What is the relationship between pain and dreaming? This slide presentation was part of an in which five IASD members from diverse backgrounds explored how pain and dreaming influence each other through art, vampire imagery, coping with cancer, shamanism, and embodied dreamwork. In my presentation, I focused on how the pain of endometriosis has influenced my dreams and art. Working with my dreams through art, massage and embodied dreamwork, I have gained tremendous insights into pain which has helped me to cope more effectively, transforming despair and fatigue into hope and healing.

1. Pain & Dreaming Endometriosis, Dreams, and Art Sheila McNellis Asato, M.A. 2009 IASD Conference, Chicago

2. Starting Point The Proposal In this multi-media presentation, Asato will show how the pain of endometriosis has influenced her dreams and art. Working with dreams through art, massage, acupuncture and embodied dreamwork, she has gained tremendous insights into pain which have helped her to cope more effectively, transforming despair and fatigue into hope and healing.

3. Presentation Outline Creative & Hormonal Shifts in Art & Dreams Healing Collage℠ and perimenopause Emergence of Healing Wisdom – Deer Girl Severe allergic reaction & major turning point in health Conscious Pain & Pleasure – S & M Chamber The name of the pain is endometriosis Integrative Healing & Relationship Where I am today

4. Belly Aching Inner & Outer Pain Stage Four Endometriosis 17+ years seeking relief in Japan, UK & USA Struggles with children Autism & depression Sleep deprivation Adoption court battle Marriage troubles International move

6. Creative Shifts A New Form Emerges Healing Collage℠ begins October 1998

7. A Timely Breakthrough, October, 1998

8. Hormonal Shifts Passion Then Destruction Emerging themes in dreams & art Experience in the body – increasing sensuality & pain

9. Perimenopause The Volcano March 16, 1999 I'm putting all the books in the house into boxes. Then I bring them all to a high mountain shaped like Fuji San. I bring the boxes all up to the top one by one. I put them down into the big open space inside of the brilliant red and orange volcano. Someone will take care of them from there.

10. Perimenopause Old Enough to Have a Beard March 17, 1999 I'm looking in the mirror to pluck some black hairs off of my chin. The more I pluck, the more that grow back. Pretty soon my entire chin is covered with straight long, thin, black hairs pointing downwards, like the hair on my legs. I finally give up on plucking them and decided to just have a beard instead. I guess I'm old enough to have a beard now so it won't really matter.

11. Exquisitely beautiful skies, helpers & serpents Volcanoes, tornadoes, bitter cold, death, and destruction.

12. Sensuality Abdominal Pain Powerful Animals

13. Pain Dreams “Someone has broken into the house and has set the basement on fire. The young guy just stands there unable to help.” “I have been captured on a winter Mountain. They are going to kill us. They make us drink gasoline. It makes our enemy's neck split open in the back.” “I am on a battlefield. Both sides have tigers for privates. The battle begins and many die. There are men and women soldiers on both sides carrying big arrow lances. The lone tigers have the lances also, strapped to their bodies like battering rams.” “I am on a movie set of a big cutter ship. They are raising the mast and a man gets caught in the ropes. He is dangling upside down up in the air and can't get untangled.”

14. Living with the Reality of This Body, 1999

15. Ruptured Cysts Change of Life Exhibition March 30, 2001 There is a naked woman up against a sheer rocky face of a mountain. She is in the center of a cold, yellowish thundering waterfall screaming and crying. The woman is part of the rocky face of the mountain. She can't get out. There is a clay sewer pipe encasing her torso. Her crotch is bare and exposed. Her feet are on rocks. Her three to four year old daughter is trying to reach up to comfort her mama. On another wall is a woman imprisoned in grief. She is confined in the wall in anger. Next to her, on the wall, is a deep dark hole which opens up into the basement.

17. Decision to stop all medications

20. Acupuncture and Herbs

21. Massage

23. Dreamwork Embodied Imagination Inviting dreams into the body Learning new ways of living in the body

24. Composites & Touch Bodywork Awakening the Dream

25. Making Love on Meat March 12, 2006 I am in a refrigerator, a large family kitchen one like our new silver-grey fridge. There are three packages of thawed out meat in there on the shelf. A man comes, my lover. He's the Japanese actor from "Shall We Dance?" He lowers me into the fridge, onto the packages of meat. I pull the plastic back to make sure to cover them and not expose the meat directly to the air or spill the red juices. He kisses me passionately and we make love. It's very pleasant.”

26. Living Composites Elephants Healing Companions

27. November 6, 2006 Jeff comes in to give me a massage. I am happy for this time to work together. I am also a little anxious and sober to the reality of this work. It will be painful. My abdomen starts to tighten. I look up and see that he has an embroidered elephant on his jacket. I relax immediately and smile. He is hiding his right hand in his sleeve. I am delighted to catch a glimpse of it - his hand is an elephant's trunk. It isn't deformed. He's become a real healer for me. I look back at his face and see that he has become the young Asclepius. Healing Dream Wounded Healer Dreams, Bodies, Relationships, & Ki

29. Meaningful relationships essential

30. Acute abdominal pain gone

31. Allergies improved significantly