Dreams

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INTRODUCTION

“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:

•

Everybody dreams. EVERYBODY! Simply because you

do not remember your dream does not mean that you

did not dream.

•

Dreams are indispensable.  A lack of dream activity

can mean protein deficiency or a personality disorder.

•

Men tend to dream more about other men, while

women dream equally about men and women.

•

People who are giving up smoking have longer and

more intense dreams.

•

Toddlers do not dream about themselves. They do not

appear in their own dreams until the age of 3 or 4.

•

If you are snoring, then you cannot be dreaming.

•

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 dream 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 Askclepieion 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.

 

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 ab-reaction. 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.

Another expert in the field of dreams and dream

interpretation was Carl Jung.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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 self-

awareness 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 REM 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?

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.

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 discern-able 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.

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.

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.

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.

Being Naked

Dreaming that you are completely or partially naked is

very common. Nudity symbolizes a variety of things

depending on your real life situation.

Becoming mortified at the realization that you are

walking around naked in public is often a reflection of your

vulnerability or shamefulness. You may be hiding

something and are afraid that others can nevertheless see

right through you. Metaphorically clothes are a means of

concealment. With clothes, you can hide your identity or be

someone else. But without them, everything is hanging out

for all to see. You are left without any defenses.

The dream may telling you that you are trying to be

something that you really are not.  Or that you are fearful

of being ridiculed and disgraced. If you are in a new

relationship, you may have some fears or apprehension in

revealing your true feelings.

Nudity also symbolizes being caught off guard.  

Finding yourself naked at work or in a classroom, suggests

that you are unprepared for a project at work or school.

You may be uninformed in making a well-formed decision.

With all eyes on you, you have this fear of having some

deed brought to public attention. You fear that people will

see through your true self and you will be exposed as a

fraud or a phony.

Many times, when you realize that you are naked

in your dream, no one else seems to notice. Everyone else

in the dream is going about their business without giving a

second look at your nakedness. This implies that your fears

are unfounded; no one will notice except you. You may be

magnifying the situation and making an issue of nothing.

On the other hand, such dreams may mean your desire (or

failure) to get noticed.

For a small percentage of you, dreaming that you

are proud of your nakedness and show no embarrassment

or shame, then it symbolizes your unrestricted freedom.

You have nothing to hide and are proud of who you are.

The dream is about a new sense of honesty, openness, and

a carefree nature.

Being Chased

Chase dreams often stem from feelings of

anxiety in your walking life. The way we respond to anxiety

and pressure in real life is typically manifested as a chase

dream. Running is an instinctive response to physical

threats in our environment.

Often in these dream scenarios, you are being

pursued by some attacker, who wants to hurt or possibly

kill you. You are running away, hiding, or trying to outwit

your pursuer.

Chase dreams may represent your way of coping

with fears, stress or various situations in your waking life.

Instead of confronting the situation, you are running away  

and avoiding it. Ask yourself who is the one chasing you

and you may gain some understanding and insight on the

source of your fears and pressure.

The pursuer or attacker who is chasing you in

your dream may also represent a part of yourself. Your

own feelings of anger, jealousy, fear, and possibly love,

can assume the appearance of threatening figure. You may

be projecting these feelings onto the unknown chaser.

Next time you have a chase dream, turn around and

confront your pursuer. Ask them why they are chasing

you.

One may be consumed by their own anger,

jealousy, love, or self-destructive behavior. For example,

you may be drinking too much or exhibiting open hostility

toward others around you. You may subconsciously be

threatened by these actions which have been jeopardizing

your relationships and/or career. Your dreams are a way of

calling attention to these self-destructive actions.

A more direct analysis of chase dreams is the

fear of being attacked. Such dreams are more common

among women than men, who may feel physically

vulnerable in the urban environment. These dreams are

inspired by fears of violence and sexual assault in which we

are so over-exposed from the media. The violence that the

media portrays magnifies our fears and how at risk we all

are.

Falling

Falling dreams are another theme that is quite

common in the world of dreams. As we said earlier,

contrary to a popular myth, you will not actually die if you

do not wake up before your hit the ground during a fall.

As with most common dream themes, falling is an

indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You  

are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some

situation in your waking life.

