CLAIRE’S CONNECTION
DREAM: MARCH 9, 1997
On Monday night or early Tuesday morning (March 3rd or 4th ), I had a dream in which I saw Claire H., from the Tuesday night ‘A Search For God’ study group at the church. In the dream, she said to me, “I’m making a connection with you” or “I’m making contact with you”, or words to that effect. She also said, “I’m too hard for you”, and I replied with something like, “You could gain a little weight and become softer.” She balked at that suggestion.
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| "A Search For God" Textbook |
The dream was so vivid, and left such a strong impression on me that I couldn’t get it out of my mind, and I reflected on it over and over again during the course of the day. Although my attendance at the Tuesday night ‘A Search For God’ group meetings had been sporadic at best over the last couple months, I decided that I would go to the meeting that evening in hope that Claire would be there; I wanted to approach her during the break and ask if she had recently had a dream about me, or had been recently thinking of me for any reason.
I got to the church a little late on Tuesday night, so when I walked in the door, all eyes immediately turned to me. I had barely taken a couple of steps into the room, and hadn’t even reached a chair yet when Claire said, “Stephen! Stephen! I’ve got to talk to you! I was hoping you’d show up tonight.”
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| The Church |
I later learned that during Claire’s meditation session at 9:30 or 10:00 A.M. that morning, she had been unable to meditate very well because the image of my face kept reappearing to her for some unknown reason. She doggedly attempted to meditate but repeatedly saw my image until she finally gave up. Then she told me that she kept thinking of me during the day and was hoping I’d come to that night’s meeting because she had been missing my participation in the Tuesday night group lately.
I told Claire about my dream that night/morning and we were both surprised by the sudden and insistent thoughts we’d had of each other. Neither of us understood the references to “hardness” and “weight”.
Interestingly, Claire had a dream about me approximately 7 or 8 months earlier in which she drove up to a house and parked her car. She tried walking up the path to the house but because of deep snow, and the fact that she was bundled up in some ridiculously oversized snowsuit, she was unable to make it up the walk. Just then, I came out of the house, walked down to her, took her by the arm and helped her up the pathway to the house.
Claire and I seem to have some sort of mutual goal or some sort of spiritual connection.
It is an interesting position and point of view and the whole belief that we can communicate between the worlds whilst asleep is incredibly intriguing. It opens up all sorts of possibilities that would seem odd or bizarre in a wakeful state, or maybe not bizarre, but I wonder how many people would be brave enough to admit they are hearing the voices of those already departed whilst they are awake?
ReplyDeleteThe human mind is a wonderful thing.
Greetings from Brighton!
I think dreams like this are more common than we know. I've never done a poll or anything, but just in talking to people over the years about dreams and such, it seems that it's not as unusual as we think it is at first blush. Maybe these kinds of things are just a natural part of being human... I've had very vivid dreams at times in my life, most recently a series of dreams about my deceased brother. Going back years, another brother and I used to have basically the same dream in the same time frame when we were younger...seemed very weird to us, but maybe it's not so weird when you are connected to someone and concerned about them.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you and Claire do have a deeper connection...maybe you both knew in your dreams that you needed something from each other, a helping hand, a friendly ear...whatever it may be.
Slightly off topic, but I love the way some movies portray dreams... why do they always seem slightly creepy? Even if they're not meant to be creepy, most of them strike me as just that...Love the dream sequence in Papillon..upside down images and all..although I don't ever remember dreaming anything upside down! It was kind of eerie though..good topic!
I have had dreams where I know people contacted me. One in particular was my dad before he died but he was no longer able to communicate in person. One from my grandfather who had died and my other dead grandfather I had never met brought the message.
ReplyDeleteDreams are amazing.
I believe that we do communicate with the departed in dreams. The morning my brother died he came to me in a dream and we were going through a photo album. He said you may want to delete that one photo. Funny things was I thought I had, but searching later through my computer files, there it was. I did delete it. He also visited his wife that morning, right before she woke and found his body. In her dream he was getting dressed to go out and play football. My brother had asthma, bad asthma and could never play sports -- The dream made her smile, and still does when she thinks that now, he's free of asthma and could be playing football. I could tell more such stories, but suffice to say. Yes, the spirits of the departed do visit the dreams of the living. And in the case you discussed above I think connects between the living are also very real. How many times have you thought of a person, couldn't get them off your mind, only to call and find they've been thinking of you too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking.
