158) Robert Moss Workshop Experiences

I had the great opportunity and pleasure to attend a workshop this past weekend with the well-known author of many books on conscious lucid dreaming, Mr. Robert Moss (www.mossdreams.com) This weekend’s workshop was called Shamanic Lucid Dreaming and I was intrigued to attend to learn more about this interesting and different approach to dream work using conscious wakefulness and drumming.

As an out of body traveler who primarily uses this ability during the night for my own spiritual development as well as service to others who may need assistance, I felt this workshop could offer a unique perspective on the art of dreaming and interpretation as it relates to the multidimensional lives we live here. I was not disappointed!

The workshop began on a Friday evening, and I immediately felt a familiarity and sense of serenity in his presence, as he joined us all in an opening circle and blessing. I was pleased to see that we would be working within a circle where everyone would be seen as equals, with no one person having a more prominent position in the session. This gave me a sense of comfort and ease in speaking, especially since the toss of his drumstick revealed that it chose me to start the introductions!

During that evening we journeyed with the drumming a few times, and I felt another sense of familiarity with the sound, reminding me of some part of myself that I felt was calling me. My first few sessions with the drumming gave me flashes of a campfire, feathers on a stick, and my always present red-tailed hawk flying against the moon. Robert wanted us to title our experiences, and for this first one, the words “Wisdom Within” came forth.

As an interesting note, during this first evening Robert shared his story of his red-tailed hawk, another connection I felt that gave me knowing I was where I should be.

Again with a second drumming session, I felt as though I was flying, this time on the wings of an owl that took me to the same campfire within a forest clearing. I could see the Native Americans in a circle below, and as the owl flew up to the branch above the fire, I felt as if I became one of the individuals within the circle. I felt happy, as it felt like ‘home’ and I mentally asked, “What does this mean?” The one word answer came clearly through: “Remember….”

That night I had the intention as I went to sleep that I would have something to share with group the next morning. I felt a bit disappointed that I had not traveled that night, and discovered I had only a small snippet of a dream to share.

I titled this dream, “Meeting Myself”. In this dream, I remember clearly seeing and talking with this other Karen (felt to be a part of me) and one who looked exactly as I do now. I was accepting a friendly, almost playful, challenge to a foot race we would have. I distinctly remember the strong feeling of how important it was to me that THIS TIME I have to finish the race ahead of her!

In sharing this story with Robert, he was able to ask questions that gave me ability to understand what this might mean to me personally. Whereas I had no idea what to make of the dream upon waking, I was now able to understand that this might have a ‘reality check’ with my current life events, in that I felt the ‘other’ Karen was likely the professional, comfortable, stable, do what others want and don’t make changes Karen that I was currently trying to break away from and get ‘ahead’ of.

In understanding this, I also knew that the strong desire I felt within this dream to win this race meant that in order to win, I should continue to keep moving forward with my new goal of ‘breaking free’ and becoming that Karen that I want to be, not the one who lives only as expected by others.

I do feel at this time there are two Karens in my life, the medical professional who must keep control and restraint from running too far, and the Karen who wishes to seek new and exciting experiences that may mean stepping forward with ideas and notions that may not be as comfortable to work with.

The questions that Robert taught us to ask ourselves or others when sharing our experiences are all designed to bring out a myriad of responses from others that could relate to the event, whether a personal recount of a life experience or our intuitive sense of what it could mean. However, that there is NO ONE person or interpretation that is right or wrong when sharing as a group. I was happy to hear that Robert also agrees that our dream experiences are very personal, and that the only proper interpreter for any experience is that individual who had the experience.

In seeking to know more and sharing our experiences with others, he suggests that we begin to recount the story, giving only details and facts without our interpretation. A title is important to show the highlight of the experience.

Next the dreamer is asked about their feelings with the events, whether it brought forth fear, pain, sadness, joy, or other significant associations. In doing do, the dreamer should look for what Robert calls ‘reality checks’ (different than what I have mentioned before that are more associated with ‘awareness’ in our current reality), to see if any part of the story could fit with current life experiences or even as a possibility for the dreamer’s future. Then for clarity, the dreamer is then asked, ‘what is it that you want to know about this dream?’

Insight from others is then asked for, with the understanding that the individual is only offering what they feel it would mean to them by prefacing their statements with “if it were my experience….” Only the dreamer can be the final judge of appropriateness and significance.

