This article examines the relevance of dreamwork and psycho spiritual approaches for people of color in the Americas, contrasting them with Western mental health frameworks. We explore how these approaches might offer valuable insights for BIPOC communities, addressing collective shadows and systemic issues with a focus on integration rather than destructive
patterns of behavior. We analyze the intersection of concepts such as karma and intergenerational trauma with modern psychological theories, highlighting Tibetan perspectives on dreamwork that align with psychoanalytic approaches. Furthermore, we critique Western scientific materialism & reductionist focus and the marginalization of indigenous wisdom in favor of Western systems, emphasizing the need to decolonize knowledge and embrace diverse methodologies. Additionally, the article addresses the stigma surrounding mental health services in BIPOC communities, which is rooted in historical dehumanization and exclusion from mainstream care, advocating for culturally competent approaches and the integration of alternative dreamwork methodologies to better serve these communities.

Keywords: “BIPOC,” “Consciousness,” “Darkness,” “Dream Analysis,” “Dreamwork,” “Integration,” “Karma,” “Shadow Work,” “Spirituality.”



Ancient Wisdom: The Role of Dreams in Diverse Cultures:


Every pre-modern, pre-Western culture has employed rituals and traditions aimed at harnessing the innate human capacity to use dreams as a tool for connecting with higher spiritual intelligence. The Dogon people, for instance, have intricate dream traditions embedded in their cosmology and religious practices (Van Beek, 1991). For them, dreams are a medium for spiritual communication and guidance from ancestors. Similarly, the Maasai people integrate dreams into their spiritual practices, using them for guidance in daily life (Mol, 1996). The Hadza, known for their hunter-gatherer lifestyle, seek wisdom from dreams for spiritual guidance
and to ensure successful hunts (Woodburn, 1982).


Additionally, many Native American tribes, including the Ojibwe, hold rich traditions in which dreams are seen as sources of wisdom and guidance (Vecsey, 1983). Among the iconic regalia of Native peoples, dream catchers are well-known and symbolize the sacred nature of dreaming (Storm, 1972). Traditional Chinese views on dreams, influenced by Taoist and Buddhist philosophies, regard them as reflections of health and spiritual balance. In Tibet, dreams play a crucial role in preparing for death and offer a rare opportunity to transcend the karmic cycle of reincarnation (Liu, 2008).

Ancient Greece also placed significance on dreams, which were seen as divine messages. The practice of dream incubation in Asclepian temples was an essential aspect of healing (Harris, 2009). This rich cultural diversity surrounding the psycho spiritual technology of dreaming shows that a deep connection with dreams is not only a powerful Afrocentric practice but also a cross- cultural discipline. It has wide-reaching implications for mindfulness, spirituality, resilience, and well-being.


Western culture tends to emphasize productivity, often viewing sleep through a mechanical lens, where an individual& rest is primarily seen as a way to restore energy in preparation for the next day’s tasks. However, intentional rest is far more than just recuperation. Sleep allows the mind to process unresolved emotions from the day, with dreams serving as a natural conduit for
rejuvenation and spiritual exploration (van der Helm & Walker, 2009). Lucid dreaming is both natural and essential for the development of the human psyche and spiritual well-being, offering an unbiased reflection of our current mental and emotional state. Through dreams, we engage with dimensions of reality beyond our waking experience, making them vital tools for exploration and growth. This is especially significant for marginalized communities facing systemic barriers related to affordability and time constraints (Riley, n.d.). Dreamwork can be a versatile and accessible practice for people of color, representing a skill that can be learned and refined. It requires minimal disruption to daily life, as it primarily takes place during sleep, with only a few
preparatory and post-sleep practices.


It is crucial to reintroduce the traditional wisdom of dreamwork into our lives for personal growth and the healing of both ourselves and our relationships with non-human beings. Sleep constitutes roughly a third of our lives, and dreaming is a deeply ingrained natural process shared by diverse carbon-based life forms on this planet (Peña-Guzmán, 2022). To dismiss such a pervasive phenomenon as unimportant to the human experience would be, at the very least, shortsighted.


