| Dreams – they intrigue us. They mystify us. They | | | | that we are here to learn and grow. (And wouldn’t |
| enchant us. Sometimes they scare us. What do we | | | | life be boring if we weren’t?) So my work with |
| do with this whole other dimension of our lives? Do we | | | | dreams is very much colored by this assumption. And, |
| just ignore our dreaming life – or can we use | | | | as we learn and grow – and evolve – in our lives, |
| dreams in some way in our lives? | | | | dreams can be a powerful tool. Without this |
| We all dream. Though some of us may think we | | | | assumption and orientation, we may regard dreams as |
| don’t, sleep research has shown that, in actuality, | | | | no more than an oddity, a nighttime venture into the |
| we all really do dream. The problem is that some of us | | | | irrational, and a curiosity devoid of any use or |
| may not remember our dreams. We remember | | | | practicality. |
| dreams when we shift to a lighter level of | | | | And, interestingly, in my work with dreams, I can’t |
| consciousness (measured by brain waves) when | | | | ever remember working with a dream that had no |
| we’re dreaming. In other words, if we hear a noise, | | | | true meaning. |
| for example, or if we shift our bodily position, we come | | | | So, if you’d like to delve into the magical world of |
| out of the deeper level of dream-stage sleep to a | | | | dreams and see what you can gain, I’ll take you on |
| lighter level of consciousness, or even wake up | | | | a guided tour of how you might approach your |
| completely. It is only when this happens that we | | | | dreams. (Why not? You’ve come with me this far!) |
| remember what we had been dreaming about. | | | | First of all, I would recommend only working with the |
| Dreams are fascinating – at least they have always | | | | dreams that feel significant to you, whether you |
| been to me. Indeed, I have been working with my own | | | | understand them or not. We often remember a dream |
| and interpreting others’ dreams for many, many | | | | strongly upon awakening, sometimes to the extent that |
| years, and I am a firm believer that dreams give us | | | | it will stay with us throughout the day, resonating as it |
| rich material to work with in our lives, if we are so | | | | is evoked at odd times by different things. These are |
| inclined – and that we can, in fact, demystify and | | | | the dreams I would work with. |
| understand our dreams. | | | | Some dream-workers recommend keeping a journal |
| As a step towards this, let’s look at the actual | | | | by the bed and programming yourself to wake up |
| phenomenon of dreams. One interesting thing I have | | | | from every dream and record it. My approach is less |
| learned from my work with dreams is that what we | | | | active. I operate under the assumption that we’ll |
| lump into the broad category of “dreams” may | | | | generally remember the significant dreams and that, if |
| in truth be different types of phenomena. So the first | | | | we take too proactive an approach, we might be |
| step in understanding and working with our dreams is | | | | disturbing our sleep too much. Being rested is too |
| to know what “type” of dream we have had. | | | | important in our stressful world to deliberately disturb |
| Now this may be a surprising revelation. Dreams are | | | | sleep! |
| dreams, right? Well, think about this for a moment: | | | | Once we have a dream that we feel is significant, the |
| have you ever had a dream that felt different from | | | | first step, as mentioned above, is to figure out what |
| other dreams? For instance, have you ever had a | | | | type (or types) of dream it was. |
| dream that felt so real that you felt that you really | | | | After we know what type(s) of dream it was, we |
| were somewhere else? | | | | then want to try to understand it. This is where we get |
| Well, you may have been. | | | | into the realm of dream interpretation, because dreams |
| As strange as this may sound, there are many | | | | are so often veiled in symbolic form. And this is also |
| theories (including some in quantum or modern physics | | | | where things can become sticky, because good |
| – which I certainly don’t profess to fully | | | | dream interpreting is somewhat of an art and requires |
| understand) that alternate realities and other | | | | skill. |
| dimensions exist – and our nighttime experiences | | | | It also requires intuition. So throw out all your dream |
| may actually be visits to these other realms. As eerie | | | | dictionaries that tell you that a certain symbol has |
| or “outlandish” (no pun intended!) as this may | | | | certain meanings! A dream is not a generalized story, |
| sound, if you believe that our consciousness is not | | | | aimed at the general populace with general meanings; |
| ultimately limited or bounded by our bodies, this idea | | | | it is a specific message for the dreamer alone and, as |
| can make perfect sense – because when | | | | such, it is expressed in the dreamer’s own |
| we’re sleeping our bodies are quiet and our minds | | | | vocabulary. The dreamer alone has the keys to |
| and consciousness are less bombarded by noisy | | | | understanding it – or a good dream interpreter who |
| feedback from our bodily functions, thus being freer to | | | | uses intuition to decode the meanings specific for the |
| “leave the body” and roam. | | | | dreamer. |
| So oftentimes when we’re sleeping our | | | | And that’s another fascinating aspect of dreams: |
