Below is a slightly edited version of Kathy Turner's DreamWheel instructions. The names and titles and email addresses have been changed. If you are interested in joining a dream group, please send your request to Kathy Turner kathyturner@bigpond.com or Richard Wilkerson rcwilk@dreamgate.com

Please read "A Brief History of the DreamWheel" for more information and about how the groups were formed, as well as the early experimenters and research upon which these groups have been developed.

Briefly, the group works by going through different phases. Everyone agrees to the process and ethics of the group, and sends in dreams to the moderator or facilitator. The moderator orders the dreams and creates and index or table of contents. The group works on one dream at a time. The moderator picks the dream and sends out a Question Phase note to the group and the group responds with clarification questions only. The dreamer may or may not reply. Then the group sends in comments, taking the dream as their own. Again the dreamer may or may not reply and some closure may be necessary, and sometimes a questionnaire is sent to check on how the process is working.

Note that the moderator includes at the beginning of each phase [Questions & Comments Phase] some of the following information: the table of contents, or who-is-next list, the instructions for the phase, the dream itself and information on how to leave the list if needed. The moderator can also add to the success of the group by careful attention to the process and making supporting and non-interpretive or non- judgmental comments. This creates group cohesion.

Here is a summary of the process:

1. Establish a mail list and a moderator for the group, invite members and give out the ethics statement. Members may also wish or be encouraged to use pen names or sign up anonymously.

2. Moderator asks members to send in dreams to the moderator with pen names and titles.
These dreams are collected and used over a month or two, so they need to be organized and kept together. The moderator creates a Dream List, a table of contents showing whose dream is up for discussion next. Note that Kathy Turner also makes short notes on the Dream List. This helps people know what dream is being worked on, what dreams were recently being discussed and may still be in discussion and which dreams are coming up for discussion.

3. Moderator picks the first dream and sends out a QUESTION PHASE instruction page, which includes the dream list, the instructions, the dream, subscription information and friendly notes that may refer to the group and the group's process, other dreams and other news the moderator may wish to interject.

4. The group sends in questions to the dreamer and the dreamer may or may not reply. It is up to the moderator when to move from the question phase to the comments phase. Generally the dreamer will send replies and this makes it clear when to move on.

5. Moderator sends out COMMENT PHASE instructions page. Again, it includes the dream list, the instructions, the dream, subscription information and friendly notes that may refer to the group and the group's process, other dreams and other news the moderator may wish to interject.

6. The group sends in comments, taking the dream as if it were their own, and the dreamer may or many not reply. It is up to the moderator when to send in some closing remarks and move on to the next dreams. Usually the dreamer will send back comments and this is the place to end the process. Sometimes conversations may occur as well for sometime. Generally we have found that after the dreamer replies to comments, the group is ready and comfortable moving on to another dream, though overlapping discussion may still occur. Due to the nature of mail lists, multiple processes and discussions may occur without too much disruption.

7. If someone sends in comments or questions that fall outside the instructions, the variance tolerance is up to the moderator. Some moderators encourage and enjoy going beyond the instructions, while others like to make sure people are aware of the basic processes before doing creative dreamwork. A gentle reminder of the process, like sending the instructions again or pieces of them to the whole group such as "Please keep all questions during the question phase to description clarification only." is usually enough to bring the group back onto track. Again, some moderators may wish to open up the question phase to include other kinds of questions, or add an additional question phase after the comment phase. If a group member has been kindly warned but persists, several approaches are possible. The first is to remind commenter that the dream interpretations they are making need to be in the spirit of as if it were their own dream. All questions and comments may help the dreamer, but are considered relating to the commenter. Another approach is to resend the ethics statement into the list. Finally, the moderator has the authority to remove or unsubscribe members from the group. They are free to do so as they wish, either by vote or by temporary authority assigned to them as moderator. In the six years of online dreamgroups I have participated in, this has never been an issue and I can't recall this every happening.

Below are sample files for the Question and Comment phases.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

INTRODUCTION AND QUESTION PHASE

Hello to everyone on the DreamWheel!

Thanks for all the comments on Marty' dream, I found them insightful and was moved by them myself.

So now the Wheel keeps spinning onto John's dream:: "Flying Spiders"

Below is the schedule and the instructions for this phase and then the dream.

Please glance over the instructions then scroll down to the dream, read it
and then send in questions to the DreamWheel (dreamwheel@dreamgate.com).

