Thursday, November 24, 2011

Dream Images: Flying




        Dreams about flying usually represent freedom from
the physical body, as we experience in sleep & while
dreaming where we don't use our physical bodies but
instead use our mental & spiritual bodies to experience our
dreams. It's one of the first things people attempt to do
when they gain control of their dreams and start lucid
dreaming.
        Everybody seems to have a natural inclination to want
to fly, unless that is changed by a fear of flying due to a
frightening incident in their waking lives. Flying = freedom;
either a desire for freedom, an "escape" from restraints in
your physical life (like a mini-vacation for the mind) or any
number of possibilities.

        Tie it in with the context of your dream...what were
you doing in your dream besides flying? How did it make
you feel? Also, the type of flying here is the person flying
on their own without an airplane or any aircraft at all. That
would be a different symbol dealing with spiritual
awareness, among other things.
Flying dreams fall under a category of dreams where
you become aware that you are dreaming, known as lucid
dreaming. Many dreamers have described the ability to fly
in their dreams as an exhilarating, joyful, and liberating
experience.

        If you are flying with ease and enjoying the scene and
landscape below, then it suggests that you are on top of a
situation. You have risen above something. It may also
mean that you have gained a different perspective on
things. Flying dreams and the ability to control your flight is
representative of your own personal sense of power.
Having difficulties staying in flight indicates a lack of
power in controlling your own circumstances. You may be
struggling to stay aloft and stay on course. Things like
power lines, trees, or mountains may further obstruct your
flight. These barriers represent a particular obstacle or
person who is standing in your way in your waking life. You
need to identify who or what is hindering you from moving
forward.

        If you are feeling fear when you are flying or that
you feel that you are flying too high then it suggests that
you are afraid of challenges and of success.

In reality, we do not have the ability to fly. Thus
such dreams may represent that which is beyond our
physical limitations. In your mind, you can be anybody and
do anything. Another way of interpreting flying dreams is
that these dreams symbolize your strong mind and will.

        You feel undefeatable and nobody can tell you what you
cannot do and accomplish. Undoubtedly these dreams
leave you a great sense of freedom.

         Being Caught In A Tornado


        This symbol points to emotional turmoil, as in a
"whirlwind of emotions"; and/or rapid or sudden changes in
your life. It is a sign to "get a grip" on what is possibly
spinning out of control & deal more effectively with your
emotions. Meditation and finding some private "think time"
for yourself would be a good idea.
         To be continued on Dream Images...   atj


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Common Dream Images


MOST COMMON DREAM IMAGES


        One very important thing to keep in mind is to interpret
symbols within the context of the dream they appear in,
rather than piece by piece which would leave too much room
for error. There are thousands of symbols, and it depends
upon the context of one's own personal dream as to what
they all mean for him/her.

        Look at it this way...a dream is like a puzzle, and
although there are several pieces that are quickly pieced
together because they are so obvious, the puzzle isn't
complete until all the pieces are placed together bit by bit.
Then you have the complete picture...until then, you'll only
have disjointed images that don't add up to anything
coherent, and you'll still be confused.

        So please remember that and try not to piecemeal a
dream...it needs to be fully interpreted or it will most likely
be totally wrong.
Let’s look at some of the more common dream images
and what they could mean.


  • Teeth Falling Out

        This is probably the most prevalent dream image that
people report. It is disturbing to them because it affects
vanity and personal appearance – but only in the dream! a
dream about one's teeth falling out usually symbolizes that
the dreamer is having a challenge getting their voice
heard, or feelings acknowledged.

        This may be referring to their conversations with a
particular person such as their significant other, boss, or
friend; or can be generalized for people who are shy, to
include almost everyone they come in contact with.
The dreamer needs to brush up on conversational
skills, believe in the value of their own opinion, and learn
how to be less intimidated by aggressive people, and
become more assertive and make their voice heard. Once
they do that, this dream (which is a common recurring
dream) should evolve & show improvement...or disappear
altogether.
        Another theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect
your anxiety about your appearance and how others
perceive you. Sadly, we live in a world where good looks
are valued highly and your teeth play an important role in
conveying that image. Teeth are used in the game of
flirtations, whether it is a dazzling and gleaming smile or
affectionate necking. These dreams may stem from a fear
of your sexual impotence or the consequences of getting
old. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness
and presentation to others. Everybody worries about how
they appear to others. Caring about our appearance is
natural and healthy.

        There are cultural interpretations of this type of dream
as well. A scriptural interpretation for bad or falling teeth
indicate that you are putting your faith, trust, and beliefs
in what man thinks rather than in the word of God. The
bible says that God speaks once, yea twice in a dream or a
vision in order to hide pride from us, to keep us back from
the pit, to open our ears (spiritually) and to instruct and
correct us.

