Tervuren Dream Portals — the Wisdom of the Unconscious

Dreams don’t obey the rules of everyday life – and at Zeeën in Tervuren, that’s not seen as a problem but as an opportunity.

“We work with the energy of the dream — we play the dream,” says Els Schuerman of Zeeën, the organisation behind the sessions.

Rather than dissecting dreams from a distance, participants step right into them. They re-enact scenes and respond to questions that help them move further.

“In ordinary life we constantly have to adapt,” says Schuerman. “But in dreams, anything goes. That’s what makes them so extraordinarily creative.”

Dreams of inner knowing

The method, often called “playing the dream”, is less about theory than about experience. Participants act out scenes from their dreams, while others look on without judgment. Sometimes, those watching even take on a role in the dream.

Followers say the method can expose hidden patterns. Some dreams jump abruptly from one scene to another, which may point to forgotten traits or recurring behaviours. Others unfold with a beginning, middle and end — what Schuerman calls “dreams of inner knowing”, which often carry insights or warnings.

“It moves me every time to see what this work does for people,” she says. “There is so much wisdom in our dreams.”

For Schuerman, dreamwork is personal. “I’ve been seeking answers in my own dreams for years,” she says. “They warn me, set me back on track, help me make decisions. We are not just rational beings, but also emotion, energy — and quite simply, body.”

Schuerman trained in the Netherlands at ITIP’s Dream Training, with Bas Klinkhamer and Nanske Kuiken. Klinkhamer has worked with dreams for more than forty years and has written several books, including Dreams and Nightmares. Schuerman has also studied experiential learning, process guidance and bodywork focused on emotions.

“I’m not a therapist,” she stresses. “If necessary, I happily refer people to professional help. But dreamwork is a powerful way to connect with what lives deep inside us.”

The six Dream Portals sessions are offered in Dutch and begin on Saturday 4 October at 10am. There’s a short theoretical introduction, but the emphasis is on practice. “Anyone who understands Dutch can join, and of course they can tell their dream in English if they prefer.”

The other workshops at www.zee-en.be combine meditation, creative exercises and group reflection.