Retreat centre – Dreamyoga

Here is this morning’s dream had during the best night’s sleep for a long while.

The dream opens with me arriving outside a low slung two storey building at a bend in a river which is at the end of a long non tarmac drive. The building abuts a farm which leads off up the hill. The scenery is lush green and I know this to be North Wales not far from Llangollen. I put down my two light suitcases and open the door to go in. Somehow the property is mine.

The idea is to run it as a retreat centre. I go through to check out the catering kitchens. They are in order. Various people arrive and we meet in an upstairs room which overlooks the stair way. It is a kind of hang-out space. People are all a bit hyped and coming up with ideas as to how to run the centre, use the space. They are talking a lot. I say that if they want to they can run it but without me. If I am to do it, it will be done my way and my way alone. L is there and her husband is in their bedroom. The wife is there and she is unpacking in ours. I leave the stairwell and go outside.

At the corner of the building where there is a small brook crossing the property largely under the cover of some big slates there is a bamboo half barrel / bucket. It has a wrought iron band painted in an enamel black paint. I have set up the water barrel so that it is continually refreshed from the mountain stream. Attached to the wall is a bamboo ladle, with a long bamboo handle. It is there for people to practise misogi or purification. The water which they pour over themselves will drain though the slates and into the brook. There is a small bamboo slatted bench for people to sit upon. It is not me who needs purification.

I go back into the building and people gather in the kitchen. I explain that the farmer has a number of cabins for accommodation on his farm. Guests at the retreat centre can stay there. Again people try to “brainstorm” ideas as to how the retreat centre will work and its curriculum. Because L is there I know it will have a strong dreaming element. She says that I must not be too rigid. I agree but say that there must also be strict discipline and it will include some martial arts style rigour. People are too soft. The “debate” continues and I remind them that I am not overly interested in what they “think” it should be. They may have ideas which differ. People are trying to tell me what to do. I am unimpressed.

The dream ends.

I arrive at a large building on multiple levels which backs directly onto the sea. The shore is rocky but not too step. It has many rooms which are like warm rounded caves and are decked out in “ethnic” fabrics and furniture.

Soon various people start arriving. They are of all ages and some with children. The rooms are all open, without doors, yet still afford some privacy, they feed into one another. This is to be the retreat centre it has an ethos of non-denominational, discursive-ness and openness. It is to be themed around dreaming. There is a slight yet noticeable “hippie” vibe. Whilst it is not yet an Ashram, it has the potential so to be.

People are gathering around, and we are expecting a visit from a lama Y. together with his entourage. They tip up and take the tour. We are sat in one of the larger rooms and I show him an “ethnic” carved figure of a deer. He comments that although it is pretty the workmanship is not so good. I have sourced it at a local shop. After this I go to the shop and the owner agrees that the workmanship isn’t high quality. He says that he will send it back to his supplier and replace it for me. He thanks me for bringing it to his attention.

As lama Y. is leaving, he asks me what it is all about.

I say, “Dreaming is dreaming, and it will work itself out.”

From the house we can see all the children playing in the glass-sided infinity pool which is tidal.

I go down to the inlet by the sea. There we can see fish swimming in the creek. We can discern amongst them 3-4 dolphins. This causes much excitement. I whistle to the dolphins and they swim in closer to us. When one of the dolphins gets close it morphs into a dolphin-man. He gets out of the water and onto the stone jetty we are sitting on. He says, “Praxes” and I ask him if he is Greek. He replies in perfect English that he is and that he and his friends run a local taxi business.

I ask him for some business cards which we can put up on the notice board for the guests. He hands me some of these and then dives back into the water. The dolphins swim off.

Two Americans have come to visit, they are a female and a male. The woman has a “hippie” vibe and the man is an astronaut with short hair. He is unconvinced. He proceeds to wander off to check out the organisation, sceptical.

Dressed now in my yukata I ask the woman if they need some sunscreen. It can be deceptive around here, the amount of sun. The woman thanks me but does not think it is needed. I say that the offer remains open.

Back now in the main room of the centre many of us are gathered. We look out to the sea and cannot tell if the tide is out or not. I say that we need to install a tidal monitor, which I will do later.

Now we have to decide more about the retreat centre, what it will do and how it will work.

Dream ends

——————

praxis (ˈpræksɪs)

n, pl praxises or praxes (ˈpræksiːz)

1. (Education) the practice and practical side of a profession or field of study, as opposed to the theory

2. (Education) a practical exercise

3. accepted practice or custom

[C16: via Medieval Latin from Greek: deed, action, from prassein to do]

————–

There is an implicit question as to whether I want to form / found an Ashram.

Tag: Retreat centre

Retreat Centre – Misogi – Dream 06-03-2026

Ashram-Retreat Centre – Dolphins – Dream 21-02-18