In 1949, in the introduction to Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching, Jung wrote: "In the exploration of the unconscious we come upon very strange things, from which a rationalist turns away with horror, claiming afterward that he did not see anything. The irrational fullness of life has taught me never to discard anything, even when it goes against all our theories (so short-lived at best) or otherwise admits of no immediate explanation."
Daniel Matt, the translator of the Jewish mystical text, the Zohar, has a similar perspective when undertaking a journey into the Zohar, which echoes Jung's view and applies to dreamwork as well. He writes:
"So, as you undertake this adventure, expect to be surprised--stay alert. The Zohar's teachings are profound and intense; one who hopes to enter and emerge in peace should be careful, persevering, simultaneously receptive and active. The message is not served to you on a platter; you must engage the text and join the search for meaning. Follow the words to what lies beyond and within; open the gates of imagination.
Above all, don't reduce everything you encounter in these pages to something you already know. Beware of trying to find "the essence" of a particular teaching."
Research has given us, and continues to give us, new and remarkable insights into the dreamworld. More and more people are becoming interested in dreams and are advancing new ways of making dreamwork purposeful and applicable to daily, waking life, as well as taking fresh looks at traditional approaches. For example, there is a vibrant and growing international organization, the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) (http://asdreams.org) which is dedicated to the ongoing study of all aspects of dreams and dreaming. The IASD holds numerous events throughout the year including a large and well-attended international conference. The fact that such an organization can and does exist, and is growing in membership and vitality, speaks to the hunger for this work and its importance in the wider world.
Used with wisdom, dreamwork is a valid and valuable therapeutic tool and it can go a long way in helping us ameliorate our immediate suffering; understand our behavior and patterns; widen our compassion; grow up as well as out, down, and in; and attend to the parts of ourselves which are more difficult to see because they are still in the shadows, on the fringes of our consciousness.
However, dreamwork is not primarily about answering a question or gratifying an immediate need to know. It is, in Daniel Matt's words above, more about opening the gates of imagination, in order to explore ever deeper layers, and to "question your assumptions about tradition, God, and self."
Through dreams, with dreams, we can participate in the "irrational fullness of life." And that is reason enough to be present with them.
In sum, when going on a dream pilgrimage, my advice is to stay curious, stay open, and above all ... pack light!