This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship

or in your work environment. You have lost your foothold

and can not hang on or keep up with the hustle and bustle

of daily life. When you fall, there is nothing that you can

hold on to. You more or less are forced toward this

downward motion without any control. This loss of control

may parallel a waking situation in your life.

Falling dreams also often reflect a sense of failure

or inferiority in some circumstance or situation. It may be

the fear of failing in your job/school, loss of status, or

failure in love. You feel shameful and lack a sense of pride.

You are unable to keep up with the status quo or that you

don't measure up.

According to Freudian theory, dreams of falling

indicate that you are contemplating giving into a sexual

urge or impulse. You may be lacking indiscretion.

Falling dreams typically occur during the first stage

of sleep. Dreams in this stage are often accompanied by

muscle spasms of the arms, legs, and the whole body.

These sudden contractions, also known as myclonic jerks.

Sometimes when we have these falling dreams, we feel our

whole body jerk or twitch and we awaken from this jerk. It

is thought that this jerking action is part of an arousal

mechanism that allows the sleeper to awaken and become

quickly alert and responsive to possible threats in the

environment.

According to biblical interpretations, dreams about

falling have a negative overtone and suggest that man is

acting and walking according to his own way of thinking

and not those of the Lord.

Taking An Exam or Test

To dream that you are taking an exam indicates that

you are being put to the test or being scrutinized in some

way. Such dreams highlight your feelings of being anxious

and agitated. You may find that you cannot answer any of

the questions on the test or that the test is in some foreign

language.

Is time running out and you find that you can not

complete the exam in the allowed time? Or are you late to

the exam? Does your pencil keep breaking during the

exam? Such factors contribute to you failing this test.

These dreams usually have to do with your self-

esteem and confidence or your lack of. You are worried that

you are not making the grade and measuring up to other

people's expectations of you. You may also experience the

fear of not being accepted, not being prepared, or not

being good enough. You feel nervous, insecure and tend to

believe the worst about yourself.

These dreams also suggest that you may feel

unprepared for a challenge. Rarely, are these dreams about

the content of the test, but rather the process and how you

are feeling during the exam taking process. Generally, you

feel distressed and frustrated. These feelings may parallel

how you are feeling in a particular challenge or situation in

your waking like.

Dreams of this nature are also an indication that

you are being judged and this dream is a signal for you to

examine an aspect of yourself that you may have been

neglecting and need to pay attention to. You may harbor

some guilt because of your neglect in preparation for a

school exam, meeting, business project, or some challenge.

Most of the time people who have such dreams are unlikely

to fail a test in real life. This dream goes back to their fear  

and own anxiety that they may not meet other's standards

of them. They are afraid to let others down.

Now let’s look at some specific symbols that appear in

dreams and what they might mean.

DREAM SYMBOLS

Animals

To see animals in your dream represents your own

physical characteristic, primitive desires, and sexual

nature, depending on the qualities of the particular animal.

Animals symbolize the untamed and uncivilized aspects of

who you are. Thus, to dream that you are fighting with an

animal signifies a hidden part of yourself that you are

trying to reject and push back into your subconscious.

Refer to the specific animal in your dream.

To dream that animals can talk, represents superior

knowledge. Its message is often some form of wisdom.

Alternatively, a talking animal denotes your potential to be

all that you can be.

To dream that you are saving the life of an animal,

suggests that you are successfully acknowledging certain

emotions and characteristics represented by the animal.

The dream may also stem from feelings of inadequacy or

being overwhelmed.

To see lab animals in your dream, suggests that an

aspect of yourself is being repressed. You feel that you are

not able to fully express your desires and emotions.

Alternatively, it suggests that you need to experiment with

your fears, choices, and beliefs. Try not to limit yourself.

People

Every person that appears in a dream is supposed to

represent an aspect of ones self, and not actually be about

that other person at all; rather, it is a quality or  

characteristic about that person that your dream is

focusing on, and how it applies to YOU.

Try to think about what aspect(s) this could be. It can

be something you admire and wish to emulate and

incorporate into your own personality, or it could be a

more negative characteristic that you may dislike intensely

in your waking life, but which is telling you something

about yourself and your beliefs, judgments, & attitude.

It could be a call to alter your thinking in some

manner, in order to be more open-minded and accepting of

this aspect in their and your own personality, because it is

hampering your spiritual growth & making life harder for

yourself.

