Being gentle AND intentional [Weekly Dream Status Report]

By Andrea Schroeder / September 29, 2023

Note: This is a post about my daily practice with my Creative Dreams - I often link to the tools, courses and processes I use which are available to Dream Book members. If you're not a member, find out more + join us here.

On Fridays I do my Dream Status Report which is a series of prompts I use every week to help me have more clarity, momentum and groundedness on my path. You can do them with me (Dream Book members: come post yours in the forum!)!

I know doing the same prompts every week can be annoying sometimes but this is magically clarifying. The repetition helps you go deeper into the process and makes it easier to LEARN from your process as you go, and the apply those learnings right away.

Here are the prompts:

PART ONE: (sometimes these can stay the same for months at time, sometimes they change often)

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

PART THREE:

My goal/wish/intention for this New Moon is:

Last week’s focus was:

What happened in the last week?

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

PART ONE:

My dream is: Being the artist + writer I want to be. Feeling really alive. I already have it AND it's an always-work-in-process... right now there is a lot shifting around how much/what kind of art I want to make and working on creating more nourishing/robust/lively local creative community.

I want it because: Divorce is a new beginning. Of course there is sadness but there are also all these new possibilities and I want to explore them, I want to explore who I can be next.

When I have it I will feel: The same as now - ALL the feelings 🙂 But, I think, more ALIVENESS.

My new moon intention: Treat this transition time I'm in as sacred. (New Moon call was so good this month!!)

PART TWO: Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

Last night I went to a figure painting workshop and it was SO fun. This playful, supportive space, surrounded by women making art. In the meditation my dream came to be as this - but the space full of light.

Which is like: hey you're already doing it!

And also: it can keep getting better!

PART THREE:

Last week’s focus was: Processing all of my feelings very deeply as an act of self care and growth.

What happened in the last week?

This was a good week. I am using Polyvagal Theory, which I know has been debunked but is still the most useful theory I've ever seen (I'm using Deb Dana's book Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection).

Just checking in with my body/nervous system about what I need to make decisions instead of what my head thinks I should do. It means things are all moving more slowly than I wish they were but it also means - I'm mostly feeling good.

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

I am a little frustrated by how slow some things are moving - things I really want to do!!!

Honouring ALL of my feelings means honouring the need to rest and and be sad AND ALSO the inspiration I feel to move creative projects forward AND ALSO the feelings of frustration about my creative projects moving more slowly than I want them too. It's all valid.

I am learning how to hold all these conflicting feelings in a calmer way. This feels really good.

What do I need now?

I really, really want more creative project time. This is hard because: I lack focus + energy.

Everything that's been happening (family member is still up and down in hospital) has made focus + energy so hard to find. I am eating SO well. Sleeping SO well. Doing all the things to encourage this, but still it's not there.

What else would help?

WRITING LISTS!! Getting specific about the things I wish I was doing, then breaking those things down into much smaller steps to see if there is a time when a tiny step might feel do-able.

What does my dream need now?

The light is glowing in this beautiful way, it feels like it's saying: find a way to make more space for me. How can I be gentle and intentional about this?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

Be gentle with myself AND intention about what I want to be doing.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your Dream Status Report or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Being gentle AND intentional [Weekly Dream Status Report] Read More »

Meeting the soul of my project to find out how to proceed

By Andrea Schroeder / September 28, 2023 / daily practice

There is still A LOT happening for me. The family member in the hospital is up and down and it’s a scary, stressful situation on top of the upheaval of my marriage ending…

AND

Some days I wake up feeling good. Trusting life. Excited about my future.

Isn’t life amazing?

Today I’m focused on the guided journal project.

The artwork is done-ish (probably edits to come once I see it all together) and I have to get the details nailed down. Title, subtitle, description, etc.

I’ve given this project SO MANY NAMES. I’ve described it SO MANY WAYS.

I always try to write descriptions that are as accurate as possible.