A well-known Buddhist anecdote illustrates this point: a monk meditating in a dark cave was confronted by a demon one night. As the demon lashed out, the monk neither resisted nor succumbed to its provocations. Frustrated, the demon, an embodiment of the monk& fears and doubts, eventually sat beside him in meditation before fading away (Student of the Dharma, personal communication, 2002). This story highlights that when we approach the unfamiliar and unsettling with empathy, compassion, and bravery, we open ourselves to profound transformation and enlightenment.



Personal Reflections: Dreamwork and Tibetan Dream Yoga as a Person of Color:

People of color seeking mental and emotional support in the Americas often need to explore psycho spiritual approaches outside of the Western framework. The post-positivist model of Euro-Western psychology, which drew heavily from the ancient mystery schools of pre-colonial cultures, has historically neglected the psychological needs of people of color since its inception (Auguste et al., 2023). This willful omission has undeniably contributed to the othering and dehumanization of BIPOC communities for the benefit of white-identifying institutions. This trend persisted until the 1960s, when historic injustices faced by people of color, particularly Black women, forced the psychological field to reluctantly take action (Erford, 2017). While advocacy for formal legislation marked progress toward a more equitable mental healthcare system, issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion remain unresolved and represent an ongoing existential crisis within the very fabric of American identity.


Moreover, for many people of color, the psychological community&s current efforts to address diverse needs are still largely insufficient (Williams, Walker, & Egede, 2016). Given the precarious landscape of mental healthcare for these communities, where options often involve either venturing outside of mainstream systems or relying on self-regulation, frustrations with systemic inequities have led to widespread demoralization (Pederson, 2023). Like many other scholars concerned with emotional, spiritual, and psychological well-being, the search for more robust alternatives to the dominant cultural narrative often leads to the integration of mindfulness techniques from Eastern traditions, which offer millennia of observation and replicable methodologies (Crane, 2017).


The Tibetan system of dream exploration suggests that after cultivating stability, clarity, and control, we should pursue the development of power and strength by embodying the energy of wrath in our dreams. This is a distinct and often challenging phase, where we harness an agency to dismantle or transform entire realms of thought and dreams, creating more favorable conditions for psycho-spiritual growth.


We are encouraged to exist as conscious observers outside the dream& narrative, recognizing that our perceptions shape our meaning-making (Betancourt, 2018). Furthermore, understanding the regulating qualities of conscious observation as central to mindfulness highlights that the concept of wrath in the Bon Buddhist tradition is not inherently right or wrong. Instead, it conveys our ability to remain grounded within the flow of the dream without becoming attached to the narrative that might otherwise pull us into a semi-lucid projection (Lilja et al.,2013). This detached awareness grants us the flexibility to exert our will upon our circumstances, allowing us to dismantle mental constructs that no longer serve us, not as an expression of anger, but through an objective energy of assertiveness and balanced power.


As one might imagine, this temperament is difficult to master, as assertiveness is often overshadowed by the root emotion of anger as our level of lucid awareness fluctuates. Additionally, there are double standards in how assertiveness is often misrepresented as
aggression, particularly along gender lines (Maloney & Moore, 2020). Understandably, Tibetan masters reserved this aspect of lucid dream practice for those who had cultivated calm stability,  mental fortitude, and psychospiritual control.


While some Western schools of thought may view such upheaval in the dream narrative as unfavorable, it is important to consider the context in which a dream yoga practitioner encounters the energy of unmaking. A recent study examining the hypothesis that world
cultures are structured to promote emotional responses central to their values found that Americans& views on emotions like anger and shame reflect patterns consistent with competitive individualism (Boiger, De Deyne, & Mesquita, 2013). It is no surprise, then, that when attempting to contextualize the merits of wrath within Western culture, there is a bias toward perceiving
wrath as a destructive or harmful force.


In Taoist thought, Zhuang Zhou’s famous butterfly dream recounts his experience of waking up to a paradoxical state of awareness after dreaming that he was a butterfly. He reflects that, as he sat recalling the experience, he was unsure whether he had been dreaming of the butterfly or if the butterfly was presently dreaming of him (Watson, 1996). Similarly, Tibetan Rinpoche
describes wrath as a transformative tool within our subconscious, suggesting, “To be in union with something, you must understand where it ends and where you begin” (Wangyal Rinpoche & Dahlby, 1998).


