Ask for a Dream
Room 4 of 13 · Level I · Novice · 6 min
In antiquity you could ask for a dream. Here you adapt a recipe from PGM VII to ask for one and start your dream diary, as Artemidorus would.
What you practise
Dream incubation inspired by PGM VII.664–85, and a dream diary.
The four steps, in text
- 1. Prepare the bed to ask for a dream. Strip with your question → Under the pillow, left side · Olive twig → Under the pillow, left side · Diary and pen → Bedside table · LED candle → Bedside table
- 2. Light one light for each repetition of your phrase. Repetition 1 → Repetition 2 → Repetition 3 → Repetition 4 → Repetition 5 → Repetition 6 → Repetition 7
- 3. Trace the dream crescent. A crescent (☾): a large arc down the left, top to bottom, and an inner arc back up.
- 4. Choose the moon to ask for your dream. New moon, Waxing crescent, First quarter, Waxing gibbous, Full moon, Waning gibbous, Last quarter, Waning crescent
Safety
- Real candle: never leave it alone; put it on a ceramic or metal plate, away from curtains, paper, children and pets. Snuff it out before leaving the room. An LED candle works just as well.
- Do not swallow the salt, the ritual water, plants or oils. Nothing in this room goes on your skin.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or allergies: avoid essential oils and herbs on the skin or in smoke, and check with a health professional first.
- Your intention is about you. Nothing to harm, control or bind another person.
- Never sleep with a lit candle: snuff it before bed or use an LED.
- If nightmares or insomnia persist, talk to a health professional.
🕯️ Candle out · complete a mission to light it
The streak candle is only an on-screen element. If a room suggests a real candle, follow its safety rules.
Fun fact
Artemidorus' Oneirocritica (2nd century CE) is the oldest surviving Greek treatise on dreams, in five books.