I remember this one negative review I had about a guided journal I put out years ago. It was the “hello day” journal. And the description said that it was “one of my favourite practices” and this one person was SO ANGRY that it was all one practice! In the review they said “this was described as “your favourite practices” but it’s only one practice!” like they literally cut off part of my sentence to change the meaning and then got mad that my work didn’t match their description of it??

People can be pretty determined to see what they want to see.

And I think about all of this when it comes time to name and describe things.

And that can make it harder to just… do the thing in the way that feels right.

So how do I want to do this today?

If I don't meditate on it, if I don't get as aligned as possible with the soul of the thing and my purpose for doing it, then I am working from my feelings about all of this, unconscious fears and doubts, ways I try to "fit it" with the market - all that garbage really does infiltrate our minds and severely impact HOW we do the thing.

So I’m using the Marketing as a Creative + Spiritual Practice meditation, but focused on this journal instead of my work in general. Seeing that light landing in front of the person the journal is for.

I pause the meditations A LOT when I use them. I can get SO frustrated hearing me talk, lol! I use the guided mediation to get into the meditation and then I really want to be free to explore on my own and not keep following the prompts. But then other times the things I say in the mediation are so helpful I want to listen. So I pause to give myself space to explore on my own, then come back to the recording.

[post meditation]

That was so good. I am seeing this in a whole new way and feeling really inspired.

The title I was thinking of does not feel resonant for the people the book is for. I have new ideas and I am excited to play with them today.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Note: This is a post about my daily practice with my Creative Dreams - in these posts I often link to the tools, courses and processes I use which are only available to Dream Book members. If you're not a member, find out more + join us here.

Meeting the soul of my project to find out how to proceed Read More »

Feel worthy and receptive of your biggest dreams.

By Andrea Schroeder / September 27, 2023 / daily practice

FEEL worthy and receptive of your dreams is message I got from my dream in the Dream Lab some time ago.

I worked with it for a while and then did two calls: Feeling worthy and Being open + receptive.

Now I have it as a “to do item” in my project management app (Notion). So I see it there every day, and then move it into the next day.

I’m really sitting with it today.

Where is worthiness in my body?

How is worthiness operating in my inner world?

Where am I open?

I have, at times, experienced the quality of receptive as this sparkling, electric sensation in my whole body. Where is that now?

I love the way all of my inquiries into worthiness begin with me, as an individual… am I worthy?… but quickly sink deeper into a sense of collective worthiness and what we all deserve as humans.

Holding space for the fact that we ALL deserve it makes it easier for me to hold a sense of worthiness for myself.

But I am not super receptive right now. I am in that healing cocoon that I was dreaming about yesterday, I feel a bit pulled in, withdrawn, and this feels appropriate.

What DO I want to be receptive to?

Soothing. Nurturing. Anything that helps hold my nervous system stay calm and steady. Spaciousness. Creativity. Lightness. Forgiveness. Optimism. Naps.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Feel worthy and receptive of your biggest dreams. Read More »

This is too vulnerable

By Andrea Schroeder / September 26, 2023 / daily practice

I talk a lot about how Creative Dreaming is sooo vulnerable.

Today I would like it to not be.

Today maybe it's too vulnerable, for where I'm at?

Creative Dreaming needs us to work from our wholeness, we can't compartmentalize and avoid parts of ourselves. We can't we don't have certain thoughts or feelings. We need to be really present with all of us to engage with this work.

So how do I do this when my marriage just fell apart and now there's this medical emergency in the family that keeps getting worse?

The first thing about Creative Dream Alchemy is: Meet yourself where you are and move towards where you want to be.

To meet myself where I am: I just want to hide under the covers today.

To move towards where I want to be: I do want to keep working on this guided journal.

And these things feel so much at odds with each other that I just can't. I CAN go lie down but I'll be thinking about the journal. I CAN sit here with the journal but I'll just be wishing I was in bed.

Where I am this morning, it's very easy to say "I can't do either, I'm just stuck" and burst into tears.

Which is a completely valid way to proceed. Some days crying IS the next step to take.

And there is also the option of going deeper.

