Making Sense of Your Dreams
Are dreams nonsense or do they mean something? An April 7 workshop in Halifax acts on the belief that dreams are worth considering. Chaplain and spiritual director Ami Hudson, M.Div. will lead a process for exploring–and hopefully drawing meaning from– dreams. Attendees may participate or just observe during the one-hour workshop offered at mid-day and repeated in the evening.
“We receive guidance through dreams,” says Hudson. “Inventions, great ideas, inspiration, works of art and solutions to tough problems have come to people that way.”
But many of us don’t take them seriously. “Too often dreams are treated like junk mail or spam,” says Sister Carol Davis, OP– a counselor, teacher and retreat leader in upstate New York whose dreams-retreat Hudson recently attended at Durham, NC. “We need to pay attention or else we miss a lot.”
What to expect
What exactly will happen in the Halifax workshop? “It’s easygoing and conversational,” says Hudson– a process participants can use among friends. “We’ll explore a dream by asking the person to tell the dream like they’re telling a story and to give it a title. Then I’ll ask some questions about the feelings involved, what they are most curious about, or what stood out.” Others from the group will be invited to share observations and impressions of the dream– not as interpretation but just as input to consider. “We don’t ‘interpret’ other people’s dreams,” cautions Hudson. “Only the dreamer can know what a dream means to them. The rest of us only help explore it.”
Mary Helen Stafford of Vernon Hill tried out the process with Hudson recently among a group of friends. ”I really enjoyed going through the dreamwork process with our group. Hearing the input of others in a constructive way was very enlightening. It was a good way to help make sense of even the most bizarre of dreams,” says Stafford.Attention to dreams started at a young age for Hudson, who got the idea to keep a cassette recorder by her bed to capture dreams. “Most of the recordings turned out mumbled and unintelligible though,” she laughs. During seminary she studied Gestalt Pastoral Care, which includes a therapeutic approach to working with dreams. In recent years she has taught about dreams locally at her Halifax office, for the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, and for The Prizery’s “Affair of the Arts” event.
A Christian spiritual director, Hudson is self-employed and meets with individuals at her Halifax office to help navigate through life. She also offers couples sessions, speaking, sermons and retreats.
If you go
“Making Sense of Your Dreams” will be offered at noon and again at 7 p.m. Light refreshments are planned and participants in the noon workshop may feel free to bring their lunch. “I’m hoping people who work nearby may be able to join us around their lunch break,” said Hudson.
The event is set for Thursday, April 7 at Hudson’s office on North Main Street in Halifax with a choice of times, Noon-1:00 or 7-8:00 pm. Participants should register for the workshop ($5) by Tuesday 4/5 by calling Hudson at 476-4111 or online at www.AmiHudson.com indicating a preference of noon or 7 p.m.
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Or call (434) 476-4111 or contact us.
Look for the good in each other
Do the best things about your relationship get lost in the shuffle of everyday life? Here’s an easy way to take a moment for the two of you every day. Just ask each other, “What did you like about our relationship today?”
Maybe you liked it when he took the initiative to call your mom. Maybe he appreciates your helping towards the household income. Maybe it meant a lot to her that you helped the kids with homework or did the shopping on your way home. Maybe he thought you looked absolutely terrific. But you both forgot to mention it during the course of the day. Well, now’s your chance– don’t miss it.
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Daily dialogue involves setting aside a few minutes to reflect on what you liked in your relationship today. It sparks discussion about the relationship, not just the day’s tasks, and reinforces your desire for communication, connection and vitality.
Turn off the TV, computer and phone and give your full attention. Focus on the good qualities in each other and share what you liked about each other today. Most of us have many good qualities and praiseworthy actions that mean a lot in relationships. But we don’t look for them and barely take time to mention them. So go ahead, ask each other: “What did you like about our relationship today?”
Fishing for compliments? Maybe. But it’s better than starving for them! Too many relationships suffer from lack of nurture. We neglect to value what we intended to cherish. Seek out what’s good between you so you won’t lose sight of it among the mundane.
While many of us discuss the activities of our day, we have a harder time communicating our feelings. Daily dialogue should focus on your feelings “about each other and your lives together,” according to Prepare-Enrich, a marriage preparation and enrichment program based in Minneapolis that promotes daily dialogue in their workbook for couples.
Another benefit of daily dialogue: knowing you’re going to talk about this keeps you looking for the good in each other. This is useful when the dishes pile up, the schedule’s tight, the garbage can’s full, the light bulb burns out, there are 8 calls to return, 3 big decisions to make, 2 projects due, and it’s time to pick up dog food again.