        In the Greek culture, when you dream about
loose, rotten, or missing teeth, it indicates that a family
member or close friend is very sick or even near death.
Note: In addition to this, I have experienced several occasion of
          dreaming that my tooth was falling and our relative died. This
          happened not only once but several times. I purely believed
          that this is true. A week ago my daughter had a Dream that
          her tooth was also falling and three days later my cousin living
          in Australia had died. Not only a coincidence but it is a real truth
          regarding this theory. My first information about this comes from
          my 84 year old mother who is currently bed ridden for 6 years of
          her sickness.

        According to the Chinese, there is a saying that
your teeth will fall out if you are telling lies.
        It has also been said that if you dream of your
teeth falling out, then it symbolizes money. This is based
on the old tooth fairy story. If you lose a tooth and leave it
under the pillow, a tooth fairy would bring you money.
         To be continued......    atj

Friday, November 18, 2011


INTERPRETING YOUR DREAMS


        Interpreting your dreams can be a lot of fun. As we’ve
said, it can also give you valuable insight. Dreams are like
coded messages from your unconscious mind. When you
decode them, you gain access to a wealth of intuitive
wisdom.

        Remember that only you can interpret your dreams.
Many people have published "Dream Dictionaries" that
describe what each part of the dream symbolizes. Actually,
the same dream can have infinite meanings, depending on
the person who dreamed it. The important thing is, what
does it mean to YOU?

        Interpreting dreams isn’t something you can pick up
and become an expert at right away. It takes time and
practice. First, keep the following things in mind:

• Dreams are the reaction of the inner self to daytime
activity and often show the way out of the dilemma. So
relate them to current activity, because dreams may be
retrospective as well as prospective.

• Observe carefully recurrent dreams, as well as the
serially progressive ones. These often illustrate
progress or failure.

• Be practical in your interpretations. Always look first for
a lesson. What have you refused to face or been
ignoring?

• Dreams come to guide and help, not to amuse. They
direct your attention to errors of omission and
commission and offer encouragement for right
endeavors. They also give us the opportunity to pray
for others and to help them bear their burdens.

• Look for past-life experiences in your dreams. These
manifest themselves not only in color, but in the proper
costume and setting of their period. They come to warn
you against repeating the same old mistakes; to
explain your relationship and reactions to certain
people and places; to reduce your confusions; to
enable you to better understand life.

• Dreams that are unchanged through the years indicate
the dreamer's resistance to change.
The difficulty most people have with interpreting their
own dreams is that they aren't objective enough. Their
familiarity with the people and places in their dreams
obscures the dreams meaning. Experts have come up with
the “I AM and I NEED” formula, devised to overcome this.
Here's how it works.

        Once you have your dream written on paper, get two
different colored pens. Using one color, underline every
negative word or phrase in the dream which indicates
limitation, disrespect, containment, avoidance or damage.
Using the other color, underline every positive word or
phrase. You now make two lists. List the negative words and
phrases under a column titled I AM. List the positive words
and phrases under a column titled I NEED. You are almost
ready to interpret your dream.

        Determine the subject matter of the dream. The
location where the dream takes place is one of the best
methods for doing this. When you have determined the
subject matter take each of the phrases or words in the 'I
AM' column and fit them into the following sentence.
When it comes to my (subject matter) I AM (phrase or
keyword)
Change the phrase or keyword slightly to force the
sentence to make sense. If you cannot determine the
subject matter apply the keywords to yourself in general.
This exercise tells you how you feel or react to the subject
matter of the dream. When you have done this read through
the 'I NEED' column to learn what you must do to correct
the problem. To get the meaning put each of the phrases or
keywords into the sentence,
When it comes to my (subject matter) I NEED (phrase
or keyword)
Let's take an example. Using the sentence 'The dead
woman lay on the cold hard slab'. The negative keywords
are; dead, cold and hard. Women, in dreams, can represent
emotions so in this case the sentences constructed would be
When it comes to my emotions I am dead.
When it comes to my emotions I am cold.
When it comes to my emotions I am hard.
The meaning is obvious. With analyzing just one
sentence from a dream we have learned a lot about the
dreamer. Using this technique you now have all of the
information you need to start interpreting your dreams.
However it takes practice to be able to apply what you have
learned. Be patient with your efforts.