When we confront the most terrifyingly dark and imposing figures of the mind and spirit without wavering, yet fully capable of unraveling the dimensional facets of our perceived reality, we find ourselves in a place of intuitive empowerment (Morley, 2021). We begin to understand that there is a time to destroy and a time to create. Secure enough to discern the appropriate response to
triggering psychological stimuli, we often realize that there is little need to destroy what we encounter in dreams beyond our own subconscious aversions to particular expressions of dualistic perceptions.


For many people of color, this subconscious aversion and dualistic perception are often abstractly contextualized through the concept of “curses.” This may reflect a pre-diasporic psychospiritual terminology that has survived the intentional cultural severance imposed by colonial initiatives, which frequently aimed to suppress native and indigenous languages and spiritual practices. Many people of color unconsciously use the term “curse” to describe circumstances beyond their immediate control that negatively impact their ability to exercise self-determination. Both elders and youth speak of breaking intergenerational curses, which they may characterize as obesity, poor health, addictive behaviors, self-defeating beliefs, and systemic poverty, among others (Gatewood, Muhammad, &Turner, 2023).


For survivors of systemic racism, engaging with the collective, unintegrated shadow of American culture may involve confronting unsettling projections, facing deeply embedded fears, and creating empathetic spaces to address these intergenerational curses in ways that a less experienced version of ourselves might struggle to handle.


Recently, while delving into our own internal ecology, we encountered a particularly disturbing manifestation of & cursed energy&  in our dreams. We watched as it twisted in on itself like flesh being sucked into a narrow tube, churning inward until its bones broke with an audible snap that sent shivers down our spine. It then reemerged on four fragile limbs, approaching us inverted and somehow slithering.


At this stage of self-exploration, we rarely find such volatility unsettling. Years of cultivating an integrative approach to diverse psycho spiritual disciplines have afforded me a certain flexibility in processing the immense weight of historical intolerance. Instead of resisting the uncomfortable, we allow these curses to reside within us. It’s important to make space for the unfamiliar in our internal ecosystem without feeling the need to categorize or fully understand their purpose. Additionally, it’s worth considering that other descendants of formerly enslaved peoples may experience similarly volatile projections in their nightly crucibles, having had far fewer opportunities to connect with the traditions of diverse spiritual disciplines that could have helped them contextualize their experiences. In place of a strong cultural foundation with which to identify, and given mistrust in the mental healthcare system, communities of color seem poised to repress or suppress their anxieties (Williams, 2018).


I recognize that, like many other people of color, I am still actively navigating the complexities of Blackness in America. The persistent racial injustices and the strategic invalidation of accounts of systemic aggression against people of color have all but made Blackness a pre-existing condition, exacerbating the severity of unfavorable health outcomes (Winters, 2020).


Furthermore, the experience of anxiety and depression among people of color fundamentally differs from that of their white counterparts, not only in outward expression but also in the responsiveness of the mental health care system to the grievances of diverse populations. Many marginalized individuals report dismissive behavior from medical professionals when
seeking emotional support (Hankerson et al., 2022).


For this reason, I am profoundly grateful for the shadows, demons, and curses that have emerged in my dreams. These manifestations embody the intangible concepts we struggle to articulate, fully comprehend, or that are outright denied by Western societal conditioning. By taking form in our dreams, they engage all our senses and provide a unique opportunity to interact with dynamic emotions in new and imaginative ways.


While the Euro-Western system appears rigidly resistant to fundamental change, long-standing and diverse ways of knowing that predate the Western model seem to have caught the attention of the Western academic community. Moreover, Euro-Western institutions often struggle to allow traditional knowledge systems to exist independently. Instead, they seek to absorb, adapt, and
filter these systems through their own standards of valuation, rather than respecting the autonomy of the traditions to remain complete within their specific cultural contexts. The result is often an unfortunate watered-down hybrid that leaves many questioning the validity of the original discipline.


Given that Euro-Western social constructs often fall short in providing culturally competent solutions for the complex experience of Blackness in America, the self-regulating qualities and inherent wisdom of dreams may serve as a final refuge for the hearts and minds of people of color before succumbing to despair. Unfortunately, contemporary Western value systems frequently trivialize the healing power of dreams, dismissing them as too subjective or unscientific unless examined through the psychoanalytic frameworks of figures like Jung or Freud. In such cases, dreamwork is often reduced to a Gestalt technique, used merely as a gateway to more & robust& exercises, rather than being appreciated as a complete psycho spiritual discipline with millennia of evidence-based application, as it is regarded in traditions like Bon.



