Dreaming is essential and is perhaps the only thing that really exists -Jorge Luis Borges
About Andrea Shane
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Dreaming is essential and is perhaps the only thing that really exists -Jorge Luis Borges
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Falling in Love with the Dreamworld
I became fascinated by dreams while traveling in India in 2012. While backpacking in the foothills of the Himalayas, I began having vivid, emotionally intense dreams. After waking from one such dream, I decided that I wanted to learn more about the language of dreams to understand their meaning. Later that day, I visited a bookstore filled with books in Hindi and Tibetan. In the corner was a small shelf of about twenty-five used books in other languages left by foreign travelers. In a moment of great synchronicity, I noticed a book entitled "The Way of the Dream." My heart pounded as I lifted it off the shelf. I voraciously read the book over the next few days and felt full of life in a way I had never experienced before. Since then, I have been fascinated by the dreamworld and its innumerable gifts. |
Andrea in Ladakh, India in 2012
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Dreamwork Study
Upon returning home from India, I searched for a teacher with whom to receive guidance around my dreams. I was blessed to find Jeremy Taylor, a world-renowned dream worker and irreverent Unitarian Universalist minister. I studied with him closely for five years until his unexpected passing in 2018. Jeremy's absence left me feeling confused and empty and I began seeking other avenues to explore my dreams. In the fall of that year, I enrolled in the Depth (Jungian) Psychology Master's program at Sonoma State University. During my time in the program, I deepened my relationship to the dreamworld, the unconscious, and creative expression.
Upon returning home from India, I searched for a teacher with whom to receive guidance around my dreams. I was blessed to find Jeremy Taylor, a world-renowned dream worker and irreverent Unitarian Universalist minister. I studied with him closely for five years until his unexpected passing in 2018. Jeremy's absence left me feeling confused and empty and I began seeking other avenues to explore my dreams. In the fall of that year, I enrolled in the Depth (Jungian) Psychology Master's program at Sonoma State University. During my time in the program, I deepened my relationship to the dreamworld, the unconscious, and creative expression.
Dreams in Daily Life
Reflecting on my dreams is part of my everyday life and I believe what so many indigenous cultures state about the dreamworld: Our dream life is just as "real", if not even more "real", than waking life. My partner Mike and I talk about our dreams daily and they help us understand each other's inner worlds and strengthen our relationship. I love talking to anyone and everyone about their dreams because dreams are a window into each person's soul. They express our deepest desires, vulnerabilities, traumas, and potentialities. Hearing others' dreams allows me connect with everyone I meet on a deeper, more meaningful level.
Reflecting on my dreams is part of my everyday life and I believe what so many indigenous cultures state about the dreamworld: Our dream life is just as "real", if not even more "real", than waking life. My partner Mike and I talk about our dreams daily and they help us understand each other's inner worlds and strengthen our relationship. I love talking to anyone and everyone about their dreams because dreams are a window into each person's soul. They express our deepest desires, vulnerabilities, traumas, and potentialities. Hearing others' dreams allows me connect with everyone I meet on a deeper, more meaningful level.
The book that started
my journey
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More About Andrea
I grew up in culturally-diverse town in rural Kansas where over thirty languages were spoken. All of the signs in my high school were written in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese and I decided at an early age that I would learn to speak Spanish. This desire took me on a path of completing a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and living in Mexico and Argentina, where I was blessed to be surrounded by people who were passionate about life and taught me to live from a place of wonder and excitement. While in Argentina, I unintentionally attended a three-day meditation and spirituality retreat. I was so amazed and moved by the teachings that I did not sleep for four days. It was as though new life had been poured into me. This began a new path in my spiritual search. |
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After leaving Argentina and graduating from college, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where I was fortunate to have access to numerous spiritual teachers and healing practices. I have practiced in several spiritual traditions and sat numerous meditation retreats since 2008. In 2017, I completed a three-month solitary retreat at a Tibetan Buddhist center in Colorado. While there, I experienced a deep communion with the natural world that completely and indescribably shifted how I perceive the world around me. More than anything, Buddhism and spirituality in general have taught me about the interconnection of all beings and I strive to live in a way that helps relieve the suffering of others.
After completing my Master's work in Depth Psychology in 2020, my partner Mike and I moved to Savannah, Georgia. We love visiting the ocean for early morning swims and evening picnics. I try to take daily walks in the forest behind our home which is filled with loblolly pines, oaks, and sweet gums. I also spend much of my free time listening to/reading books about healing from childhood trauma and doing my best to implement the wisdom I learn. I hope that my own healing process helps me to be more understanding and compassionate with each person who gives me the honor of sharing their dreams with me. |
Andrea in the forest in 2022
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