Well, I'm not sure I've ever communicated with someone through dreams, but it's pretty evident you have!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, as always, I want to thank my buddy ARLEE BIRD for hosting this guest blogger blog bit.
ReplyDeleteI think this second part in the 2-part series acquired more comments (or, at least, more detailed comments) although I myself feel the first installment was actually more interesting. Regardless, I thank everyone who submitted a comment.
JASON –- I have heard the voice of my deceased Dad while I was awake, but while I was meditating. So, in a sense, I was in an altered state and not a fully conscious frame of mind. That would be pretty weird to hear him while I was doing laundry or driving to work. Not sure I’d care for that – maybe too shocking.
EVE –- I used to really dig the movie ‘Papillon’, and saw it a few times on a movie cable channel, back when that concept was brand new and there was only one (circa 1973). I haven’t seen it since then, and I can’t recall the upside down dream sequence AT ALL. So, thanks for mentioning it. I’m going to put ‘Papillon’ on my Netflix list. (In fact, you recently mentioned the movie ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ in a blog bit. Based on what you’d said about it, it sounded like something I’d like, so I rented it from NetFlix. And I DID like it! So thanks for that movie suggestion too.)
FMCGMCCLLC –- What you said is very interesting because my Dad who passed away in 1996 has contacted me many times, in dreams and in meditation, and often through the music of Nat King Cole. However, the FIRST time he used a Nat King Cole song to get my attention, he was still alive but comatose in the hospital.
YOLANDA –- The situation with your brother and the photo you thought you had already deleted – that is a good example of the kinds of twists or “wrinkles” (as I often call them) that I always look for as a confirmation that the spiritual experience I’ve had was GENUINE and not just a coincidence or my mind playing games with me. For me, there’s usually some additional odd “wrinkle” in most of the bizarre experiences which serve as a “second witness” (to use a Biblical concept) to the authenticity of the event.
JAY –- You may have had more spiritual experiences than you realize. I think most people have. I believe the spiritual world (some of which is good and some quite the opposite) is touching us and impacting our lives on a daily basis. A lot of people, however, remain oblivious to the subtlety of spiritual forces at work.
Again, my thanks to all for the fine comments.
~ Stephen
Very interesting blog post. It would appear to me that you and Claire have some deep connection. While I don’t find it at all odd to recognize some minor acquaintance or ‘friend of a friend’, in one of my dreams; normally when a dream is ‘about’ someone there is a much deeper. I find it interesting to explore that connection. Are they someone from a past existence, are they a ‘more’ kindred spirit than thought, or are they someone I should take the time to get to know better, possibly because they have something more for me.
ReplyDeleteIs there more to this story? Did you dream of each other again? After a connection like that, you seem to have ended that rather abruptly. Sorry if this is a more intimate story than you want to reveal. It just seems as though there must be a ‘rest of the story’.
Yep, I'll occasionally have dreams that carry a certain significance. It's usually to do with people I haven't heard from in awhile. When I contact them, the dream's meaning is suddenly revealed.
ReplyDeleteFARAWAYEYES --
ReplyDelete"Are they someone from a past existence..."
Mmmm... Not sure I understand your meaning with that expression. Care to elaborate?
"Is there more to this story? Did you dream of each other again? After a connection like that, you seem to have ended that rather abruptly. ... It just seems as though there must be a ‘rest of the story’.
Yes, you're right, this story seems to be incomplete, like it's missing the final paragraph from a Paul Harvey broadcast.
Unfortunately, the story must remain incomplete. In this blog bit I mentioned that I had not been attending the 'A Search For God' meetings as regularly as I once did, which prompted Claire to say that she had been missing my participation in the Tuesday night group lately.
I was gradually moving away from that particular church, and not long after this odd experience occurred with Claire, I completely discontinued attending the church. So, I'm sorry to say that Claire and I never did find out what that was really all about.
She was somewhat older than I, and in composing this installment for Arlee Bird's blog, I became a bit curious about Claire. So I called her phone number from the old Tuesday Night Group roster I still have in my possession, and some man who had never heard of Claire answered. Apparently she either moved away or passed away.
It seems like there was something important that we should have learned from all this. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.
Good comment and question though.
