Vol 2 Iss 2

Did you miss me? When I decided to drop the number of newsletter issues from 26/year to 12/year, I didn't realize how much I'd miss the forum of expressing my thoughts to my readers. I even got a note from one subscriber saying, with a hint of concern, that she hadn't seen the newsletter lately.

My committment is to honor my increased workload and to publish on the first Monday of the month. Please look for Moving Forward! on those days.

Last week, I made a quick trip to Louisiana to visit my mom. While there, I had a chance to have one-on-one time with the family members I wanted especially to see, and went to a live TV show of Cajun French bands broadcast bi-lingually. That was a treat. Especially watching my 10-month old grand-nephew transfixed by the music. Looks like another musician in the family!

I also made connections with coaching colleagues in that area with the intent of increasing my visibility and credibility. Who knows what workshops or co-leading endeavors will result from this trip?

This month's newsletter is about metaphors and how they show up in your dreams. I hope you enjoy it. If you like what you read, please forward this newsletter to a friend.

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.

Last night I dreamed the wall by my desk in my office on campus had a huge crack in it. You have to realize the University of Colorado is 128 years old and the building I'm in was one of the first built, so it's at least 100. Dreaming there was a crack in the wall is no great leap. It's what was behind the crack that was so interesting.

As the plaster crumbled at the corners, you could see a large movable bookshelf emerging. I fetched the Department Chair, a lovely Buddhist lady, to show it to her, and she was not at all alarmed. She explained that this was a "Becoming Wall" and there are several hidden on campus. I woke up before she could tell me more.

A Becoming Wall. Hmmmm.

Have you ever had a dream that left you pondering, wondering what the metaphor meant? Well, that's what dreams are for. Your subconscious is communicating with you in the only language it knows, metaphor. It's a powerful way to bring you in to a place of knowing about yourself.

Metaphors show up everywhere. We dance with happiness, cry croccodile tears, eat like a horse, run like the wind. The very fabric of our lives (another metaphor!) is interwoven with images that give deeper meaning to our lives.

A client of mine is starting a new Internet business and is writing the business plan. She dreamed of an iceberg. Her interpretation was that the iceberg is her new business floating around in the cold. The business plan was the top 10% that others could see. The 90% that was under water was the mighty potential of her idea. Now, she KNOWS it's there - no one else does. Until she saw and felt the 90%, the business plan was stalled out because the 10% was all she could see; on our last call she said has an appointment with the SBA to talk about funding.

When you begin to pay attention to the metaphors in your life that have meaning for you, you can begin to unravel blocks. Mighty shifts can happen when you pay attention to what your subconscious is trying to tell you.

So, how do you do that? Here are a few ways of opening your rational mind to noticing messages from the subconscious:

1. Journaling. Start with open questions like "What do I need to be open to today?" Try writing the question with your dominant hand and the answer with your non-dominant hand. (Don't worry about reading it later - the process is the point, not the outcome.)

2. Dream Journal. Record your dreams. If you're the kind of person that can't remember your dreams, then be willing to. Just making the decision prepares you to remember. Then, place a pen and notebook at your bedside to be ready. When you wake up record any image you can recall.

Try writing the dream on the right side of an open notebook and on the left side record corresponding interpretation, emotions and thoughts. It's best to be consistent. Write something every day even if it's only a line or two. Your subconscious will respond by increasing the messages.

3. Walks. Get outdoors and walk. Breathe fresh air. Open your awareness to your surroundings. No matter what the weather (dress appropriately!) there is something that nature can show you if you are willing to look. Not the mention the benefits of moving your body.

4. Breathe. Controlled slow breaths open up and clean out the lungs. Candace Pert in The Molecules of Emotion has made the connection that changes in the rate and depth of breathing release large quantities of peptides, many of which are endorphins. Deep breathing physiologically makes you feel better and thus are more open to possibility.

5. Meditate. Sit quietly and comfortably and focus your mind on your breath. When you find your thoughts wandering, and you will, just let it go and go back to the breath. Do this 10-20 minutes both morning and evening.

6. Hypnosis. You can go to a certified hypnotherapist or try self-hypnosis for yourself. Hypnosis is merely being in a deeply relaxed state. You are fully aware of everything going on around you and can never be instructed to do something you would never do.

So what about that "becoming wall?" Well, my interpretation is: yesterday I started working on my application for graduate school, a lengthy intensive process that will take me about a month. It's as though the plaster is cracking and revealing a repository for knowledge behind it. My subconscious is preparing my mind (and life) to receive.

Aren't dreams amazing metaphors?

If you want help getting in touch with the metaphors of your life and using them to create your right livelihood and move forward, please contact me. I would love to be your coach!

I have begun a new teaching relationship with Hyland Hills Recreation District in Westminster, Colorado. They have a long-standing program of offering quality classes to their public and I'm honored to be a part of it. To find out more about Hyland Hills and their programs, and how to register, click here .

Help! I Need a Different Job

Saturday April 16 and Saturday April 23, 2005, 9:00 to 11:00 am

Learn the process of discovering your next career step, whether it's a different job or a brand new career. We'll look at defining what work suits you best, job search strategies, and action plans. You'll learn how to research and approach the companies you'll be happiest working for and how to network to find that company.

The Un-Retirement Landscape

Saturday April 2, 2005, 9:00 to 11:00 am

We are living longer than any time in the history of mankind, and we are retiring at an average age of 57. What in the world will you do with the next 30 years? Learn the areas of life that will need attention in your retirement. It's not all about money!

For the full listing of workshops, visit www.forwardmomentum.com.

You are free to use material from Moving Forward! in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including a live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:

"By Debra DeVilbiss, CPCC, of Forward Momentum, LLC. Please visit Debra's website at http://www.ForwardMomentum.com for additional articles and resources on creating your right livelihood."

PRIVACY POLICY: I never rent, trade or sell my email lists to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.