Kathy

Schedule

Dream: by Lacy - focus finished but still open
Dream: "The Gravity Well" by Kevin - focus finished but still open
Dream: "With Mr C., " by Carry -
focus finished but still open
Dream: "Almond Revenge" by Marty -
focus finished but still open
Dream: "Flying Spiders" by John - FOCUS DREAM
Dream: "Diamond Shifting" by Magdelana
Dream: by Emmy (to be announced)
Dream: by Rockmany
Dream: by Sussieq
Dream: "Getting off " by Claude
Dream: " Wedding Day" by Mary

Instructions:
Asking questions of the dreamer

In this phase of the process you may ask the dreamer questions about the dream that may clarify the images of the dream. Do not ask questions that call for interpretations or that ask for material outside of the dream itself. The aim is to get to know the dream well AND also to allow for the maximum number of possible meanings being generated.

Clarifying Questions:

Example: If this were the DREAM: "He turned around and grabbed Bill's jacket away from me."

You can ask:
1. Questions about the details of any aspect of the dream AS they appeared IN the dream, for example:
(feeling details) How did you feel (in the dream) when he grabbed Bill's jacket?
(action details) Can you describe exactly how he grabbed Bill's jacket (eg where was he in relation to you; what movement did he make; what movement did you make)?
(content detail) What kind of jacket was it? How were you holding the jacket? Where were you when he grabbed the jacket?

2. Questions about how any "real" people or places in the dream differed from their "real" presentation in daytime life, for example: (who/what was recognizable) Who is the "he" that grabbed the jacket? Do you know him? Is the place where this happened to you recognizable? (how does the "familiar differ) Was Bill's jacket the same in the dream as in your daytime life? If not, how was it different in the dream?

3. Questions about what a person/object/action etc means for the dream ego.
You can ask it something like: "What would the dream (plus name) have thought of the person/object/action etc". This makes sure that the emphasis remains on the dream and the dream ego rather than switching it to the daytime ego (who may have very different views upon the matter!).

Please DON'T ask interpretation questions or questions about material OUTSIDE of the dream itself. For example AVOID questions like:

Why do you think he grabbed your jacket? (though you might ask if any reasons went through your head during the dream.)
Did you know that Jackets represent symbols of appearance issues?
Do you often have men grabbing your clothes in dreams?
What does standing behind someone mean to you?

Dreamers in reply

If and when you reply to the questions, do so only to clarify the dream. Try to avoid interpretations at this point. If it is not clear from the dream how to answer a question, simply say it was not clear.

Send questions to the dreamer to via the whole group at
dreamwheel@dreamgate.com

John's Dream:
Flying Spiders/ 5.12.98

I walked into my house and there were things flying all around. At first I thought they were bats, but I saw a lot of spiderwebs and decided they were spiders. I went into the kitchen to get away and then saw out my window that all the trees had cobwebs as well. It was clear to me that the spiders had somehow mutated, learned how to fly and were now going to wrap the world in a big web. I wondered what it would like to become a spider.
__

If anyone would like to unsubscribe from the DreamWheel... (instructions here)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
COMMENT PHASE MESSAGE

Hello to all dreamers on the DreamWheel,
Now we move the Wheel onto the comment phase for John's dream, "Flying Spiders". You don't have to have asked a question to comment and your comment doesn't have to pick up all John's dream images - just comment on anything that would mean something to you, if it had been your dream.
What you have to say may just unlock some meaning for John and it may help you too. Have a go!!

Below is the schedule and the instructions for this phase and then the dream.

Please glance over the instruction then scroll down to the dream, read it and then send in comments to the dreamwheel (dreamwheel@dreamgate.com).

Kathy

Schedule

Dream: by Lacy - focus finished but still open
Dream: "The Gravity Well" by Kevin - focus finished but still open
Dream: "With Mr C., " by Carry - focus finished but still open
Dream: "Almond Revenge" by Marty - focus finished but still open
Dream: "Flying Spiders" by John - FOCUS DREAM
Dream: "Diamond Shifting" by Magdelana
Dream: by Emmy (to be announced)
Dream: by Rockmany
Dream: by Sussieq
Dream: "Getting off " by Claude
Dream: " Wedding Day" by Mary

Comment instructions

In this part of the process, you may comment on the dream. While you are welcome to make any comments you wish, what we are teaching in this group is non-defensive style developed by John Herbert (Montague Ullman stage II variation) modified for email.

This segment is the one in which each group member takes the dream as if it were his or her own and shares feelings and thoughts about the dream and what it might mean in each members life situation.

