Introduction For centuries, sleep and dreams have been widely used in the magickal/spiritual practices of many cultures. Many feel that dreamsreveal much to the dreamer and, sometimes, if one focuses their mind hard enough, one can change their life or, better yet, find their "direction" in life through their dreams. Since even science hasn't been able to explain away all the mystery regarding sleep and dreams, old fears and ideas about our "nightly adventures" remain today. Just saunter on down to your local bookstore or page through a current magazine on "psychic" phenomena. There are tons of stuff on how to lucid dream, how to interpret your dreams, how to keep away nightmares, tell the future through dreams, etc. Sometimes there's so much "stuff" it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. General description/ over-view ofwhat Dreamcraft is Most of us who keep a dream diary or journal already do some Dreamcraft. A dreamcraft-y person (practitioner) recalls their dreams and records them, either by writing them out in notebook form or recording them on audio tape, in order to later study and analyze them. By studying the images in our dreams, we can come to a better understanding of ourselves and our world. Sometimes we can weed out specific information from our dreams which we can use to help us deal with a situation or resolve a problem. And what better way to deal with what bothers us than by "sleeping on it?!" Have you ever, before going to sleep or while in the process of daydreaming, successfully recalled an image of a friend, place, or specific sensation (such as a scent, taste, or sound) and were actually able to re-experience that image/sensation without actually "experiencing" it? This is Creative Visualization and it is the key to all magickal operations/ practices, especially so in Dreamcraft. Thinking visually is natural for us, but focusing on your visual images is a bit harder. Dreamcraft practitioners, through meditation and actual dreaming, recall and concentrate on a specific image that represents a person, place, thing, or situation which they wish to gain insight on. Through this visual "focusing", they can program their minds into re-experiencing a dream or real life event. The benefits of this are practical: in order to have power over our "inner-enemies" (which are our problems, insecurities, obstacles, etc.) we must name them and know them and not allow ourselves to walk "blindly" through life where we won't be able to learn from them and resolve them. When we are faced with a situation where normal answers fail and frustration sets in, the last resort most of us turn to is the realm of the Spirit (this is where prayer comes in--where we appeal to that which is higher than us for guidance and intervention). To a magickal person, dreams are an invaluable spiritual and practical resource of helpful information. In dreams all physcial laws and worldly logic are set aside. It is here, in The Dreaming, that we can produce the most change--this is what Magick is all about. Anything is possible within our dreams. Use this power! The main point of Dreamcraft is to gain insight on life, confront that which perplexes us, change our perception of "what's going on" to "what's _really_ going on", and do something about it in waking life.

A BASIC DREAMCRAFT RITUAL Before getting into bed, cleanse, dress yourself, and make sure you will have no distractions. Relax. Play soothing music, if you wish. Make sure you have plenty of time to meditate and sleep. If you have to be somewhere early in the a.m. and you're just getting into bed late, you might have a problem. Prepare a Dream Potion To conjure forth prophetic dreams, drink an infusion of rosebuds or saffron prior to going to sleep. It will not only facilitate the dreamwork, it will also enhance vividness and aid in the recall of the dream upon waking. To help bring on spiritual guidance dreams, drink a mint tea before retiring for the evening, or sleep with either Buchu leaves or mint leaves underneath your pillow. Mugwort, one of the most potent herbs of dreamcraft, aids in astral projection and lucid dreaming when burned as an incense or placed under a pillow. Many Witches who practice the art of dreamcraft brew a magickal tea-potion from mugwort and drink it just before bed in order to strengthen thier psychic and magickal dream powers. The following herbs have been used by Witches and spiritual dreamworkers since ancient times to enhance dream recall: mugwort, passionflower leaves, and rosemary. Drink any of the three as a magickal tea-potion just before going to bed or sleep with one of them under your pillow. Inhale the steam. Breathe deeply and slowly. Hold the cup of tea before you and clear your mind of all "chatter." Gaze deeply into the tea. Pay close attention to how it looks, feels, and smells. Let the cup of tea be the "focus" that will aid you in total relaxation. Once you are completely relaxed and your mind is free of all trouble, picture in your mind what you'd like to be doing. Are you looking for a better job? See yourself at your favorite work and feeling happy about it. Searching for love? See yourself happy and in love with the person of your dreams. Low on cash? See yourself financially independent and happy. Health problems? See yourself well and enjoying life. Concentrate on a specific image that will represent what you'd like to be doing. DO NOT let anything negative set you back. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO DROWN IN INSECURITY. Say you want to concentrate on a job promotion. (You've been working at the company for years and just need a break). You pick the image of the characteristic pin-striped suit and tie of an executive to represent the promotion- -a job promotion you know you will have, regardless of your current position. (Put your positive thinking to the test!) Next, hold in your hand a stone (moonstone or octahedron are best for this) or other small hand-held object (such as a dream-catcher, feather, locket, etc.). The stone or object will be your personal Dream Fetish. The Dream Fetish should always be with you at your bedside or underneath your pillow. It is your "magick key" to the Land of Dreams. While holding your Dream Fetish, drink your Dream Potion. Savor each drop to the last(while still keeping that specific image of what you want in your mind). As you drink, let the image not only represent that job promotion, but let it also represent YOU. With each sip, imagine yourself putting on that pin-striped executive's suit. See yourself in your new position dressed in that suit, smiling and happy. After drinking, hold your Dream Fetish tight and say these words to yourself: I HAVE DRUNK THE MAGICKAL BREW THAT WILL TAKE ME TO THE LAND OF DREAMS. I HAVE THE MAGICK KEY TO UNLOCK THE MYSTERY OF MY DREAMING. I HAVE THE POWER WITHIN TO MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE... SO BE IT! Put the Dream Fetish beside your bed or underneath your pillow. As you lie in bed, let yourself start to sleep, but remain awake. Twilight images will come to mind. Just keep the image of yourself and what you want locked in your brain. Again, DON'T WORRY. Keep the visualization light and serene. If you want, you can add details to it. As you finally find yourself entering sleep fully, formulate these words in your mind: TO GREAT MORPHEUS* I SPEAK GRANT ME THE WISH THIS WORK** TO FIND. * If you are uncomfortable with referring to a pagan god or goddess, please refer to whatever other form of deity or entity you are more familiar with. ** LOVE, HEALTH, MONEY, etc. Use whatever words are more fitting. Change and elaborate, it's all up to you. Within several hours, your bladder should wake you up (thanks to the tea you drank before bed) allowing you to recall the dream. After waking, record all that you can remember, even if it's just snippets and/or fragments. Recall all that you have felt, seen, touched, and heard from your dreams. There could be some invaluable clues in your dreams that will help you find what you seek. Even if you don't remember the dream, your subconscious knows and you will be unconsciously carrying things through to their fruition.

