Learning Through Doing

Thanks to some sage advice from many of the pro practitioners I’ve been fortunate to study, it’s been clear to me since entering this space that the best way to learn is to dive right in.

Recently I’ve initiated #dreamlog, a hashtag that curates/filters dreams I’m discovering through twitter search. Credit needs to go to @zachbraiker who asked me “how is the collective unconscious getting expressed on Twitter?” and “what’s the symbolic significance of the hashtag?”  I didn’t really have an answer but instead set off to find one.  #dreamlog is my answer.

Thousands of dreams are contributed into the public reservoir of data each day.  I do not know if anyone else currently “tagging” what they find and using the RT protocol in the manner I’ve developed with #dreamlog or not.  But I know this, it works.   And as the stream builds, others are adding their dreams to the stream as well.

This activity is simultaneously intensely selfish and surprisingly useful for others.

It’s selfish because the opportunity to engage this data with such ease gives me an incredible opportunity to engage the contents of the unconscious.  Jungian analysis places an emphasis on dream interpretation, and the hundreds of dreams I process through twitter search each day, as well as the wide array of emotional responses that people share regarding their dream experiences, provides stream of research that is nothing short of a digital dream practicum.  As I continue my journey to become a Jungian analyst this practice of sifting the search data, valuing the images, and determining what to share, all this helps me to develop my feel for the language of dreams.

But as I’m digging into that which is most useful to myself it becomes evident that it has value for others as well.  #dreamlog has stimulated a Renaissance in my engagement with new folks on twitter that reminds me of my first few months in the space.  It’s opened up new relationships, deepened the level of interaction, and led to an increase of back channel interactions.  A surprising number of folks have taken the time to let me know they enjoy it.

I think it’s important to point out the bi-polar aspect of successful actions in this space.  Many toot the horn of being useful to others, the altruistic side of the equation, while downplaying the more selfish benefits.  Be it new business opportunities, increased revenue streams, or just good old-fashioned learning, it’s crucial to find what you need in this space as well.  Otherwise you’ll never have the energy to sustain a consistent practice.

Time to go see what else has been delivered to the dream castle I call twitter search…