Sitting with the feelings (The Working With Conflicting Feelings Call last week was SO good!) to see what new possibilities emerge.

So here it went today:

When I started, this felt too vulnerable, too hard, there was no way through.

Now it all feels fine. Now, there is SPACE for everything.

I'm going to work on the creative project now, knowing I have loads of time in my day for "healing cocoon" too.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

This is too vulnerable Read More »

Processing My Feelings Deeply As An Act of Self Care + Growth [Weekly Dream Status Report]

By Andrea Schroeder / September 22, 2023

Here are the prompts:

PART ONE: (sometimes these can stay the same for months at time, sometimes they change often)

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

PART THREE:

My goal/wish/intention for this New Moon is:

Last week’s focus was:

What happened in the last week?

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

PART ONE:

I want it because: This is hard to answer. I just want it.

When I have it I will feel: The same as now - ALL the feelings 🙂

My new moon intention: Treat this transition time I'm in as sacred. (New Moon call was so good this month!!)

PART TWO: Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

I hear the words "this vibrant life" and feel a warmth in my chest.

PART THREE:

Last week’s focus was:Be where I am AND appreciate all the new possibilities opening up.

What happened in the last week?

The Holding Space for Conflicting Feelings call happened and it was so good! I'm so happy to add that to our library of inner work practices.

There's been a major medical issue happening for a family member that I won't talk about online, but has been causing immense stress for Joseph and I as we navigate our breakup.

So really, I did what I could with this week. I took excellent care of myself - I love this time of year eating fresh local veggies. I am listening to my nervous system about where to slow down. I am BEING where I am while noticing all the new possibilities opening up, like looking ahead to my new life.

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

I've never handled a break-up this well before, I am really proud of myself.

What do I need now?

Same as last week: just to be where I am. SEE my new future opening up without rushing towards it. Processing all of my feelings very deeply as an act of self care and growth.

What does my dream need now?

My dream is glowing about that last sentence: Processing all of my feelings very deeply as an act of self care and growth.

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

Processing all of my feelings very deeply as an act of self care and growth.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your Dream Status Report or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Processing My Feelings Deeply As An Act of Self Care + Growth [Weekly Dream Status Report] Read More »

Calling in soothing

By Andrea Schroeder / September 21, 2023 / daily practice

I don’t know what to do today.

But I AM having a lot of feelings, so I went to the Inner Work section of the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy.

I noticed the practice for working with disappointment and knew that is something I need AND I am not ready. I felt a definite full body NO. That’s a deep practice which will be helpful when I’m not feeling so raw.

The thing that called me for today was: Qualities

I haven’t been using the weekly kits (though I want to start using them again) so I just picked the quality I want:

soothing

And did the Qualities Activator meditation with it. I stopped at the journaling part, I just did the short meditation with the quality.

Soothing came in as tears. My body shaking. Intense crying.

And I was like “No this isn’t what I wanted”

But then also “Oh yeah tears are healing. This IS soothing. This IS a release”

So I sat with it and started to feel soothed.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Calling in soothing Read More »

Letting it be a mess sometimes

By Andrea Schroeder / September 20, 2023 / daily practice

Sometimes life is messy and hard.

One of my step-children has been in the hospital for the last week. We had to delay the end of moving my husband's stuff out of my place. We had to delay giving each other space away from each other. It's a mess.

And my first reaction is to want to create space for myself to protect my dreams, protect the things that are important to me. Like - section off my life and keep this mess isolated.

And trying to do that, today in my Creative Dream Practice, has been so frustrating.

My frustration is a sign with flashing lights saying "NO! THIS IS NOT THE WAY!"

The flashing lights are pointing me down a path where I let everything be a mess right now. And let MYSELF be a mess.

So, how do I practice my dreams when I'm a mess?