After receiving the group’s insight, the dreamer is asked to make an action plan, based on the new understanding and knowledge that may have come forth. There should always be some sort of action to be done, even if there was limited information. The action may then include the need to go back into the dream to gather more information to process.

Dream re-entry was another interesting part of this seminar, as we would take turns being ‘seeker’ and ‘tracker’. The seeker would be the dreamer, who would say what help is needed with an experience or dream, along with an image to focus on that is significant for them, and the trackers would be those who would use their resources by any means to bring back guidance with their impressions during the drumming.

There were two significant experiences I had with this day’s drumming sessions that I will share. One session we were asked to face each of the four cardinal directions (East, South, West, North) and reach for our ancestral connection to see what images we would find.

We began our journey visualizing ourselves as a bird, sitting high in a tree looking out. Of course I was my red-tailed hawk and as the drumming began, I’m sitting high in my tree, facing East overlooking a beautiful canyon, as the luminous sun rises and smoke from campfires softly ascend amidst the morning mist.

Turning to face south, I see the ocean, the shimmering sparkling waters that give rise to a sensation of movement. A ship appears, and I feel a connection with the travelers and explorers.

Turning West, I now see a vast abundant land, filled with corn, wheat, and buffalo, feeling this ‘land of plenty’ that now is before me.

As I face North, I sense a grandfatherly Native American figure before me, holding in his hands three feathers. I feel joy and pride, a sense of accomplishment. In my mind, I hear, “You have come full circle” as he hands me these feathers to ‘fly’ with. (In hindsight I also now notice the circle of ‘beginnings-movement-abundance-success’ as well as ‘fire-water-land-air’ in this experience)

When the drumming stops, I am filled with a sense of satisfaction, a knowing that I am absolutely following the right path at this time, and make the action plan that I shall continue to seek new experiences and not return to the ‘comfortable and stable’ Karen that doesn’t change.

In a subsequent drumming session, we were told to go to an open air market and seek that merchant’s stand that most resonated with items from our childhood. Once there we were to find an object from our youth that would immediately open the gates to a large doorway behind the stand where a horse would appear to carry us to another tent. In this tent, we were to discover that which we needed to know most about ourselves, and it was with this drumming experience, that I felt my deepest emotional response. Tears actually came to my eyes when I realized that a small lost part of me when I was a young girl of six was returned to me.

As the drumming started, I found the merchant stand that held items from my childhood, a favorite doll, a dress I loved, and the old worn blanket I carried. However, it was finding the long lost ring had been given to me by my grandmother that offered the emotional ‘key’ to opening the doorway to my horse.

My horse was the beautiful Pegasus, a white winged horse that carried me safely on his back to the big circus-type tent in the valley below. Entering the tent, I saw a young girl and immediately recognized her as myself at the age of six. She was quiet, insecure, fearful, and feeling so alone. I could feel her sadness and the need for someone to be there for her. I was surprised to see this beautiful woman standing radiantly behind her, yet this young Karen did not notice.

I moved toward her, and she smiled and I gave her a tight hug as I presented her with this long lost ring. I told her that I knew she would be okay and all will be well in her life, and that she was never alone. Pointing to the radiant woman behind her, the young Karen was now able to see this beautiful woman who had been with her all along. The sheer joy, release, and freedom I felt was overwhelming. Tears streamed down my cheek, and despite the drumming that continued, I had to bring myself back to the room to prevent further loss of emotion.

That night, remembering that even the smallest of dream recall is important, I made the intention to once again start journaling as I used to do, writing down each and every memory of an event I experienced while dreaming. In the morning, I had four new experiences to write about, and with the group’s insight, I was able to understand even more of what I wanted to know.

In hindsight, it seems the general theme of the workshop dream events circled around that which I most needed right now…..the need for guidance and support to help me maintain this ‘new’ focus and perspective on life I’ve only recently begun. I need to keep focused on doing what I love to do, so I do not fall back into the other more ‘comfortable’ Karen life that is always wanting to ‘win’ this race!

I also realize that my desire to focus primarily on only the astral travel part of lucid dreaming is but a small piece of this vast and infinite process of awareness. I was unknowingly limiting myself and now armed with this new knowledge and ability to utilize another method of dream work, I feel I have made an important step in finding new resources to help with my personal spiritual growth and learning more about this wonderful multidimensional universe we live in.

Thank you, Robert Moss, for giving me this opportunity.