Let’s Dream Together #7 – Synopsis

The Online Social Dreaming Matrix #7 took place on Zoom on Saturday 19th of September 2020. Eighteen participants took turns sharing dreams and associations.

MATRIX #1

The firs dream took us on a beach, the light was similar to a moon eclipse, a low light, the dreamer takes a bath in the sea. A two year old child appears and immediatly submerges. The dreamer goes under and catches him, takes him over the water, he is smiling. The dreamer cries after embracing the child.

Another dream goes underground, in London, on a tube train direction south east. Once out the light is very bright, sunny. Walking and making a U-turn back to the station. unusual, not sure about which direction tell the taxi driver. French on the radio, which is unusual, but the sensation is of happiness, even if the dreamer is lost in London.

A conflict in dinner commitments appear in another dream. Three different invitations at the same time: the first dinner comes from a childhood friend, that for sure will involve partying hard. It’s not the preference, but there is a felling of being obliged. The second invitation comes from a friend, more quiet dinner, nice restaurant, wanted to go. The final one was from a former employer, more formal, corporate type of dinner. Feeling of not knowing what to choose.

Asian vegetable market, look for an acupuncturist. I look at all the vegetables. There is a Pink cauliflower. I am reading about bananas then the phone rings, I think it might be Mary, but it is the wrong area code. I realize it is actually the alarm going off.

A corn field, fear of going deep into it and getting lost. Looking behind the corn field, I go into what seems to be hotel, looking at the drawers, there are divisions I want to rearrange. I realize I was home and they were my drawers, someone has rearranged everything. I then walk to another room, realize I am home and that nothing is familiar. I remember thinking I had this dream before.

My Friend Paul. an administrator in a university. In the dream he is caught on camera removing hardware from city – to use for art. Detained by me in a sort of citizen arrest. His installation is situated by the ocean. many images taking by surveillance device – which go against his role as protector and leader.

Underground sewer in Hong Kong, meeting with writers. I am followed by a woman that wants to have some romance. I was late and run faster leaving her behind. I reach the writers and we start the meeting but soon I realize that it is a social dreaming matrix.

Meeting with a friend who lived near the sea, in a beautiful costal place. Two young family friends – handsome, dynamic full of life are present. I receive an invitation to come along in the car. We arrived alright but I was terrified because they were going so fast, I was annoyed because they did not listen to me.

I was being told that I shouldn’t be doing what I was doing. I did not know what I was doing – but I was being told to stop.

DIALOGUE/REFLECTION

After a break there is a quick grounding body scan designed to get back into our own bodies. One of the participants introduced by the host relates her experience with Social Dreaming projects.

The reflections and associations take to the presence of diverse generations in dreams, a sort of desire for protection like in the first dream with the little kid in the ocean.

Society is a moving at a certain pace and it’s hard to keep up like in the dream with the fast car. The Social Dreaming structure reminds of the brain plasticity. Dreams and meanings rearrange our neurons as well inform our Social Representations, like the drawers of the house behind the corn field. When we dream it’s like we are in our own house but everything is new and different.

As in the dream of the dinner commitments there is a need to keep together different belongings, different identities, the deep childhood imprinting, the things we love and desire, and the social role we take. For another participants this exercise of linking together dreams and association gives us a glimpse on the collective unconscious, a reservoir of symbols and representations that constantly adapts to new challenges.

Social Dreaming seems also useful to unveil traumas in a different form than storytelling, with a lower level of confrontation. Reference to inter generational trauma in African Society and traditional ways to look at dream from African Cultures. Do we dance around traumas while we Social Dream?

The poor connection, different accents and proficiencies in the English Language force the participants to put extra effort to understand what is said. When it’s too difficult we find ourselves listening hard, we listen to our listening as a way to tune in. Listening to the dreams pose challenges in translation and understanding, like a radio speaking a different languages and with transmission problems.

Dreams and environment (Zoom) contribute to the sense of confusion, which sometimes it’s paralyzing. We don’t want to see what is really in front of us, confront the dream.

Another advantage of social dreaming could be the use in creating performance, a way to express a universal language, a common base to create co-constructed art performances like theatre and music.

The SD dream poem 19th sep

On of the host following this comment propose an exercise. Each participant offers a line of a poem based on the dreams emerged in the first Matrix.

Time travel in dreams can make amends

To past present and future,

I cried

I pretended silently

Listened to our listening

Submerged and let go

Pink cauliflowers

I find lumps in my jacket that

I am afraid will get me arrested

When I go thru customs

Everything is changing faster than I can perceive the change

MATRIX #2

We begin with something to do with being a women and not being heard, not wanting to expose myself. About my being a women and thus not being heard. Association to previous dream: being told not to do something – putting away the elders wisdom, particularly as embodied by women.

On an airplane to Japan going to Tokyo. The pilot goes on nose dive very fast and the plane crash into town. I take a cab into downtown and I cross large spaces. I tried to take pictures (son is interested) – I was taking pictures of Japanese Halloween.

Arriving at gate for a flight. It is the last call and the gate is closing. I pulled out the boarding pass. I have a confirmed seat – hold the flight! I had left at 2 for a 5 o’clock flight, freeway was blocked …. hard to get there in time.

In the kitchen cooking, tasting as I go, tons of pots on the fire and food putting together kitchen counter. I taste the food and I forget that I am cooking other things, I get lost in the taste. I am spending way too much time in the tasting. The taste and the smell was vivid, and then I here someone calling with a todo list I don’t know who is calling, I don’t care I am consumed with the color and the smell, I remember the recipes.

Dreaming of eating and feeling bad, because I had forgotten I was in a fast.

After the Matrix is over we linger a little longer sharing experiences and comments, hearing from the newcomers and returning participants as well.