Getting in touch with the “verbs of Jesus”
by Betsy Depenau
The Episcopal Church Women of Arkansas had the pleasure of co-sponsoring with Seedwork the workshop Dreams, a Pathway to the Soul at Camp Mitchell the second weekend of March. Canon Susan Sims-Smith, the Canon for Special Ministries in Arkansas and the founder of Seedwork, led the workshop. She spent many years as a Jungian-oriented psychotherapist prior to her ordination and has continued to use those skills in her ministry. She teaches dream interpretation and has organized dream groups in fifteen parishes. Canon Sims-Smith’s work is connected to the ancient wisdom traditions of Christianity and understands dream interpretation as another excellent way to understand the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives. Through dreams, the Spirit confronts and calls us and can lead us to spiritual growth and wholeness if we choose to listen, understand and work. Friday, Canon Sims-Smith began the workshop by discussing the basics of dream work, the purpose of dreams and the conscious and unconscious mind. The evening ended with a brief demonstration of dream interpretation.
Canon Sims-Smith discussed the Ego, the Primary Self, the Disowned Self and the Higher Self after the Eucharist on Saturday morning. Then later, she taught the group about the use of symbols in dream interpretation, and how dreams and synchronicity put us in touch with the “verbs of Jesus,” such as teaching and healing, in the present day. The afternoon brought actual dream interpretation in small group settings. Each small group was facilitated by an experienced dream group leader. All of the participants came back from their groups amazed at the depth of meaning they had found in their chosen dream as they had started to learn how dream work and interpretation actually worked. At the end of the conference, Canon Susan Sims-Smith gave the group many resources to use if they wanted to pursue dream work individually or in dream groups. Many left the work shop determined to either start dream groups at their churches or to join an already established one.
All in all, the 24 hours flew by and were very deeply appreciated. Thank you Susan and thank you again.
If seeking ways to pursue deeper spirituality is something you or your parish might be interested in, please go to www.seedwork.org.