Hello everyone!
Aside from the world burning to the ground, literally and figuratively, I hope you all are doing relatively well. Western culture has such trouble with death and endings. We seem to think that there is just birth and death, nothing more, that the end is the end, so we are terrified of the end of things and especially, THE BIG ENDING. What we don’t realize is that there is actually another stage in this cycle, it’s not a life-and-death cycle, it’s a life-death-life cycle. This is what the Phoenix teaches: with every ending there is a new beginning, rebirth, renaissance. So, yes, the world as we know it is burning to the ground and appears to be at an end. And, it’s important to grieve that. But, the scorched earth also creates a clearing where something new can grow (Steele, 2020). And, let’s face it, we need something new. Our way of life is far from sustainable and harmonious. So, here’s to hoping that the Phoenix will indeed rise from the ashes of the burning shit pile we’ve created. Cheers!
Wow. Who opens their first newsletter by bringing up the apocalypse? Sorry to depress everyone. I’m just trying to keep it real. Would it help if I included a picture of Phoenix rising from the ashes? Would that inspire everyone? Okay, I’ll include a picture.
Better? Okay, back to the newsletter. I had the idea to do a newsletter quite a few months back but never followed through with it. Maybe the timing wasn’t right, maybe I just didn’t have the motivation, who knows. Then a couple of nights ago, in my insomnia, the idea came back to me, and by “came back to me,” I mean, “it possessed me and took me two hours to fall asleep after that.” Ironically, the article my insomnia so kindly suggested I include in this newsletter was one I’d written on insomnia several months ago and never published. So, that’s what I get for leaving things unfinished, I guess. Let that be a lesson to all of you. Actually, before I promote task completion for the sake of task completion, let me bring us back to the lesson of the Phoenix: Sometimes things must die so that others might live. It’s okay to not finish things, or let things die. If something needs and wants to be completed, you will know that. It will haunt you in your dreams and sleepless nights, as evidenced by this newsletter.
I have no idea what exactly this newsletter will look like, moving forward. Maybe I’ll include an inspirational message at the beginning, like I did today, haha. Maybe, I’ll include some of my incoherent ramblings and half-formed theories on topics like, “Time Doesn’t Exist,” “How Quantum Entanglement Could Explain the Phenomenon of Psychokinesis,” “How Shapeshifting Might Be Possible,” “The Phoenix and Skeleton Woman: The Life-Death-Life Cycle,” etc. Maybe, I’ll include something more applied, like I did today, on how to approach insomnia. Maybe, I’ll attach my doctoral dissertation, all 69 pages of it. Wouldn’t that be fun? Or, maybe it will be something completely unrelated to psychology like, “How to Brew Golden Coffee Ale.” Who knows. I’m going to let this evolve as it will (well, as much as the control freak in me will allow). If you have ideas or topics you’d like to learn more about, let me know. And, if you know anyone who might like to read this, please share it with them.
May the force be with us all,
Brianna
Extracting Wisdom From COVID-19 Sleep Disturbances
Coronavirus is affecting our health in more ways than direct viral infection. Twenty-two percent of us are reporting trouble sleeping, with Gen Xers being the most notably affected (Sleep Help, 2020).
We are scared, our lives have been completely upended, we no longer have our regular routines to distract and anesthetize us, and, even if we are COVID-19 free, we are developing a nasty case of cabin fever. Further, without the distractions of our normal routines and with the stirring of deep emotions within us, we are coming face to face with our own demons (and the demons of our household members). It’s no wonder we are having trouble sleeping.
Not only are we having trouble sleeping, anecdotal evidence suggests that we are dreaming less and when we do dream, our dreams tend to be more vivid and disturbing. Why is this?
When we experience traumatic or very stressful events, our psyche often blocks not only memories of the trauma but memories of our dreams, so we aren’t disturbed by them. If we do dream and are having disturbing dreams, as much as we may not like them, they are showing up for a reason. This is our psyche’s way of saying that something needs our attention. Like painful or traumatic events, dreams won’t go away simply by ignoring them. Further, the reality we are living in right now is essentially a bad dream. It’s as if the dream world and the physical world have been transposed. This may account for why we are not remembering our night dreams; that is, we are living them during the day (Steele, 2020).
What can you do about insomnia? Believe it or not, there is wisdom in insomnia. Some say that during this time, the veil between the worlds, the spirit world and earthly world, is thinnest, so messages from the spirit world are able to reach us (Andrews, 1993). Scientists, inventors, and revolutionaries have used insomnia, dreams and dreamlike states for millennia to develop theories, invent new technology, and see the future (e.g., Albert Einstein, Harriet Tubman, Alexander the Great). John Lennon said, “The best songs are the ones that come to you in the middle of the night and you have to get up and write them down, so you can go back to sleep,” (Moss, 2009). Your brain is incredibly efficient and rarely engages in mental processes unless they are useful, so trust that it’s trying to help you, trying to work something out. And, it doesn’t take a Ph.D. in psychology to recognize that there are some major things our brains are trying to work out right now, both individually and as a collective.
Rather than viewing insomnia as the bane of your existence and fighting it, view it as helpful and literally ask, “Insomnia, why are you here?” Use a journal or audio app on your phone:
1. Write or say anything that comes to mind, no matter how relevant it seems (Freud called this free association). If it’s popping into your mind, it’s popping in for a reason.
2. If something resonates or rings true, you’ve likely hit pay dirt and uncovered some deep wisdom.
3. Turn that wisdom into an axiom, affirmation, or warning and apply it to your life.
What can you do about disturbing dreams? As counterintuitive as it seems, as with insomnia, I would also recommend embracing the message of disturbing dreams by asking why they are here. Next, spend some time being present to and understanding your feelings and thoughts surrounding the dream:
1. What feelings/thoughts/bodily sensations are showing up for you?
2. What’s this about?
3. What does it all mean to you?
4. Write or say anything that comes to mind, no matter how relevant it seems.
5. If something resonates or rings true, note that.
6. Turn that wisdom into an axiom, affirmation, or warning and apply it to your life.
If you feel overwhelmed, it’s okay to take a break and try some of the strategies I’ve discussed below. Even if we hate what we feel and find it overwhelming, know that our systems are wired to handle the emotional energy we produce.
1. Reach out to a loved one for support.
2. Do something kind for yourself (e.g., treat yourself to your favorite show, book, food; spend time in nature).
3. Use a relaxation technique, like diaphragmatic breathing. https://www.healthline.com/health/diaphragmatic-breathing#steps-to-do
4. Try a guided meditation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_O1R9T0Uu4
5. If you don’t feel like you can manage what’s showing up, find a therapist or healer. This is what we are here for.
6. If you’d like more help working with your dreams or insomnia, you can reach me through my website to schedule a consultation for healing work, a dream interpretation session, or sign up for my online course, “Dream Interpretation: The Basics and BEYOND.”
References
Andrews, T. (1993). Animal Speak: The Spiritual and Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small. Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewelyn Publications.
Moss, R. (2009). The Secret History of Dreaming. Novato, California: New World Library.
Sleep Help. (2020). The Effects of COVID-19 on Sleep: Exploring How the Coronavirus Impacts People’s Sleep Habits. Retrieved from https://www.sleephelp.org/covid-19-impact-on-sleep/?mod=article_inline
Steele, M. (2020, March 23, 2020). [Mentoring Session: March 23rd, 2020].