Want to extend the conversation constructively? Prepare-Enrich suggests two additional questions. After “What did I like about us today?” follow up with “What did I dislike?” and “How can we be helpful to each other?” While the questions may take a little courage, they are straightforward and lead to valuable discussion about your relationship.
You’ll regain each other’s affection with daily words of appreciation. And you’ll probably be surprised how much they do value about you.
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“Power Thoughts” workshop to focus on better thinking
UPDATE: Due to weather, the “Power Thoughts” Workshop is RESCHEDULED to Tuesday, January 18 at Noon and repeated at 7:00 p.m. Both groups are currently FULL but please call (434) 476-4111 to check for cancellations.
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Can “power thoughts” help you towards your goals and make you happier and healthier? Ami Hudson thinks so, and will host a free “Power thoughts & Affirmations” workshop Tuesday to show you how. “Affirmations can be goal-specific, so bring your New Year’s resolutions and try it out,” Hudson says.
“Over the years we can take on limiting ideas and negative beliefs - about life and about our ability to achieve things. Affirmations are positive statements and beliefs that inspire us and bring better experiences to our lives. They replace doubt, cynicism, or defeat. They assert the best of who you are and how you want to experience life,” says Hudson.
Examples? Replace ‘It’s too late’ with ‘There is plenty of time.’ Or change ‘I’m overweight” to ‘I am becoming my perfect weight.’ “It’s a small change in words, but a different way of thinking,” says Hudson. “Most of us could benefit from speaking more kindly to ourselves–and besides, it works. Our words and beliefs matter, so why not make them positive and affirming?.”
“Power thoughts & Affirmations” will be offered at noon and again at 7 p.m. Participants in the noon workshop may feel free to bring their lunch. “I’m hoping people who work nearby may be able to join us around their lunch break,” said Hudson.
Hudson is a Christian spiritual director which she described as “your personal chaplain to help you navigate through life.” She has taught religion and lifelong learning courses at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center and has served as career coach at Halifax County High School. Her website is www.AmiHudson.com and her office is in Halifax.
This workshop is the third in a monthly “Best Self” series hosted by Hudson. Topics for upcoming months include: 5 Things for Couples, Getting Serious about Laughter, and Making Sense of your Dreams. “I chose topics that have benefitted me, and I hope they will contribute to others’ well-being too,” said Hudson. Recent workshops were “Balance your Life” in November and “20 Minutes of Quiet” last month.
“Power Thoughts & Affirmations” is set for Tuesday, January 11 at Hudson’s office on North Main Street in Halifax with a choice of times, Noon-1:00 or 7-8:00 pm. Participants should register for the free workshop by Friday, 1/7 by calling Hudson at 476-4111 or by e-mail to ami@pure.net, indicating a preference of noon or 7 p.m. Leave an e-mail address if you want notification of upcoming workshops, which run through April.
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‘Quiet’ workshop to soothe holiday hysteria
December can be hectic, so don’t miss this opportunity to savor a little peace and quiet. “20 Minutes of Quiet” await you at Halifax next Tuesday, December 7. A fan of quiet, Ami Hudson, M.Div. is hosting the free event.
“Our spirits long for unfilled space,” said Hudson. “So we’ll make believe we have nowhere to go and nothing to do. Hopefully we’ll come away more centered, peaceful and calm.”
That may be harder than it sounds. Even when we’re still and quiet, our minds stay busy going over to-do lists or this morning’s awkward conversation. “We’ll share some ways of quieting our busy minds,” said Hudson. “We want to stay in the ‘here and now’ instead of being constantly onto the next thing.”
Practicing some quiet has always been important “to clear my mind and to help me sleep,” said Sharron Warren of South Boston–a nurse and owner/designer of Beach Babe’s Jewelry. “With the holiday season upon us we all need to take a few moments to just be quiet. Take time to sit with your eyes shut and think about what is important to you. I feel when I take care of myself I can better take care of others,” said Warren.
“20 Minutes of Quiet” will be offered at noon and again at 7 p.m. Participants in the noon workshop may feel free to bring their lunch. “I’m hoping people who work nearby may be able to join us around their lunch break,” said Hudson.
Hudson is a Christian spiritual director which she described as “your personal chaplain to help you navigate through life.” Her website is www.AmiHudson.com and her office is in Halifax. She has taught religion and lifelong learning courses at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center and has served as career coach at Halifax County High School.
This event follows November’s “Balance Your Life” workshop and is the second in a monthly “Best Self” workshop series hosted by Hudson. Topics for upcoming months include: Power Thoughts & Affirmations, 5 Things for Couples, Getting Serious about Laughter, and Making Sense of your Dreams. “I chose topics that have benefitted me, and I hope they will contribute to others’ well-being too,” said Hudson.