Dreaming Towards Wellness: A Journey of Empowerment:


To understand the benefits of a dream-centered, rest-focused approach to mental health, one need only consider the crucial role that proper sleep hygiene plays in overall well-being and personal development. Sleep deprivation and disorders are among the most common yet often overlooked treatable health conditions in the U.S., affecting an estimated 50 to 70 million people and contributing to nearly every major public health concern (Institute of Medicine, 2006).


Dreamwork emphasizes individual agency, placing power and discernment firmly in the hands of the dreamer, while the dream worker acts as a facilitator, holding space for the dreamer& process. This practice centers rest, introspection, and integration as key elements in an individual & journey toward wellness. 


While the importance of dreamwork and its connection to a rest-focused wellness approach may be overlooked in the West, the Rinpoche of the Tibetan Dream Yoga tradition prescribes lucid living practices for daily life. These practices enable us to engage more meaningfully with the multifaceted dimensions of reality by fostering a closer relationship with our dreams, offering
opportunities for deeper introspection and a greater understanding of subjective experiences.

The heightened awareness cultivated through dreamwork exercises allows incoherent emotions, often triggered by environmental stimuli, to gain coherence through the assignment of meaning (Albright, 2015).

Dreaming is a largely automatic function; while everyone dreams, many who are untrained in practices that strengthen awareness often struggle to recall them. We are all familiar with dreams filled with beauty, revelation, insight, and luminescence. However, we are also intimately acquainted with the frightening, oppressive torrents of nightmares that can drive the faint of heart into dissociative avoidance. Nightmares, often misunderstood in the West, play a crucial role in processing unresolved psychological issues and reclaiming unintegrated psychic energy (Scalabrini, Esposito, &Mucci, 2021). Despite the strong correlation between nightmares and various psychiatric disorders, little attention is given to mitigating nightmares as a means to improve mental health. Interestingly, a systematic review of longitudinal studies, experimental research, and clinical trials found that addressing nightmares as a treatment modality led to reductions in anxiety, depression, paranoia, and risk factors related to PTSD and suicide
(Sheaves, Rek, &Freeman, 2021). Despite our inclination toward neutrality and a desire for positive outcomes, our internal landscape often manifests as dark and foreboding, especially when neglected. Perhaps it is this very desire for healing that draws the attention of the nightmarish forms that populate our internal reality in all their ebony splendor.


Years of studying tantric methods, the Tibetan approach to dreaming, the poetry and mystery of Sufism, and the dark animus of Peruvian shamanism have fundamentally transformed our relationship with these concepts of nightmares. Through learning about and experiencing the dark presence of spirit within the context of these traditions, we gained a more honest understanding of our anxiety and fears and gained insight into our dualistic perception of physical and immaterial realities.


We began to understand that, in our current situation, the source of our discomfort is not an encounter with a dark, oppressive force that could ruin or overwhelm our souls, but rather an anxiety over loss centered around the fear that the people we cared for most might be harmed by the mechanization of our current physical, political, and social climate. Reinforced by the suffocating reality and constant reminders of general intolerance and the threat of wanton violence, which seemed to be an inheritance of Black people in America, it makes perfect sense for people of color to be operating out of a darker perspective (Sharif et al., 2022).


As a speaker and mentor advocating for the integration of taboo aspects of the unconscious or subconscious mind through shadow work, I often emphasize that our goal is not to overcome, slay, or destroy these uncomfortable visions that the ego perceives as threatening. Instead, our aim is to cultivate a calm awareness that allows us to sit comfortably beside them, seeking integration rather than conquest. We give these dynamic internal forces the time, space, and agency they need to express the things we’ve been avoiding, acting on our behalf.


Needless to say, this notion often does not sit well with many of our students, who seem to seek a way to dispel the darkness in their minds in favor of light. Initially, many struggle to consider a constructive relationship with the dark as a path to illumination. They fail to realize that when the demons of the unconscious mind surface, there is less reason to fear these encounters; instead,
they should be seen as opportunities for growth through vulnerability. Consequently, many who come into our sphere seeking beautiful dreams are repelled by the idea of embracing the darker aspects of their psyche. Instead, they often choose more conventional methodologies, which place them at odds with these & demons & by extension, with themselves.

