I believe that dreams are our souls way of communicating with us. They are a way to try to wake us up – to get us to become aware of our inner journey. And because of this belief, I pay close attention to my dreams. I think about them, talk about them, and sit with them – I wait until the symbols and strangeness in them become clear and understandable. I find recurring dreams especially important – it’s like my soul is screaming, “Listen – you really need to hear this!” And so I pay even closer attention.

I frequently have a recurring dream. I am in school, but the school feels more like a mall – complete with beautiful fountains, benches, and a food court. It’s very grand and very open. And while the surroundings are beautiful, I am filled with fear. I am brand new to this school, and I have no idea where to go. I can’t remember my classroom numbers. I can’t remember which class starts at what time. And my biggest anxiety comes from not knowing where my locker is. I go through seemingly endless mazes of hallways – each looking the same as the one before. When I finally locate it, I realize that I have forgotten the combination – I can’t open it. I spin the lock repeatedly, but I know that this effort is in vain – I simply do not know the code.

School is in session, but I am not a part of it. I am not able to take part in it because I am unable to get the basics down – learn my schedule, find my classroom, and figure out how to open my locker. The hallways are always empty – the rest of the students are in their classrooms. Everyone else has it all figured out – everyone else knows exactly what to do.

I am definitely not an expert dream analyst, but I do think that this one has some powerful messages. I am a firm believer that we are each here to learn lessons and to reconnect with our soul. So in this dream, I think the school represents all of life – the universe – love energy. And all I want to do is be an active participant – but I definitely have obstacles holding me back.

Knowing the combination to my locker is synonymous with being able to go within and unlock the answers within my own soul. No one else can do it for me, and I can’t do it while I am stressed or frazzled or overwhelmed or scattered. These are emotions that I am always feeling in these dreams. To unlock and uncover the hidden answers that our higher self already knows, we must take the time to slow down, be still, and feel grounded. And because I think that dreams are messages from our soul, I know that this was the message for me.

I need to slow down. It’s not enough to write about it every day. It’s not enough to think about doing it. I must actually do it. And only then will the answers be revealed. Only then will I find this inner peace that I am searching for.

So a big thank you goes to my soul for this beautiful and essential message. I am listening.

And I hope that you, too, will listen to the wisdom in your dreams.