If we want to understand the meaning of dreams then
we must first realise that the exact meaning of dreams
is unique to the person dreaming. There are many
interpretations of virtually any object, place or person
encountered in a dream, but to believe each will mean
the same thing in each case will be to ignore the fact
that each of us has a different life history. To believe
that dreams can be understood simply by looking up a
dream dictionary would be to make the same mistake people
make when they believe Sun Signs are all there is to
astrology!
Before we can start interpreting dreams and learning
what they have to teach us, it is important to remember
our dreams. It is estimated that as much as 50%
of a dream's content is lost within five minutes of
waking, and as much as 90% of the content can be lost
after only ten minutes!
This short window of recall is one reason why many
people insist they rarely or never dream, even though
sleep scientists have proven that every human being
dreams from between four and seven times each and every
night.
One great way to remember your dreams, and to begin
to analyze and interpret them, is to keep a dream journal.
Have some paper and pen by your bed and tell yourself
before you go to sleep that you want to remember
your dreams. You may be surprised at how easy it can
be to get your unconscious to start working with
you
Try to get into the habit of writing down what you
remember of your dream every morning immediately upon
waking. It is important to do this as soon as
you are awake, since the majority of the dream can be
lost in just a few minutes. If you cannot remember
the entire dream, just jot down a few words, or even
your impressions of the dream.
Many people begin to see patterns emerging after
they have kept a sleep journal for a number of nights.
For instance, even if your dreams are different
each night, there may be similar themes or locations.
These themes and locations can be a big help later
on when you begin attempting to interpret your dreams.
Freud
said dreams are "The Royal Road to the Unconscious"
and although it certainly is possible to remember dreams
for nothing more than curiosity value - and who knows
if your dreams are interesting enough there could even
be a book there! - here we are looking more at allowing
our unconscious access to our conscious mind so that
we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and
our daily life.
While keeping in mind that each dream's meaning belongs
to the uniqueness of the person who dreams it, here
are a few examples of how we can use our dreams towork
through problems.
If we dream constantly about falling, it could
indicate that we feel our life is out of control
and unstable. If we can examine our life and
take control of it, it can result in not only a
cessation of those bad dreams but in a better and
more fulfilling life as well.
If we are suffering from fear and anxiety, sometimes
being quite unaware of the cause, and sometimes
not even consciously being aware we are afraid at
all, we may dream of being chased, or pursued by
an attacker. If you have a dream such as this note
that there may well be something going on which
you are not yet aware of. You can look at
your life, see if there is something troubling you
and if there is work out a way to resolve it. Once
these challenges have been faced, the chasing dreams
usually go away.
Of course not all dream issues are so easily solved.
If your dream journal reveals frequent nightmares
or similar disturbing dreams, it could be related to
a past trauma that you may feel you would like professional
help to work through. For instance, soldiers returning
from war zones, and rescue workers returning from floods,
fires and other natural disasters, report a higher level
of nightmares than does the general public.
If you're dreams are troubling you so that you think
you may need counselling
or dream therapy dealing with them, then remember to
choose a person who has a philosophy you feel comfortable
with and if possible meet them for an introductory session.
