How do ancient cultures understand dreaming? In this episode of The Dream Journal, host Katherine Bell speaks with dreamwork professional Alejandra Perez Regura about Indigenous dreaming practices in Mayan, Huichol, Toltec, Mapuche, Totonac, and other traditions. Together they explore dreams as guidance, healing, community wisdom, and a bridge between waking life, nature, spirit, and the deeper self. Alejandra shares stories from her research and lived experience, including a powerful childhood dream near a river in Chiapas, during a retreat in the Mayan-Toltec recapitulation caves. She talks about Huichol pilgrimages, collective dream sharing, dream incubation, sacred plants, obsidian as a dream portal, healing dreams, angel work, and the teaching of non-separation: the dreamer and the dream are part of one continuous reality. This conversation is for anyone interested in dreamwork, Indigenous wisdom, spiritual practice, lucid dreaming, dream healing, collective dreaming, or how nighttime dreams can guide waking life. In This Episode: How Mayan, Huichol, and Toltec traditions understand dreams Why dreams are often shared communally rather than treated as private experiences What recapitulation caves are and how they support vivid dreams and life review How sacred landscapes, stars, trees, rocks, rivers, and oceans can be part of dreaming practice Dreaming for guidance, healing, ceremony, pilgrimage, and community decision-making The role of intention, breathwork, purification, and dream incubation How Alejandra connects Indigenous dream wisdom, angel work, and modern dreamwork The teaching of non-separation: “I am the dreamer and I am the dream” BIO: Alejandra Perez Regura is a dreamwork professional whose main interest is Dreaming in Indigenous Cultures, mainly in Mexico with the Mayan and Huichol traditions. Among her great passions are writing, traveling and learning about different cultures and languages. She recently fulfilled her dream of living near the ocean and the whales, in Baja California Sur. Find out about the Institute for Dream Studies at InstituteforDreamStudies.org This show, episode number 370, was recorded during a live broadcast on July 4, 2026 at KSQD.org, community radio of Santa Cruz. SHARE A DREAM FOR THE SHOW or a question or enquire about being a guest on the podcast by emailing Katherine Bell at katherine@ksqd.org. Follow on LI, IG, YT, FB, & LT @ExperientialDreamwork #thedreamjournal. To learn more or to inquire about exploring your own dreams go to ExperientialDreamwork.com. Video podcast available at youtube.com/@experientialdreamwork. Popular playlists: “Dream Journal shorts” and “FULL LENGTH VIDEOS”. Here are links to some other Dream Journal episodes you might be interested in: When Dreams Guide How We Live: Deena Metzger on Spirit, Earth, and the Power of Dreaming The Toltec Knowledge Base with Joel Schafer The Woman between the Worlds: Dr Apela Colorado Intro and outro music by Mood Science. Ambient music new every week by Rick Kleffel. Archived music can be found at Pandemiad.com. Many thanks to Rick for also engineering the show and to Erik Nelson for answering the phones. The Dream Journal aims to: Increase awareness of and appreciation for nightly dreams. Inspire dream sharing and other kinds of dream exploration as a way of adding depth and meaningfulness to lives and relationships. Improve society by the increased empathy, emotional balance, and sense of wonder which dream exploration invites. A dream can be meaningful even if you don’t know what it means. The Dream Journal is produced at and airs on KSQD Santa Cruz, 90.7 FM. Catch it streaming LIVE at KSQD.org 10-11am Pacific Time on Saturdays. Call or text with your dreams or questions at 831-900-5773 or email at onair@ksqd.org. Podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms the Monday following the live show. The complete KSQD Dream Journal podcast page can be found at ksqd.org/the-dream-journal/. Thanks for being a Dream Journal listener! Available on all major podcast platforms. Rate it, review it, subscribe, and tell your friends.
