I am in a gathering space, like a community hall, with a number of people.  I am thinking about leaving and going home but realize I have to go out across a rough section of neighborhood at night that feels risky, dangerous. I look around for someone who might accompany me at least part way for safety. Scene shifts or my attention is drawn back into the hall/event space. I am holding hands with Obama who is on my right side and with another man who is famous- maybe a spiritual leader or past President?- and we are also holding hands with a ring of people who have gathered to form this circle. I can feel Obama’s hand very strongly, the sensation of touch is vivid. We are praying and sink to our knees. This is hard for Obama to do, he goes down slowly, but does in fact get on his knees. Now what had seemed to be a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer has shifted into song: I am singing along with the others part of “America the Beautiful!” This has become “the Lord’s Prayer”, a sung version. The phrase, “God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea” is clearly sung.  Last scene. I am outside walking and notice large landscaped areas of the city area I’m in. I see masses of blooming, angel wing begonias, white flowers, masses of them. I love begonias and feel pleased and happy to see these flourishing healthy, rather rare plants.

From Jody G., a therapist from Ohio

In 2008 Jody created the Ohio Political Dreams Project: (http://web.mac.com/jodine.grundy/Ohio_Political_Dream_Project/Calling_All_Dreamers.html)

Jody’s site represents a pioneering effort to stimulate more public reflection on dreams as a source of political and collective insight. 

She shared this dream of Sept. 15, 2009 during this year’s PsiberDreaming Conference, an online forum sponsored by the International Association for the Study of Dreaming.  Below are her notes about the dream’s dimensions of meaning and significance.

• Recent association to song “America the Beautiful”: heard it at Ted Kennedy’s televised funeral.

• Obama joined the funeral mass and there were “masses” there, praying together I feel “in touch” with him again and am forming a living bridge between him and another important leader in a spiritual exercise. morning after this dream I read in the morning paper that Valerie Jarret, O’s close staffer, was with the Dalai Lama and there may be a chance that O. will visit him too. This feel connected to my dream.

• Obama’s difficulty getting down on his knees: he needs to be more humble and really invoke spiritual help and do so WITH the people. He gradually does this in the dream.

• My need for safety: restoring my trust in Obama as leader, but not up on a pedestal, rather lowly, down to earth, grounded and linked powerfully in the praying and singing mass of people.

• Outcome: flourishing growth: the white blooming angel wing begonias.

• Restoration of my idealism: linking love of country and spiritual expression: they are ONE. In me, in dreamspace, the separation of church and state breaks down & a true unity is found within myself and also in community.

• Preparing for the Psiberdreaming Conference and Obama Dreams presentation: I feel this dream is very positive and shows that this theme/work is still alive and meaningful for me and others.