The Dream Yogis of the East suggest that to foster lucidity in both our waking lives and dream states, we must first cultivate a sense of calm stability within our dreams. This stability ensures we are not unsettled by the dynamic energies experienced in the dream state. Once this foundation is established, we can advance our practice by focusing on clarity in recall, free from judgment of what arises.

Only when we achieve stability and clear perception of our experiences can we begin to exert a
degree of control over them, a principle that applies to both wakefulness and sleep (Coleman &
Jinpa, 2007). At this stage, we push the boundaries of perceived reality beyond the immediacy
of our five senses. In the unconscious and subconscious realms, we face challenges and
overcome them in ways unrestrained by the limitations of waking physical reality. We leap
higher than the tallest buildings, burrow deep into the earth, and transform ourselves to suit our
surroundings.


Through these experiences, we uncover many truths and realities beyond the constraints of
human form, which may reflect the essence of humanity itself (LaFromboise, n.d.). This inherent
ability to shift perspectives and dismantle egoic constructs to embody the experiences of others
fosters a versatility of mind and soul that ultimately predisposes the body toward healthier
outcomes.
 


Cultivating the Ecology of Emotions: A Path to Psychological Health:

The brain, as an organ, is constantly engaged in a process of informational triage. It prioritizes
what information is deemed important and worth consideration, bringing those stimuli to the
forefront of our conscious mind while deprioritizing a vast majority of stimuli considered
momentarily unimportant (Myers, Stokes, & Nobre, 2017). This means that human beings are
never truly experiencing every aspect of reality; rather, our perception is inherently dimensional.
The dream yogi might liken these dimensions to specific patterns of karma that perpetuate
dualistic thinking.


Karma, a key concept in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, suggests that actions in previous
lives influence future outcomes through a cycle of rebirth. For many in the West, the concept of
karma and reincarnation may seem unscientific due to prevailing cultural narratives. However, to
better understand karma, we might consider it as a cultural expression of certain objective truths
(Kalra et al., 2017). The core idea of karma is that our actions reinforce behavioral patterns,
making us more likely to repeat them. Our thoughts and feelings are shaped by our
environment, which predisposes us to specific actions. These actions trigger emotional
responses, which in turn reinforce certain behaviors (Dispenza, 2017).


This perspective aligns with foundational principles found in many popular Western
psychological theories, such as cognitive-behavioral theory, which recognizes the significant
influence of our environment and emotional state on behavior (Kim, Lim, Chung, & Woo, 2009).
Furthermore, karma includes an intergenerational dimension, where behavioral cycles create
environments that shape and reinforce the behaviors of future generations, with possible
epigenetic implications. Indeed, our unresolved &shadow& is often passed down to our children
and grandchildren to either resolve or succumb to. This can be viewed as being &reborn& into
the cycles established by previous generations, akin to the concept of an intergenerational
curse.


The Tibetan perspective contextualizes karmic patterns by anthropomorphizing or characterizing
our perception of reality into narratives that aid in identification and memory. This is a common
tool used in many psychospiritual traditions that rely on oral transmission (Hodge, Pasqua,
Marquez, & Geishirt-Cantrell, 2002). Reality is divided into dimensions such as gods, demigods,
humans, animals, hell beings, and hungry ghosts, each representing specific energy

frequencies, emotional manifestations, and behavioral patterns (Wangyal Rinpoche &Dahlby,
1998). While terms like “gods” and “demons” may be less familiar or accepted in Western
academic circles, these categories intuitively organize interconnected emotions and behaviors
into a practical framework. Although rooted in Tibetan culture, this approach is no more or less
valid than the claims of any dominant Western psychological theory.


The traditions of dream yogis suggest that dark entities and nightmares in our dream space may
represent qualities of the hell dimension, governed by aggression and wrath. This dimension
embodies our propensity for fighting, overcoming, and destroying things that challenge our
sense of self (Wangyal Rinpoche & Dahlby, 1998). It is suggested that as we navigate our daily
activities in the waking world, our emotional states often reflect the qualities of one or more of
these dimensions. We operate within the patterns of karma influenced by our emotional states,
and this interplay affects us mentally, spiritually, and physically.