Oh wow, as soon as I asked that question I had the answer:

Ride my bike to the park with my tablet.
Get a coffee and something delicious like a chocolate croissant. (I have been eating SO nutrient dense which is important and supportive and also a treat would be so nice!)
Just focus on the drawings for the guided journal project - I know what I'm doing with that, I don't need to use a lot of mental focus to figure anything out right now. JUST ENJOY IT

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Letting it be a mess sometimes Read More »

When where you are is not where you want to be [which is what all creative dreaming is]

By Andrea Schroeder / September 19, 2023 / creative entrepreneur, daily practice

Last week's Dream Status Report brought me the following focus: BE where you ARE while appreciating the new possibilities that are opening up"

Two things about that:

This is what ALL creative dreaming is! Staying present in your current life WHILE building the path to what's next. Sometimes this is easier, sometimes this is harder.
When doing meditation + journaling, especially in a dedicated Creative Dream Practice, it becomes easier to find the answers you need. Knowing the answer and ACTING ON IT are two really different things.

So here I am figuring out how to do this thing.

On top of the things I have shared about what's happening in my life, another big thing happened which I do not want to share. I'll just say it adds a layer of stress and complication to a stressful and complicated situation.

OF COURSE the more turbulent your life is, the harder it is to stay present in it, especially at the depth of emotional presence needed to do creative dreaming. And OF COURSE this means that this stuff is wayyyy easier for some people that others. The more intersections of privilege you have, the easier it is.

I am where I am. How do I want to do this this week?

Starting with meditation: Sitting With Uncomfortable Feelings (using that technique from the 1 hour class we did)

And then whoa...

I don't need to figure out how to focus on what I want, because those feelings are there too. Underneath the feelings I don't don't want to feel - which means I can't access them if I am avoiding my feelings - are my dreams and desires.

The big dreams are still there but there is a new more immediate dream:

Healing Fall and Healing Winter.

Two seasons of focusing inward, creativity, healing, space, rest, quiet. Acclimating to my new life.

Collecting ideas for things I want to do when spring comes.

Every book I have read about divorce says it's at least 1-2 years to "feel normal" again (NOT that "feeling normal" is a goal for me, lol) and I accept that this will be a long process. So I don't mean I'll be HEALED by spring, and of course when spring comes I may decide I want healing spring and healing summer too as far as that goes.

Just that right now I want to focus on these next two seasons as healing time, which just makes me thing/feel different about this time.

And it leads to one important thing:

MORE CREATIVE PROJECTS. Art journaling but also embroidery, painting, just... MAKE STUFF. Would be good to brainstorm some projects, and get materials. Like I know I want to do embroidery but, what? Get patterns and colours picked, get all the threads I need, so I am ready to go.

I am really inspired by this sweatshirt pattern which includes instructions for appliquéing whatever you want on the sweatshirt - like instead of sports teams that are usually there. How fun would it be to put affirmations or qualities you are working on on a sweatshirt? Slow the fuck down! Powerful, Creative, Magnetic.

I want that ALIVENESS and HEALING of really being in my creative flow. I have so many work projects I want to do, and I want SO MANY personal projects also ready to go.

OK so now I how HOW to "be where I am and appreciate the new possibilities that are opening up". Make more space for creative projects including having plans + materials ready to go.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

When where you are is not where you want to be [which is what all creative dreaming is] Read More »

Co-Dreaming Meditation + Journaling Class

By Andrea Schroeder / September 18, 2023 / daily practice

I'm offering these live Co-Dreaming (Meditation + Journaling) calls every Monday.

I started doing these calls to help us all keep showing up no matter how messy things get because have you noticed how messy the world is right now?

And together we've turned it into this really beautiful community dreaming together. I'm so grateful for everyone who is showing up and Co-Dreaming with me. This is so special.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Co-Dreaming Meditation + Journaling Class Read More »

Be where I am AND appreciate all the new possibilities opening up.[Weekly Dream Status Report]

By Andrea Schroeder / September 15, 2023

Here are the prompts:

PART ONE: (sometimes these can stay the same for months at time, sometimes they change often)

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

PART THREE:

My goal/wish/intention for this New Moon is:

Last week’s focus was:

What happened in the last week?