        Not all dream interpretations will be that cut and dried,
but it is a way to remain objective when you are analyzing
what your dreams mean and how best to put the messages
they are conveying to good use in your life.
Keep in mind that Most dreams are * NOT *
precognitive, and once one learns the subtle differences
between a precognitive dream versus a regular dream, they
are easily discernable and will put your mind at ease.
The first thing everyone should consider is the typical
universal symbology of the dream images. For instance,
death symbolizes the end of something that's ready for
change, and a new beginning. Most people start out highly
resistive to changes of any sort, and see any upcoming
change in their life as something foreboding and scary.
Death dreams are usually about change.

        The symbols and what they represent is the most
fascinating part of dream interpretation. There are literally
hundreds of them. We don’t have the space to address ALL
of them, but we will touch on some of the most recurring
themes in dreams as well as the symbols of those dreams
and what they mean.

HOW TO REMEMBER YOUR
DREAMS

        When beginning the steps towards interpreting your
dreams, many people find it helpful to keep a notebook – a
dream journal, if you will – right next to your bed with a pen
or pencil. As soon as you are physically able, begin your
journal.

        Write down your dream as soon as you remember it.
Write down everything you remember, even if it doesn't
make sense. Most often, the parts that don't make sense or
are out of place are the most valuable. Every detail, even
the minutest element in your dream is important and must
be considered when analyzing your dreams. Look closely at
the characters, animals, objects, places, emotions, and even
color and numbers that are depicted in your dreams.

        Ask yourself, "What does this remind me of?" Write
down the first thing that comes to your mind. This will likely
be the real situation in your life that is symbolized in the
dream. What did that real-life situation make you feel like?
If this is the same feeling represented in your dream, you're
on the right track. Often when there is more than one part
to your dream (more than one story line) that usually means
there are two things your subconscious is trying to tell you.

        Remember that we have between four and seven
dreams per night. If you wake up from a dream, write it
down. Don’t roll over and go back to sleep. If you don’t
write it down, you’ll never remember it in the morning! At
the very least, you can jot down the basic premise of the
dream and go back in the morning to fill in the rest of the
details such as feelings, etc.

        Suggest to yourself every night as you fall asleep, "I
will remember my dreams." Say this over and over. Your
sub-conscious will act on this subtle suggestion. Practice
keen observation in your dreams through self-suggestion
prior to sleep. When a problem confronts you, you might
want to ask by prayer for guidance to be sent to you
through your dreams.

        Trust your instincts! If something seems important, it
probably is. Try not to let your logical side take over.
So you’ve got your dreams down on paper. Where do
you go next? The next step would be interpretation.   atj

Why Remember Your Dreams


WHY REMEMBER YOUR DREAMS?

        Your dreaming mind has access to information that is
not readily available to you when you are awake. Your
dreams may reveal your secret desires and subconscious
feelings.

        In remembering your dreams, you will have an
increased knowledge about yourself, bring about selfawareness
and self-healing. Dreams are an extension of
how you perceive yourself. They can be a source of
inspiration, wisdom, and joy.

        You don’t have to interpret your dreams in order to
solve your problems. But just as there is the saying that
“Death cures cigarette smoking,” you might find that
listening to your dreams may help you solve your problems
before you run out of time.

        Dreams are always “true”—it’s just that what they
mean isn’t always what we think they mean. Sometimes a
dream gives a warning of danger, but if you pay attention to
the dream and change your ways the danger won’t
necessarily happen. And most often a dream’s meaning will
be metaphorical, not literal.

        For example, a woman may dream that her husband is
having a sexual affair, but it would be a mistake to conclude
that her husband is really having an affair. The dream is
simply providing the woman graphic evidence that she
somehow feels betrayed by her husband. Once she
acknowledges that feeling, she can then start examining her
life consciously—and honestly—to find out why she feels
betrayed and what she needs to do about it.

        All dreams essentially tell us one important thing:
“Wake up!” That is, just as you must wake up from a dream
to remember it, the dream itself is telling you to “wake up”
to the truth that you try to hide from others—and from
yourself.

        Of course, there is a positive as well as a negative side
to remembering and interpreting your dreams.
       The negative side is that you may come across a side
of yourself that you really don't like or are afraid to know
about. You may discover that you aren't (always) the "Miss
Goody Two Shoes" or "Mr. Nice Guy" that you profess to be
during the day. You may discover that your childhood was
not all ice cream, roller-skating and amusement parks. You
may end up shedding light on dark places and recall secrets
long repressed. This can be scary stuff.

        The positive side is that you go through a
metamorphosis or catharsis and become -- you. You
become the “you” that you were always meant to be. You
will become truer to yourself and therefore, you will find
that you are happier.