Our anger, aggression, and sadness manifest in our bodies, influencing gene regulation, heart
function, and overall vitality (Degruy, J. A. 2017). These emotions affect our health and well-
being, demonstrating how our internal states can impact our physical form.


Through years of learning, meditation, and practice, we cultivate a rich psychospiritual ecology.
Embracing this ecology allows us to acknowledge both positive and negative emotions.
However, attempting to operate solely from a positive standpoint while dissociating from
negative emotions creates an unsustainable pattern, resulting in unconscious outbursts or
cracks in our masked persona (Amstadter, 2008). A balanced psychospiritual ecology
encompasses all aspects of our emotional experience, promoting overall well-being.


Historically, our species viewed bacteria, germs, and microorganisms as harmful invaders to be
eradicated. However, before this perception took hold, we coexisted with a diverse array of
microorganisms that played essential roles in digestion and overall health (Anwar et al., 2021).
Disrupting this microscopic biodiversity has compromised our ability to process and digest
essential nutrients. While modern food hygiene practices have contributed to our health, it is
evident that a significant reduction in gut microorganism diversity is detrimental to proper gut
health (Anwar et al., 2021). This analogy underscores the importance of maintaining a balanced
and inclusive approach to our psychospiritual ecology, recognizing the value of all aspects of
our inner experience.


Understanding karma and related concepts may be difficult for those in the West, where such
ideas often fall outside mainstream belief systems. Those deeply rooted in specific spiritual
traditions may find it challenging to adopt frameworks outside their own belief systems, viewing
them as foreign or prescriptive. However, these differences need not be barriers to
understanding. Viewing the traditions of various cultures as modalities to conceptualize natural
phenomena allows us to use these frameworks as tools for expansive thought, rather than as
endorsements of one system over another (Lake-Thom, 1997). This approach encourages us to
broaden our perspectives beyond culturally specific norms and engage with diverse
conceptualizations of consciousness and reality.


The Dream Divide: Rethinking Consciousness in Western Science:

The Rinpoche of the Tibetan Dream Yoga tradition posits that our dreams offer a candid
snapshot of our subconscious and unconscious dispositions. By gaining greater awareness of
these facets of reality, we can create meaningful changes in our lives and prepare for the
transition of death (Wangyal, 1998). Similarly, the psychoanalytic approach, popularized in the
West by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, delves into the mechanisms of the unconscious mind
and uses dream analysis as a principal practice for gaining deeper insights into unconscious
patterns and deeply embedded beliefs (Corey, 2023). Despite the proven benefits of dreamwork
for psychotherapists, it is intriguing that dream analysis has not been more widely adopted in
the myriad psychological theories developed after Freud (Schredl et al., 2000).

The nature of consciousness remains a complex issue for scholars entrenched in the scientific
materialism of Euro-Western paradigms. Western science, with its analytical and often
reductionist methodologies, contrasts with the holistic, qualitative approaches of traditional
systems of knowledge, which have been grounded in millennia of observation and oral tradition.
Many Eastern philosophies, which emphasize transcendental experience and mindfulness,
propose that while the brain is an important organ, it is not necessarily the location of
consciousness itself but rather the organ where we observe the residual effects of
consciousness within the human body most regularly (Coleman et al., 2007).

Moreover,Western scholars seeking to understand consciousness may not be using the most appropriate
tools and frameworks if they focus solely on the physical composition of the brain. Recent
research into consciousness suggests that scientific materialism has yet to meet its own high
expectations of fully quantifying the human experience by reducing complex interconnections to
mere material interactions. Attempts to bridge this explanatory gap through neurological studies
have yielded limited results (Kitchener & Hales, 2022). Consequently, consciousness is often
relegated to the periphery of scientific inquiry, overshadowed by theories focused on more
tangible, physical aspects of human experience.
 


Resisting Colonial Narratives: Embracing Indigenous Knowledge as an Act of
Resistance:

In light of the observation that traditional indigenous wisdom is often sidelined in favor of
Western systems, despite many pioneering figures in psychology having been students of these
psychospiritual traditions, several key issues arise (Bynum, 2021).