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

PART ONE:

My dream is: Being the artist + writer I want to be. Feeling really alive. I already have it AND it's an always-work-in-process... right now there is a lot shifting around how much/what kind of art I make and working on creating more nourishing/robust/lively local creative community.

I want it because: This is hard to answer. I just want it.

When I have it I will feel: The same as now - ALL the feelings 🙂

My new moon intention: Treat this transition time I'm in as sacred. (New Moon call was so good this week!!)

PART TWO: Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

My dream is a blue sky with white clouds, and then this rainbow coloured... art? lights? patterns? in front of it. It's shifting, like something new is coming into being. It feels like hope and possibility.

PART THREE:

Last week’s focus was: Exceptional self care.

What happened in the last week?

I really did do EXCEPTIONAL self care.

Last week I shared that my husband and I split up and I wrote "obviously it's been some time coming". But actually it wasn't. It was really good for 8.5 years and then there was one month where everything fell off the rails and then it was suddenly clear that our relationship as it was could not continue, we would be better as friends. And it's still a shock to me how quickly that happened.

It's always easier to practice creative dreaming when the rest of your life is calm, because creative dreaming can bring up so much stuff. But it's not possible to live your life to the fullest AND have it always be calm.

So I am really proud of the ways I am looking to the future and noticing the new possibilities and opportunities opening up to me now WHILE ALSO making space to process all the feelings that are coming up.

(Which reminds me: the Holding Space for Conflicting Feelings call is next week!)

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

Still feeling ALL the feelings - which includes lots of good ones!

What do I need now?

Just to be where I am. SEE my new future opening up without rushing towards it.

What does my dream need now?

Oh! Now the rainbow pattern is lights - and I remembered Nuit Blanche coming up which is my FAVOURITE. It's a night of art shows all over the city, all night (not that I stay out late, lol) with lots of outdoor installations that light up. I love to ride my bike around seeing everything. My dream needs that INSPIRATION and JOY.

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

Be where I am AND appreciate all the new possibilities opening up.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your Dream Status Report or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Be where I am AND appreciate all the new possibilities opening up.[Weekly Dream Status Report] Read More »

Creative Dreaming while your world is falling apart

By Andrea Schroeder / September 14, 2023 / creative entrepreneur, daily practice

I woke up thinking about Creative Dreaming While Your World Is Falling Apart. This is the title of a guided journal I am imagining writing, and maybe I will one day.

Because I've been sharing my daily posts and maybe it seems like I am going on like nothing has happened, but I'm definitely not doing that.

Separation is emotionally volatile and I want to FEEL my feelings and process them and move THROUGH all of this, and not be stuck in it. AND I don't want my whole life to be this.

So - I focus on what I want to focus on when I am at my best. Mornings are my best time, I am SUCH a morning person. So I wake up, meditate, journal, get exercise, do my Dream Work, do my work work, work on creative projects.

Some days all of that inspires and energizes me and I stay pretty upbeat all day. BUT I am more tired than usual, my body is achy, I get overwhelmed more easily - there are all the signs of grief.

Some days I wear out my energy for the day early on.

So - after focusing on what I want to focus on first thing, then I focus on self care. What do I need? More water, nutrient dense foods, time with friends, time alone, journaling, feeling my feelings, hot epsom salt baths, lots of reading of things that feel helpful, stretching, re-arranging the Dream Loft - it does feel good to spread out.

It feels like a way of creating bubbles in my life that hold space for things. Holding space for my dreams and needs and creative projects while also holding space for grief and the process of separation. Of course the bubbles collide sometimes, but most of the time, this feels good - there is space for everything and over time, my new life will grow out of the separation process. This is easier to trust when I am showing up consistently for the dream work.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Creative Dreaming while your world is falling apart Read More »

Meeting with the soul of my business

By Andrea Schroeder / September 13, 2023 / creative entrepreneur, daily practice

Today in my practice I am meeting with the soul of my business. I'm doing this as my daily practice right now as I get into "fall vibes" and am getting more focused on finishing the guided journal project, which also leads to a ton of other projects. And yes I need more money because of the divorce but I feel really calm and trusting about that part.

