The other night I was playing with a Ouigia board with a few of my friends. The spirit said that he used to be in love with me and he visits me in my dreams. I was just curious if this could be true, that spirits or the dead can visit with us while we sleep.

--Anonymous

Hi Anonymous -

It’s a good question, and if you read some of the other dreams included in this section you will find some pretty convincing accounts of contact with the spirit world.

I have to tell you, however, that, with all due respect for the Ouigia Board and mediumship in general, that your communication from the spirit world sounds a bit like one of those fortune teller scrips dispensed by the mechanical “guru” at the county fair. Do you know what I mean? Do you have any other experiences that lead you to believe that you have a spirit lover - or was this the first you heard of it - through the Ouigia board?

Unless you have, I think cultivating the idea of a “dream lover” for yourself is actually a bit of a dead end. After all, the goal of a healthy psychology is to learn how to make our dreams come true in this world - to become smart, honest, happy, sensitive, effective,and fulfilled beings in this life.

Many people cultivate fantasy and illusion in their lives. Typically it softens the pain that attends living in a difficult and challenging world. But illusion is illusion - and in the end it’s not very satisfying.

The Dream Doctor’s advice? Try looking for love in this world, and worry about the afterlife when you get there.