The Power of Naps and Dreams

While working on my new book “The Six Gateways: Shamanic Tools for Every Life”, I hit a bit of writer’s block in how to explain Earth medicine, one aspect of the 5th Gateway of BALANCE. There are lots of esoteric ways to work with Earth energy, but I wanted something practical to share with you, gentle readers.

Then I took the most amazing nap.

I’d been to the Dentist, which always kinda wacks me out. I have years of dental trauma from my childhood, and while I have a wonderful dentist who takes good care of me, my visits still always bring up a hint of the old trauma, which leaves me very tired.

So on the way home I was talking to a friend and pondering all these errands I was wanting to do when I suddenly realized that I was very hungry. I decided to go home and eat first, to be good to myself.

After eating I fell into the deepest and most delicious nap I’ve had in a few years. A delicious dream visited me while I slept for a whole hour. When I woke, I was not only completely refreshed, I was in a terrifically happy mood.

And then it hit me — I’d had a big dose of Earth medicine. The Earth element is about taking care of our bodies, and I’m always preaching the gospel of sleep, exercise, and good nutrition to my clients. Apparently I’d needed a dose of my own medicine.

Science backs me up on this one — studies show that people who nap are healthier, have less anxiety, depression, and stress, and are generally happier. Other scientists who study human behavior believe that napping is a natural part of human sleep patterns — that we are meant to sleep in short bursts through the day and night, and that sleeping all night and working all day is a modern invention that’s not necessarily that good for us.

So this blog has an easy practice: take a nap and pay attention to your dreams. Notice how good you feel. A rested body can do almost anything.

At bedtime my boyfriend warned: “I sure hope you can sleep tonight after a long nap like that.” For a moment I was afraid. But then I realized, this is the cultural attitude that keeps us all from napping. But I told him my truth: when I nap I also sleep better at night. And I did, like a baby.

Want a shamanic healing work with me to learn more ways to balance your life with Earth Medicine? Start by requesting a free phone consultation