Publishers Weekly
10/16/2023
Bulkeley (The Scribes of Sleep), director of the Sleep and Dream Database, aims in this impassioned handbook to help readers “unlock new dimensions of your own nocturnal imagination.” According to the author, everyone has “the potential to become a ,” and can fuel their “dreaming imagination” by optimizing sleep patterns, exploring “the metaphorical meanings of dreams,” and sharing dreams with others, whether individually or in“dream-sharing groups.” He overviews three “realms” where “spiritual energies can be especially strong”—dreams with animals and nature; gods and demons; and death and dying—and elucidates prominent themes and types for each (“visitation dreams” featuring a deceased loved one are particularly common, for example). His links between the spiritual and the unconscious illuminate (“the psychospiritual intensity of dreaming can transform an abstract idea into a deeply relevant and personally meaningful conviction”), even if the thesis sometimes stretches into hyperbole, as when Bulkeley tells readers that their “visionary gifts can make a real contribution to the collective health of those around you in these fraught and perilous times.” Still, it’s a welcome resource for those eager to dive into the mysteries of the unconscious. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
"Bulkeley's scientific research, bolstered by stories of religious, spiritual, and historical practices from cultures around the world, has felt mind-shifting. Dreaming as a tool for social transformation: who knew? This eye-opening book feels deeply hopeful, and I may never sleep the same way again." —Karen Walrond, author of The Lightmaker's Manifesto and Radiant Rebellion
"A pulsating, personal, playful invitation to delve into rich spiritual possibilities generated by our dreams. This is a brave and beautiful book." —Robert C. Dykstra, author and Charlotte W. Newcombe Professor of Pastoral Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary
"Bulkeley reminds us that dreaming is fundamentally a spiritual practice for 'a culture that has fallen dangerously out of touch with its own dreaming resources.'" —Kirk A. Bingaman, author and professor of pastoral mental health counseling, Fordham University
"If we want lives that are Spirit-led, we must listen closely to the language of our dreams. This book has offered me deeper understanding and a renewed commitment to take my dreams seriously!" ——Kate H. Rademacher, author of Reclaiming Rest: The Promise of Sabbath, Solitude, and Stillness in a Restless World
"The Spirituality of Dreaming leads us inside of the world of dreams and illustrates how our dreams serve as a portal to and from the Divine and provide another opening for the Spirit to lead us home." —Lerita Coleman Brown, spiritual director and author of What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Walk with Howard Thurman
"The Spirituality of Dreaming offers clear guidance to connecting with the creative and deeply personal power of the dreaming mind, through the well-presented methods of science, culture, and tradition. Kelly Bulkeley reminds us that sleep is an absolute essential, and he invites us to become more active players in the meaningful drama of our dreaming lives. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey." —Michelle Carr, assistant research professor, University of Montreal
