a change when you’re fully aware of the problem.

If you discover a limiting belief, create an affirmation to support your new way of thinking. Affirmations can help reprogram your subconscious so you can remember your dreams.

Here are some of my affirmations:

My dreams allow me to unlock hidden wisdom and potential within me.
I love to dream and can easily remember my dreams.
I’m open to receiving the powerful messages within my dreams.

Another strategy is to declutter your bedroom. Clutter can overwhelm the mind, body, and spirit. Remove clutter from under your bed and next to your bedside area. If possible, have fresh air circulating through your bedroom. Say your affirmations as you tidy up. Fresh sheets, clean windows, and a tidy space soothe the soul.

Finally, if you’re having trouble remembering dreams, be mindful that alcohol or other drugs can impair your sleep and make it difficult to achieve a dream state.

Interpret your dreams. Commitment is essential. The more you work with your dreams, the easier it will become to interpret the messages you receive.

Here are some simple guidelines:

• Upon waking, notice how you feel. Do you have an immediate sense of a message brought to you in your dream? Journal your thoughts.
  

• Go back into your dream and approach the people, animals, and objects you encountered. Ask them, “Why are you here?” and “What do you want me to know?" Be open! Trust the process. The soul speaks in metaphors, and this detective work can help reveal those messages.
  

• Pay attention to symbols. Do you have an instinct about their meaning? Some people use a dream dictionary, but this isn’t necessary. Consider what the objects mean to you. For example, if you see an owl, what does that bird immediately bring to your mind? Go a step further and notice what the owl is doing. If the owl symbolizes wisdom to you, but it is wrapped in a blanket, you might ask yourself, “Where in my life is my wisdom or knowledge being covered up?”

I remember a dream where I tried to place an owl in a complex mechanism to help the owl fly. When I woke, it was obvious to me that what I was doing was silly since the owl could already fly. So I asked myself, “Where in my life am I overcomplicating things?” The answer came to me immediately.

• The “where in my life” question is powerful! If you are being chased or feel afraid, ask yourself, “Where in my life do I feel afraid or unsafe?” If you find yourself stuck in a dream loop, ask, “Where in my life do I feel like I’m not making progress?”

Your dreams are calling on you to pay attention. And, as you take action to remember and analyze your dreams, you’ll know you’re on track when so many magical opportunities and events begin to unfold.

Sweet dreams, my fellow soul traveler!

Explore Rabbi Rami Shapiro's musings on how dreams become prophecy.