Dream Pages Gone Wild

if you dream it, it will come

It all began in the Winter of 2004. Two friends, a lot of dreams, and both experiencing significant life shifts in parallel. Individually, what we were going through was very different, yet the feelings involved were the same. Stacey had been leading a dream interpretation workshop which I decided to crash. The group shared and discussed eachother’s nightly dreams once a week. No interpretations or explanations were viewed as right or wrong, just different. Whether it was derived from a Jungian interpretation or spiritual vision, the exploration of our dreams helped us tap into something…ourselves. At the time, Stacey and I would regularly hang with one another at a neighborhood coffee shop. We’d laugh, catch up, talk dreams, and discuss books like The Artist’s Way and Simple Abundance. Julia Cameron and Sarah Ban Breathnach (the authors of said books) are masters of inspiration, self-awareness, and living authentically. Both books touch on dreams (waking and sleeping) and introduced to us the idea of making those dreams more tangible.

The Artist’s Way calls it a ‘Image File’ or collaging, Simple Abundance calls it a ‘Illustrative Discovery Journal’. Basically, you get any sort of print media, cut and paste images that inspire you to create pages or boards that reflect you.  These pages become daily reminders of your dreams, the desires in your heart, and how you were truly created to live. Not too much thinking involved, just guided by your own fancies. Now mix this introspective craft with a little wine and a girl’s night…and the birth of the Dream Paging Duo was formed. We made our own name for it…Dream Pages. Since that winter we’ve had Dream Paging meet ups, workshops, and everything in between. Looking back through my notebooks and boards it’s amazing to see how many of the images and dreams have actually come to fruition. Such a powerful tool to remind you of your true reality when the mundane and busyness start to drag you down.

Now, fast forward seven years and some change…enters my childhood and life long friend Jessica. Jess is always in the know of all things cool. She’s a creative, she’s hip, and funny as the dickens. All that said, my fabulous friend introduced me to this thing called Pinterest. “What the heck is Pinterest”? I asked. After receiving my invitation…ooh la la, joining the network of pinners (this is done through your Facebook or Twitter account), and figuring out the ways of the Pinterest site, I am officially hooked. My first thought upon my maiden Pinterest voyage was that this is the new dream paging. Pinterest is the modern way to catalog, remember, and share your dreams and tastes with the human collective. My second thought was, “Oy. Why didn’t I think of this”?!  Alas, I have stumbled upon something very cool, and while I still love the old fashion, hands-on dream paging…Pinterest is another useful medium of expression and dreaming. Besides, one day I may be on some island that I dream paged long ago, with no access to paper or glue sticks. There will be a moment when I need to start cataloging my dreams for the next chapter in my journey. I’ll just pull up Pinterest on my iPad, or whatever fancy doodad folks will be using at the time, and start pinning til my heart is content. And my dreams are realized.

*Stacey and Maggie still have very different lives, but remain close friends. Stacey is an artist, certified counselor, and general rock star extraordinaire. Maggie is a stay at home mom, writer, she’s kind of good at various things, and a lover of too many cool things to mention. They still dream page together today.

*Jessica owns a tea shop, plays the fiddle, enjoys concerts and amazing music with her fab friend Maggie. She will go on to invent a hybrid Weimaraner Pu-Erh Blended Shetland Sheepdog, named Klaus, who will be well-versed in Anselm’s Proslogion philosophy, and will tell all her secrets.