Dreams have an important weight in our society. Whether or not you believe in mysticism, science or whatever is in between. They can have a profound impact on our life, and on a smaller scale, our day.
When it comes to dream interpretation, answers can come in many different forms. Carl Jung is one of the most prolific forefathers of modern psychology. He put out some of the most common dream-interpretation theories that many still use today. He was one of the first people to acknowledge that dreams have importance.
“Despite the fact we can’t measure it– it is a manifestation of something. And that is a reality that is just reality, for instance, the peace treaty of Versailles or something like that. It is nowhere– you can’t show it– but it has been a fact.”
Jung believed that dreams were a glimpse into the unconscious—both personal and collective. He believed that it was only in dreams where our consciousness and unconsciousness have a dialogue. Jungian dream interpretation is a widely practiced school of thought, but it isn’t the only way of interpreting dreams.
Seven Sisters: A House of Magick
Seven Sisters, located in its hole in the wall on flex street (Connor Luczka/ XFM news)
Melanie Pierce is the co-owner of Seven Sisters Ritual Apothecary, a shop downtown and a self-described house of magic. The shop had its start 2 years ago and is meant to be a haven for anyone who wants to practice the Old Ways. She does Tarot readings and dream interpretations. She’s influenced by Jungian thought, though she says that she dabbles in other schools of thought as well.
“As much as I love to read books, and I understand that books are the experience of another person, we can learn a lot from referring mostly to Jungian practices. When it comes down to dream interpretation, I’ll think of and listen to the basic knowledge that I have of that, but also checking in with spirit.”
Pierce explains the process she goes through.
In the basement of Seven Sisters is a room with a heavy gray curtain draped over the entrance. A floormat is off to the side with a small sign that asks to remove your shoes before entering. Pulling open the curtain reveals a large and dark room lined with candles. There’s a small circular table in the centre. There are two chairs. There’s hardly any light in the room at all– until she lights her candles and begins her readings.
“When someone comes in and has a dream, or even a journey that they need to unpack with me, I’ll sit in this room and call them their ancestors. And also listen to what messages were coming through for them in the Language of Spirit– which is always cryptic, always.
“If you go into Yungian practices, the subconscious mind, we’re trying to unpack that as always been cryptic as well, right. And I mean, those practices have value because they’ve lasted for a very long time to the point that people are making careers out of specifically that line, the practice of thought, but for me, there’s a lot more to that. So it’s definitely a communication with spirit. The basic knowledge of the psychological practices and shamanic practices as well that all weave into the way that I practice.”
HEAR MORE: MY OWN READING
Pierce gave me a reading, diving into the world of spirit to interpret a recurring dream I had when I was younger. The dream involved a church on fire, and as she explains, what that could mean might not be obvious:
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