christian-dream-interpretation.com

Christian Dream Interpretation

 

AN OVERVIEW OF THE GENERAL AREAS OF STUDY FOR THE WEBLOG AT

CHRISTIAN DREAM INTERPRETATION

Today, my focus will be on those areas of inquiry that will serve as a basis for our exploration into the many mysteries surrounding human spirituality, dreams, visions, and the teachings of the Christ. The previous posts have briefly described our primary themes, guiding beliefs, and basic principles. In this post, I would like to outline a series of specific areas of study that will allow us, over time, to fulfill our fundamental goals and objectives.

As stated earlier posts, I believe that our primary topics of study are a unified whole. This unity cannot be easily divided, for if we do so we lose sight of the many dimensions, both cosmic and earthly, which makes the human being truly unique. It is my belief that such divisions as are commonly imposed by the thinking of modern man are unwise and ultimately counterproductive, for they obscure and confuse our understanding rather than provide clarification and illumination. These divisions, however convenient, are essentially arbitrary, subjective, and, ultimately, negative, and they are fundamentally destructive to the earthly and cosmic unity that is the essential characteristic of each human being. Such capricious and irrational divisions imposed upon the inherent unity of man eliminates any possibility of achieving an understanding of human spirituality, thus making a coherent and logical approach to this sublime realm of study exceedingly difficult, if not impossible.

Now, to somewhat insulate myself somewhat from certain criticism I will readily admit that in the posts to this weblog I will divide, delineate and fragment these topics as I strive at the same time to demonstrate that they are indivisible. Thus, as is so often the case in human affairs, I will be doing, to a certain extent, the very opposite of what I argue is required. Please understand that this is necessary for purposes of presentation in this forum, that we are bound by the constraints of language, time, and our chosen medium of communication. Yet, I assure my readers that I will never loose sight of the complex unity, both spiritual and physical, that is to be found in the whole human being.

 

It is important for the reader to understand that the unity of which I speak only really comes into focus among those who have made some progress in their spiritual development. For a contemporary individual who lives at what we might call normal, day-to-day levels of consciousness it is all too easy to be blinded by the many veils which shroud the mind and sensory perceptions. The Apostle Paul reminds us that “ . . . we see in a mirror dimly .. .” (1 Corinthians 13:12) However, as we make a deeper commitment to the teachings of the Christ it is possible to develop higher levels of clarity and greater insight so that things that were once hidden can come into view. The Apostle Paul describes this stage as “mature” (1 Corinthians 2:6). Paul continues to explain that it is only after the student has achieved a degree of maturity and opened more fully to the power of the spirit that they can then begin to receive some measure of illumination. At these more advanced stages we can begin to comprehend the dynamics of the spiritual planes and open to some of the deeper mysteries of the Christian religion. (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10-14) Here, we begin to fathom the fullness and richness of human spirituality and move the center of our understanding from the fragmented and abstract thinking that is characteristic of modern man to the unified and indivisible wisdom that comes to us from God.

To use our inner spiritual experiences and the wisdom of the Lord as a means to achieve maturity is the path of development offered at Christian Dream Interpretation.

With these considerations in mind I will address in a wide range of topics within these nine areas of study:

  1. The practical skills which are necessary so that we can receive and understand the nighttime revelation of the Lord. This will include such topics as how to achieve restful sleep, how to keep a dream journal, what to look for in dreams, and, in general terms, how to so structure our lives so that we might increase our receptivity to His Word.
  2. The different kinds of dreams and the important features found in dreams, for example, symbols, setting, and narrative.
  3. How to comprehend the language of the soul and the spirit.
  4. The cosmic and earthly nature of the human being, including the soul, the spirit, the mind, the emotions, the physical body and the spiritual body (cf., 1 Corinthians 15:44) to understand how these constituent features comprise the totality of the individual human being, connect us with the spiritual planes, and interrelate with and contribute to all life processes, including dreams and visions.
  5. The stages of dream instruction and how dreams methodically guide each individual as they progress in their spiritual development.
  6. The role played by the forces of light (angels) and the forces of darkness (demons) as they appear in our dreams and in our earthly lives.
  7. The principles upon which the art of dream interpretation is founded.
  8. The dreams that are found in the Holy Scriptures and the personalities that are associated with dreams, visions, and prophecy.
  9. The ways in which other traditions understand dreams and occasionally comment on some of the modern methodologies that seek to explain the processes related to phenomena of sleep and dreams.

It is my hope that this agenda will serve to inform the reader about the supremely valuable, yet largely untapped resource that we have available to us every night as we sleep. While I believe that the topics outlined above provide an approach to our study that is fairly comprehensive, I recognize that it is possible that important areas may have been omitted. With this in mind, I would like to encourage readers to make suggestions regarding any subjects that ought to be included. I will do my best to address these suggestions, as well as your questions, in future discussions.

