COACHING FROM THE SOUL
(FALL 1999)
Coaching is a proven approach for reaching our goals more effectively. Most of us are familiar with the athletic coach who helps team members achieve their goals, and some of us are beginning to apply the same principles to our personal and professional lives by using coaches to help us achieve a variety of goals. Typically we look outside ourselves for this coach. Coaching from the soul is a new--or for some, not so new--concept based in the theory that through contact and connection with your soul you can be your own best coach. One way to do that is through learning to read and interpret your dreams which are messages from your deepest self, your soul.
Our dreams are resources of knowledge not readily available to us through our conscious minds. By opening to the symbols, images, and patterns present in our dreams we begin to link our unconscious knowing with our conscious minds. This builds greater consciousness and self awareness, which always brings us more choices. As we begin, through interpreting our dream symbols, to understand hidden aspects of character, we develop greater understanding of ourselves, and of our life-purpose. In this way, our dreams respond to many of the difficult questions of our lives, offering guidance and leading us toward our deepest intentions. When we are inspired by our own internal messages, and respond to the guidance from within, we are allowing ourselves to be coached by our soul.
Beginning students of dreamwork often tell me that they do not remember their dreams. For those who have this difficulty I often give the following advice: Just as you are falling asleep each night, remind yourself of your intention to remember your dreams in the morning. When you awaken the following day, immediately ask yourself what dreams you had the night before. Do not be disillusioned if you remember only a fleeting image or feeling. Whatever you do recall, write it down with as much detail as possible. Even if you don't remember anything, take some time to write the feelings that are present for you as you wake up. This practice, if followed regularly, usually helps the dreamer to begin remembering his/her dreams.
The next step in deciphering ones dreams is more complicated and requires a little more time. A tip for interpreting your dream symbols and images is to let go of all preconceptions of what the dream may be about. Do not try to understand the whole dream at once. Realize that all the forces or symbols in the dream are aspects of you. Take some time to "free associate" and come up with several interpretations of any symbol from the dream. For instance, if you had an airplane in your dream, you might begin to think of all the possible associations you have with airplanes. If you travel a lot you would have different associations than someone who does not travel. An airplane may be a symbol for travel, movement, freedom, technology, spaciousness, or flight.
Once you have come up with several interpretations, begin to explore what these concepts have to do with your life at the moment. In the example of the airplane, perhaps you are receiving a message to "lighten up" or to look at areas of your life where you are not free, or are constricted and need to create more space. By "free associating" you come up with a clue to your dream and a connection to the wisdom from your soul.
Through learning and practicing dreamwork and listening to your "soul-coach" you will develop self-knowledge, intuition and clarity, enabling you to make life choices which helps you to build meaning into your life. By unlocking the coach within, each of us can find our own sense of purpose, which leads to personal fulfillment and happiness. Take some time to begin remembering, writing, and opening to the messages from your dreams. Look within your heart and soul to find the coach who knows you best, and learn to build and sustain that relationship in order to link inner meaning with outer life, resulting in the success you long for.
There are many paths to finding your inner coach; dreamwork is one of many (meditation, bodywork, movement, and journaling, are a few other choices) but whichever path you choose, remember that deciphering the code of your soul takes time and patience. Learning to respond to your inner truth takes discipline, compassion, and courage. If it is a path you intend to tread, do it lightly.
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