'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.' Eleanore Roosevelt Unknown

Whenever I begin a new series of meditation classes, I'm filled with a sense of renewed appreciation and wonder at how this practice literally transforms people's lives. In whatever format, the simple act of stopping, sitting and reflecting brings about clarity, hope and peace...and sometimes even change at a level that we could only dare to dream of.

The concept of meditation conjures up different ideas for different people. I like to think of it as 'creating space' - not just for formal meditation (which isn't for everyone) but for reflecting and questioning and importantly, for dreaming.

Life is so different when we make time to dream. Some people don't and their lives are still happy. They're the ones who say 'I just wait to see what comes along next' and often that works very nicely. Others are passionate dreamers - their minds never stop and they know that there aren't enough hours in this lifetime for them to pursue all of the parallel lives they could possibly live.

And somewhere in between are the rest of us. At times we find ourselves swept along by life's journey without much thought and then one day, something acts as a trigger to bring the question into our minds 'am I living my life the way I really want to be living it?'.

Making time to dream isn't just important so that we can carve out individual lives that are fulfilling, it's essential if we want to perceive of and hope for social change.

As I was driving home from gym on Friday, I heard a replay of Martin Luther King Jr's 'I have a dream' speech on ABC's Radio National. Like many of the world's true visionaries, his message still has the power to stir such emotion and his ability to see beyond the barriers that others believed were impossible to remove, truly inspirational.

Where would we be without dreamers? When we acknowledge that everything outside of nature around us was created from somebody's dreaming, we begin to understand the magnitude of importance this simple practice holds.

When can you make time to dream?

• Set aside a block of time every day this week (just half an hour will do) to dream. In an ideal world, make it first thing in the morning.
• Find a quiet 'dreaming' space (lie under a tree or sit on the beach if you have the luxury of being able to be in nature).
• Create a 'dreaming' question or series of questions for yourself (e.g. 'what do I want to be remembered for once I've left this earth?' or 'what did I dream of when I was younger that I've since told myself I'm too old/too tired/not skilled enough for?').
• Spend at least ten to fifteen minutes just reflecting on your question. Allow whatever comes into your mind be. If you find your mind wandering off to worry about the day ahead, bring it gently back to your dreaming question.
• Have a journal, some coloured pencils or pens and write, draw, mind map or just scribble any ideas that spring into your mind.
• Take one small step in the direction of your dream.