What have we been dreaming with planet Earth?

Abstract

Extension actions can contribute to discussions on the psychological effects of disasters resulting from climate change. Dreams assist us in locating these impacts within subjectivity when we conceive them not only in their function of fulfilling desires to maintain the subject in a state of sleep but also as an attempt to process traumatic sensory impressions arising from waking life. Meanwhile, the practice of listening to and sharing dreams in circles or public spaces has been used as a means of care and support for individuals overwhelmed by environmental tragedies. The objective of this article is to present the methodology behind the extension initiative titled What Have We Been Dreaming About Planet Earth? linked to the extension and internship programs of the Federal University of São Paulo - Baixada Santista Campus. This intervention takes place in open spaces where individuals make themselves available for encounters, positioned behind a sign that reads: I Listen to Dreams about the environment, the planet, nature, the climate crisis, well-being, etc. This intervention was inspired by two works by the artist Ana Teixeira, as her art is characterized by the creation of situations that challenge routine and stimulate the recognition of the "other" as an integral part of a shared experience. Three experiments were conducted, and the data produced referenced floods, inundations, tsunamis, and the suffering caused by Brazil's socioeconomic inequality. The word 'water' appears in several dreams as impressions of the life/death dualism: that which constitutes us and can also kill us. Thus, the invitation to dream about planet Earth is a way to rediscover our psychic vitality and, perhaps, gather strength to resist the destruction of nature, creating proposals aimed at environmental and climate sustainability.