| consciousness is off exploring and experiencing, and | | | | any one dream can have several different meanings |
| some of these experiences may be translated into the | | | | – and all of them equally valid meanings for the |
| form of dreams – experience dreams – | | | | dreamer. |
| whereas others may be forgotten or slip into oblivion, | | | | So, sharpen up those intuitive pencils and let’s start |
| at least from our conscious or semi-conscious | | | | tackling those dreams! |
| awareness. | | | | After you’ve determined what type(s) of dream |
| And, to complicate matters further, the illusory veil of | | | | you’re working with, you’ll want to follow these |
| time may be lifted, and we can be exploring other | | | | steps: |
| times as well – including past lives. | | | | 1. Ask yourself (or the dreamer) how you (or he/she) |
| So, the next time you wake up and feel like you’ve | | | | felt about the dream, both upon waking and in |
| been somewhere else, remember this: maybe you | | | | retrospect. Was it pleasure, fear, anxiety, optimism, |
| have been. | | | | relief, etc.? Our feelings about our dreams are keys to |
| (Phew! Still with me? I told you dreams were | | | | their meanings. |
| fascinating….) | | | | 2. Allow yourself to get into a very relaxed state of |
| As exotic as this type of “dream” experience | | | | consciousness and clear your mind as you go over |
| may be, other types of dreams may seem more | | | | the dream’s unfolding sequentially in your mind (or |
| mundane in comparison. | | | | as the dreamer relates the dream to you, if it’s not |
| Some dreams really do represent a sorting out of the | | | | your dream). What things go through your mind as you |
| day’s experiences or working on problems, as our | | | | review or listen to the dream? What is evoked? What |
| brains sift through and correlate information and | | | | percolates up from your subconscious? |
| experiences. These dreams are usually mundane and | | | | 3. Instead of focusing on how “bizarre” the |
| quotidian. Included in this type of dream experience, | | | | dream seems, approach it as a very rich, cogent, and, |
| however, are very creative dreams in which we | | | | yes, respectable event. If we are just focusing on the |
| actually solve problems we’re working on and | | | | bizarre quality of dreams, this serves to distract us |
| receive answers we have been looking for. A classic, | | | | from their credible validity and the richness in insight |
| and oft-cited, example of this type of creative | | | | they can offer to us. |
| problem-solving dream is the model of the benzene | | | | 4. Then work with each symbol in the dream |
| molecule, whose structure was received by Kekule, a | | | | independently. Focus on a symbol, while asking |
| chemistry professor, in a dream after he had been | | | | yourself (or the dreamer), “What does this mean to |
| puzzling over this question; the dream was of a snake | | | | me (or you)?” For example, we might feel that |
| biting its own tail and twirling in a circle. | | | | coins in a dream signify riches. However, if the |
| One interesting type of dream is that in which we are | | | | dreamer’s husband was a coin collector, the |
| communicating with others on some level. If you wake | | | | symbol may also be saying something about the |
| up and feel that you were having a discussion or | | | | dreamer’s husband or their relationship. I once had |
| communicating with your long-lost love, you may, in | | | | someone relate a dream to me that she had had, very |
| fact, have truly been doing just that. In these | | | | upset because there was a cat in the dream and |
| communication dreams – or communication | | | | someone had told her that a cat in a dream means |
| experiences – the person being engaged in dialogue | | | | death(!). When I asked this woman how she felt about |
| can be living or “dead.” Some communication | | | | cats, she replied, “Oh, I love cats!” Well, obviously |
| can come in the form of guidance and can be coming | | | | for her the cat in her dream did not necessarily mean |
| from our spirit guides (or guardian angels, angelic | | | | death! Remember, too, that any one symbol can have |
| presences, or whatever terminology you wish to use). | | | | more than one valid meaning. |
| Some dreams are “psychic” dreams, in which | | | | 5. Ask yourself what the general theme of the dream |
| we receive information we have no other concrete | | | | is. What area(s) of your (or the dreamer’s) life is it |
| way of knowing. These include precognitive dreams | | | | related to – work, relationships, childhood, etc.? |
| that can give us information about the future, as well | | | | 6. Go over each “story” segment of the dream |
| as clairvoyant (French for clear-seeing) dreams that | | | | and work to understand it as a discrete little unit. |
| can give us glimpses of things going on in the “real | | | | 7. Put all the pieces, or segments, of the dream and |
| world” while we are dreaming. | | | | their meanings together. What picture emerges? How |
| Some dreams are mainly expressing fears or desires | | | | does each segment relate to other segments? |
| we may have, especially those that may be lying | | | | 8. Pay attention to any words or phrases that are |
| below our conscious awareness. These dreams serve | | | | prominent in the dream. Puns and plays on words are |
| to make us consciously aware of these fears or | | | | common in dreams and often meaningful. |
| desires so that we may work on them, and these | | | | 9. Look for any elements that may have particular |
| dreams may also represent our actually working on | | | | significance for you (or the dreamer). What do these |
| these issues at an unconscious level. | | | | elements mean? (For example, a numerologist may |
| One of the richest types of dreams is that in which | | | | have numbers pop up in dreams and these numbers |
| we are working on personal or spiritual growth issues. | | | | may have numerological significance that contributes to |
| In these dreams we are receiving (or generating, | | | | the dream’s meaning(s), or a florist may have |
| whatever your point of view) information on these | | | | flowers or plants appear prominently that may have |
| issues. These dreams can be the most content-laden | | | | significance.) |
| and most rewarding for us to work with, as they point | | | | 10. Look at the other people who appear in the dream. |
| out things for us to look at or work on, or connections | | | | How do you (or the dreamer) feel about each |
| between and among factors in our lives that we may | | | | person? Further meaning may be gained by also |
| not have realized were there. These dreams may also | | | | looking at each person as you (or the dreamer). Are |
| be the most cloaked in symbols. | | | | these people parts of yourself (or the dreamer) that |
| Many dreams are one-time scenarios that we only | | | | are embraced, disowned, or suppressed? |
| have once, but we also have recurring dreams, | | | | 11. Remember, again, that any one dream can have |
| dreams that repeat the same theme over and over | | | | several different meanings. What different meanings |
| again, sort of a nocturnal reverie leitmotif. These | | | | does the dream have? What pictures emerge? What |
| dreams are usually, though not always, more significant | | | | is the dream telling you? |
| than single dreams and can represent general issues | | | | Working with our dreams and practicing dream |
| that we are working on (whether we realize | | | | interpretation can take time and patience. However, |
| consciously that we are working on them or not). Over | | | | we gain more skill and confidence over time. |
| time, as we make progress on the underlying growth | | | | It can definitely be helpful to keep a dream journal of |
| issues, we will tend to see these dreams shift and | | | | significant dreams that you’ve had, with the plan of |
| evolve. | | | | rereading them periodically. Often when we go back |
| So there is a true variety of different types of dream | | | | and read over dreams that we’ve had a year or |
| experiences – a veritable cornucopia of dreams. | | | | more ago, we can gain even more insight. We often |
| And, to make the experience even richer, any one | | | | understand our dreams even more and realize the |
| dream can be a combination of different types of | | | | issues that were being expressed. Going back over |
| dreams. For instance, we can have a dream in which | | | | former dreams can also give us perspective on the |
| we are talking to someone we know, which takes | | | | shifts we’ve subsequently made in our lives, how |
| place in another country and time period. This dream | | | | we’ve evolved and grown. |
| may be both an experience, in which we are actually | | | | Dreams represent wonderful and abundant material |
| exploring a past life, as well as a communication | | | | and, interestingly, we all have our own individual dream |
| dream, in which we are actually exploring a past life | | | | signatures, types of dreams unique to us. Some people |
| connection with someone we know in real time and | | | | have fairly straightforward, short dreams, while others |
| are communicating with him or her on some level in | | | | have long epic, complicated, and interwoven oeuvres. |
| that other time period. And this dream could also have | | | | As much as I enjoy interpreting dreams for others, I |
| a psychic element as well, if something were revealed | | | | get just about as much enjoyment seeing |
| about the future. | | | | dreamers’ “ahas” of realization, when they |
| This is one of the fascinating aspects of dreams. (Can | | | | suddenly see their dream make sense to them. |
| you tell how excited I am about dreams?) Dreams are | | | | Dreams can give us answers we’ve been looking |
| truly a very rich and complicated phenomenon – or | | | | for. Dreams have even saved people’s lives when |
| set of phenomena. | | | | they’ve had heavily symbolic dreams that turned |
| Now the next question is, do we want to do anything | | | | out to be about health conditions they had been |
| with our dreams? I am a firm believer that looking at | | | | unaware of, such as cancer! |
| our dreams and attempting to work with them in some | | | | Allowing yourself to explore your dreams and |
| way can be very rewarding for us. They can give us | | | | understand them can open up whole new vistas and |
| information about our lives, and they can certainly give | | | | dimensions for you – and definitely enrich your life. |
| us insight into ourselves as we move along on our | | | | You can understand yourself more and feel more in |
| paths and evolve. For those of us who are into | | | | control of your life. You can demystify those nighttime |
| meaning and like to understand things in our lives, | | | | enigmas – and maybe even save your life! You can |
| dreams provide a rich vein of material to mine. | | | | even have fun! So, allow yourself to go on a |
| I must say at this point that my orientation toward | | | | “magical mystery tour” of dream exploration! |
| dreams starts with a spiritual assumption, and that is | | | | Sweet dreams! |