LYNDA -- Based on your comment, it seems you are spiritually tuned-in.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE:
ReplyDeleteThis blog bit seems to be pretty well played-out when it comes to comments. But just in case anyone new, or even anyone who has already commented, checks in here (again), I want to pose a new question:
Near the very end of this blog bit I wrote the following:
Interestingly, Claire had a dream about me approximately 7 or 8 months earlier in which...
Does anyone have any opinions, thoughts, or questions about the information contained in that particular paragraph?
The reason I ask is because the symbolism utilized in that dream (which Claire had 7 or 8 months before the strange occurrence described in this blog bit) seems totally obvious to me.
I can't recall whether or not I understood the meaning of her dream when she first described it to me, but looking back on it now, all these years later, it seems almost ridiculously obvious. And if I'm interpreting it correctly (and I'm pretty sure I am), I'm afraid I let Claire down; I'm afraid I did not fulfill my assignment with regard to her.
Any ideas, anyone?
I'll give you some clues:
What is snow, really? And in its original form, what does it represent spiritually, in Biblical terms?
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I see what you allude to about the water form of snow, but I'll offer another suggestion. The snow is cold. Perhaps she was sensing a "coldness" in trying to get to know you or reach you. The deep cold snow represents the obstacle in her way of trying to get to you. Her snow suit could represent her own inhibitions or a guard to protect her from contact. Your going to her and leading her along is the invitation to show that you are receptive to her approach.
ReplyDeleteSomething along those terms at least.
This post has reminded me of my own dream experience that I will post about later. Maybe the week after next.
Thanks for the great post and comment responses, Stephen. And thank you to all readers and especially those who left comments.
Lee
Happy to elaborate. ‘Past existence as in a previous lifetime, another incarnation (reincarnation). Is that clear enough? Haven’t you ever met someone that you were sure you had met before, but not just a déjà vu about your conversation, but about everything interconnected between the two of you? Just a possibility that they are someone you knew, maybe even intimately in another lifetime. Possibly even someone who is meant to find you and you them.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to your question about Claire’s dream. It appears that you may be suggesting that you were there to lead her on the path through ‘troubled waters’ (snow) to a more righteous existence (closer to God than she was getting with the current program). She seems to be bundled up in something that was hindering her (incorrect dogma) that was keeping her from reaching her goal (true enlightenment) and she sought you out for help (trying to come up the path to you). In her dream you offered the requested help (coming out and taking her arm to help her up the path).
I hope you will take no offense at that interpretation. You DO know me and I tend to ‘over think’, BUT it does remind me of someone asking another to relate their personal experiences with finding and getting on the right path, in order to help them through some difficult life altering decisions. Just some thoughts and possibilities from another ‘bubble head’.
LEE & FAE ~
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to comment further.
LEE -- I do like how you were able to propose a different interpretation that veers away from the more obvious. That goes to show that there are always multiple ways of looking at something.
In this case, however, you would have an almost impossible task of trying to really convince me of the alternate interpretation for a few reasons: 1) The context of my association with Claire, 2) the inclusion of both a car and house as relevant symbolism, and 3) “the path” which, when combined with both the snow and the house, makes the dream appear to be overwhelmingly related to our spiritual walk and not addressing the more personality-based aspect of our association.
>> . . . This post has reminded me of my own dream experience that I will post about later. Maybe the week after next.
Looking forward to it, Brother, and I will definitely offer my .02 cents on it when the time comes.
~ D-FensDogg
‘Loyal American Underground’
Part 1 Of 2:
ReplyDeleteFAE ~
First, thanks for elaborating on the “reincarnation” remark. Naturally, it seemed to me that HAD to be what you were referring to. But I also thought: Would she REALLY be commenting on THAT here? I mean, I didn’t think you believed enough in that concept to even offer it as a possibility, let alone as the VERY FIRST possibility to be mentioned.
I hope you’re not being influenced by some screwy “New Age” type of bloke or blokette who will only lead your soul down the path to eternal hell. (HA!)
I think your interpretation of Claire’s dream is largely on the money. At the time she first related it to me (7 or 8 months prior to my dream of her and her inability to meditate because of my image reappearing in her mind) I may have understood SOME of the symbolism when viewed separately, but I doubt I had (or even could have) put the whole thing together.
But by the time I had my dream of her (i.e., the primary focus of this blog bit), had I gone back right then and reexamined her earlier dream, it should have spoken to me plainly, obviously, I probably should have tried to “take Claire with me when I left”.