        Learning to recall your dreams may help you become a
more assertive, creative person.
        In remembering your dreams, you are expressing and confronting your
feelings.
        Remembering your dreams can help you come to
terms with stressful aspects of your lives.
        But this may be easier said than done. Five minutes
after the end of the dream, half the content is forgotten.
After ten minutes, 90% is lost. Dreamers, who are
awakened right after sleep, are able to recall their
dreams more vividly than those who slept through the night
until morning.
        Obviously, remembering your dreams is vital to
interpreting them. So, how can you better remember your
dreams?   atj


WHY DO WE DREAM?


  •  The brain receives stimuli from many different sources

all day long. There are far too many stimuli for it to
process. The mind prioritizes the stimuli and makes you
aware of those that need immediate attention (the crying
baby, the out-of-control car, your boss' request) so that you
may act accordingly.

  •  The stimuli that you are not consciously aware of are

nevertheless noted by the brain, but on a subconscious level
(the drip of the bathroom water faucet, the remark by a
coworker at the water cooler while you were on the
telephone.)

  • Furthermore, you feel emotions all day. Some you

acknowledge and act on (you say thank you and smile when
you are complimented.) Some you repress or do not allow
yourself to act on (you don't punch your boss in the nose
when he tells you the report you worked on for a week is no
longer needed.)

  •  Traumatic experiences occur that you face (you call the

police) or if it too painful, you deny them happening and
send them deep into your subconscious (repression.)
In addition to all these emotions and stimuli the brain
must process daily, it also keeps your body functioning; it
remembers names and faces; it allows you to talk and walk
and chew gum (sometimes all at the same time); and
performs numerous other activities that you take for
granted.

  •  You must admit -- that's a lot to do. At night, when

your body must rest, the mind continues working. When no
longer called upon to type letters and do the grocery
shopping, the brain concentrates on processing all of those
subconscious stimuli and emotions (while still maintaining
body temperature and breathing, etc.)

  •  This is why we dream. Only you are not awake to

receive the signals at a conscious level -- you can not hear
or see or touch (at a conscious level) while you are sleeping.
The brain must resort to other means to get the signals
through to your conscious mind. This is why we dream the
way we do.

  • The mind uses everything at its disposal (which is

everything it has ever been exposed to) to get the message
across. Simply put, dreaming is the minds way of
processing all of the stimuli and emotions it has received
during the day or repressed over time, so that you may act
on them.

  •  All in all, it's a pretty neat system. But unless you are

remembering and making sense of your dreams, you are
missing out on countless opportunities to learn about
yourself and experience life to its fullest.
Even though we’ve addressed it before, it bears
repeating.

 Why should you try and remember your dreams?

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Why People Dream


                  WHY DO WE DREAM?


        The brain receives stimuli from many different sources
all day long. There are far too many stimuli for it to
process. The mind prioritizes the stimuli and makes you
aware of those that need immediate attention (the crying
baby, the out-of-control car, your boss' request) so that you
may act accordingly.
        The stimuli that you are not consciously aware of are
nevertheless noted by the brain, but on a subconscious level
(the drip of the bathroom water faucet, the remark by a
coworker at the water cooler while you were on the
telephone.)
        Furthermore, you feel emotions all day. Some you
acknowledge and act on (you say thank you and smile when
you are complimented.) Some you repress or do not allow
yourself to act on (you don't punch your boss in the nose
when he tells you the report you worked on for a week is no
longer needed.)
        Traumatic experiences occur that you face (you call the
police) or if it too painful, you deny them happening and
send them deep into your subconscious (repression.)
In addition to all these emotions and stimuli the brain
must process daily, it also keeps your body functioning; it
remembers names and faces; it allows you to talk and walk
and chew gum (sometimes all at the same time); and
performs numerous other activities that you take for
granted.
        You must admit -- that's a lot to do. At night, when
your body must rest, the mind continues working. When no
longer called upon to type letters and do the grocery
shopping, the brain concentrates on processing all of those
subconscious stimuli and emotions (while still maintaining
body temperature and breathing, etc.)
        This is why we dream. Only you are not awake to
receive the signals at a conscious level -- you can not hear
or see or touch (at a conscious level) while you are sleeping.
The brain must resort to other means to get the signals
through to your conscious mind. This is why we dream the
way we do.
        The mind uses everything at its disposal (which is
everything it has ever been exposed to) to get the message
across. Simply put, dreaming is the minds way of
processing all of the stimuli and emotions it has received
during the day or repressed over time, so that you may act
on them.
         All in all, it's a pretty neat system. But unless you are
remembering and making sense of your dreams, you are
missing out on countless opportunities to learn about
yourself and experience life to its fullest.
        Even though we’ve addressed it before, it bears
repeating. Why should you try and remember your dreams?   atj

Types Of Dreams


                  TYPES OF DREAMS



  • Daydreams 

Studies show that we all have the tendency to
daydream an average of 70-120 minutes a day. Day
dreaming is classified as a level of consciousness between
sleep and wakefulness. It occurs during our waking hours
when we let our imagination carry us away. As our minds
begin to wander and our level of awareness decreases, we
lose ourselves in our imagined scenario and fantasy.

