| Dream
Treasure Cards
(How
They Evolved)
My
First Card Memories:
My
first memory of creative fun with cards
goes back to childhood recollections in
Scotland, when my cousin Billy and I would
swipe our parent's decks of playing cards
to make 'card towns.' Many enchanted hours
were enjoyed as we precariously propped
up hundreds of cards on the living room
carpet, making 3-D 'houses' on card-lined
streets. Next to river-rock-hopping and
walking on walls, making card towns was
our favorite pastime. Not surprisingly,
to the extent that we ever 'grew up,' Bill
became a civil engineer and I entered the
imaginative realm of the arts.
Different
Kinds of Cards:
I've
always loved cards -- playing cards, greeting
cards, tarot cards and oracle cards of all
kinds, full of strange and magical wisdom
if you can only find it. Or perhaps I also
love cards because my Dad often used to
chuckle affectionately, pat my head and
say, "Noreen, you're such a card!"
The
Intrigue of Cards:
What
IS it about a set of cards that intrigues
me so? There's something about pulling a
whole world of images out of a box that
ignites my instant interest. I also like
the compactness of a set of cards which,
when opened and the cards allowed to escape
from their box, paradoxically, can invite
an almost infinite array of combinations
to whet my searching mind.
I
like the slick feel as cards shuffle in
my hands -- a miniature art gallery at my
finger tips. Like old friends, my favorite
card decks comfort and inspire and from
time to time their wisdom just knocks my
purple socks right off. So, it's no wonder
that I eventually got the urge to create
my own set of cards.
Gearing
Up:
Here's
how it happened A little over a year ago,
I had a dream which I titled, Gearing Up.
As you can guess, a friend in my dream group
immediately asked, "Noreen, what are
you gearing up for?" Without thinking,
I laughingly blurted out, "To write
my own dream book, of course!" Little
did I know at the time how this spontaneous
blurt would lead me into a dreamy artistic
venture unlike any I've ever embarked upon
previously.
Dream Action:
I've
been a Dream Adventurer for many decades,
yet my dream life charged into full swing
in the mid 1980's after attending a week
of dream workshops at The Association for
Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E), the
Edgar Cayce group. During this week of soaking
up many intensely mind-expanding dream concepts,
I was fortunate enough to meet Henry Reed
and Mark Thurston, both of whom indelibly
marked upon my mind the value of taking
action from your dreams.
Therefore,
with the specters of Henry and Mark to prod
me on, I took ACTION from my Gearing Up
dream. Did I ever! I gave myself a week
of retreat, surrounded only by my 18 fat
dream journals and my trusty
computer, with the intent of cataloging
anything and everything that could be material
for my yet-to-happen dream book. As it turns
out, I've yet to write the dream book, but
something more immediately exciting emerged
instead.
Dream
Treasure Cards:
Well,
after two days of constant data-basing,
I was bored silly. "Enough of this!"
I groaned, and took time out to meditate
upon my predicament. The answer soon appeared,
first in terms of an internal question,
"What excites you the most about this
project?" Instantly, I knew. My greatest
enthusiasm was to play around with my Dream
Art and .... could this be? .... make CARDS!!
My
excitement knew no bounds. With renewed
energy, I spent the rest of my retreat week
ploughing through my 2,653 dreams, chosing
only the dreams that included dream art.
You see, I'd only sketch, paint or scribble
in the margins, images or feelings from
dreams that I thought were extra important,
so this was a ready-made guide to find some
'treasures.' It was rewarding to collect
all these oft forgotten images of my psyche
and bring them together where I could see
my 'inner family' as if in celebration of
some great reunion.
During
this week I completed ten of what it seemed
only natural to call my Dream Treasure Cards.
On the back of each card is a title, an
offering and a Haiku poem which tells the
essence of the dream from whence the dream
art came. Over the next few months I completed
my set of 50 cards and made a lovely stained
glass box for them to call home. These cards
now sit on a shelf next to my bed so I can
easily access their energy and insights
on a daily basis.
What
to DO with Dream Cards:
So,
you might ask, "What do you DO with
your dream cards?" Good question! First
of all, I simply enjoy looking at them as
I shuffle through the deck, especially intrigued
by the different combinations each shuffle
brings forth. Seeing two or three cards
together for the first time can in itself
bring up new insights.
There
is something downright magical about having
your OWN images from your OWN deepest dream
psyche staring you in the face with fresh
eyes. A mirror to the soul indeed! The following
tells how I do things with my cards.
Actual
Dream Card Entries from my Journal:
Almost
every morning I ask my cards a question
and usually receive good guidance for the
day ahead. I keep a little journal, now
bursting it's spiral seams with on-going
dream card experiences. For example, here's
an entry from 2-25-99, at a time when I
was wondering if weight training was really
good for me. (I was trying to find a way
to squiggle out of it even though I knew
better!)
Question:
"Dear Dream Cards, tell me more about
the benefits of making weight training a
regular part of my life? Thanks"
Card Answer:
Rainbow Light Dream
offers
"Higher Connection"
Power
is upon you.
As sacrifice becomes joy,
You know ecstasy
Notebook
Comments: "Wow! Right on. Perfect!
Just like my Karen Andes book ("Woman's
Book of Strength") says ... my 'sacrifice'
of time can now be seen as a means to higher
connection with my own POWER (good weight-training
word) Conclusion -- stick with your weight
training, Noreen!"
This
is an aside -- I asked my dream cards this
morning, "Who wants to inspire me as
I write my ASD article today? Thanks."
And guess what, I chose the same Rainbow
Light Dream card, offering me another inspiration
from the same card. This happens a lot.
