
AI Dream Art
I made a series of AI artworks in 2025 based on two waking dreams I had during the pandemic, when I underwent hypnotherapy sessions to treat my chronic shoulder pain caused by the overwhelming stress I experienced as a homeschooling mom entrepreneur.

#1 A Dream in a Hypnotic Vision
#1 and #2 were both inspired by my first Octopus waking dream. I feel extremely exhausted from saving the world and see a big comfortable bed. As soon as I fell into it on my left side, a soft creature fell out of my left shoulder and into a body of water. It sinks to the bottom then jets up to the surface where there is light.

#2 Meeting My Spirit Guide
Upon waking from the dream in #1 but still under hypnosis, I sit up on the bed. A spirit guide in a long, flowy dress appears, floating in mid-air. I look at her and gasp in disbelief: "That's Deirdre Barrett! Wait, what?" She proclaims, "Your new soul mission is to save the world with dreams."

#3 The Octopus Out Of My Left Shoulder
#3, #4, #5 and #6 were inspired by my second Octopus waking dream, which occurred weeks later. I returned to the same hypnotherapist with the question, "If I were to save the world, how should I do it?" Under hypnosis, I dreamt awake again. I am in the deep water this time, and an octopus slowly swims out of my left shoulder.
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#4 Meeting the Octopus
The Octopus circled around me slowly, moving gracefully, going with the flow. It is soft and jelloy, not holding any tensions in its body. Unlike us humans who have so many bones in our bodies, there's not a single bone inside of the Octopus, allowing it to shapeshift freely to adapt to environmental changes and not get stuck.

#5 Expanding into a Healing Bubble
As the Octopus dances the slow dance, it expands slowly into a huge healing bubble of light while its skin becomes increasingly translucent. The enlightened octopus bubble glows softly like the moon, luminous and inviting me to join.

#6 Dissolving in the Light
I move inside the healing bubble and find myself floating in the air, surrounded by a shimmering liquidy healing energy substance as if I am inside of a lava lamp. My dream body slowly expands and dissolves, becoming one with the quantum field of light.