In our next series of posts I will examine a range of topics related to the question of how to achieve restful, refreshing, and revitalizing sleep. This skill is the foundation upon which all successful dreamwork is built. The important role that high quality sleep plays in our lives is largely misunderstood and is not widely appreciated in our culture. While there is a general recognition that many suffer from insufficient sleep and poor quality sleep, there are only the most superficial ideas about how to address these challenges. I will cover these and related questions regard sleep, and especially focus on the relationship between quality sleep and illuminating dreams.

https://christian-dream-interpretation.com/597/

The Presence of Spiritual Beings in Material Reality

THE SPIRITUAL IN THE MATERIAL.

At CDI we believe that the spiritual realms are always present in material reality and that spiritual beings are intimately involved in the daily lives of every human being. As God’s children, we know that we are never alone (cf. Matthew 28:20), and as children of the Fall we also know that the adversarial forces are always present. Spiritual beings permeate our lives, and even though we cannot apprehend them, the evidence is all around us. In this post we are going to discuss, in a very general way, the question of just how we know that this is true.

We hope that we are able to dispel any doubts related to this topic that arise in the minds of our readers. Modern man is not as conversant with the spiritual dimensions of human life as was man in times past. Once, in the distant past, man was bound intimately to God, our consciousness existed completely within the consciousness of God. And, while this is still true, we now live in the midst of an illusion of separation. Humanity has become so estranged from God that many believe that we exist without Him, that He is no longer here. Thus, today a vast gulf of darkness divides individual human beings from the Lord. This is a gulf so great, the darkness is so pervasive, that many in the modern world have come to doubt the very existence of the Lord. Even among Christians many doubt the presence of divine spiritual beings in our day-to-day lives. For example, it is not unusual to hear contemporary Christians say that the Lord no longer speaks to us in our sleeping dreams. Yet, even with this degree of disbelief spiritual beings appear before us every day, sometimes we are aware of them in a fleeting way (as in dreams), but most of the time we are not. Nevertheless, they are always there.

How do we know this? Let us begin by saying that we are certain of this assertion merely by paying close attention to the Holy Scriptures of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. These Scriptures can be understood as a long and detailed record of the active presence of spiritual beings in the affairs of humanity. On the positive side, the Old Testament can, in large part, be understood as a chronicle of the divinely inspired guidance and instruction given by the Elohim Jehovah to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants. And, on the negative side, the Old Testament also records the influence of demonic forces in the lives of men, for example, in the events described in the Book of Daniel or in the Book of Job.

Among the divine interventions portrayed in the Old Testament, perhaps the most significant for Christians is the appearance of Jehovah before Moses on Mt. Sinai as “a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush” (Exodus 3:2); this is that being who identifies himself as “I am who I am”. (Exodus 3:14) The gift of the Ten Commandments coupled with this simple declaration announced the beginning of a very important stage in human soul evolution and moral development.

Contrast these events on Mt. Sinai with the depth of the trials faced by Daniel and Job and you can see the breadth of involvement that spiritual beings, both divine and demonic, have in the lives of individual human beings. It is important to realize that today this kind of spiritual dynamic involves every human being, and today the force of presence is greater than in ancient times, even though, paradoxically, we are much less aware of it.

The New Testament describes numerous examples of the intercession of divine and demonic spiritual beings in the lives of men. Angels appear, messages are delivered, there are dreams of guidance, prophecy, warning, and protection, unclean and evil spirits appear and are banished. The Annunciation, the descent of the spirit upon Jesus in the river Jordan, the temptation in the wilderness, Paul’s transformation on the road to Damascus are but a few of the many examples of the appearance of divine spiritual beings and their interactions with humans.

The Holy Scriptures leave no doubt that spiritual forces are alive and active in the lives of individual human beings as we live in material reality.

So it is today. In the two millennia since the Christ was on earth, divine spiritual beings are still reaching out to man with guidance and instruction. However, it is mankind that has succumbed to darkness, and in this darkness we have lost our ability to hear. Today, mankind functions under a new paradigm of thought, one that is abstract, rationalistic, materialistic, scientific and technological. We have become increasingly immersed in the snare of material reality and this descent into materiality has had the effect of blinding many to the realities of our true spiritual nature. In this blindness we have conjured a new superstition, a new belief system that is based on an exclusively materialistic view that now dominates even the thinking of sincere Christians. While we still believe in the events described in the Holy Scriptures based on faith, many doubt that the spirit is present and working with mankind in the modern world. Today, for many in our church, faith resides with science and not with the Lord.

