I recently had the wonderful opportunity to work dreams at a party, with people I had never met before. The sessions were very quick, just ten to fifteen minutes, which is why I called it Spotlight Dreamwork. We didn’t have time to explore every nuance of every symbol, but even so, the magic of dreamwork is how quickly one can get close to the heart of things.

Usually, in ten minutes of small talk, I might find out what a person does for living, what their hobbies are, where they traveled for the holidays or whether they have children. We might form impressions of each other based on hairstyle, clothes, and comfort level with chitchat. But when someone tells me a dream, and expects me to offer some insights into the meaning of the symbols of the dream, the conversation takes a much different tack. I’m much less likely to hear about someone’s career as about the challenges they faced in childhood, or the sometimes very serious challenges they face as parents. I’m much more likely to learn about a difficult relationship with a parent than about recent vacations. And I’m much less likely to make assumptions about a person based on appearances. Instead, when working dreams, I am constantly reminded of how very much we are alike at a fundamental, crucial level. I’ve yet to meet a person who isn’t carrying burdens, and I’ve yet to meet someone interested in dreams who isn’t also yearning for a deeper understanding of themselves and of life.

And so my wish for you in the new year is that you’ll remember and examine your dreams, and find answers to your questions within them.