I mean the hopes, aspirations, and wishes that are part of your
identity and give purpose and meaning to your life.
Dreams can operate at many different levels. Some are very
practical (such as wanting to achieve a certain amount of savings),
but others are profound. Often these deeper dreams remain hidden
while the more mundane dreams piggyback on top of them and are
easier to see. For example, underneath the dream to make lots of
money may be a deep need for security.
What dreams are made of?Often our deepest dreams are rooted in childhood. You may
long to re-create some of your warmest memories of family life from
your youth--such as having dinner together every night without
interruptions from the TV or telephone. Or, you may feel the
psychological need to distance yourself from painful childhood
memories by not duplicating the same activities. For example, you
may resist having family dinners if the evening meal in your
childhood home was often the scene of hostility between your
parents that left you with indigestion.
Here is a list of some common "deep" dreams expressed by
couples I've worked with.
- A sense of freedom
- The experience of peace
- Unity with nature
- Exploring who I am
- Adventure
- A spiritual journey
- Justice
- Honor
- Unity with my past
- Healing
- Knowing my family
- Becoming all I can be