I am doing this as a daily practice to get more aligned with the soul of the Creative Dream Incubator to help me make the right decision because there are So Many Decisions to make about this project.

In my last post, the soul of my business asked me to make pro and con lists about a big decision, and those lists ended up being SO easy and SO helpful.

I decided: DO THE EASY THING RIGHT NOW.

I remembered: no one step is written in stone! I can do it the easy (I mean not easy but easiest) thing now and switch up to the other thing at any time.

So today what I want is: good vibes, for lack of a better term. I am doing creative work on the project (editing, which means editing artwork mostly, and sometimes re-drawing the journaling prompts if I can see a way to do it better). I want to be in the flow, loving what I am doing, and getting things done.

In the meeting with the soul of my business:

OMG so good!

The soul of my business appears with the boxes as it has been, but now it's a female figure and has wings and she steps out of the boxes and is just huge. She says "We are going to have some fun!"

My body starts to sway, I am really feeling this energy of being in the flow. I ask my questions about how to approach this project today and see the soul of the project: a campfire, but magic. It offers WARMTH for your creative dream process and WARMTH can be sometime different each time.

I stayed in the meditation a while, it all just felt so good.

And now I know what to do today.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Meeting with the soul of my business Read More »

Meeting with the soul of my business

By Andrea Schroeder / September 12, 2023 / creative entrepreneur, daily practice

Today in my practice I am meeting with the soul of my business.

Last week this was so good and it felt like a thing I need to do more regularly. I LOVE this recording, the first part of the meditation is soooo healing. I remember doing it that way because of all the stuff that gets sparked in working with our businesses, and it feels soooo good to use it.

It's similar to last week, a bunch of boxes piled together that are alive - like a box robot.

But it's bigger. The boxes are less chaotic.

It doesn't take a genius to see the boxes are representing the actual boxes in my home with my husband's things packed in them. And he's been picking up a car load every day after work and the pile is becoming less chaotic and I have more and more space. (By the time I post this the boxes will be gone and his furniture moved and I'll be in the process of making it "feel like mine" again)

The soul of my business - I am focusing on the head at the top of the boxes - is warm and loving and welcoming. It's happy to see me.

You are giving me space to grow, with regular visits like this.

Good! This is what I want. Not growth for growth's sake, but right-sizing.

I'm actually deeper and more expansive than you think. The growth I am speaking of is not just in one direction. Like it's not just about more followers or more money.

OK that's reassuring. It felt a little off to think you are focused on growing, because that is so toxic to have growth as the only goal. It's why the air has been smoky here for weeks and my lungs and throat hurt.

Right, so it's more "I am becoming more alive". Your visits nurture me in good ways.

These visits nurture me in good ways too. I have been experimenting creatively and exploring SO MUCH these last few years. My struggles with peri-menopause, looking at ancestral trauma and the ways capitalist culture impacts my "work ethic" and distorts my relationship with my own needs and really - who do I want to be while the world falls apart? This has been such important work for me. I appreciate the space you gave me to do all of this - actually I feel NURTURED by my business not just financially but in all ways. The ways I show up for Dream Book HELPS ME FIRST. I am so grateful to have this.

I've been growing in that time too. My potential has been expanding and deepening. And everything is getting more creative and free.

Creative and free. I love it. So my questions, about this journal, you know what I am thinking, right? Should "creative and free" be the qualities we follow to answer the questions? Because one option feels this way and one does not. BUT the one that does not - is it easier? Would it make more money? Do these things matter?

Now the robot has hands too, not just a head on a stack of boxes. It, though it feels like a she now, she raises her hands to shrug like "I don't know"

Is this a case where it's like - it doesn't matter which way I go?

It's not that it doesn't matter. It's just that it impacts YOU more than ME.

OK that's weird, isn't it though? Because I thought it would impact you - like I am building a path to a new future here, aren't I?

Yup, that happens either way. None of these decisions are FOREVER babe!!!!