The other person in your dream is always mirroring

something back to you about YOURSELF. Try to discover

what that something is, and go from there. Once you get it

through your head that the other person's appearance in

your dream is NOT about them, but really about YOU, then

you will get much more successful interpreting your own

dreams. This takes constant reinforcing--I still find myself

wanting to think it's about that other person instead of me.

The only exception I know of is if the dream is

precognitive.

Babies or Pregnancy

To dream that you are pregnant, symbolizes an aspect

of yourself or some aspect of your personal life that is

growing and developing. You may not be ready to talk about

it or act on it.  This may also represent the birth of a new

idea, direction, project or goal.

To dream that you are pregnant with the baby dying

inside of you suggests that a project you had put a lot of

effort into is falling apart and slowly deteriorating. Nothing

works out the way you want it to.  

If you are pregnant and having this dream then it

represents your anxieties about the pregnancy.  In the first

trimester, your dreams usually consist of tiny creatures,

fuzzy animals, flowers, fruit and water.

In the second trimester, your dreams will reflect your

anxiety about being a good mother and concerns about

possible complications with the birth. Dreams of giving birth

to a non-human baby are also common during this period of

the pregnancy. Finally, in the third trimester, you will tend

to dream about your own mother.

For a man to dream that he got a girl pregnant,

forewarns that his indiscriminate sexual activities may come

back to haunt him

To see a baby in your dream signifies innocence,

warmth and new beginnings.  Babies may symbolize

something in your own inner nature which is pure,

vulnerable, and/or uncorrupted. Babies may represent an

aspect of yourself that is vulnerable and helpless.  If you

dream that you forgot you had a baby, then it suggests that

you are trying hide your own vulnerabilities; You do not

want to let others know of your weaknesses.

If you dream that you are on your way to the hospital

to have a baby, then it signifies your issues of dependency

and your desire to be completely care for. Perhaps you are

trying to get out of some responsibility. If you are pregnant,

then a more direct interpretation may simply mean that you

are experiencing some anxieties of making it to the hospital

when the time comes.

To dream of a crying baby, is indicative of a part of

yourself that is deprived of attention and needs some

nurturing. Alternatively, it represents your unfulfilled goals

and a sense of lacking in your life.

To dream about a starving baby, represents your

dependence on others. You are experiencing some  

deficiency in your life that needs immediate attention and

gratification.

To dream of an extremely small baby, symbolizes your

helplessness and your fears of letting others become aware

of your vulnerabilities and incompetence. You may be afraid

to ask for help and as a result tend to take matters into

your own hands.

To see a dead baby in your dream, symbolizes the

ending of something that is part of you.

To dream that you are dipping a baby in and out of

water signifies regression. You are regressing to a time

where you had no worries and responsibilities.

Alternatively, it is reminisce of when the baby is in the fetus

and in its comfort zone. In fact, some expectant mothers

even give birth in a pool, because the environment in the

water mimics the environment in the uterus. It is less

traumatic for the baby as it emerges into the world. So

perhaps the dream is your search for your own comfort

zone.

Sex

To dream about sex, refers to the psychological

completion and the integration of contrasting aspects of the

Self.  You need to be more receptive and incorporate

aspects of your dream sex partner into your own character.

Alternatively and a more direct interpretation of the dream,

may be your libido's way of telling you that it's been too

long since you have had sex. It may indicate repressed

sexual desires and your needs for physical and emotional

love.

To dream about sex with someone other than your

spouse or significant other, suggests dissatisfaction with the

physical side of your relationship. On the other hand, it may

be harmless fantasy. In such situations, you may find that  

you are less inhibited sexually and you can even bring that

sense of adventure to your existing relationship.

To dream that you are having sex with an ex or

someone who is not your current mate, denotes your

reservations about embarking in a new relationship or

situation. You may feel nervous about exposing yourself or

currently feel a resurgence of those old emotions and

feelings that you felt back when you and your ex were

together.

Believe it or not, it is not uncommon for people

approaching their wedding to experience especially erotic

adventures with partners other than their intended spouses.

This may be due to the intensity of your sexual passion with

your fiancé. It also relates to the new roles that you will be

taking on and the uncertainty that that may bring.