  • Lucid Dreams

Lucid dreams occur when you realize you are
dreaming. "Wait a second. This is only a dream!" Most
dreamers wake themselves up once they realize that they
are only dreaming. Other dreamers have cultivated the
skill to remain in the lucid state of dreaming. They become
an active participant in their own dreams, making decisions
in their dreams and influencing the dream's outcome
without awakening.

  • Nightmares

A nightmare is a disturbing dream that causes the
dreamer to wake up feeling anxious and frightened.
Nightmares may be a response to real life trauma and
situations. This type of nightmare falls under a special
category called Post-traumatic Stress Nightmare (PSN).
Nightmares may also occur because we have ignored
or refused to accept a particular life situation. Research
shows that most people who have regular nightmares have
had a family history of psychiatric problems, bad drug
experiences, people who have contemplated suicide,
and/or rocky relationships.
Nightmares are an indication of a fear that needs to
be acknowledged and confronted. It is a way for our
subconscious to make up take notice. "Pay attention!"
We’ll have more later in the book about nightmares and
steps you can take to overcome them.

  • Recurring Dreams

Recurring dreams repeat themselves with little
variation in story or theme. These dreams may be
positive, but most often they are nightmarish in content.
Dreams may recur because a conflict depicted in the
dream remains unresolved or ignored. Once you have
found a resolution to the problem, your recurring dreams
will cease.

  • Healing Dreams

Healing dreams serve as messages for the dreamer in
regards to their health. Many dream experts believe that
dreams can help us avoid potential health problems and
help us to heal when we are ill. Our bodies are able to
communicate to us through our dreams to "tell" us that
something is not quite right with our bodies even before
any physical symptoms show up. Dreams of this nature
may be telling the dreamer that he/she needs to go to the
dentist or doctor

  • Prophetic Dreams

Prophetic dreams also referred to as precognitive or
psychic dreams are dreams that seemingly foretell the
future. One rational theory to explain this phenomenon is
that our dreaming mind is able to piece together bits of
information and observation that we normally overlook or
that we do not seriously consider. In other words, our
unconscious mind knows what is coming before we
consciously piece together the same information

  • Signal Dreams

Signal dreams help you how to solve problems or
make decisions in your waking life.

  • Epic Dreams

Epic dreams (or Great dreams) are so huge, so
compelling, and so vivid that you cannot ignore them. The
details of such dreams remain with you for years, as if
your dreamt it last night. These dreams possess much
beauty and contain many archetypal symbology. When
you wake up from such a dream, you feel that you have
discovered something profound or amazing about yourself
or about the world. It feels like a life-changing
experience
You might be wondering what exactly is going on in
your head when you dream. Coming Next "Why Do We Dream."   atj

Dreams By Edgar Cayce

Edgar Cayce

                   Edgar Cayce on Dreams


        Cayce was able to obtain virtually an unlimited amount
of knowledge on an unlimited number of subjects. One of
these subjects was dreams and dream interpretation. Cayce
was able to astound people by interpreting their dreams and
giving them insight into their psyche, lives and even past
lives. Cayce revealed that dreams are actually journeys into
the spirit world.

         Edgar Cayce once said, "Dreams, visions, impressions,
to the entity in the normal sleeping state are the
presentations of the experiences necessary for the
development, if the entity would apply them in the physical
life. These may be taken as warnings, as advice, as
conditions to be met, conditions to be viewed in a way and
manner as lessons, as truths, as they are presented in the
various ways and manners."

        Cayce believed that our dreams serve several
functions. Somatic dreams - dreams referring to the body -
are extremely important to be mindful of. Very often dreams
will offer solutions to health problems. For example, one
man was plagued with food allergies for many years, but
was unable to find the source of his discomfort. Then one
night he went to bed and he dreamed of a can of coffee. He
quit drinking coffee and his symptoms disappeared.

        Cayce also believed that deceased friends and
family members do occasionally visit us in our dream state.
These occurrences may offer direct communication with
those people or allow us to resolve our feelings about their
death. The person may also represent some aspect of
themselves.

        During the dreaming state of sleep, we experience the
different levels of consciousness and receive input from the
different realms of the spirit world. Through dreaming, we
have special access to our spirit within. According to the
Cayce readings, there is not a question we can ask which
cannot be answered from the depths of our inner
consciousness when the proper attunement is made.

