What Your Dreams Are Telling You, by Cindy McGill with David Sluka

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:   Have you ever wanted to receive wise advice about a business proposal, a relationship or a direction in life? Tonight you will have several dreams. Did you know they could contain the very advice you need?  It's true.

Join dream interpreter Cindy McGill as she shows you that sleep is so much more than just a time to rest your body. If you pay attention, you can uncover a secret weapon for success--and the keys to unlocking your full potential. Solutions to your problems can come on any given night. It's time to listen to what your dreams are telling you.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Cindy McGill has interpreted thousands of dreams at events in the United States and abroad, including the Olympics, the Sundance Film Festival, Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada and other expos and festivals. She has appeared on various media, including radio and TV, teaching on dreams and interpreting the dreams of others. Cindy is a keynote speaker and has also authored numerous articles for magazines and online media outlets. In 2011, she was featured in Dreams, A Documentary, which chronicles live dream interpretation encounters that took place at the Sundance Film Festival at Park City, Utah, and won awards at various independent film festivals around the world.

Cindy uses life-coaching skills to help people who need hope and change. She and her husband, Tim, have been successful at helping people redefine their lives and find healing and direction since 1979. They have two grown daughters and four grandchildren.

David Sluka is a writer and consultant who focuses on themes of leadership, communication and publishing. He has written for authors such as James Goll, Ed Silvoso, Patricia King, Joan Hunter, Joshua Mills, Audrey Meisner and others.  He has been married to Christina since 1996 and they have four children and a very, very small but cute dog. For most of 2013 they lived in Tanzania and Paraguay, taking a year to experience other cultures and grow as a family. The Sluka family now resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

MY THOUGHTS:  I typically write and post reviews of books I've read within a couple of days of turning that last page.  I finished this book four months ago.  Every time I purposed to put my thoughts down, the time just didn't seem right.   No, this one needed to stew a bit over the heat of real life experiences. Not the kind authors use to support their theories, but my own experiences.

I should warn you that we are a dreaming sort.  My mom, her mom, and who knows how many women before them have regularly dreamed things before or even while they happen.  We remember our very vivid dreams and often have a clear idea of what they mean, if not immediately, then soon thereafter.  We're not spooky people, nor are we superstitious.  This dreaming thing is just something that's always been there, so we don't think much of it.

Just this past week, I've had two experiences with dreams.  I dreamed a family member was afraid, and she explained why in great detail.  Despite the scary things happening around us in the dream, I took her by the arm and led her outside, telling her that she couldn't hide out inside because God had things for her to do outside.  When I awoke, I called to tell her about the dream.  It turns out that God was speaking directly to her about her current situation, and I was privileged to be part of relaying that message.

The next day, I was contacted by a woman far away who had dreamed of Paraguay, then asked around until she found someone who knew of missionaries living here.  After getting our names, she sent me a message to tell me about her dream.  It was clear that her dream represented our situation here,  I shared with her, and she was assured that God wanted her to partner with us in prayer for the work in Paraguay.

So while I tend to shy away from certain things that get labeled as revelation or God's voice, I can't help but believe that God does use dreams to speak to us. 

When I picked up this book, I expected to read of people like us.  I expected some stories of their dreams and maybe even some, like my grandmother, who have had what I'd consider the next level--visions while awake.  Instead, I found a guidebook, a manual of sorts that walks the average person through dream interpretation.

Included are very practical chapters that untangle the mysteries of dreams by explaining things such as the various types of dreams, how to determine the source, and what to do with the message.  Common themes are analyzed, and an appendix includes symbols that may appear regularly. 

Plenty of examples help you hone your skills at interpretation, and a dream journal at the end gives you direction in what parts of the dream might point you toward a certain message.  For those who don't think they dream or those who only wake with vague remembrances, a whole chapter is dedicated to helping you reawaken your dreams. 

Not only is this book interesting in the theory it presents, but it is extremely useful as a handbook to dream interpretation.  I've kept it close since I began reading it and imagine it will continue to be a great reference.

Special thanks to Chosen Books for sending me a copy for review.