REMEMBERING DREAMS – Touching the stars with Qigong and Social Dreaming — 20th and 29th November 2026
Online 2 days workshop:
Remembering Dreams – Touching the Stars with Qigong and Social Dreaming
20th November 18.00-20.00 CET
29th November 15.00-18.00 CET
Online on ZOOM
Dreams are the core material for various disciplines e.g. in psychoanalysis, the royal road to the unconscious, have been used traditionally by healers or diviners in many communities and are frequently the source of creativity in arts. Social Dreaming was developed in the 80s by Gordon Lawrence when he was at the Tavistock Institute in London. It is a methodology where a collective of people share their dreams without any interpretation, allowing the dreams and the associations to speak to one another. In this way new information about the ‘social’, the hitherto unknowns can emerge in the material of the social dreaming matrix. The word ‘matrix’ is used and not ‘group’ to describe the encounter because Lawrence wanted to emphasize the focus being on the social un-known, and not the group dynamics. The social dreaming matrix is held by ‘hosts’ who do not interpret but allow the dreams and new insight to emerge from the group.
Like many of us, we have been puzzled by how a dream, so vivid, can disappear from memory so quickly upon waking. Sometimes we remember many dreams and then for periods none. Some people never remember dreams. This workshop grew out of wanting to remember more, and a curiosity about what might help with accessing this rich resource within us. We will share what we know already about how we remember dreams, practice a qigong meditation to help remember dreams, take the week between the sessions to put in practice the ways to remember, A social dreaming matrix will facilitate new information to emerge on how we remember dreams, provide a text based on the workshop on remembering dreams for attendees and SDIN community.
The workshop is led by:
Lawrence J. Ladden, PhD (Retired) practiced in the USA and UK as a clinical health psychologist with a focus on mindfulness for physical health. A personal practice of mindfulness and Tai Chi beginning in 1972 has informed his work. In 2007 he founded Contemplative Group Dynamics, a model of group exchange wherein spontaneous moments of sensation, feeling, mental events and experience are shared. Dreams are used in this spirit to express the ephemeral and non-self aspect of all experience. He has been a Social Dreaming host since 2020, having trained in Italy with SDiN.
Dr Jale Cilasun worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Psychotherapist in the UK, retiring from the NHS after 32 years of service in 2019. She has been a Group Analyst since 2000. She has been a trainer both at the Institute of Group Analysis, and of psychiatrists of all levels. She has published papers on group analysis and the large group. She has been a Social Dreaming Host since 2020, having trained in Italy with SDiN. Together with Lawrence Ladden she co-leads the Contemplative Group Dynamics groups which include working with dreams, and is a contemplative practice of mindfulness in the group setting.
Elena Giannotti dancer, choreographer, and dramaturg who has worked internationally across Europe since 1994. Her practice spans performance, choreographic creation, and collaborative research within contemporary performing arts contexts. Alongside her artistic work, she has extensive experience as a movement coach and educator in both international academic and professional dance environments. She is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tuina massage and Qi Gong teacher. She has been a Social Dreaming Host since 2006 and is a board member of the Social Dreaming International Network.
