How Do You Get Out of Rut?
“I feel stuck.” Dreams can give you the guidance you need to help yourself out of a rut and get unstuck.
Sometimes we feel stuck, blah, or just don’t have any creative ideas. Sometimes it’s more than not connecting with the muse. Then, symptoms may be more pervasive and could be categorized as depression with changes in eating and sleeping patterns, lack of interest in previous activities, and lack of energy, to name a few.
What Causes Writers Block?
But did you know that during times of creative depression that your dreams might be able to shed light on what might be missing? Dreams can provide clues on the deep yearnings of your soul and help you figure out what might be out of whack in your world.
What Are My Dreams Trying to Tell Me?
Dreams tell you something you don’t consciously know, but something that you are ready to hear and integrate into your life. So, in the case of feeling stuck, a reoccurring dream is persistent cry for realignment and a new perspective.
“But I don’t understand what it means!”
What Does My Dream Mean?
Here are a few ways to get yourself started:
Start A Dream Journal
- Keep a dream journal. Keeping a dream journal will encourage your unconscious, your dream maker, to give you more information. Write down your impressions, however vague, first thing upon waking. I have more tips on dream journaling here. https://columbusarttherapy.com/benefits-of-keeping-a-dream-journal You’ll find over time that by writing down and reviewing your dreams, you find that there are patterns and themes. These themes show you how to look at a situation that feels the same in your life in different ways through metaphors.
- Google a word or subject in a dream. Symbols have inherent meaning in the world so if you dream about a region, see what it’s been known for or if it’s been in the news. If you dream about a certain type of bird, see what its unique habits are and if there is mythology related to it. (Myths are the dreams of a culture). Another source I love for for archetypal information is aras.org.
Why Are My Dreams So Weird?
- Notice what seems bizarre or weird. This is where the complex is. A complex can be seen as a psychic wound. You can think about it like looking at yourself or the world through a fun house mirror or the wrong prescription glasses. Things become warped. Characters in dreams acting weird or impossible situations are showing you, through metaphor, how you are not seeing the world or a situation clearly.
- Use illustrations to help you reflect. These can be quick sketches or cartoons or stick figures. Sometimes, reflecting on a weird image or just trying to draw it out can help you see the situation with new eyes. You may see the metaphor, how the complex is showing inconsistencies, or have a different emotional reaction to the situation that you didn’t notice before. A good example of this is a dream that seems emotionally okay while you’re in the dream, but then when you think about the content the dream is horrifying. This is the type of nightmare that is telling you that you are complicit with a travesty in your life that you are accepting when you should be horrified and put a stop to it.
Dreams use metaphors to help you find where the energy may be stuck in your life. Turning your attention toward your inner world through dream work, art, and therapy may be a great way to stir up your energy again and get yourself out of a rut.
Want to work through a dream with me? Book a hour dream session with me.