Dreamways

Goals and aspirations that we conceive and nurture are a type of dream. A goal is the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve. An aspiration is an ambition, or a cherished desire.

Goals and aspirations are Inner World thoughts and feelings that give shape to what an individual wants and believes she needs in order to create a life that feels purposeful and meaningful. Often such dreams begin in the vague realm of daydreams, as a voice of our wants and yearnings. As daydreams become goals and aspirations, they attain a much more concrete shape. Rather than the fuzziness of a daydream, goals and aspirations are much more specific as to what the hoped-for reality might look like in the waking world, and what might be needed to make the yearnings real. Like a bluerprint or schematic, goals and aspirations guide the dreamer, giving structure to her thoughts and actions in the context of what she wants to achieve in the tangible, waking world.

Often such dreams demand change. In order to attain a given goal or realize an aspiration, a dreamer must adapt and transform beliefs, attitudes and actions. A goal typically indicates that the dreamer is not completely satisfied with the status quo of his life and wishes certain life circumstnaces to be different. Such dreams differ from daydreams in that they conceptualize concrete changes in the waking world and how to make these changes occur.

These dreams are an interplay between a person's inner world and the outer world. In contrast to, say, visions and hallucinatiions, for goals and aspirations the conscious, rational mind is clearly in control of what is happening. The conscious takes information supplied to it by the unconscious that is formulating not-yet-existing circumstances, and then figuring out how such a change could be made real.

Goals and aspirations often deal with a narrow aspect of waking reality. Rather than global issues, such dreams often are concerned with an individual's life and circumstances. Goals and aspirations can certainly be shared by people and groups, but they begin in the individual and often do not ripple out much beyond that.

Goals and aspirations can guide us regarding the practical aspects of interfacing with the waking world. They are the realm of hands-on practicalities and logistics, getting things done in order to manifest our wants and needs in consensual reality. Thoughts and desires initially experienced as daydreams or as ideals can be made real when embodied as this type of dream. These dreams have a waking, external-world specificity that allows action, with all steps necessary to make it real.

Dreams expressing goals and aspirations tend to be hopeful and optimistic. They give a sense of direction and purpose to our lives. When they are in alignment with what seems to be our true nature, they engender the sense of "I am doing what feels right, what I arrived on this planet to do." When a dreamer heeds such dreams, she usually experiences a sense of wholeness and completion. This is the realm of “follow your dreams” and "go for greatness". The American Dream, as formulated by many, of individual prosperity and attainment is resides in this realm. Such dreams are the stuff of Hollywood movies, sports and Broadway musicals.

Dreams of what we wish to attain and who we wish to be, are an invitation to attentiveness. Such dreams, like all types of dream, are a path to cultivating Dreamfulness. As we nurture such dreams, it is particularly important to pay attention to our inner realm, to maintain Mindfulness, Heartfulness, Bodyfulness and Soulfulness as we focus on the Outer World realities. Our goals and aspirations, if not balancing inner and outer realities, can all too easily become narrow and obsessive. Dreams of goals and aspirations ungrouded become deaf and blind to their environment. Golden dreams of the future all to easily turn into destructive nightmares when not interacted with Dreamfully.