This book is a ‘working note’ stating the understanding of the Social Dreaming Matrix at this point in time. The Social Dreaming Matrix is a collaborative effort of participants to understand their dreams, and always has surprising insights.

In this book Gordon Lawrence conceptualises the Social Dreaming Matrix as a temporary system with its intakes, transformation processes and outputs. Francis Oeser details the creative processes that have emerged for him from Social Dreaming. Laurie Slade describes his work with student theatre directors at the Rose Bruford drama school, showing how the Social Dreaming Matrix transformed the students’ understanding of the theatre. Following are two chapters describing Social Dreaming Matrices held with Italian children.

Working with general members of the public who had visited the exhibition on slavery at the British Empire and Commonwealth museum in Bristol, Julian Manley, with his colleague, Jacqueline Sirota, recounts how they mounted a Social Dreaming Matrix as part of this exhibition experience. Immigrants pose problems for the host society, in this case Italy; Donatella Ortona describes her work on this issue, adapting the Social Dreaming Matrix technique for them. Three chapters show how the Social Dreaming Matrix can help cadet pilots, family mediators, and lawyers in Naples. Next Franca Fubini and Lilia Baglioni describe work with the Social Dreaming Matrix in hospitals.

The mood of the book changes with Wolf Verdigier’s account of working with black rappers in New York and young immigrants in Vienna. Of recent years the training of hosts for the Social Dreaming Matrix has become a priority in Italy and the UK. Angela Eden, who is responsible for training for Social Dreaming Ltd, sets out and discusses the issues. Halina Brunning is experienced in coaching and uses Social Dreaming in her practice. As ever, she provides a stimulating account of her work. The mood of the book changes once again with Thomas Michael’s consideration of dreamers being a priesthood. In the final chapter, Susan Long and Gordon Lawrence offer their thoughts on creativity.

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