By Dr. Angel Morgan

Before the conference began, volunteers set up the IASD Bookstore…

Elizabeth Gill from Sofia University Admissions set up her table with an abundance of Sofia SWAG!

Liz helped inform IASD conference attendees about the Sofia University Dream Studies Certificate program…

For more info about the DSC program at Sofia, click on the trees!

For more info about the DSC program, click on the moon! (or scan the QR code)

It was a pleasure to welcome everyone to the Ashland conference, co-hosting with Kelly Bulkeley.

Alaya Dannu created a beautiful container for the conference with a land acknowledgement and dream-informed ceremonial dance…

Alaya Dannu contributes so much to IASD as a member of the Diversity Task Force Advisory Committee (DAC), is a Co-Director of the Dreams & Ethnicity track of the conference, and the IASD membership just elected her to the Board of Directors. Congratulations, Alaya, and thank you!

The next part of the opening welcome included another incredible gift to IASD…

“Many of you know Christine Anderson as the person who has been conducting interviews and filming at IASD conferences for many years now… and providing beautiful, soulful, and spirited videos about IASD ever since. Christine Anderson is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, but just so you don’t expect a Ken Burns style experience with what you are about to see… Christine emphasizes that this short film is not a documentary. Rather, it is a ‘celebratory, impressionistic, love letter collage to IASD.’ I would add that it is very ‘dreamlike.’ On behalf of IASD, thank you Christine, for pouring your heart, research, prayers, and creative process into this epic endeavor, in honor of IASD’s 40th Anniversary. And now, we all get to sit back, relax, and enjoy what Christine has created to help us commence the 40th Annual IASD conference!” —AM

Kelly moderated a wonderful opening Keynote Panel from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival with Kamilah Long, Donya K. Washington, and Evren Odcikin, titled, Theater and Dreaming.

“This panel of three leading OSF artists will share their thoughts and reflections on the dynamic interplay of theater, creativity, culture, and dreaming…” — Kelly Bulkeley

Bob Hoss then invited everyone to the opening evening reception, “Just through that wall…” he said. Lucid dreamers understood when I imagined parting the wall to walk through it!

An exciting Keynote experience for IASD was Andras Jones with Radio8Ball: The Pop Oracle, featuring musician Bart Davenport. Seen here receiving a standing ovation after an evening of dreamy musical divinations and group synchronicities…

All week, there were many amazing morning dream groups, workshops, and presentations as conference attendees enjoyed the venue at the Ashland Hills Hotel. The two featured tracks of the conference were Dreams & the Arts, and Dreams & Ethnicity. I enjoyed guiding a Lucid Dream Drama workshop, and then presenting about Dream Arts, Theater Arts in a Dreaming and Theater symposium with Kelly Bulkeley and Bernard Welt. Look for an article this Fall in DreamTime Magazine about the growing success of the Dreams & Ethnicity track at this conference!

It was wonderful to see students from Sofia University attending and volunteering at the Ashland conference. It was also wonderful to see Sofia’s Program Chair for Transpersonal Studies, Dr. Robert Wood attending, and Assistant Program Chair, Dr. Patty Hlava—who guided an amazing Yoga Nidra workshop!

Photo by two people taking a selfie at the same time. (To learn more about Sofia University, click on the tree!)

At the General Membership Meeting, the Executive Committee gave Michelle Carr an outgoing IASD President award and welcomed Deirdre Barrett as the incoming IASD President. Deirdre’s incoming IASD President speech will be published in the Fall edition of DreamTime Magazine.

The Dream Art show was absolutely amazing. Here are some examples…

The Green Show at OSF before the play featured the Celtic rock band, Tempest.

Then we made our way to the outdoor Elizabethan Theater to see Twelfth Night…

We enjoyed our block of 200 IASD seats, the amazing performance, and the beautifully lit stage under the stars!

Enjoying our block of 200 IASD seats.jpg

There were more amazing presentations, including a special event with Andrusa Lawson, a keynote from Mark Blagrove, an invited talk by Jean Houston, an online Research track, poster session, tea and art in the Hospitality Suite, and some very well-disguised lucid dreaming reality checks placed strategically throughout the hotel by Dashiell Bark-Huss that provided a delightful challenge of discovery for attendees…

Alaya Dannu helped close the conference with a powerful ceremonial dance, then received a standing ovation!

Photos by Bhaskar Banerji

In the Pre-Dream Ball Costume Parade, we all had one minute and I chose to sing the song from this dream…

I receive a package in the mail from Dolly Parton. Inside is a VHS video tape that says, “For Angel, Love, Dolly.” I play the tape. Dolly says,

“Hi, Angel! I wrote this song for you to sing to the people." I watch her sing the song to me through the little box TV. Then I wake up and sing it into my phone:

We made it through/ now what can we do/ with this gift of life/ we’ve been spared with

In the before times/ we squandered it/ Or maybe just/ did not appreciate it

Now here we are together/ let’s make this world better/ The only way is Love for yourself and each other

This is what I’m dreaming of there’s a new light tonight/ Can you feel it so bright?

In your heart feel its might—we can make it right

IASD's 40th - Ashland 2023