Description:
This video is a special release from the original Thinking Allowed series that ran on public television from 1986 until 2002. It was recorded in about 1988. It will remain public for only one week.
Patricia L. Garfield was an American psychologist specializing in the study of dreams, specifically the cognitive processes underpinning them. She was the author of ten books covering a broad range of dream topics.
These topics include: nightmares, children's dreams, healing through dreams and dream-related art. She was a founder of the International Association for the Study of Dreams and a past-president of that organization. Here she describes the healing power of dreams of those who have departed.
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Here are the key takeaways from the YouTube video "The Dream Messenger with Patricia Garfield (1934 - 2021)" based on the provided transcript, summarizing the main arguments, actionable insights, and crucial points:
• Topic Focus: The video discusses dreams of departed loved ones, termed "Dream Messenger" dreams, exploring their psychological and spiritual significance.
• Guest Expert: Dr. Patricia Garfield, a dream research pioneer, co-founder, and president-elect of the Association for the Study of Dreams, is the featured guest.
• Garfield’s Credentials: Author of bestselling books like Creative Dreaming, The Dream Messenger, and others on dreams and their healing potential.
• Host: Jeffrey Mishlove, a psychologist hosting New Thinking Allowed, introduces the topic and shares a personal dream experience.
• Dreams as a Royal Road: Freud’s idea that dreams are the "royal road to the unconscious" is extended to potentially accessing the afterlife.
• Mystery of Death: Garfield emphasizes that death remains a great mystery, and the origin of these dreams (internal or external) is unprovable.
• Common Experience: Most people who lose someone close will eventually dream about them, though timing varies.
• Disturbed Sleep: Grief often causes disturbed sleep, followed by intense or alarming dreams about the deceased.
• Psychological vs. Spiritual: Dreams may serve as psychological adjustments to grief or represent communication from beyond, with many believing the latter.
• Healing Power: Regardless of their source, these dreams often help heal mourners by guiding them through grief.
• Inspiration from Dreams: Dreams of the deceased can inspire life-changing decisions or creative works like poetry and literature.
• Traumatic Deaths: Violent or traumatic deaths (e.g., murders, accidents) may delay dreams due to overwhelming pain.
• Protective Phase: A period of months or years may pass without dreams of the deceased as a protective mechanism.
• Timing Variability: Dreams may occur the night of the death or much later, depending on circumstances and relationships.
• Data Collection: Garfield collected over 1,000 dreams of this type, including one from Mishlove.
• Mishlove’s Dream: Mishlove shares a 1972 dream of his great-uncle Harry, which profoundly impacted his life.
• Dream Details: In Mishlove’s dream, Uncle Harry used Chinese yin-yang symbolism, despite being Orthodox Jewish, and spoke deeply about life.
• Emotional Impact: Mishlove awoke singing and crying, recalling a Jewish liturgical song (Avinu Malkeinu), tied to Yom Kippur.
• Synchronicity: Mishlove learned Uncle Harry died the night of the dream, despite no prior contact for over a decade.
• Life-Changing Outcome: The dream led Mishlove to pursue a doctoral degree in parapsychology, shaping his career.
• Crisis Apparitions: Mishlove notes 19th-century research on “crisis apparitions,” where dreams coincide with a loved one’s death.
• Conviction of Reality: Those experiencing such dreams are convinced of their reality, dismissing skeptical explanations.
• Lasting Impact: Mishlove’s dream, 25 years later, feels “realer than real,” a common description for such experiences.
• Spiritual Reality: These dreams suggest a spiritual reality that feels more vivid than physical reality.
• Symbolic Depth: Mishlove’s dream combined Jewish and Chinese symbols, reflecting universal themes of balance (life/death).
• Two Types of Dreams: Garfield identifies two dream categories: those aiding personal grieving and those feeling like gifts from another realm.
• Grief Processing: Early dreams often replay painful events or illnesses, helping process trauma.
• Dream Evolution: Over time, dreams shift from painful to practical (e.g., guidance on life decisions) or transformative.
• Practical Guidance: Dreams may address questions like selling a house or dating again, encouraging survivors to move forward.
• Life-Changing Dreams: Some dreams, like Mishlove’s or a woman’s dream of her mother, inspire major life shifts (e.g., pursuing education).
• Example Dream: A woman dreamed her mother asked about her heart’s desire, leading her to prioritize education despite challenges.
• Disapproving Messages: Some dreams feature the deceased expressing disapproval, prompting personal growth.
• Conflict Resolution: A dream of an angry mother after dividing belongings too soon helped a woman address unresolved conflicts.
• Warning Dreams: Harsh messages may serve as warnings (e.g., “Don’t do that”), guiding better decisions.
• Example Warning: A man’s dream of his grandmother accusing him of “crucifying” her son led to reconciling with his father.
• Internal vs. External: Whether from intuition or the deceased, these dreams provide valuable information for decision-making.
• Cultural Context: Most cultures revere ancestors, but modern Western society often lacks this connection.
• Three Stages of Grief: Garfield outlines grief stages: numbness, disorganization, and reorganization.
• Numbness Phase: Initial shock makes events feel unreal, acting as a protective mechanism.
• Disorganization Phase: Emotions become chaotic, with unpredictable weeping or anger, especially after violent deaths.
• Reorganization Phase: Acceptance of loss and reinvestment in new relationships and activities mark this stage.
• Grief Duration: The process can take years, with no fixed timeline, varying by individual.
• Victorian Mourning: Historical mourning rules (e.g., wearing black) oversimplified grief’s complexity.
• Working with Dreams: Garfield encourages actively engaging with dreams to aid the grieving process.
• Dreams Mirror Grief: Dreams parallel grief stages, facilitating emotional processing and healing.
• Painful Dreams: Even traumatic dreams (e.g., a widow dreaming of a fish symbolizing her husband’s death) begin healing if faced.
• Avoidance Risks: Suppressing dreams with pills or avoidance delays healing.
• Human Dilemma: Coping with others’ deaths and our own mortality is a universal challenge.
• Community Support: Garfield stresses the need to support those grieving and seek help when needed.
• Program Context: The video is part of New Thinking Allowed, presented by the California Institute for Human Science, promoting parapsychology studies.
Actionable Insights:
• Engage with Dreams: Record and reflect on dreams of deceased loved ones to process grief and uncover guidance.
• Be Patient with Grief: Allow yourself or others to grieve at their own pace, recognizing the three stages.
• Seek Symbolism: Explore symbols in dreams (e.g., fish, yin-yang) for deeper insights into their messages.
• Act on Inspiration: Use transformative dreams to pursue goals, like education or reconciliation, as seen in examples.
• Support Systems: Seek or provide support for those grieving, acknowledging the complexity of loss.
Crucial Statistics:
• Garfield collected over 1,000 dreams of departed loved ones.
• Mishlove’s dream occurred the night of his uncle’s death in 1972, with lasting impact 25 years later.
The video blends personal anecdotes, psychological insights, and parapsychological perspectives, offering a nuanced view of how dreams can heal and guide through grief.