Having received this card today, I settled
at my computer to write this article with
a feeling of being connected to my higher
power. My 'sacrifice' today is staying inside
to write instead of being outside biking
and enjoying the beautiful sunny day, however,
I'm on a roll here and feel very joyful
about sharing my dream card story with you.
Another
Example: 3-1-99 (my daughter, Diana, had
been very sick at this time)
Question:
"Dear cards, what more can I invoke
on behalf of Diana's healing? Thanks"
Card
Answer:
This time a card fell out during my shuffling,
so I chose that one.
Face
of Jesus
offers
"Divine Intervention"
Image
on the path,
My Jesus asked to be sketched.
Your divine Source speaks.
Notebook
Comments: "Lordy! I can invoke no less
than Jesus on Diana's behalf. Divine intervention
is at hand. PS: I did so! Diana made a speedy
recovery in 2 days."
Another
Example: 9-22-98, (concerning teaching a
new class)
Question:
"What is the best approach with my
new Tai Chi class starting today? Thanks."
Pig-Girlies
A-Go-Go
offer
"Frivolity"
Go-Go
have some fun
High-kicking throughout your day
Laughing all the way
Notebook
Comments:
"Today I start my new Tai Chi classes,
so when I picked this card I had to laugh.
Of all the 50 cards, Pig-Girlies is most
like Tai Chi movements, in comic form, of
course. I get the message -- the best way
to approach my new students is with a light-touch,
keep it fun. This is not the time to emphasize
the intense discipline needed for this martial
art." I followed the card's advice
and the class went splendidly.
How
Dream Cards Can Help Understand Current
Dreams:
Another
way I use my dream cards is to actually
have them help me understand a current dream
more fully. Pretty nifty isn't it, to get
an old dream to help with a new dream!!
Here's what I mean ...
The
Dream: 1-16-99, I had a powerful dream,
Magical Night, which felt quite precognitive
concerning the coming Millennium. I asked
my cards for further insights into this
wondrous dream and here's the card that
literally fell into my lap as I shuffled.
Card
Insight About Dream:
Moth
and Feather
offers
"Transmutation"
Huge
changes coming soon
Linked lightly to the Divine.
Relax, change is good
Notebook
Comments: "My card even has a 'dark
night' background like my dream. Send this
dream to Roberta for the next issue of Dream
Network which will highlight precognitive
dreams" (Update: I did so, and Roberta,
the editor of Dream Network, tells me that
this dream will be published, using a different
tittle, under 'Dreaming Humanities Path'
in the next issue, summer 1999)
Having
this dream and the card's insights makes
me feel quite relaxed about the coming Millennium
changes, knowing that ultimately these changes
will be good and not to worry.
YES/NO Questions Answered by Dream Cards:
One
other way I use my dream cards is to answer
YES/NO questions. One of my cards is The
Key card, which seems a natural choice for
the job. Here's how I use it. First, I try
to figure out the answer logically but if
that just isn't working, I write down my
question then shuffle the cards, focusing
all the time on the question. Then I count
the cards from the top until I reach The
Key card. If I reach it on an odd number,
the answer is NO. If I reach it on an even
number, the answer if YES. This works like
a charm and I'd estimate my hit rate is
close to 90% based on the results over time.
Example:
9-21-98 (relating to the disappearance of
our ginger cat, Tad)
Key
Card Question: "Will Tad come back
home today in good shape?"
This
question was important since I was worried
about Tad's unusual disappearance. My notes
tell why ... "This is the day Tad jumped
off the roof of my moving car (I didn't
know he was there till he slid down my windshield!)
then jumped off and ran into the woods near
our house. I figured he was OK and I continued
to drive on. Later that day, a neighbor
phoned to report that she'd seen a ginger
cat, like Tad, flying through the air after
being struck by a hit and run driver. She
never did see Tad land and assumed he was
hurt and lost since I told her he hadn't
come home. She apparently didn't realize
that the driver of the car was me and I
wasn't about to confess! However, she now
had me worried since Tad was nowhere to
be found. That's when I decided it was time
for a YES/NO with the Key Card.
Key
Card Answer: "YES" Phew! I stopped
worrying right away. Tad returned home a
few hours later, his usual chipper, rascal
self, but he wasn't talking!
Dream Cards Venture into the Community:
So
you can see I have good times with my dream
cards, however, they are now calling me
to get them further out into the community.
Writing my web page episodes each month
for Dream Network's website is a step in
this direction. So is the enthusiasm of
Barb Turner, my friend and Tai Chi student
who asked me to make her a whole set of
my cards to use with her students in her
teaching and counseling sessions. As I was
making her card set, I asked my cards the
following question.
Question:
"Barb is commissioning me to make a
set of my dream cards (that's you guys!)
for her to use with her delinquent teen
classes and her battered and suicidal women's
groups. Wonderful! Which card best symbolizes
the value, the offering, for the above community?
Thanks"
Imagine
the tingles up my spine as I chose this
card at random...
Card Answer:
Outstretched Hand
offers
"Service"
The
question is posed.
"Whom do I serve with my gifts?"
Whomever is here
Notebook
Comments: "My God, this is so perfect
-- brings tears to my eyes. Maybe my cards
can be of service to others."
Update:
May 29, 1999: This is a good time to talk
about Barb Turner. I've just finished an
article about her experiences with my dream
cards going out into the community. To read
this article (and others!) see Episode #8
on my website
at Dream Network
Future Plans and Hopes:
My
greatest wish for my cards is that they
venture far and wide into the world, bringing
to others a chuckle, a helpful insight,
a good feeling and perhaps most of all,
that they inspire others to make their own
dream cards.
Website:
http://dreamnetwork.net/Noreen.html
Email: NoreenFW@cinci.rr.com
Write
me, I'd love to hear from you!
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