Thursday, May 5, 2011

Sacred Companions: Part V

I couldn't wait to get to the end of this chapter after the allusion in the beginning to a section on dreams. I am so interested in and fascinated by dreams. If you have ever read a specifically helpful book on dreams (interpretation, application, etc.), please recommend it!

Chapter 5: Soul Attunement

"Some people have great difficulty moving from their ideas of God to their experiences." (p. 109)

"Biblical revelation aids our attunement to God by helping us encounter the Lord God of heaven and earth, not simply the god of our imagination, childhood experience or previous religious instruction." (p 117)

"Too easily we offer God obedience that is not a heart response, merely a behavioral one. Too easily fear, guilt or a desire to manipulate God can motivate obedience." (p. 121)

On p. 118, I was thrilled to learn a helpful dream response. If you are a fellow "dreamer" please feel free to use this and please share your experience!

"The most basic dream work exercise:"
T Title - give the dream a title
T Theme - note its overall theme
A Affect - note the dominant emotions in the dream and now as you prayerfully reflect on it
Q Question - note the potential questions the dream poses for you

For a full example of this dream exercise, read this chapter! If you are interested in using this formula to evaluate your dreams, keep a journal by your bed and record your dream as soon as possible. As I mentioned before, I am fascinated by dreams. David purposes in this chapter, "Dreams are most useful in spiritual growth when we prayerfully listen to them rather than seek to interpret them." I am hoping to learn to do this as well. Another helpful suggestion David gives in this chapter is to pray about your dreams - something I have honestly never thought to do. I am rejuvenated by the possibility of seeing God in my dreams! May it be so, and may I recognize!

 *If you have ever read this book, please feel free to leave your favorite quotes as comments! I would love to see what spoke to you in each of the chapters.

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