“20 Minutes of Quiet” is set for Tuesday, December 7 at Hudson’s office on North Main in Halifax with a choice of times, Noon-1:00 or 7-8:00 pm. Participants should register by Friday, 12/3 by calling Hudson at 476-4111 or by email to ami@pure.net, indicating a preference of noon or 7 p.m. Leave an e-mail address if you want notification of upcoming workshops, which run through April.
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How to lay out your fleece (jacket)
Before the weather started changing, my buddy Brooke and I talked about laying out our fleece. Brooke has quite a fleece jacket 
collection, dutifully photographed in her Georgia back yard for this article at my request. I still get very tickled picturing her doing so. The e-mail she sent along with the photos said, “Not sure what you had in mind, so I had my jackets do a little modeling in the back yard.”
Something serious was in question, however: ”Laying out our fleece” in terms of seeking discernment, like Gideon in the book of Judges. When we’re faced with an important decision or potential big change, how do we figure it out?
Here’s how I first became acquainted with laying out my fleece. In my 20’s I had been meeting regularly with my cousin Laura and a few other friends about the possibility of going to Panama to do youth evangelism. I didn’t want to let the others down, but I was considering backing out. My reasons were pretty sound: I don’t speak Spanish. I’m not much of an evangelist. The project involved clowning, singing and mime but I tend to be reserved. Plus, I was in a new job and didn’t have leave time. The time for respectably backing out was approaching but I felt torn about the decision.
Seeking guidance I phoned a campus minister I respect, halfway hoping she’d ease my conscience about quitting. “Why don’t you pray about it and ask God for a sign. Lay out a fleece like Gideon did,” she counseled. I hadn’t thought of that. I was unfamiliar with 
Gideon’s story and she had to explain. But I looked up Judges 6:36-40 and figured, why not try it? I asked God for a sign please, about whether I should go to Panama, confessing I didn’t know what to do. Then I had some dinner, went to bed and kind of forgot about it.
The next morning was a Saturday, and there was a knock at my door. It was my friend Heather, smiling broadly like she had a surprise. “Ami, I want you to meet my friend Desiree. She’s originally from Panama and she’s in town visiting me today.” How timely, I thought casually–and told the pair about my present Panama predicament.
That’s when Desiree began to tell me some of the things I would love about Panama. “You should go!” Her energy and enthusiasm were palpable. When they left, I felt more confident about Panama and lighter. My dread about going had more or less lifted. It wasn’t until a few hours later that I remembered asking God for a sign the night before.
My experience in Panama was very significant. It impacted the course of my life and I know that I was supposed to be there. Now I often encourage people to ask God for a sign– whether it’s about a specific decision, or rather for a sign of God’s presence and care. You see, God wants to be in relationship with us, and when we ask for some communication God readily grants it.
While I know that Gideon set his own terms about how God should respond (make the fleece wet, now make the fleece dry), I haven’t felt called to do that– it feel
s too much like “testing” God. I prefer to make the asking more general and let God get through to me God’s way. Surprising and refreshing, it comes in a way I would not have predicted (an enthusiastic Panama native on my doorstep within 12 hours, really?).
Sure, I could rationalize what happened as coincidence. Desiree would have visited Heather whether I asked for a sign or not. But why did Heather decide to share her guest with me? On the day after I prayed that? And for me to be home when they dropped by? And for Desiree to be so naturally exuberant? I am certain that God knew exactly what would counter my hesitation and orchestrated things accordingly.
See below and consider whether you might be invited to ask for a sign.
Asking for a Sign
- You can ask for a sign about an important decision you’re making, or for a sign of God’s presence and love.
- God wants to communicate with you and be involved with you (and already is!)
- Sometimes you have two good options and God is okay with either decision–you get to choose. Have confidence in your ability to make sound decisions; enjoy your choices.
- Let God communicate how God will, and be open to the unexpected (vs. you making demands or setting the terms of God’s sign).
- If you ask for a sign, watch for it and expect it (a.k.a. faith).
- When you receive your sign, do so with gratitude. Deciding it was “just” coincidence is less than gracious (in my experience however, God communicates in unexpected ways that leave less room for doubt).
- If something seems “off” or does not seem of God, don’t take it as your sign. When it is God you will know and it will feel peaceful and right.
- Let the experience you receive build your trust in God’s everyday involvement, care and delight in you.
- Keep communicating and keep watching for God’s continual presence and activity in your life.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…to him be glory. (Ephesians 3:20, 21).