Some see dreams as communications with another reality and others see them as insignificant random phenomena. Dreams range from the mundane of day-to-day events to the extraordinary, including visions, lucid dreaming, out of body experiences, interactions with the deceased, precognition, sleep paralysis and vivid hallucinations during transitions between sleep and wakefulness. Drawing on individuals’ reports, this book explores the phenomena and the significance of extraordinary dreams.

Kimberly R. Mascaro, PhD, LMFT, has practiced psychotherapy focused on dreamwork, anxiety, women’s recovery, trauma, grief and loss for 20 years and has served as a faculty associate at Arizona State University for 11 years. She lives in California. See consciouschimera.com.

Kimberly R. Mascaro
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 186
Bibliographic Info: appendices, glossary, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6882-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3045-8
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Introduction 1
One. The Phenomenon of Dreaming 7
Two. Extraordinary Dreams 29
Three. Dreams During Pregnancy 70
Four. Dreams That Announce an Arrival 81
Five. The Announcing Dream Study 97
Six. The Announcing Dream Study Continues 111
Seven. Dreams of Departure 121
Eight. A ­Dual-Directional Announcing Dream Discussion 137
Nine. Tips and Techniques for Extraordinary Dreaming 146
Ten. Coming Full Circle 160
Glossary 163
Appendix A: Demographics of Study Participants 165
Appendix B: For Further Reading 168
Bibliography 169
Index 177

• “The full spectrum of contemporary dream research is on display, spread through an expansive space that allows the reader to wander fruitfully, learning something new in every paragraph.”—DreamTime Magazine
• “Providing a wealth of dream stories about the life transitions of being born and passing away, Dr. Mascaro encourages a fresh and open-minded look at extraordinary dreams and their implications.”—Robert Waggoner, author of Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self
• “If you think that you know everything there is to know about dreams, think again. Dr. Kimberly Mascaro has written a delightful, informative, and provocative account of ‘announcing dreams.’ Dreams that herald major life transitions appear in the folklore of all cultures, and still play a role in our lives by connecting us with our bodies, our culture, and our lives, monitoring them all and preparing us for the best news and sometimes the worst news. There is enough scientific data in this book to satisfy the critical reader, but Dr. Mascaro’s book also contains humor, history, and fascinating examples. From an evolutionary perspective, dreams were adaptive, helping early humans (and sometimes other animals) to consolidate learned behavior, process emotional experiences, solve baffling problems, and plan for the future. ‘Announcing dreams’ is a theme that runs through all of these functions, and their crucial role is finally recognized and explored in this outstanding book.”—Stanley Krippner, PhD, California Institute of Integral Studies