So I can do what is easiest right now. OR I can do what feels most creative and free right now.

Yup! This is one for YOU to journal about. Make a pro and con list of each of them. In your imagination, really put yourself into each situation and see which way feels best. This is still a very early step in this new path, there's LOADS of time to re-configure as we go. It's more important that we DO SOMETHING than that we DO THE RIGHT THING. (Which you know, you tell this to people all the time)

OK will do!

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are or use the Dream Lab if you're not sure where to start.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls. Make a plan to join us live or catch a replay.

Meeting with the soul of my business Read More »

Co-Dreaming Meditation + Journaling Class

By Andrea Schroeder / September 11, 2023 / daily practice

I'm offering these live Co-Dreaming (Meditation + Journaling) calls every Monday.

I started doing these calls to help us all keep showing up no matter how messy things get because have you noticed how messy the world is right now?

And together we've turned it into this really beautiful community dreaming together. I'm so grateful for everyone who is showing up and Co-Dreaming with me. This is so special.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your thoughts or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Go the Library of Creative Dream Alchemy to find a practice that fits for where you are.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Co-Dreaming Meditation + Journaling Class Read More »

Exceptional Self Care [Weekly Dream Status Report]

By Andrea Schroeder / September 8, 2023

Here are the prompts:

PART ONE: (sometimes these can stay the same for months at time, sometimes they change often)

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

PART THREE:

My goal/wish/intention for this New Moon is:

Last week’s focus was:

What happened in the last week?

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

PART ONE:

My dream is: Being the artist + writer I want to be. Feeling really alive. I already have it AND it's an always-work-in-process... right now there is a lot shifting around how much/what kind of art I make and working on creating more nourishing/robust/lively local creative community.

I want it because: This is hard to answer. I just want it.

When I have it I will feel: The same as now - ALL the feelings 🙂

My new moon intention: Give myself quality time and attention.

PART TWO: Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

My dream shows up as a genie in a bottle. Or maybe coming out of a lamp? A genie anyway, and it wants to grant my wishes.

I feel like this is nice but I don't understand it? And that's ok.

PART THREE:

Last week’s focus was: What would love do?

What happened in the last week?

My husband and I split up. Clearly, this was some time coming, it's been happening over the last month but this last week it all became real.

So - difficult week. But I actually did carve out some creative time which felt like EVERYTHING.

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

I am feeling pretty much ALL the feelings.

What do I need now?

I have been practicing exceptional self care, I need to keep this up.

What does my dream need now?

Last week at this part my dream sent me this image of two hands holding two hands and I thought it meant "keep trying". But what happened is that my husband and I got to a point where we were standing like that, two hands holding two hands, both crying, both knowing that this is the right thing and doing our best to leave in a good way. And it feels like this is what my dream meant - to get to this place of leaving in a good way, not throwing our shit at each other on the way out.

This week my dream isn't doing anything to show me what it needs - it just wants to offer me love.

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

Exceptional Self Care which is just elevating the role of self care. Drinking enough water, nutrient dense foods, lots of sleep, bike rides, time in the park, time with friends, etc.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your Dream Status Report or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Exceptional Self Care [Weekly Dream Status Report] Read More »

Blog

Here are the prompts:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

Today I’m focused on the guided journal project.

So how do I want to do this today?

I’m really sitting with it today.

What DO I want to be receptive to?

The first thing about Creative Dream Alchemy is: Meet yourself where you are and move towards where you want to be.

Where I am this morning, it's very easy to say "I can't do either, I'm just stuck" and burst into tears.

When I started, this felt too vulnerable, too hard, there was no way through.

Here are the prompts:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

Soothing came in as tears. My body shaking. Intense crying.

So, how do I practice my dreams when I'm a mess?

So here I am figuring out how to do this thing.

I am where I am. How do I want to do this this week?

Healing Fall and Healing Winter.

Here are the prompts:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

In the meeting with the soul of my business:

Here are the prompts:

My Dream Status Report for this week: