Dream Interpretation and Types of Dreams
Dream Interpretation Using Symbols
Dream interpretation has many forms; it can be done for the sake of fun, hobby or can be taken up as a serious career. Psychologists and therapists are already incorporating dream interpretation into their practice. They find it as a very useful tool to gain access to hidden desires and deep-rooted personality issues of a dreamer.
We spend 1/3 of our life sleeping and have nearly 2000 dreams every year. Most of us dream. But only a very small percentage of us understand that dreams hold much importance and opportunity for our self-growth, improvement, and self-discovery. But many mystics of both Eastern and Western origins are aware of the fact that dreams hold a wealth of untapped knowledge. Because of its inherently vague nature, dreams and the art of their interpretation never entered mainstream sciences. Jungian psychology is the closest mainstream science that took dreams seriously.
Dreams are often symbolic representations of what we are experiencing or are about to experience in the near future. Usually, the people that we encounter in the dream symbolize the different aspects/characteristics of ourselves. Often how we feel and the emotion we felt during the dream reveals and conveys much about the meaning of the symbols.
Below is a list of commonly encountered symbols. We should always take into consideration the fact that symbols hold certain semantics and meanings that are specific to individuals. Thus the interpretations of symbols are not generic and therefore there can be no hard and fast rules with regards to dream analysis. Symbols and objects frequently encountered in dream state facilitate dream interpretation.
Common dream symbolism
- Water- associated with emotion.
- Ocean or any large body of water- often represents the subconscious mind or emotional state
- Eating/digesting- Trying to understand an issue/situation
- Walking- associated with learning and assimilating.
- Path, road or pavement- symbolizes life or spiritual journey
- House- symbolizes ourselves. Within the house, the various rooms could represent the various aspects of self.
- Snake- symbolizes knowledge.
- Tree and forest- subconscious feelings that govern our emotions
- Bridge- a transitional phase or period of transformation
- Baby or a pregnancy- points to new experiences in life
- Accident- represents fear of physical or mental break down
- Awakening- interpretation of openness to new ideas or experiences
- Brother- signifies betterment or strained relationship
- Climbing- stands for attaining new mental, spiritual or physical goals
- Desert- dreaming of a desert or being lost in a desert stands for loneliness
- Door- symbolizes better opportunity
- Eating- stands for nourishment or need to be taken care of
- Falling- means loss of control or being unable to maintain a position in life
- Jumping- stands for achieving higher goals
- Ladder- symbolizes growth
- Military- denotes a desire for authority
- Rain- represents depression
Thus, you can now see how dream interpretation becomes even more fascinating by analyzing the symbols.
Several Types of Dreams Worth Being Mentioned for Better Interpretation
Lucid Dream
Lucid dreams are among the most fascinating subjects in all of the dream research. Lucid dreaming takes place when the dreamer realizes that he or she is dreaming while still immersed in the dream. Lucid dreaming occurs at that moment when you tell yourself – “This is only a dream”. The occurrence of lucid dreams varies widely from person to person, with some people reporting never having lucid dreams and others reporting almost 100% lucid dreams.
While most dreamers wake up when they realize that they are in a dream, other people are able to develop the ability to remain in the dream and take control of it. These people are able to become an active participant in their dreams and to take the dream narrative where they want it to go. These people experience some of the most enjoyable and interesting dreams.
Recurring Dream
Most people have had a recurring dream at one point in their life, a dream that repeats itself, with minor variations or even none at all. Recurring dreams can be about any subject, and they focus on that subject night after night.
Some recurring dreams are positive and uplifting, but studies show the majority of recurring dreams to be negative in nature. Dreams can recur in this manner because the real-life event that triggered them has remained unresolved. Dealing with the real-life trauma responsible for recurring nightmares is often the best way to banish the bad dream.
Some dreamers report experiencing narrative dreams, in which the dream picks up where it left off night after night. These dreams are somewhat rare, but the people who experience them report them to be very vivid and memorable. Keeping a dream journal can be a big help in both, remembering and interpretation these kinds of dreams.
Healing Dream
Healing dreams are often seen as sending a message to the dreamer regarding his or her health. Healing dreams often spur the dreamer to take a long-delayed trip to the dentist or doctor.
Epic Dreams
Epic dreams are somewhat rare, but they are unforgettable to those who experience them. Epic dreams are so vivid and so compelling that they simply cannot be ignored. The tiniest details of these dreams are often remembered for many years. These epic dreams may possess lots of symbols and meaning for the dreamer.
Learn Dream Interpretation To Fully Empower Yourself
Your dreams are speaking to you, are you listening? Dreams are an untapped resource literally full of all the answers you seek for all of life’s questions, challenges and longings. You could see what subconscious blocks may be “standing in your way” so you can move past them once and for all, and your dreams will show you the way.
