I love dreams and dreaming. They have been pivotal to my art process and my spirituality. Much of what has influenced my thinking on dreams come from the work of Edgar Cayce. Cayce was an American clairvoyant born in the late 1870s. His work included channeling on a variety of topics ranging from the nature of the soul, dreaming, to healing and energy. His nickname was the “sleeping prophet” relating to the trance states he would enter into to relay prophetic insights. Here I explore my own relationship with dreaming and witchcraft and the 4 levels of dreaming.

Dreaming and Witchcraft

In the book Dreams and Visions by Cacye he described different levels of dreaming and the contact we can make with others through the deepening levels of the various dream-states. He believed we can connect with people and provide–and receive– spiritual and energetic healings through these encounters.

So rather than the more common Jungian archetypal or Freudian interpretations where everything in the dream is more strictly rooted in the dreamer and their own psyche, Cayce’s take pulls the dreamer out of their own experience and into the world of spirit where things can overlap.

Cayce’s opinions on dreaming aligns with my witchcraft and the work that witches can do in dreaming. A lot can happen in the dream space; interactions with others, connecting to spirits (including aspects of people who are incarnate), animals, plants, deities, and ancestors. According to wikipedia, it states that Edgar Cayce believed that his “subconscious mind was visiting the dream realm in which all minds are timelessly connected.”

I had a powerful dream in 2016 in which a huge stag with massive antlers came up to me. He climbed some steps to where I was sitting and looked me right in the eyes. He felt familiar and potent. I would later come to learn more about and develop a relationship with the Horned God of certain Witchcraft traditions, with this dream as something I view as an invitation into his mysteries.

So I am unsure what Edgar Cayce would have thought about my witchcraft, but nonetheless, his thoughts on dreaming have influenced my thinking around what is possible in dreams as far as who you can visit, communing with entities and the deceased, healing through dreams, and so on.

As someone who practices witchcraft, dreaming is a vital part of my practice and a way of moving across space and time. In addition, the precognitive aspect of dreaming has also proven to be very useful as information can come through before my conscious mind might be alerted to it in the waking world. All of these things contributes to my deepening work as a witch.

The 4 Types of Dreams

There are four types of dreams that were described by Cayce. They are:

1. Physical
2. Self-Revealing
3. Psychic
4. Spiritual

Here is how I have come to interpret each of these dream types based on Cayce’s presentation of them in his book mixed with my own thoughts:

Physical Dreams

The physical dreams are ones that happen on the most surface levels of our psyche. These are the most common types of dreams with mundane themes and interactions. They contain less vivid and deep symbolism (but still might have some) and have less of a “magical” essence to them. A quick often seemingly jumbled processing of the day are typically these types of dreams.

Self Revealing Dreams

The self-revealing are also more common and might help us process something that we are repressing, or show us through symbolism something we are not completely aware of yet. This level can show our conscious minds what our hidden motivations, longings, and desires are. Sex and similar themed dreams might fall into this category.

Psychic Dreams

The psychic dreams go deeper into the subconscious realms. They show us important information and even prophetic insights. These dreams can have a spiritual feeling to them, but they are still more rooted in our own experience, shadows, and psyches. You can interact with others in these spaces as well and commune with entities. It is a meeting place where one realm intersects another. Here is where psychic healing can be exchanged, given, and requested. This can happen without you needing to control anything or even be lucid or vivid dreaming.

Spiritual Dreams

Finally, the spiritual dreams are when the soul travels to the deeper realms of the collective/universe/soul; the dreamer goes deeper than the subconscious mind. These are the dreams that touch intensely and can have a profound impact on our life path. They are very rare. They might come in at a moment of desperation to help re-chart the life path when someone is really in need.

The Altered State of Dreaming & Discernment

Dreaming is a beautiful state to cultivate a relationship with. I am always working on developing my skills as a lucid dreamer. Some profound moments have happened in my life due to dreaming. My dreams have alerted me to issues happening with my family members and the people around me, events that were in motion, along with visits from the gods, plants, tarot cards, crystals, and the like.

I cannot stress enough the importance of discernment when approaching dreams. Not everything is going to have deep, spiritual meaning, not everything is warning of a threat. Dreams give a lot but nothing replaces waking-life supporting evidence, truth, or medical care, for example.

Learning to hone your intuition can help you decipher if a dream is really a warning, you processing anxiety or fear, or something else. Deciphering your dreams not only helps you understand your own dream language but allows you to develop a more conscious relationship with your deep self and soul’s desires.

The magical portal that dreaming offers can enhance many different areas of our lives; problem solving, visiting with spirits, and providing psychic healing to someone in need. Tap into these realms and see how deep the wells of the universal soul can go. What are your experiences with different types of dreams?