Dream Ritual and Artemidorus’ Warning
Artemidorus’ Cautionary Guide to Soliciting and Decoding Dreams.
Dreams have long been regarded as a direct means of communication with the divine, especially in ancient cultures where the Gods were believed to communicate directly with mortals through dreams. Artemidorus, a professional Greek dream interpreter of the second century CE, has provided valuable insights into understanding these divine messages in his work, "The Interpretation of Dreams" (Oneirocritica). Among his teachings, he advised caution when requesting dreams from Gods and warned against some practices.
In ancient Greek (and Roman) thought, Gods frequently appeared in dreams to deliver messages, offer guidance, or caution the dreamer of future events. These dreams were seen as powerful and significant, often carrying symbolic meanings that required careful interpretation.
Artemidorus explains that the appearance of the Gods in dreams should be interpreted based on their known attributes and the dreamer's personal context. For example:
Athena, the virgin Goddess of wisdom and war, brings auspicious meanings for artisans and philosophers but is inauspicious for prostitutes and adulterers due to her virginity.
Helios, the sun God, when seen as a charioteer, suggests success for athletes and travelers but can be ominous for the sick.
Asclepius, the God of medicine, commonly appears in healing sanctuaries, providing cures or medical advice through symbolic dreams.
While seeking divine insight through dreams was common practice, Artemidorus advised caution in how one should request these dreams. He outlined several guidelines to ensure the integrity and predictive power of the dreams, steering clear of practices that could lead to meaningless or misleading dreams.
Warning
Artemidorus strongly discouraged the use of quasi-magical practices when requesting dreams. This included rituals such as offering incense smoke or invoking mystic names, which were common in magical dream invocations of the time. He regarded these methods with contempt, believing they compromised the authenticity of the dreams.
Another important piece of advice from Artemidorus is to avoid asking overly specific questions. Such such requests could limit the potential for broader, more insightful interpretations. His concern was that highly specific inquiries would constrain the dream’s symbolic nature and lead to a narrow reading of the omens, thus missing the potential connections between the dream and larger, more significant outcomes.
It is also important not to specify the particular content you wish to see in the dream (e.g., “If yes, let me see the fruit of Demeter, but if no, the fruit of Dionysus”). Such conditions are characteristic of magical dream invocations and are considered inappropriate by Artemidorus.
When a dream does not provide a direct answer but rather an allegorical vision, Artemidorus emphasizes the importance of interpreting these symbols correctly. Allegorical dreams are more likely to carry genuine predictive power. For example, a man with a stomach disorder dreaming of eating the fingers of Asclepius, which symbolically represented dates, led to his cure. Similarly, dreaming of Cerberus, the guardian of the underworld, waving his right paw after praying to Serapis about his health, foretold the dreamer's death.
Dream Ritual
To request divine assistance via dream a short ritual can be preformed. This ritual is of my own creation based on teachings from the Hellenic tradition.
Items required
Bowl of salt water.
Orphic Hymns
Recite the following orphic hymns
Hymn to Sleep
Hymn to Dreams
Hymn to Nyx
After reciting the hymns over the bowl of salt water, says “Gods please provide guidance in my sleep tonight through a dream, (state the issue you are having or topic you are inquiring about") and end with “may your light reveal what is good and true on this matter".
In the morning, reflect on your dream for possible answers. Dispose of the water in the earth.