By learning this self-empowered approach to dream interpretation, you will tap into the same wisdom and power that shamans across many ancient cultures utilized as tools for spiritual awakening, guides for their personal lives and the lives of their communities. Your dreams are patiently waiting for you to listen to and understand their meaning. Learn to use the power of your subconscious mind and soul to guide your waking life in a clear, empowered and enlightened way.
Dream interpretation is personal to each individual, which is why you should not look up dream symbols online and instead learn the practice of self-empowered dream interpretation into a deeper notion via a course called The Activated Dreamer Masterclass if you desire, and break down for you into easy to follow steps, along with real-life dream interpretation examples so you can follow along.
Dreams: A Therapeutic Method Of Healing And Creativity
Dreams are a source of inspiration and creativity that can lead us to a deeper understanding of who we are. They are a way for us to connect with hidden parts of ourselves that may not be easily accessible to us in our conscious, awakened states. Dreams may be explored on many levels, usually with more than one interpretation or meaning. The interplay of symbols within dream images is often metaphors reflecting the dynamic that exists between the various aspects of our psyche.
Dream narratives can also provide us with a unique perspective on the dynamics of our interpersonal relationships that we may not have considered, and show us where we have become stuck or one-sided. Dreams can be foretelling, giving us information about future events that have yet to occur. Sometimes dreams show us parts of ourselves that we have attempted to hide that we must learn to understand and integrate for us to become whole.
In psychotherapy, an opening dream which occurs in the beginning stage of treatment can be used as a map that outlines the course of our healing process. Working with dreams can offer an opportunity to heal deep wounds that have been carried for years as they provide a means to work through past traumas.
Sometimes we will have the same dream repeatedly about an ongoing dilemma in our life that we have ignored and have yet to understand. Frequently these dreams will not disappear until we look at the underlying issue being presented and move toward resolving it. Staying open and receptive to the content of our dreams can engage us in a process that allows us to heal if we are willing.
For many of us, dreams are an essential way for us to connect to our spirituality and discover our personal myths or life meaning. The feelings we experience associated with our dream symbols illuminate and help us to identify inner sources of strengths that we may have become cut off from and didn’t know existed. For many artists, dreams can be a vision of future work they have yet to create before they have begun the outward expression of their idea in the physical world.
The Meaning Of Dreams
There is a guiding principle to dream interpretation, and Edgar Cayce said it best when he called for us to interpret the dreamer and not just the dream.
Dreams are a tool, like the proverbial finger pointing to the moon. Don’t focus on the finger or you will miss out on all the heavenly glory. Dreams are the finger and they are pointing to the dreamer. Interpretation of your dreams is an exercise in self-discovery and self-growth. They are almost always referring back to you and every character, image, and emotion are usually referring to various parts of your psyche.
The primary purpose of dreams is to attempt to balance the psyche. Keeping this in mind will help you understand the meaning of your dreams and prevent you from getting way off track in your interpretation.
Trying to understand one dream in isolation is like trying to understand a person by spending one day with them. By recording all of your dreams in a dream journal you will, over time, find it easier to understand individual dreams you have in the future.
Dreams are like plays or movies that we create every night, and they have a similar structure. It can be helpful to look for this structure when trying to understand your dreams:
Establishment of a LOCATION. Where does the dream take place? How do you feel about that place? What emotions arise within you as you think about it? Does it have any relationship with a real place you know?
Introduction of the CHARACTERS. Who are the characters? How are you presented? Who is the antagonist? How do you feel about each of those people (including the presentation of yourself), and how do they relate to parts of your own personality or to people you know?
How does the PLOT unfold? There is usually a beginning (where the story is established and begins to build), a middle (where a crisis peaks), and an end (where the crisis get resolved though sometimes dreams don’t provide the solution and end in the middle of the story because it is up to you to provide the resolution).
Sometimes (rarely) dreams can be very literal and they are easy to understand. There is nothing wrong with asking whether the face value of the dream may have meaning for you.
Most often, however, dreams are shrouded in symbolism that points beyond the literal image. They can be trying to communicate a very specific message that applies to your waking life, they may be merely trying to balance your emotional life or they may just be hinting at some thoughts or emotions in progress without any final resolution yet in mind.
Dreams are often messages from our subconscious mind that are resisted by our conscious mind. For this reason, the subconscious often cloaks the message in symbols so the dream isn’t immediately rejected or simply avoided by the conscious mind.
Unravelling these symbols can be very difficult, but also a lot of fun. It’s the ultimate mystery and the most elaborate puzzle, but the answer is always within you. If you need help with unravelling symbols in your dreams, check this fascinating course linked here.
Sometimes the answers are as simple as consulting a dream dictionary for the meaning of common symbols and archetypes. However, each person is different and has their individual dream dictionary. To make things even more interesting, your personal dream dictionary can change over time.
Your dreams interpretation can provide you with a life-long quest that goes way beyond the puzzle-solving of the Da Vinci Code, but can also be much more rewarding.
Happy Dreaming…
“Whatever happens to you, you can either see it as a curse and suffer it, or you can see it as a blessing and make use of it.”
Sadhguru
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