At CDI we believe that the Lord guides our lives, that spiritually inspired events happen every day, and this is especially true for those who believe in His name (cf. 1 John 3:23). By paying greater attention to your spiritual experiences (for example, your sleeping dreams) you can achieve the direct experience of the presence of spiritual beings in your life.

It may be the case that modern Christians do not apprehend the spiritual because we have allowed our attachment to the material realm blind us. It may be that we can no longer see into higher worlds. The apostle Paul alluded to this when he used the phrase “For now we see in a mirror dimly. . . .” (1 Corinthians 13:12) However, today the darkness is beginning to lift and increasing numbers are now able to see the light of the Christ with greater clarity (cf. 1 John 2:8). As these individuals sharpen their vision they will become increasingly aware of the vast array of spiritual beings that work in and on man. These beings are here now, they are working on us now, and the sooner we become aware of this fact the sooner we will be able to reject evil and the forces of darkness and align with the Christ and the forces of light.

With this in mind there are three general questions that we will examine in future post on this weblog. All will be considered from various perspectives so that we can develop a well rounded understanding about the most effective ways by which we can transform or consciousness from one that is shackled to material reality to one that is free in the spirit.

These questions are:

  1. How can we more fully bring the light and love of the Christ and the profound mysteries of our religion into our earthly lives?
  2. How can we expand the horizons of our consciousness and learn to comprehend the language of the soul?
  3. How can we engage with and distinguish among the vast array of spiritual forces as they appear before us, especially those that we encounter in our sleeping dreams?

Every Christian who is sincere and devoted to the teachings of the Lord and who engages with this weblog ought to think deeply about these questions. If we are to “see Him as He is” and if we are to ultimately “be like Him” (1 John 3:2) it is essential that we listen to His word and integrate the full depths of His teaching into our lives.

The Christ is with us, He is reaching out to us now, and as the Holy Scriptures clearly demonstrates this instruction comes to us first, “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumberings upon the bed, then he opens the ears of men and sealeth their instruction.”  (Job 33: 15-16)

 

Understanding Sleep and Dreams in relation to Christianity

Christianity, Sleep and Dreams

This post continues our discussion of the range of topics contained within the deep, complex, and profound relationships that exist between sleep and dreams, the teachings of the Christ, and the Christian religion. As portrayed in the Holy Scriptures, these facets of human consciousness and areas of human life are deeply intertwined, a fact that is no less true today than when the gospels were written two thousand years ago.

To begin to grasp the intimate and sweeping way that our chosen areas of study interrelate in the mysterious realms of human consciousness it will be necessary for many in the modern world to open their hearts, broaden the horizons of their imagination, and prepare for a deeper level of inner experience. It is impossible to begin to comprehend the grandeur of the divine spiritual realms with a heart and a mind that is closed and confined within material reality. However, with imagination and inspiration you will begin to move into the fullness of the spiritual heritage that is unique to Christianity.

As the world’s community of Christians prepare for the return of the Lord a new and deeper understanding of His teaching will carry mankind into the next phase of our spiritual development. For some Christians among us today, this process has already begun. Already there are a growing number of individuals who are receiving the direct illuminations found in His word. These individuals represent the future of our religion, they are pointing the way forward for a humanity that will be less consumed with material reality and increasingly aware of our spiritual heritage.

Right now, in our time, the numbers of those individuals who are more spiritually aware are beginning to grow in a most extraordinary way. Unlike many contemporary Christians, these individuals will not look to the past, to public opinion, or to the organized church for sanction or guidance, but rather to the living Christ who provides unique instruction from within.

At Christian Dream Interpretation we believe that the first place in which we become aware of His immanent presence is in our sleeping dreams. These nightly revelations can serve as a point of departure that will allow any sincere and devoted Christian to explore the fuller dimensions of their unique spiritual nature under the loving guidance of the Son of Man.

So what must be done so that the contemporary Christian can move forward on this path? What must we do to avail ourselves more deeply of the Lord’s nighttime presence? What are the initial steps that are necessary so that we can open to this vast untapped inner resource?

First, we must adopt a frame of mind and a basis for understanding that creates a fertile field on which the actions and the words of the Lord might take hold within us and grow. We must position our forces of thought and feeling to be receptive to His word so that His promise can become a reality in our lives. It will be necessary for us to gradually, yet persistently, transform our thinking; we must be willing to move toward a new and deeper understanding in regard to our religion. An understanding that is more spiritual and less material. We must bring much greater clarity to our relationship to the forces that reside on the divine spiritual planes.

If we insist, as many do, on rigorously adhering to traditional approaches to and understanding of Christianity we will remain stuck in the past, we will be unable to move forward and prepare our consciousness so that we can “see him as he is” and “be like him”. (1 John 3:2)