Dreams are mysterious in that no one knows for sure what their purpose truly is. Scientists have not been able to determine whether dreams consist merely of random electrical impulses in the brain, if they are efforts on the part of the subconscious to organize the stimuli encountered throughout the day into a linear ‘story,’ or if they are actually useful venues in which the dreamer can confront and work through the issues he or she faces in life.
Perhaps the ancient concept of ‘soul traveling’ is what is really going on! In any case, it is difficult for an individual who regularly experiences vivid dreams to dismiss them as irrelevant. Many mental health professionals have adopted the Freudian and Jungian schools of thought in which dreams do indeed tell us something about our inner needs, desires, and fears, those that we might be too uncomfortable or simply too busy to acknowledge during waking life.
Dream interpretation has thus become a popular practice among professionals in the mental health field. However, with an open mind and some dedication, it is easy for anyone to uncover the significance of his or her dreams.
The first step is to keep a dream journal. It is best to write immediately upon waking as the memory of the dreams is fresh in the mind. Such memories tend to dissipate as the day wears on and the conscious mind takes over. The average person has about five dreams per night, but by the end of the following day, might only remember bits and pieces of one of those dreams.
Writing down dreams helps the individual to detect patterns and recurring images that might be of personal significance. Also, it is not uncommon for the dreamer, when engaged in recalling and recording the previous night’s dreams, to suddenly remember dreams he or she has had in the past. Because of this phenomenon, a dream journal can fill rather quickly!
Once the dreamer has recognized the recurring themes that appear in his or her dreams, those themes can be investigated. For example, if repeated images of being chased by monsters consistently appear during stressful times of the dreamer’s life, it can be concluded that perhaps the individual needs to include more stress reduction techniques in his waking life to prevent nightmares from occurring. If one routinely dreams of lying on a beach every time he or she has a notably positive experience in waking life, that image can be connected with happiness and contentment.
While dream images and the meanings associated with them are usually of a personal nature, there are some that are very common and seem to have universal connotations. Following are some examples:
Flying: Dreams of flying are said to be harbingers of success or freedom from a confining situation. It is supposed that such dreams occur either immediately before or after the dreamer makes a positive life-changing decision.
Dying: As frightening as it may be to dream of one’s death, dream interpreters believe that in the subconscious, death represents transformation and rebirth.
Pregnancy/Childbirth: These dreams indicate a call to action, that the dreamer has a good idea or something else positive to offer to his or her waking life (and, yes, men do occasionally dream of being pregnant).
Buildings: Buildings, especially houses, are said to represent the dreamer’s soul. Therefore, if the building is in disrepair, it might be wise for the dreamer to do some soul searching and make some changes in life.
Animals: Animals supposedly represent different parts of an individual’s personality or other people in his life. For example, a lion might signify the dreamer’s strength while a snake might indicate the dreamer feels that someone he knows has been deceiving him.
Again, dream symbols usually take on different meanings for different people and there are certainly exceptions regarding the significance of those listed above.
The only person who can truly uncover the significance of his dreams is the dreamer himself. While no one is certain that dreams possess any degree of significance at all, it is certainly a worthwhile exercise in introspection to attempt to unravel their mysteries.