If you are heterosexual and you dream that you are

having sex with someone of the same sex, signifies not

necessarily homosexual desire, but an expression of greater

self love and acceptance. You need to be in better touch of

your feminine or masculine side.

To dream that you are the opposite sex, suggests that

you exhibit or need to incorporate those qualities of the

opposite sex. Ask yourself, how do you feel being a man or a

woman? In what ways can you incorporate those feelings

into your waking life?

Snakes

Snakes are complicated dream symbols and have both

positive and negative meanings.

To see a snake or be bitten by one in your dream

signifies hidden fears and worries that are threatening you.

Your dream may be alerting you to something in your

waking life that you are not aware of or that has not yet

surfaced. The snake may also be seen as phallic and thus  

symbolize dangerous and forbidden sexuality. The snake

may also refer to a person around you who is callous,

ruthless, and can't be trusted. As a positive symbol, snakes

represent transformation, knowledge and wisdom. It is

indicative of self-renewal and positive changes.

Snakes can also represent primal energy, temptation

and evil.  These could be the thoughts and feelings you may

be trying to suppress.  In constantly suppressing your

feelings, over time it will overflow to the point where you are

forced to confront them.

Fire

Depending on the context of your dream, to see fire in

your dream can symbolizes destruction, passion, desire,

illumination, transformation, enlightenment, or anger. It

may suggest that something old is passing and something

new is entering your life. Your thoughts and views are

changing. In particular, if the fire is under control or

contained in one area, it is a metaphor of your own internal

fire and inner transformation. It also represents your drive

and motivation.

To dream of that you are being burned by fire,

indicates that your temper is getting out of control.  Some

issue or situation is burning you up inside.

To dream that a house is on fire indicates that you

need to undergo some transformation. If you have recurring

dreams of your family house on fire, then it suggests that

you are still not ready for the change or that you are fighting

against the change. Alternatively, it highlights passion

and the love of those around you.

To dream that you put out a fire signifies that you will

overcome your obstacles in your life through much work and

effort.

Trains

To see a train in your dream represents conformity and

go along with what everyone else is doing. You have the

need to do things in an orderly and sequential manner. In

particular, if you see a freight train, then it refers to the

burdens and problems that you are hauling around.

To dream that you are on a train, is symbolic of your

life's journey and suggests that you are on the right track in

life and headed for the right direction.  Alternatively, you

have a tendency to worry needlessly over a situation that

will prove to work out in the end.

To see or dream that you are in a train wreck, suggests

chaos. The path towards achieving your goals is not going

according to the way you planned it out. Or you may be

lacking self-confidence and having doubt in your ability to

reach your goals.

To dream that you are the engineer signifies that you

are in complete control of a particular situation in your

waking life.

To dream that you miss a train denotes missed

opportunities or nearly escaping your death.

Driving

To dream that you are driving a vehicle signifies your

life's journey and your path in life. The dream is telling of

how you are moving and navigating through life.

If you are driving and cannot see the road ahead of

you, then it indicates that you do not know where you are

headed in life and what you really want to do with yourself.

You are lacking direction and goals. If you are driving on a

curvy road, then it indicates that you are having difficulties

in achieving your goals and the changes associated with it.  

To dream that someone else is driving you represents

your dependence on the driver. You are not in control of

your life and following the goals of others instead of your

own.  If you are driving from the passenger side of a car,

then it suggests that you are trying to gain control of the

path that your life is taking. You are beginning to make your

own decisions.

To dream that you are driving a cab or bus symbolizes

menial labor with little opportunities for advancement.

To dream that you are driving a car in reverse suggests

that you are experiencing major setbacks in your goals. In

particular, if you drive in reverse into a pool of water, then it

means that you emotions are literally holding you back.

To dream that you are driving drunk indicates that your

life is out of control. Some relationship or somebody is

dominating you.

To dream that you drive off a mountain road suggests

that the higher you climb in life, the harder it is to stay at

the top. You feel that your advanced position is a precarious

one. It takes hard work to remain at the top. You may also

feel that you are not able to measure up to the expectations

of others.

Seeing a wreck in your dream represents obstacles and

barriers toward your goals. You feel that you are being held

back or that you are not making any progress.