First, the necessity for indigenous wisdom to be understood within specific cultural and
community contexts creates a barrier to integrating these localized traditions into modern
epistemology (Mazzocchi, n.d.). This perspective overlooks the ability of indigenous ways of
knowing to adapt to local conditions while maintaining their original cultural expression. Often,
these systems of knowing are assimilated into Western narratives to the point of becoming
unrecognizable, which leads to resistance and appropriation by Western scholars. This
assimilation typically results in a &modern&version of these long-established ideals, obscuring
their original sources and leading to their rebranding as groundbreaking within Western
academia (Chilisa, 2019).


Our willingness to accept systems of assimilation, whether consciously or unconsciously,
reflects a form of information colonization that perpetuates the dominance of a particular cultural
narrative. Traditional wisdom confronts the barriers of Western predispositions and must

validate millennia-old knowledge against the emerging standards of relative objectivity. In this
framework, subjective and qualitative knowledge is often deemed less substantial than
quantitative analytical approaches (Rogers et al., 2024). The irony of adapting this philosophical
inquiry into the format of academic writing, rather than presenting it in a manner more
authentically aligned with its original context, reinforces the primacy of Western ways of
knowing, even as I attempt to express diverse perspectives.

Leoandra Onnie Rogers and her colleagues contextualize research as a form of resistance
aimed at dismantling the master narrative of &Good Science.& They argue that psychological
science has perpetuated systemic inequities in communities of color and acknowledge that
science itself has never been neutral but represents a sociopolitical endeavor rooted in post-
positivist white supremacy (Rogers et al., 2024). They advocate for resistance through three
epistemic imperatives: embracing humanizing epistemologies, listening to and learning from
those historically excluded from science, and recognizing resistance as both normative and
necessary.


In this context, the most important task is to identify a conceptual framework that is easy for us
to visualize and work within. When applying culturally competent solutions to existing questions,
it may be less appropriate to continuously condense a robust, pre-existing framework of
knowledge into the context of Euro-Western ideology to align with modern Western sentiments.
Instead, we should consider indigenous research methodologies and the decolonization of
information and ways of knowing as essential for expanding our understanding and promoting
inclusivity.
 


Dreams as Medicine: Navigating Mental Health in Marginalized Communities:


When examining the inequities faced by people of color in the Americas and the prevalent
negative attitudes towards individuals with melanated skin, it becomes apparent that
temperament, disabilities, and health concerns characteristic of BIPOC individuals may be
influenced by the challenging environments in which they are compelled to live. This includes
enduring histories and stress related to surviving the potential backlash of white fragility. The
extensive and multifaceted traumas experienced by survivors of the African diaspora continue to
adversely affect BIPOC individuals to this day. Consequently, there is a stigma surrounding the
benefits of mental health services within the BIPOC community, stemming from historical
dehumanization and the deliberate omission of BIPOC needs from broader mental healthcare
considerations (Knifton et al., 2010). Addressing these traumas requires a focused and
culturally competent approach, one that embraces new paradigms and modalities conceived
and implemented by diverse peoples (Chilisa, 2011).


Dreamwork methodologies originating from alternative cultural paradigms that resonate with the
lived experiences of BIPOC communities, and that have been utilized in formal research
studies, have been particularly challenging to identify and implement. The most commonly used
strategies for dreamwork derive from Western-focused techniques and, as a result, have yet to
meaningfully reach urban BIPOC communities (Shafton, n.d.). This is not to imply that
communities of color do not have a rich, albeit fractured, relationship with their sacred dreams,
but rather that systems incorporating dreamwork through a psychoanalytical lens resonate less
with these communities, as they were never intended for them.

Dr. Bynum and Joy DeGruy might argue that the internal landscape of people of color is shaped
by somatic and epigenetic memories of pain and trauma from a lineage and past that we can
only faintly remember. These memories are inscribed in the genetic signatures of our physical
bodies, suggesting that we may be navigating the aftermath of deep-seated historical traumas.
Such legacies can create barriers to effectively accessing and integrating dreamwork
methodologies, as they are intricately tied to our collective and individual experiences of
suffering and resilience.


