Click "Play" to hear my conversation with Nicole Torres, a dreamworker, psychotherapist, and medical anthropologist devoted to her own ongoing journey of decolonization, liberation, and learning to “honor the dream.”

In this episode, she explains what all that means to her. Early in our conversation, I ask Nicole’s take on something I’ve wondered for a while: Why do some people explain that their families don’t talk about dreams with this statement: “My family is religious”? I know religious people of various faiths who do like to talk about dreams, so why do some say that their religion is a reason not to?

Nicole’s thoughts on my question lead us right into talking about what “decolonization” means, and how dreams connect us with the wisdom we all carry in our bodies. She calls this our “indigenous wisdom.” We talk about what that means, too.

Have you ever had a dream character come back again and again, in different forms, or in different settings? Nicole shares a life-changing dream of her own that included one of these recurring figures. And, what she's learned: If we don’t pay attention to these figures, and act upon the wisdom of our dreams, we are doomed to make the same mistakes over and over.

Have you had any dreams lately that feel especially related to our current political climate? Or, our “climate” climate? Apocalyptic dreams, or dreams reminiscent of terrifying times in human history?

Nicole and I talk about these “possible future” dreams, and ask, how can we heed our dreams as wake-up calls? How are our dreams nudging us to prepare for these possible futures, or to take action, so that they don’t come to pass?

She reminds us, “It’s incumbent upon all of us to do what we can, and tap into our creative energy that comes in the form of dreams so that we can actively participate in creating a better vision of the future, not just for us, but for future generations, and for the planet.”

Show notes: thedreamersden.org/16

Dreamers' Den Series Ep 16: Ancient Wisdom, Possible Futures & Decolonization in Dreams (with Nicole Torres) 48:45 Share

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Dreamers' Den Series Ep 16: Ancient Wisdom, Possible Futures & Decolonization in Dreams (with Nicole Torres)