In this cold, dark time of the year, dreams are emerging. Longings arise and prepare to be nurtured, like seeds germinating in the stillness of the season. Winter is meant for dreaming.
There’s a state of unsettlement in the air. A stirring beneath the surface. I keep coming back to this collective tension (No, not the political climate, global wars, or climate change – God help us). The tension I’m talking about is internal. It’s an unrest within ourselves in response to the circumstances around us. The world is suffering and even those not directly impacted have begun to feel the hurt. It’s a realization that things aren’t as we hoped, believed, or desired them to be and that’s not okay anymore.
We know it’s time for change.
There’s a desire to see things different than they are – better than they are. A belief that things can be better and we can do better – in ourselves and in our communities. But what does that look like? We don’t quite know how to get there, what actions to take, or even what our first steps should be.
The thing is, only once we’ve envisioned or imagined something can we begin to move towards that reality. Before we can do it, we have to see it. Everything we started either as a seed or a dream.
So, what does that mean? It’s easy to think “I don’t have time to dream. I’m too busy… Have more important things to do… it’s frivolous, too selfish…”
So what? That’s true of everyone.
I’m not telling you to drop everything and chase a some Big Hairy Audacious Goal (not yet) 😉 I’m just encouraging you to dream, a little bit at a time.
In January, I held a 14-day dream challenge and I also hosted an in-person Dreamer’s Den gathering. The purpose of both was to gave others permission, time, and a safe space to dream. In doing so for myself, it seemed I opened up a portal and a deluge of dreams poured out, nearly drowning me in their wake. It was terrifying, overwhelming, beautiful, incredible, and inspiring. I made mind maps, jotted down notes, texted friends and acquaintances, had phone calls and coffee dates to talk about those ideas – all within 2 weeks time.
Sound exhausting?
After that two week fever dream my body needed an outlet to move all of that mental dream energy. To let it cycle through my system. And then came the emotions. I was tired and confused and irritated about everything (my poor family!). But I think mostly I was frustrated at the feeling of in-ability.
I had envisioned how I wanted things to be.
I knew what steps to take to start moving things forward.
But this was not yet the time for action.
The natural world and pace and movement of things attested to this truth. My body even confirmed this in the way it was forcing me to conserve energy. And I’ve learned from past experience not to dig when the ground is not yet fertile. And baby, the ground was literally frozen.
Today (3 weeks since opening my Pandora’s Box of dreams), I have finally settled back down, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The fire of those dreams is still alive, offering light and hope as the world continues to feel dark and cold. But the time to burn is drawing steadily nearer.
So I’ll use this time to prioritize and hone in on my dreams and ideas. Assess where there is energy and resources. Which ideas will germinate more easily than others and produce fruit when the time does come. And I’ll work on nurturing areas where I have support and interest from others around me – because these dreams are all bigger than what I can achieve on my own.
So I’m hopeful. And I hope others are too. In the natural world, the Northern Hemisphere is going through the darkest time of the year. But each day is getting brighter and warmer until we reach the time for action. The time to let the fires burn.
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