These “curses,” like all things, have a rightful place within our inner ecology. Dark energies
serve a purpose within the depths of our psyches and souls. As we confront pervasive negativity
and witness the erosion of educational initiatives that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, it
can feel as though we are compelled to digest a toxic venom. However, manifestations of
darkness in our dreams help us metabolize and break down that poison, releasing a healing
medicine into our being. This process enables us to endure the intolerable aspects of our
existence, maintaining societal conventions while navigating empirical marginalization and
brutality without becoming inherently bitter or lashing out.
 


Conclusion: Reclaiming Personal Power Through Dreamwork


Michael White and David Epston, best known for integrating narrative theory into their
professional practice, assert that problems are constructed within social, cultural, and political
contexts. They emphasize that we live our lives according to the stories we tell ourselves about
ourselves and others. These narratives play a crucial role in how we interpret and assign
meaning to our experiences, which are then internalized as subjective truths (Corey, 2023).


However, meaning formation is not solely shaped by personal narratives; dominant cultural
narratives also significantly influence us. Whether we refer to this as Rogers&Master Narrative&
or White &Dominant Cultural Narrative,& it is clear that a collective hierarchy of understanding
shapes our perception and leads to persistent patterns of behavior and self-identification.
As we explore the merits of dreamwork beyond the confines of Euro-Western psychoanalysis, it
may be more appropriate to consider the cultural perspective of the Tibetan Rinpoche. The long-
standing tradition of Dream Yoga offers valuable insights into the quality of consciousness
inherent in human beings as it relates to lived experience. Stepping momentarily beyond the
primacy of the Euro-Western dominant narrative on the mind, brain, and consciousness, which
has often left Western scholars frustrated, allows us to engage with a more traditional way of
knowing.


In this context, borrowing a thought from Soto Zen Buddhism may offer further insights. Soto
Zen Buddhism, a major school of Zen Buddhism, emphasizes the practice of zazen (sitting
meditation) as a means to cultivate direct experience and insight into the nature of reality. It
contributes to academic explorations of consciousness by offering an experiential and
meditative approach to understanding the mind and reality.


The Buddha often responded to a myriad of questions from his disciples with the phrase, &These
things are not of my concern.& This was not to imply that certain topics are unimportant, but
rather to frame the discourse within the parameters of his own experiences. As a shipwright
would be more knowledgeable about building ships than plowing land, understanding the
parameters of communication and connection is crucial for transferring enlightened wisdom and
insights. Precision of language, contextualizing conversation, and managing expectations are
essential for meaningful discourse.


In the spirit of these principles, we express our concern with the nature of dreams. Our
experiences with dreaming and lucid living have revealed moments of heightened awareness
and profound insight. We are interested in exploring why lucid dreaming can lead to such
elevated states of consciousness and what these states entail. These moments of heightened
awareness represent an elevated state of consciousness that transcends ordinary experience
and offers profound insights into the nature of reality.


Our exploration of the darker, often taboo aspects of the psyche is also significant. This interest
in darker inquiries will undoubtedly lead some of our colleagues, particularly those concerned
with the deep unconscious, to regard our contributions with a degree of unease. This is a
positive development. Discomfort with change is a natural expression of subconscious
resistance. Understanding this resistance is crucial within the context of existing psychological
theories, especially those within Euro-Western frameworks. Our tension underscores the
broader epistemological challenge of adhering to Euro-Western standards of what is considered
good or bad while exploring and integrating indigenous ways of thinking. Indigenous
perspectives often provide rich insights that challenge dominant narratives and enhance our
understanding of consciousness and human experience.


Pre-modern cultures worldwide have long harnessed the power of dreams for both spiritual and
practical purposes, integrating them into their cosmologies and daily practices. People of color
seeking mental and emotional support in the Americas may find that psychospiritual approaches
outside the Western framework are more relevant to their experiences. Dreamwork emphasizes
individual agency and empowers the dreamer to navigate their inner world, while the
dreamworker facilitates and supports this journey, focusing on rest, introspection, and
integration into holistic wellness practices. For people of color, these practices can provide
significant insights into the collective shadows and systemic issues they face, emphasizing
integration over destruction. Despite the challenges, embracing and understanding the darkness
within can lead to profound personal transformation and resilience.



Acknowledgments: 

I would like to thank Megan L. Lefebvre for her assistance with proofreading and editing this
manuscript. I would also like to thank the Divine By Design Inc. team for their support in holding
space for me while I completed this work.