What I mean by that is . . . the principal reason I had ceased being a regular at the Tuesday night meetings is because I was having major difficulties with some of the spiritual tenets of the church and some of the dogma (yes, your use of the word “dogma” was accurate) that was emanating from the preachers.
I had ceased attending the Sunday sermons well before I ceased attending the Tuesday night meetings (which were two very different entities) but even so, I was growing further and further away from the church altogether with each passing month.
I have read some books pertaining to dream symbolism, but my take on it is that generally the images we see in our dreams are very personal to us, explicitly chosen by our minds for the meanings that we and we only, as individuals, can apply to them.
That said though, I do agree that there are a handful of truly Universal Dream Symbols that the vast majority of our minds use in the same way. One of them for sure is the “car”. It represents the direction our life is going – it’s the manner of movement along the route we’re taking. Dream of driving your car over a cliff and you’d better reevaluate the direction your life is currently headed. Dream of driving over an exceedingly bumpy, unpaved road (as I really have), and you might want to find a new road to your desired destination or else accept that it’s going to be a rocky ride. Pretty obvious stuff.
I think the context of Claire’s dream pretty much set the tone for deciphering the symbolism. We were not lovers, and not even really good friends, actually. I mean, we never saw each other outside of the church grounds on our own church-free time. So this dream was about our mutual spiritual interests.
Her car – it’s the direction she’s going in or trying to go in, spiritually.
The snow – it’s really water (which represents the true spiritual force in Biblical terms – think of “baptism”) but as snow it is being presented in an improper form, a form that does not allow it to serve its true Godly purpose.
Claire’s snowsuit – she is bundled up against the snow; she recognizes the need to protect herself and find some way to navigate through the “improper spiritual form”. But she is so hindered by her outer casing (possibly even her faulty conscious knowledge of spirituality) that she is unable to work with or in the snow (which, after all, IS the right stuff essentially, but being improperly presented to her).
Continued Below...
Part 2 Of 2:
ReplyDeleteThe house – “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” Without getting too involved in the details of this symbol (which hundreds of words could be spent describing), I’ll just say that the house represents the Home of the Lord, the goal, the true dwelling place created by God for His children. Apparently I found my way to it before Claire found her way to it. Now she’s driven to it, she can see it, but it’s just beyond her reach because of what the “snow” represents.
The path – Ha!-Ha! DUH! This one’s like a “car” or “house” in terms of Universal Dream Symbology. The path is “THE WAY”. (Who is “The Way”? Who is “The Truth”? Who is “The Light”?)
In the dream, I have found The Way to The Father’s House, and I emerge from it to help my Sister Claire reach it. It’s all so obvious to me now that it’s what I’ve come to call “God’s Sledgehammer Technique”. God doesn’t always use ‘The Sledgehammer’ to teach me stuffs, but when He does, I’d have to be a total dope to miss the lesson.
At the time of the events described in this blog bit, I had not yet really reached ‘The House’ (and I still haven’t, truthfully, FULLY). But I was well on The Way, and I was getting closer by much study, much help from The Holy Spirit, and by process of elimination. I was just about finished eliminating that particular church which Claire and I were associated with. (FAE, you will hear more about this in the SES – the next installment arriving sometime this weekend.)
And looking back on this dream now, I suspect I was meant to be sharing with Claire all of the things I was learning, what I was coming to believe, and WHY I was beginning to suspect and discount a lot of things that were being taught at that church we were both attending.
Maybe she would have come along with me on the new road I was exploring, or maybe she would have stayed in “the snow”, but either way, she would have been in a position to make an informed choice for herself.
This is probably why it’s a good idea to record our dreams and then go back to re-read them from time to time. In reading through my old Dream Journal, trying to decide which dreams to write up and present to Lee for inclusion on this blog, I came across a number of old dreams I’d recorded which didn’t seem to make a lot of sense to me at the time I had them. But reading them all these years later, a couple of them were CLEARLY prophetic, telling me what was in my future, but I didn’t recognize them as “prophecies” at the time. One of them explicitly said I would become a security guard at some point. At the time I had that dream, being a security guard was the furthest thing from my mind.
Thanks again, y’all, for the great discussion.
~ Stephen
I am finding that my dreams connect to something I've seen or thought throughout the day. Sometimes my dead family members are in the dreams, and there is such a sense of love.
ReplyDeleteThanks again Stephen and to all of you who left comments. Great conversation here on this post.
ReplyDeleteLee