Dreaming & Witnessing: Communing with the Dream Weaver
an interview with herbalist Naomi Muller on the language of dreams and our shared vision for collective dreaming
“This is a love letter to a nightmare.”
― Leonora Carrington, The Seventh Horse and Other Tales
Dreams are the place where we process trauma and work out the anxieties of our day. In dreams we talk to the dead and step into the future. We create the symbolic language that yokes our souls to the waking world.
Fight. Flight. Fawn. Or dream. When reality becomes too much, dreams are where we communicate with the hidden, suppressed parts of ourselves. And, arguably, powers outside ourselves.
All the greatest prophecies were delivered in dreams. Have you ever read the Bible? It’s basically one long dream journal. I jest, but not really.
In this moment, when the world is teetering on the brink of extinction, or as the astrologers like to say, transformation, diving into our dreams can be a powerful way to create connection. It is to this end that I’ve teamed up with one of my favorite dream workers, Naomi Muller, to host a space for dreams.
The following interview with Naomi discusses her dreams, some tips for working with your dreams, and our shared vision, Dreaming & Witnessing: Communing with the Dream Weaver.
It was conducted over text message.
Vivi Henriette: Have you ever had a dream that’s come true? Tell me about it.
Naomi Muller: I’ve had a few! The wildest version of this was when I dreamt of a very mundane looking convenient store in vivid colors. The subject matter was very “normal,” but the dream experience was intense, so I remembered it despite not intentionally recording my dreams at the time.
Fast forward some years and I encountered this place IRL on a trip in Sweden in 2011. It was winter, and I’d actually planned the trip super poorly (more like—not at all), so it was the middle of the night my ex and I were wandering around this little town we hadn’t planned to stop in, but the train station was closed and we were a bit broke so we decided not to get a hotel for the four hours we needed to wait for the next train to come. We were just walking around in the snow in this little town that was totally asleep! And I saw it! The convenience store from my dream.
I’ve also had visitations from people and animals right before their passing. A friend’s grandpa I’d never met visited me, and I remember telling her I saw a guy who looked like her dad as I was waking up, and she told me his father had just passed.
A similar thing happened with my neighbor's gray kitty cat. I was visited by this cat in my dream who crawled up and snuggled with me in bed and I had another friend lose a cat that week already, so I asked, “Hey was your cat like this….?” This color? This personality? And she said he wasn’t. Luckily we are close and she’s also very in tune herself so that wasn’t an upsetting thing to bring up. Then, my neighbor and family friend lost her cat and she was distraught. This woman has so many animals I actually didn’t know this cat from her menagerie! She is much less open to this kind of thing but my mom told her anyway and the friend instantly knew that’s the kitty that had cozied up with me, and she was grateful for the message.
This visitation occurred before the cat actually died. Same with the grandfather.
I think what may be happening is that these folks' spirits know I am open to receiving and passing along a message. I have something big (unintentional mediumship) like that about once or twice a year. There is never any fear with these visitations. It’s all very pleasant. I’m usually in a good mood after it happens too — which may be surprising but I think that’s sort of the deal. It’s like getting a little taste of heaven and remembering, “Oh yeah no one really dies.”
Vh: Over the years, how have you learned to work with your dreams? Have you ever gone to bed with the intention of communicating with the deceased?
NM: I have gone to bed with the intention of hearing from specific people, but I almost never recall those dreams. Developing Mediumship has helped me with that. Maybe I should try again now that I’m more comfortable with it. For a long time I shut that down and even when I was consciously trying to connect, there was a part of me that had too much fear to fully receive that kind of communication.
As far as how my dreaming practice has evolved, I’m much more relaxed about it now. Especially in regard to recall! I do write them all down, but I don’t beat myself up over what bits I forget. I dealt with severe memory issues after my pregnancy that took away so many dreams (and other important info I need for waking life). I was hard on myself for a while but that didn’t help at all. It’s much easier to get clarity about any situation when you’re in a state of relaxation. Plus I want my dream space to be one of acceptance.
Now I remember them much better! Like today I went almost my entire day thinking about my dream last night, but I only got time to write it down this evening. Past me wouldn’t dare. I just know being rigid about that stuff isn’t conducive for receiving more or recall in general.
Vh: How important is it to write down your dreams? Specifically for those who are just starting to intentionally make the connection with the dreamworld?
NM: It’s important. I recommend writing something down when you wake up even if you can’t remember your dreams from that night. Get in the habit. You can write down “I don’t remember but right now I feel…”
Vh: We’re going to be hosting a dream workshop! When you started this journey, did you have any mentors to the dreamworld?
NM: I did! I continue to really appreciate Dr Logan Sparks. He works with systemic family constellations and is the only person I know of who applies this approach to dreamwork. I’ve learned a lot just sitting in his workshops and witnessing. He’s probably my main living influence regarding dreamwork.
Vh: What do you hope people take away from this dream workshop?
NM: I hope people take away some practical tips but those aren’t so difficult to find elsewhere. I mostly hope to show people the power of witnessing and how deeply listening to others dreams can be a powerful experience too. You don’t have to share anything or you can share a part of a dream rather than divulge the whole thing and still walk away understanding more about yourself. We are all dreaming a collective dream and the art of slowing down and noticing it is essential in these times.
Vh: Two ways that people can prepare for this workshop are by making note of powerful dreams they’ve had in the past and by starting to take note of their dreams right now.
How else can they prepare?
NM: That’s it! I actually recommend setting aside things you’ve learned in past workshops related to dreams. We’ll open up discussions for intuitive interpretation but these will be led by the dreamer. We aren’t handing over our dreams to be analyzed in the mental space—nothing wrong with that, but it has its limits.
There will be an opportunity to work on our intuitive skills but, at the end of the day, there is medicine in every dream for those who simply want to show up to witness. Every dream heard in the space will have something to tell you. At least, this is what I’ve come to believe after taking part in different dream circles. Some of what you’ll receive will come later on in your dream space, so it’s my hope this goes well and we gather again sometime!
Dreaming & Witnessing: Communing with the Dream Weaver is a space for us to gather with our dreams and share our intuitive observations. There is no pressure to share your dreams or your reflections, but we encourage you to participate in deeply listening. The act of witnessing in community is powerful medicine for these times.
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