        A dream may be of a physical, mental, or spiritual
nature and may deal with all manner of psychic
manifestations. These include telepathy, clairvoyance,
prophetic visions, out of body traveling, remembrance of
past lives, communication with beings in other realms
including deceased friends and relatives, spirit guides,
angels, Christ, and even the voice of God. Dreams can also
give invaluable information on the status of the body.

        Cayce felt that there is no dimension of human life,
whether social, financial, emotional or physical, mental or
spiritual with which the dream may not on occasion deal.
Dreams may encourage or reprimand, instruct or deceive,
inspire or seduce, guide or confuse.
        The potential for an immense array of experiences in
consciousness is always there. What we actually receive
depends upon our attitudes, motivations, the measure of our
attunement, and the extent to which we have made
applicable what was received in earlier dreams and in
waking experiences.
        The dream world is a strange yet fascinating place!
There are several different kinds of dreams. Let’s look at
those in our next section.

Note: Following up Types of Dreams. atj

Friday, November 4, 2011

Opinions On Dreams


                               Carl Jung on Dreams
        Jung studied under the tutelage of Sigmund Freud.
Their differing views on dreams and dream interpretations
led to a permanent rift that led them to go their separate
ways.
        Like Freud, Jung believed in the existence of the
unconscious. However, he didn't see the unconscious as
animalistic, instinctual, and sexual; he saw it as
more spiritual. Dreams were a way of communicating and
acquainting ourselves with the unconscious. Dreams were
not attempts to conceal our true feelings from the waking
mind, but rather they were a window to our unconscious.
        They served to guide the waking self to achieve
wholeness. Dreams offered a solution to a problem we are
facing in our waking life.
        Jung viewed the ego as one's sense of self and how we
portray ourselves to the world. Part of Jung's theory was
that all things can be viewed as paired opposites (i.e.
good/evil, male/female, or love/hate). And thus working in
opposition to the ego, is the "counter-ego" or what he
referred to as the shadow. The shadow represents
rejected aspects of yourself that you do not wish to
acknowledge. It is considered an aspect of yourself which
is somewhat more primitive, uncultured, and awkward.”
        He said, “Dreams are the main source of all of our
knowledge about symbolism." This means that the messages
you receive from your dreams are expressed symbolically
and must be interpreted to find their true meanings.
        Jung says that rarely do the symbols in dreams have
just one meaning. And when interpreting the messages in
your dreams, he suggests going with your first hunch,
relying on your intuitive abilities, before applying more
rational methods of dream interpretation.
        Perhaps one of the most fascinating dream theorists
might be Edgar Cayce. Today, we would call him a psychic.
        When he was alive, he was a fascinating individual who, it
appeared, could speak with the dead, make predictions
about the future, and provide insight into areas where the
normal person couldn’t go.   atj

Why Do We Dream?


                            Sigmund Freud on Dreams


        Sigmund Freud actually called dreams the “royal road
to the unconscious,” That statement will probably remain
true in psychology forever. Freud’s classic text, The
Interpretation of Dreams, contains some of his finest work.

Freud believed every dream is a wish fulfillment, and
he kept this theory to the end, even though he gave up his
initial idea that all dreams have a sexual content.

