rise and shine

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Michael Patton

I not only wake up from dreams, I also wake up in dreams…

Such as this recent one:

I wake up in bed in the middle of the night and discover the lights in the house aren’t working.

A fuse must have blown.  Maybe a couple of them.

Only one light remains on: a bulb shines down on a round dining table. 

But that’s not enough light.  I know I have a box of fuses around here somewhere.  Just need to find it.

I dread this chore, but realize I’d better take care of it now.

Sometimes “being in the dark” in a dream would be okay.  But not in this case.

However, I shouldn’t overlook the good news in this dream.  For one thing, I’ve woken up to the problem. 

And I know what must be done.  

And I’m going to act and not procrastinate. 

And let’s not forget this last item:

Though I’m in the dark, I’m not totally in the dark.

Okay, but how does this dream relate to my waking life?  I should know, shouldn’t I?  After all, the dream says I’ve woken up to the problem. 

Well, yes, I’m aware of the problem—on some level.  I would say: on a feeling level.  But not on a conscious level.  I have a sense that something’s wrong, but I’m not questioning the feeling. 

Okay, but the problem is still being dealt with, whether I’m aware of it or not, right?  Dealt with on some level. 

Well, yes, I believe we’re always working on problems below the level of our conscious awareness.  On a subconscious level.  That’s reassuring to me.  However, I still want to become consciously aware of a problem.  That way, I can take it on directly and expedite the process of change. 

I think “fuse” is an important symbol in this dream.  I don’t know electricity, but I do know that “to fuse” is to join separate parts together.  Maybe the dream is telling me: a vital connection has been broken.  If so, I need to return to whatever helps me keep body and soul together.  Then I’ll have more light in my life.

I realize that interpretation may be wrong.  But even if it is, I will benefit my life by acting on it.  So for now, I’m following that belief.

Get the Message: short guide for understanding dreams
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© 2026, Michael R. Patton

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opening to myself

Posted on April 16, 2026 by Michael Patton

In a recent dream, I suddenly realize I’m making a mistake…

…by not allowing an unseen intruder inside.

In the dream…

An invisible being begins to push my front door open. 

I immediately respond by pushing back.  Though I’m unable to close the door completely, at least that unknown force can’t enter. 

But then I realize my mistake:

I should open my door to that unseen being.  As long as I keep trying to block its entry, I’ll be stuck here.

I then release my pressure on the door so the being can come inside.

At that point, I woke up.  I felt so proud of my action in the dream.

But did I really make the right choice?  Isn’t it safe to assume that unseen being wants to harm me?  After all, it’s trying to force its way in.  Maybe with a little extra effort, I would’ve been able to close the door.

Well, if something similar actually happened in my waking life, I’d respond differently, I assure you.  But the event occurred in a dream and I’ve learned:

The people in my dreams usually represent inner aspects.  They’re part of who I am.  So if I’m trying to block someone in a dream, I’m actually trying to block part of myself.  An aspect that wants to be expressed.  And from past dreams, I’ve learned…

…if I try to hold that aspect down, I’m stuck.  If I let go, it’ll spring right back up.

In such scenarios, I might as well face what I’m trying to suppress.

But wait—in this dream, the aspect seems to be invisible.  How can I face something I can’t see?

My guess is: after I let it in, I will be able to see it.

Yes, the aspect may turn out to be malevolent.  But now I know: any negative aspect also has a positive side.  And I won’t be able to activate the positive unless I first know the negative.

My action in the dream would seem to put my life in danger.  But actually the opposite is true:

To know and incorporate such energies adds more life to my life.

In any case…

…an aspect stymied in one dream will likely return in another.  Might as well let it in.

Get the Message: short guide for understanding dreams
sky rope poetry blog
myth steps blog
you tube channel
© 2026, Michael R. Patton

Posted in cartoon, dreaming, dreams, Jung, psychology, self-help, symbolism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

an old dog receives a positive progress report

Posted on March 21, 2026 by Michael Patton

Maybe you can’t teach an old dog new tricks…

But maybe the dog can teach itself. 

Consider this recent dream:

I see three pans on a stovetop.  All have lids.

I choose the smaller of the three—somehow I know it’s ready and the others aren’t. 

I pour out the contents of that pan, then quickly work the material into shape.  There’s a sense of ease in what I’m doing. 

In this dream, I see three positive messages…

The first one is:

I’m “cooking up” something that will provide nourishment.  Since I’m not a chef, my guess is: I’m dreaming about my creative work.  But often first guesses are wrong.

The second positive would be:

I make the right choice by following my intuition.  I don’t say, “This is what I want to work on right now.”  Instead, I ask, “What should I work on right now?”  In other words, I’m not trying to force the situation. 

And the third positive would be:

I create something from the concoction without undue strain.  The work seems to unfold naturally. 

In past dreams, I’ve often found myself struggling to get something right.  Yes, struggle is inevitable in life.  But to see it again and again in my dreams indicated a problem.  I seemed to be stuck in an old mindset. 

I should explain…

Based on what I saw and experienced, I grew up believing life was a constant struggle.  Naturally, that belief persisted into adulthood.  As a result, too often I’ve taken the hard way when trying to accomplish a task. 

My dreams have helped me become aware of this problem.  But to change an attitude so deeply ingrained takes time. 

That said, this dream shows I’m making progress.  In the dream, I’m putting effort into the work, but not straining to produce a desired result.

I see this dream as a positive progress report.  But I shouldn’t assume I’m free of that old mindset.  I still need to keep a close watch and when I find that I’m trying to force an outcome, ease up. 

I also need to consider future dreams.  Am I struggling unnecessarily in too many of those scenarios? 

I’m still not completely sure what waking-life situation this dream represents.  But that’s okay.  After all, this dream isn’t sounding an alarm bell.  It isn’t saying: look at how you’re hurting yourself.

And besides that, I know this dream isn’t about just one aspect of my life.  This dream is about how I move through the world, in general.  This dream is about my entire life—past, present, and future.

This dream says: you may not realize it, but you are indeed changing.

Get the Message: short guide for understanding dreams
sky rope poetry blog
myth steps blog
you tube channel
© 2026, Michael R. Patton

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