DREAM PILLOWS DREAM PILLOW Rose Petals two parts Lemon Balm two parts Costmary one part Mint one part Clove one part Lavender one part Sew up with white or silver thread on purple cloth into a small pillow. Decorate with lace, silk, embroider with designs, etc. according to your fancy. Sleep on it to have vivid dreams. ASTRAL TRAVEL PILLOW Mugwort three parts Frankincense 1/2 part Vetivert two parts Sandalwood one part Rose Petals one part 1 pinch of ground Orris root 1 Vanilla bean, crushed Make into a small pillow of blue coloured cloth with yellow cotton thread. Sleep on it to promote astral travel during sleep. NOTE: After six months these pillows may lose their "fresh" scent. You can reuse them by emptying out the old contents and refilling them with new herbs. The easiest way to do this is to create a "pocket" within these pillows. Sew the pillows with an open fold that can be closed either by velcro or buttons. Also, to make it easier to sleep on, pad it with cotton or downy goose feathers. How it will look and feel is all up to you! DREAM BATH SACHETS NOTE: Each herbal bath sachet can be prepared in advance and saved til needed. Here are the instructions: 1. Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl. 2. Empower the herbs with your magickal goal. 3. Mix and grind the herbs. 4. Place a handful of the herbs into the center of a large square of cheesecloth (or simply use an old washcloth). 5. Fill up a clean tub with warm water. 6. Place your herbal sachet into the tub and let steep until water is coloured and scented. 7. Get into the tub and enjoy! *If you don't have a bathtub, or if you just prefer taking a shower, make up a sachet in a washcloth and scrub your body with it. These bath sachets are for external use only. Make sure you are not allergic to any of these herbs or you'll be sorry. HERBAL DREAM BATH SACHET No. 1 (For Dream recall and awareness) Lemongrass three parts Thyme two parts Orange peel two parts Clove one part Cinnamon one part Carnation one part HERBAL DREAM BATH SACHET No. 2 (For Divinatory Dreams) Thyme three parts Yarrow two parts Rose two parts Nutmeg one part Lavender one part Patchouly one part HERBAL DREAM BATH SACHET No. 3 (For Peaceful Sleep) Catnip two parts Hops two parts Jasmine one part Elder flowers one part DREAM TEA 2 parts Rose Wheat 1 part Each: Mugwort, Peppermint, Jasmine flowers, Cinnamon Mix, add one tsp to a cup. Pour boiling water over this & let steep, covered, for a few minutes. Drink before going to bed to promote psychic dreams. DREAM SPELL Needed: 1 amethyst (chunk) 1 rose pedal (pink or red) Parchment Blue Ink Fountain Pen On the parchment, write the name of the person you wish to dream of. Fold it in half three times and place it under the amethyst next to your bed. Place the rose pedal on top of the amethyst. Say aloud: I wish to dream of (person's name) tonite. If you wish for that person to dream of you, place your name next to the person's name and link them together with a heart. Say aloud: I wish (person's name) dreams of me tonite. Then lay down and fall asleep. (Don't forget to charge the rose pedal and the amethyst.) Sleeping Postitions As you may know, there are traditional sleeping positions. The head pointing North increases stability, calmness, prosperity and quick recuperation from illness. Some say this is the ideal direction in which to sleep, for the North is the source of magickal power. The East has long been associated with religion and spirituality. It is also the point of intelligence, of sharp mental powers and freedom of mind. In this direction, the Sun and Moon rise, which has brought about the belief that one should sleep East to West, following the natural course of the heavenly bodies. Also, if you live in a hot area, sleeping with your head to the East might cool you down. With your head pointing South during sleep, nothing but weariness and disease will afflict you, says old lore. This may also cause or aggravate insomnia. For those who are frequently sick, the simple act of moving the bed so that the head points North has seemed to produce miracles. Sleeping with your head pointing West ensures love and spirituality, increases sensitivity of all kinds and promotes psychic abilities. It's ideal for those wishing to practice dream magic. It has also been used to promote creativity and so is recommended for artists To Protect you while you sleep Mix salt and water from your altar in a small vessel. Starting at the North side of your bed, going clockwise, sprinkle the salted water while saying: Water and Earth Where you are Cast no spell Or adverse purpose Haste if not In complete accord with me As my word So be it. Visualize a protective box around your bed. And if your head board is against the wall, pull the bed out before you do this, or walk over the bed.