For Freud, the concept of wish fulfillment didn’t
necessarily imply that a pleasure was sought, because a
person could just as well have a wish to be punished.
         Nevertheless, this idea of a “secret” wish being masked by a
dream remains central to classical Freudian psychoanalysis.
Freud said, “Dreams are not comparable to the
spontaneous sounds made by a musical instrument struck
rather by some external force than by the hand of a
performer; they are not meaningless, not absurd, they do
not imply that one portion of our stockpile of ideas sleeps
while another begins to awaken. They are a completely valid
psychological phenomenon, specifically the fulfillment of
wishes; they can be classified in the continuity of
comprehensible waking mental states; they are constructed
through highly complicated intellectual activity.”
It was not until Freud noticed how allowing his patients
to freely associate ideas with whatever came to mind, that
he really explored spontaneous abreaction. Freud himself
suffered bouts of deep anxiety, and it was partly this that
led him to explore the connection between association of
ideas and dreams. In 1897 he wrote to his friend Wilhelm
Fliess:
        ‘No matter what I start with, I always find myself back
again with the neuroses and the psychical apparatus.
Inside me there is a seething ferment, and I am only
waiting for the next surge forward. I have felt impelled
to start writing about dreams, with which I feel on firm
ground.’
        This move toward dreams may have come about
because in allowing his patients freedom to talk and explore
the associations that arose - free association - Freud noticed
that patients would often find a connection between the
direction of their associations and a dream they had
experienced. The more he allowed his patients to go in their
own direction, the more frequently they mentioned their
dreams. Also, talking about the dream often enabled the
patient to discover a new and productive chain of
associations and memories.
         Freud began to take note of his own dreams and
explore the associations they aroused. In doing so he was
the first person to consciously and consistently explore a
dream into its depths through uncovering and following
obvious and hidden associations and emotions connected
with the dream imagery and drama.
        Obviously previous dream researchers had noticed how
the dream image associated with personal concerns, but
Freud broke through into seeing the connection with sexual
feelings, with early childhood trauma, and with the
subtleties of the human psyche. He did this to deal with his
own neurosis, and he says of this period, ‘I have been
through some kind of neurotic experience, with odd states of
mind not intelligible to consciousness, cloudy thoughts and
veiled doubts, with barely here and there a ray of light.’
        Using dreams for his self analysis, Freud discovered
that previously unremembered details from his childhood
were recaptured along with feelings and states of mind
which he had never met before.
         He wrote of this period, “Some sad secrets of life are
being traced back to their first roots; the humble origins of
much pride and precedence are being laid bare. I am now
experiencing myself all the things that, as a third party, I
have witnessed going on in my patients, days when I slink
about depressed because I have understood nothing of the
day’s dreams, fantasies, or mood.”
        Without this powerful and personal experience of
working with his dreams, meeting emotions and fantasies
welling up from the unconscious, Freud would not have so
passionately believed in his theories regarding dreams and
the unconscious.
        Of course, like much of Freud’s theories, he related
dreams to sex. One of his basic views of dreams was that
the purpose of dreams is to allow us to satisfy in fantasies
the instinctual urges that society judges unacceptable such
as sexual practices. This was partly the reason for the
enormous opposition and criticism that he met.
        During the period of his early life, only men were
believed to have powerful sexual urges. When Freud showed
that repressed but obvious sexual desires were equally at
work in women this created a social uproar. Perhaps his
second finding in regard to sexuality surprised even him.
        During his analysis of women patients, sexual advance or
assault by the woman’s father was often revealed.
Freud struggled with this, wondering whether the
assault was memory of an actual event, or a psychic
reproduction of it. He eventually came to the conclusion that
hysterical and neurotic behavior was often due to the
trauma caused by an early sexual assault by the parent.
        Where there was not evidence of physical assault, then he
saw the neurosis as due to sexual conflict or a trauma
caused by some other event. This conflict was often
manifested through dreams. This led to Freud being
rejected by university colleagues, fellow doctors, and even
by patients.   atj

How To Interpret Our Dreams

                  
          To Begin With, Our Dreams



         Last night, I had the strangest dream!” How many
conversations in your life have started that way? People are
fascinated with the movies that play in their head while
they’re sleeping. Some believe that dreams can predict the
future. Others say that dreams depict real life. Still others
believe that dreams are a manifestation of what we want to
be.
         Interpreting dreams has evolved over the years to what
some consider an art form. We spend one-third of our lives
sleeping. In the average lifetime, six years is spent
dreaming. That’s more than 2,100 days spent in a different
world! Every night, we dream an average of one to two
hours dreaming and usually have 4-7 dreams per night.
Consider some of these other facts about dreams and
dreaming:
1. Everybody dreams. EVERYBODY! Simply because you
do not remember your dream does not mean that you
did not dream.
2. Dreams are indispensable. A lack of dream activity
can mean protein deficiency or a personality disorder.
3. Men tend to dream more about other men, while
women dream equally about men and women.
4. People who are giving up smoking have longer and
more intense dreams.
5. Toddlers do not dream about themselves. They do not
appear in their own dreams until the age of 3 or 4.
6. If you are snoring, then you cannot be dreaming.
7. Blind people do dream. Whether visual images will
appear in their dream depends on whether they
where blind at birth or became blind later in life. But
vision is not the only sense that constitutes a dream.
Sounds, tactility, and smell become hypersensitive for
the blind and their dreams are based on these
senses.

