A love letter.
Dear Community Dreamwork,
I can’t believe it’s been over three years already! Remember the spontaneity of the first unofficial-official community dreamwork? It was July 2022, at the International Institute of Peace Education in México City. I had that wacky dream about Chuckie which sparked the daily morning ritual of sharing dreams at the breakfast table and also seeded the friendship between me and Stephanie. You brought us together—thanks for that. 😍
A year later, Stephanie and I wrote an article about you, Community Dreamwork as Intercultural Peacelearning, remember that? We geeked out on it so hard. I can honestly say it brought me a lot of joy to write it. Hello, what’s that all about? Clearly, you had everything to do with that anomaly because academic jargon and citations don’t turn me on in the slightest.
Stephanie and I were pretty obsessed with you, evidenced by the fact that the paper wasn’t enough to satiate us—two months later, we hosted our first official-official Community Dreamwork gathering at the Acosta Institute’s International Healing-Centered Education Conference. Since then, we’ve been devotedly offering monthly virtual gatherings centering YOU.
I feel like you’re equally obsessed with us. Let’s face it, you don’t even try to hide the way you shamelessly dote on us during the gatherings, leaving us feeling seen and grateful, and even more in awe of Life and the Great Mystery...Listen, the generative reciprocity and the rehydration of vitality are the biggest green flags. 🥹🙏
I know you know how challenging of a year it’s been for me.
*cue the montage of dreams featuring grief, shame, more grief, many versions of clogged toilets, purging pink glittery puke, melting evil looking sun, a raw skinned horse, and other uncomfortable yet somehow hopeful absurdities*
How can something so elusive and mystifying bring me so much comfort? You’re definitely a weirdo, a very special weirdo. And the most patient and generous, as you devotedly accompany me home to my true nature, regardless of how many times I stray or falter. Weeeeell….sometimes you don’t seem very patient because those sleep paralysis moments were pretty f*ckin’ scary. But, I get it, I get it…you were trying to get my attention because I wasn’t. paying. attention.
Now that you have my attention, I’m able to receive your gifts…
…the opportunities to heal the parts of myself that I abandoned.
…connection to my ancestors.
…wisdom from more-than-human kin.
…the courage to walk through thresholds.
…the ability to trust myself more.
…the growing capacity to live into the pluriverse—beyond binaries, rational-thinking, linearity, and monoculture.
…a rehabilitation of my imaginal capacity and belief in magic.
…a community of humans to belong together with our dreams.
Thank you. Thank you for being one of the medicines that nursed my grieving and weary spirit this year. Thank you for being one of my guides on this messy and beautiful human experience. You are one of the brightest lights that came through the cracks of 2025.
Here’s to deepening our relationship in 2026. 🔥🐴🫀
Devotedly yours,
효영 Minna 🤍
