by Kathy Kothmann
In late October, the annual Spirit Journey retreat, a 3-day event modeled after the Upper Room Academy for Spiritual Formation and sponsored by the Texas Annual Conference Center for Congregational Excellence, invited men and women, lay and clergy, into the piney woods of East Texas at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center for a brief pilgrimage into Christian dreamwork as a spiritual discipline. For many of the 29 retreatants and team members present, it was an illuminating introduction to the largely neglected spiritual practice of honoring and engaging the messages that God sends to us in the night. Surrounded by the rhythm of the Academy’s Benedictine schedule: worship including daily Eucharist, silence, fellowship, small groups, rest and reflection, the four presentations on “A Sacred Pilgrimage Into Dreams” offered participants both concept and practice.
Presenter Connie Bovier, spiritual director, retreat leader, author and FUMSDRL member, has been a student and teacher of Christian dreamwork for ten years. Certified by the Marin Institute for Projective Dreamwork, she follows the individual and group dreamwork model taught by both Jeremy Taylor and Robert Haden.
Grounding each presentation in the Biblical foundation for dreamwork, Connie read dreams and visions ranging from the vivid Jacob’s ladder story to the five dreams relating to the Savior’s birth cited in the first two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel. The historical perspective included the loss of dreamwork as a respectable spiritual practice in the Middle Ages and the reawakening of dreamwork largely due to the emergence of modern psychology.
Basic concepts began with the premise that dreams are gifts from God, given in the interest of healing and wholeness, to help dreamers become the persons that God created them to be. Topics included universal dream themes, nightmares and a variety of ways to think about dreams and to engage dream material. Guiding retreatants in learning to view their dreams metaphorically, Connie led group exercises in identifying and engaging symbols to help reveal their meanings at both personal and universal levels. Two nights for sleeping and dreaming at the retreat produced interesting dreams for reflection in both large group sessions and in the small group meetings. Those retreatants who were experienced dream group members offered insights which helped enrich learning for all present. Many returned home with “dream tasks” suggested by their own dream processing and by others who heard and honored their dreams as well as an interest in learning more about Christian dreamwork.
About Kathy Kothmann
Kathy Kothmann is a retreat leader, spiritual director, labyrinth facilitator, Certified Lay Minister and Lay Speaker, Companions in Christ leader, facilitator with Bridges to Life prison ministry, and graduate of the Upper Room 2-year Academy for Spiritual Formation. A retired educator, she lives in College Station, TX with her husband of 52 years, Mort, and their youngest grandchild, Haiden. She was co-retreat leader for Spirit Journey with Frankie Watson.