        The dream world is fascinating full of speculation, hope,
and sometimes even fear. We can wake up from a good
dream feeling refreshed and hopeful. On the other hand, we
can wake up from a bad dream feeling tense and
apprehensive.
         Ever since Freud's Interpretation of Dreams was
published, there has been recognition of the importance of
dreams. But even before that there were dream
interpretations. People had superstitious notions about
dreams - for example, "Something is going to happen
because I dreamed it was going to happen."
        This is a common misconception. Regardless of what
some people might say, if you dream you are falling and
don’t wake up before you hit the ground in your dream, you
will not die. If you dream that someone close to you dies,
that’s not an omen to warn you of their death. Dreams do
not predict the future.
        What dreams can do is provide a sense of insight into
ourselves. They can help us cope with situations we’re
unsure about. They can guide us in a certain direction when
faced with uncertainty. They can simply give us an overall
good feeling as we dream of something pleasant.
        The dream state is an experimental playground which
gives you a chance to explore and express emotions without
the usual inhibitions you may display in your waking life.
        Dreams provide an avenue of expression for that part of
yourself that knows both your history and your potential as
a spiritual being.
        They are another way the universe provides guidance
about relationships, careers, and health problems. Through
dreams you may find answers to your spiritual questions and
even receive encouragement to some challenge in your life.
        While some dreams may allow you to release bottled
emotions from your day's activities, others can lead to
profound insights in a psychological or spiritual way.
        Acquiring the ability to interpret your dreams is a
powerful tool. In analyzing your dreams, you can learn
about your deep secrets and hidden feelings. No one is a
better expert at interpreting your dreams than yourself.
        In this book, we’ll look at dreams and dreaming as a
science as well as the various meanings that dream content
can have. This is not meant to be a definitive guide to
dreams. It is simply a starting point for you to look at what
“movies” your sub-conscious is creating at night and how
you can apply it your life and affect change if needed.
        Remember that a dream unifies the body, mind, and
spirit. It provides you with insight into yourself and a
means for self-exploration. In understanding your dreams,
you will have a better understanding and discovery of your
true self. So stay awhile -- explore, discover, have fun,
and find out what's in your dreams!

DID WE ALWAYS DREAM?
        That may seem like a silly question, but think about
early man. Have people always dreamt even when the
world around them was quite simple and mundane? The
answer is yes. While we cannot have definitive proof of
paleo-man, we can know that back in the Roman Era,
striking and significant dreams were submitted to the
Senate for analysis and interpretation.
        What did man do with these odd images that
appeared during their sleep? Well, they did what we do
today – tried to interpret them!
        Dream interpretations date back to 3000-4000 B.C.
where they were documented on clay tablets. For as long
as we have been able to communicate our dreams, we
have been fascinated with them and strive to understand
them.

        People in primal societies were unable to distinguish
between the dream world and reality. They not only saw
the dream world as an extension of reality, but that the
dream realm was a more powerful world.
        Back in the Greek and Roman era, dreams were often
seen in a religious context and messages from the gods.
        Temples, called Asclepieions were built around the power of
dreams. It was believed that sick people who slept in these
temples would be sent cures through their dreams.
In Egypt, priests also acted as dream interpreters. The
        Egyptians recorded their dreams in hieroglyphics. People
with particular vivid and significant dreams were believed
to be blessed and were considered special. People who had
the power to interpret dreams were looked up to and seen
as divinely gifted. In the bible, there are over seven
hundred mentions of dreams. Tracing back to these ancient
cultures, people had always had an inclination to interpret
dreams.

        Dreams were also seen as prophetic and an omen
from outside spirits. People often looked to their dreams
for signs of warning and advice from a deity, from the dead
or even the works of a demon. Sometimes they look to
their dreams for what to do or what course of action to
take.

        Dreams often dictated the actions of political and
military leaders. In fact, in the Green and Roman era,
dream interpreters even accompanied military leaders into
battle to help. Some interpreters aided the medicine men
in a diagnosis. Dreams offered a vital clue for healers in
finding what was wrong with the dreamer.
        Dreaming can be seen as an actual place that your
spirit and soul leaves every night to go and visit. The
Chinese believed that the soul leaves the body to go into
this world. However, if they should be suddenly awakened,
their soul may fail to return to the body. For this reason,
some Chinese today, are wary of alarm clocks.
        Some Native American tribes and Mexican civilizations
share this same notion of a distinct dream dimension. They
believed that their ancestors lived in their dreams and take
on non-human forms like plants. They see that dreams as a
way of visiting and having contact with their ancestors.
Dreams also helped to point their mission or role in life.
        During the Middle Ages, dreams were seen as evil and
its images were temptations from the devil. In the
vulnerable sleep state, the devil was believed to fill the
mind of humans with poisonous thoughts. He did his dirty
work though dreams attempting to mislead humans down a
wrong path.

        In the early 19th century, dreams were dismissed as
stemming from anxiety, a household noise or even
indigestion. Hence there was really no meaning to it. Later
on in the 19th century, Sigmund Freud revived the
importance of dreams and its significance and need for
interpretation. He revolutionized the study of dreams.   atj