Real life story

The Jelly wobble
When I was about seven years old I loved doing handstands. They were shaky handstands that usually only lasted a few seconds. Me and my sister played a handstand game called 'knives, forks, spoons, spears'. The rules were simple, you each took turns calling out the name of a handstand, like a policeman or a jelly wobble and the one who stayed up the longest won. We often played this game on a Sunday when we went to my nan's house. There was a rolling grass slope outside her house that was perfect for cushioning your fall. We played this game for hours until it was time to go home. No matter how many times I attempted a jelly wobble I could never find the balance point and would tumble over into a giggling heap.

About nine years later the desire to do handstands was still with me. But now my motivation had moved away from doing jelly wobbles to wanting to attain the stillness of perfect balance. One night I went to sleep and fell into the deepest sleep imaginable. I had a long and vivid dream of doing handstands. Perfect handstands that lasted forever. I could feel myself being aware for the first time that I was dreaming. I took my time to look around and explore the sensation. This was my first lucid dream.

When I woke I could still vividly remember the dream. It was like the muscle memory from the handstand had soaked inside me and become my reality.

That afternoon I was sitting on a grass verge in my friends back garden and could not resist the opportunity to show off my new ability. Do you think that's wise, Lee?  my concerned friend asked. Your right leg in plaster! Oh yeah, I said looking down at my broken ankle. I think I'll be ok though, I said. I had a dream.

I launched into a handstand. I wobbled and my friends took a step back. I adjusted my head until I located the feeling that I'd experienced in my dream. It felt pure. And as natural as standing up straight. The handstand just kept going. I held it there for ages. Eventually the rush of blood to my head forced me down. I came down on one leg and my friends burst into astounded applause. This became my party piece for the summer.

I remember something deep inside me shifting during that summer. A deep belief within myself formed. I consciously decided to trust my dreams. Ever so often I find myself awake inside my dreams and go off exploring to see what's possible. I'm well aware that every action starts with a thought. And since many thoughts begin their lives as unconscious desires it seems logical that a good place to look for answers is in your dreams.