From Examiner.com, By Linda Mastrangelo

I love the dream and there is nothing better then awakening from a "big dream" that shakes your very core and reminds you that there is much more going on outside the "waking world" we call reality. All our preconceptions of life are shattered when we enter this spiritual state: And most importantly many of us do have these Exceptional Human Experiences also known as EHE (a term coined by researcher Rhea A. White) for a much greater intention than we are aware of and that this new knowledge will alter us in some profound way. In the book Extraordinary Dreams and How to Work with Them, Stanley Krippner, Fariba Bogzaran and Andre Percia de Carvalho address the many variations of these dreams including healing, precognitive, lucid, etc. and how these dreams can be spiritual awakenings or initiations that can often lead to a dramatic transformation in the dreamer. But how does this "big" dream stand out from others and what is its purpose in our lives?

The most the important aspect of the "big dream" is its emotional impact on the dreamer. The feelings of pure joy and love, even to the point of ecstasy rarely experienced in waking life, are a definite indication that you've had a spiritual awakening or initiation. I have woken in such a state that has lasted days and even weeks, especially if I put myself back into the dream state. As far as content is concerned, there are certain common elements to these "big dreams" such as apocalyptic scenes, encounters with guides or otherworldly beings, and even alchemical death and rebirth motifs. Always the dreamer is transcended into a higher awareness or reality that can be directly reached in the sleeping state. Rudolph Steiner explains, "As we evolve further, this new dream-born world not only becomes equal of outer sensory reality with regard to inner truth, but also reveals facts depicting, in the full sense of the word, a higher reality." In other words, this new 'higher reality' becomes the real truth and therefore must be brought forth into the waking world. The dreamer realizes she is much more than ego and is inevitably transformed by the experience. The changes might be subtle for some and life altering for others but there is indeed a transcendental "shift" nonetheless.

I like to believe the big dream is a window into our soul or higher self. These spiritual awakenings touch upon the powerful and creative forces within us that show us the way and tell us who we are. I cannot help but be in awe of the energy in these visions and must honor it not just for me as an individual but also for the community at large. As clinical psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and scholar, Montague Ullman puts it "we dream for the survival of our species." Somehow by tapping into this higher state of awareness, we are healing the world as we heal ourselves. Since we are all connected we must bring the knowledge we have learned from these EHE and put it into action in our waking life. The spiritual initiation dream is a powerful way to bridge the conscious and the unconscious but also humanity. That ultimately we are here to tell the stories of our dreams and pass down these truths for future generations for the sake of the planet and ourselves. I had a dream once that the moon was so large it filled up the entire sky that I looked upon it in wonder, stating, "My city has mountains now!" We the dreamers are changing the spiritual landscape of our lives by sharing love and the mystical wisdom of the night.

http://www.examiner.com/x-8429-SF-Dream-Research-Examiner~y2009m5d16-The-big-dream-as-spiritual-awakening-and-initiation