1. You can comment on what ANY aspect of the dream means FOR YOU:

a. The feelings YOU have about any aspect of the dream or about the whole dream.
b. The metaphorical or symbolic meanings FOR YOU of any actions or images in the dream.
c. The relationship between any dream images and events and what that relationship means FOR YOU.
d. The relationship between all dream images and events as YOU see them (you can change the order of events and images and present them in the way you feel makes most sense to YOU).

2. In your comments make the dream your own:

a. At the beginning of all comment files or e-mail use something like : "If this were my dream..."

This sets up the general subjective attitude and works as a reminder to the commentators that they are not telling the dreamer what they think the dream means for the dreamer, but rather what the dream might mean for themselves if they had had that dream.

b. To further this relationship to the dream write the commentary as if you were talking about your OWN dream happening NOW (use the first person singular and also present tense) in your commentary:

EXAMPLE: Dream: "I'm looking at my mother walking down a long hall towards an open window."

I might comment "In MY dream the nurturing mother has found a new way to escape ME."

In my comment, it is "my mother", "my hallway" and "my dream".

This may or may not provide insight to the initial dreamer, but its surprising how often this non- defensive approach does lead to new insights for both the dreamer and the commentator.

3. Send your comments in to the whole group. dream-on@lists.best.com

Dreamer's response

At the end of the comment phase the dream is returned to its source and the dreamer can reply. The type of reply is entirely up to the dreamer - but some response helps both the commentators and the dreamer. It provides closure for the commentators and helps the dreamer to make what was learned in the process more firmly his/her own.

1. Immediate response:
The dreamer gives some IMMEDIATE response.
a. The dreamer can indicate what possible new ways of thinking or acting or feeling were opened up by the process of answering the clarifying questions and of reading the comments from others.
b. The dreamer may like to indicate what life context the dream seems to be addressing and whether the DreamWheel process revealed new aspects of that context.
c. The dreamer may just wish to thank the commentators.

2. Later Response
The dreamer can do further work on the dream. He/she may gain new insights connected with their dream:
a. through other dreams (which are either consciously incubated or which just arise)
b. through insights from the initial DreamWheel process which come after the focus period
c. through some new awareness of their life context
The dreamer can then share their insights with others on the DreamWheel AT ANY TIME. Such sharing can help build the dream group as a group. It can also teach us all much more about the interplay of dreams and our daytime lives.

John's Dream:
Flying Spiders/ 5.12.98

I walked into my house and there were things flying all around. At first I thought they were bats, but I saw a lot of spiderwebs and decided they were spiders. I went into the kitchen to get away and then saw out my window that all the trees had cobwebs as well. It was clear to me that the spiders had somehow mutated, learned how to fly and were now going to wrap the world in a big web. I wondered what it would like to become a spider.

If you'd like to reserve a place for a dream just email me:
moderator@dreamgate.com

If anyone would like to unsubscribe from the DreamWheel you can...[instructions here]

Dreamwork Ethics Statement

All eDreams & DreamWheel members are obliged to adhere to the ethical standards established by the Electric Dreams community:

The Electric Dreams community celebrates the many benefits of dreamwork, yet recognizes that there are potential risks. We agree with the ethical position taken by the Association for the Study of Dreams (http://www.asdream.org), in that we support an approach to dreamwork and dream sharing that respects the dreamer's dignity and integrity, and which recognizes the dreamer as the decision-maker regarding the significance of the dream. Systems of dreamwork that assign authority or knowledge of the dream's meanings to someone other than the dreamer can be misleading, incorrect, and harmful. Ethical dreamwork helps the dreamer work with his/her own dream images, feelings, and associations, and guides the dreamer to more fully experience, appreciate, and understand the dream.

Every dream may have multiple meanings, and different techniques may be reasonably employed to touch these multiple layers of significance. A dreamer's decision to share or discontinue sharing a dream should always be respected and honored. The dreamer should be forewarned that unexpected issues or emotions may arise in the course of the dreamwork. Information and mutual agreement about the degree of privacy and confidentiality are essential ingredients in creating a safe atmosphere for dream sharing.

Dreamwork outside a clinical setting is not a substitute for psychotherapy, or other professional treatment, and should not be used as such.

We recognize and respect that there are many valid and time-honored dreamwork traditions. We invite and welcome the participation of dreamers from all cultures. There are social, cultural, and transpersonal aspects to dream experience. In this statement we do not mean to imply that the only valid approach to dreamwork focuses on the dreamer's personal life. Our purpose is to honor and respect the person of the dreamer as well as the dream itself, regardless of how the relationship between the two may be understood.

The Electric Dreams Community, March 2000