Chapter 8

Learning CREEI Dream Patterns

Draft (Please do not distribute)

This single chart contains the heart of the CREEI Process. You will see at the top, weÕve already talked about the ten assumptions of the CREEI process. Again, note that we can talk about how this process can apply not only to dreams but other events.  And you know the reason why I prefer dream: it is because it bypasses the ego. 

We have also talked about the twelve questions. Here they are summarized by key words. 

Consider now four typical patterns of dreams. These patterns are the result of my observation of my own and the dreams of other over a period of more that 30 years. These patterns are: 1. Transformative; 2. Motivational; 3. Anticipatory; and 4. Traumatic. WeÕve already talked about the transformative pattern in having rewritten a dream in a poem, where all the questions are answered yes.  That pattern can also be called confirming or comforting. 

Notice that the motivational pattern, contains the least number of no or uncertain answers.  ThatÕs a good candidate for the creative process, because itÕs not so burdened with negative or difficult issues.  So thatÕs easier done.  ThatÕs why I call it motivational; youÕre typically eager to do it, rather than dreading to do it.

Next is the anticipatory pattern.  This refers only to the structural, or the first six questions. Where two or more of those questions score no or uncertain.  I have observed that such a dream often contains a warning or something prophetic or precognitive. I avoid using the words prophetic or precognitive, because they often have baggage or prejudicial associations connected with it, which can be distracting.  So "anticipatory" is the name I use.

I want to say something more about this.  In one of my seminars in the early 1990s during my explaining this, somebody asked, ÒWell, have you ever scored the dreams in the Bible?Ó  No! It never occurred to me!  But as soon as I returned home after that seminar, I looked every dream in the Bible and scored it.  You will notice that most of these dreams score anticipatory! Of course! That's why they in there: they are prophetic. I have put Biblical dream examples of each pattern in the reference sheet.

The last pattern to discuss is the traumatic.  The traumatic pattern deals only with the last six questions.  If there are three or more noÕs or question marks, thatÕs what I would call traumatic. Note that this pattern can also be associated with the anticipatory pattern, so you could have both.  You could this anticipatory/traumatic.  Many of the Biblical dreams score this way.

Whenever I see a traumatic pattern, I encourage people to share it with a trusted friend or professional and not to try to handle it alone.  ItÕs a burden that can be debilitating.   ThatÕs where the dream-sharing community can help by providing a safe environment where one can handle such a dream better.  Oftentimes, those are typically nightmares; boy, IÕve had them.  So, I suggest seeking supportive help, whether from trusted friends or a professional analyst. There are some psychiatrists--IÕm thinking of three right now--who, when they saw this little scheme, they loved it because of its simplicity and as a diagnostic indicator. I will usually refer people with this pattern because IÕm not a psychologist or therapist, and donÕt want to get into that role.

My psychiatrist acquaintances said that they saw this patterning as quick way to make a clear and responsible referral.  And they loved it for that reason, if not others.  But itÕs a very quick way to assess.

Another place this can be helpful is with clergy who are not trained to deal with psychological disorder or trauma. This gives them a tool which allows them to refer to a professional psychologist.

In the CREEI scoring sheet you will notice columns titled First and Second. These headings allow you to put the initials of one or two people you might recognize in your dream, i.e., the two most prominent persons if there are more than two. ThatÕs where you can put the initials, somebody you recognize. In the interest of simplicity and space I disregarded places for more than two.

I made provisions for this because I had a lot of dreams with people that I knew.  And so I kept track of how they functioned in my inner world. Then I discovered that if these data were entered into an Excel sheet that I could sort.  I discovered that if I sorted all my dreams in terms of a particular person, whose initials I knew, I could sort dreams containing them in chronological order. I was amazed at how such a sort showed the evolution of my relationship with that person.  I found this interesting and exciting

And there were two groups of people that I did that with, so I thought at that time was a useful little thing to stick in there.