The car or vehicle itself is supposed to symbolize you

in your waking life, in your physical body. Your physical

body is used by the soul pretty much like we use a

car...it's driven for awhile and we give it gas/nourishment

& repairs as needed until it stops running, and then we go

back home.

Pay attention to your car, which symbolizes your

physical body. Are you behind the wheel, or is someone  

else in control? You want to be in charge of your life,

naturally. What is the color & condition of this vehicle? Do

you seem to be driving it the right way, on a safe road in

good condition, or is the road rocky, winding, or suddenly

ends at a cliff? That would signal you need redirection.

The bigger the vehicle, the more energy you may be

successfully using for your daily lessons, depending on the

context of your dream. Note all clues as to how you are

faring, and make adjustments accordingly.

Ex-Partners

To dream about your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-

husband/wife or that you and your ex got back together

again, suggests that something or someone in your current

life that is bringing out similar feelings you felt during the

relationship with your ex.

The dream may be a way of alerting you to the same or

similar behavior in a current relationship. What you learn

from that previous relationship may need to be applied to

the present one so that you do no repeat the same mistake.

Alternatively, past lovers often highlight the positive

experiences you had with that person.

In particular, to see your ex-husband/wife in your

dream indicates that you are finding yourself in a situation

that you do not want to be in.  It suggests that you are

experiencing a similar relationship or situation which makes

you feel unhappy and uncomfortable.

To see your mate's ex in your dream suggests that you

may be comparing yourself to the ex. The dream is trying to

tell you not to make the same relationship mistakes that

ended that relationship.

Alternatively, seeing your ex in your dream also

signifies aspects of yourself that you have crossed out or

neglected  

To see an old ex-boyfriend or girlfriend from childhood

in your dream refers to a freer, less encumbered

relationship. The dream serves to bring you back to a time

where the responsibilities of adulthood (or marriage) didn't

interfere with the spontaneity of romance. You need to

recapture the excitement, freedom, and vitality of youth that

is lacking in your present relationship.

To dream that your ex-boyfriend or girlfriend is giving

you advice about your current relationship suggests that you

unconscious is telling you not to repeat the same mistakes

that you had made with this ex.

To dream that you are being massaged by your ex

suggests that you need to let go of some of that

defensiveness that you have been putting forth. You may

have been putting up a wall or armor around you. You need

to learn to trust people again.

To dream that you ex gives you a stuffed animal

suggests that you are seeking for reassuring and nurturing

aspects of a relationship. This is not to imply that you want

your ex back. Alternatively, the dream could represent some

immature relationship which may (or may not) describe the

relationship you had with your ex.

To dream that you see your ex dressed in a suit at a

hospital suggests that you have come to terms with that

relationship and have completed the healing process.

Cheating

To dream that you are cheating on your spouse, mate,

fiancé, or significant other suggests feelings of self-guilt and

self-betrayal. You may have compromised your beliefs or

integrity and/or are wasting your energy and time on

fruitless endeavors.

Alternatively, it reflects the intensity of your sexual

passion and exploring areas of your sexuality. It is actually a  

reaffirmation of your commitment. Furthermore, it is not

uncommon for people approaching a wedding to have

dreams about erotic experiences with partners other than

their intended spouses. Most likely, such dreams represent

the newness of your sexual passion. It may also signify

anxieties of changing your identity - that of a spouse.

To dream that your mate, spouse, or significant other is

cheating on you indicates your fears of being abandoned.

You may feel a lack of attention in the relationship.

Alternatively, you may feel that you are not measuring up to

the expectations of others. This notion may stem from

issues of trust or self-esteem. The dream could also indicate

that you are unconsciously picking up hints and cues that

your significant other is not being completely truth or is not

fully committed in the relationship.

To dream that you are cheating at a game, suggests

that you are not being honest with yourself.

School

This type of dream relates to your current "lesson in

life," and if you learn how to interpret it, you'll find out how

you are progressing.  Think of it as taking a test and

getting graded on it!

Our "true selves" are our souls, and not our physical

bodies. You are a spirit/soul having a physical dream, not

the other way around. Ever feel like your life is like a play,

and you are acting out some role that you don't even

understand, even surprising yourself with your actions

sometimes? Bingo!

When we sleep, that proverbial "Veil of Forgetfulness"

that prevents us from "cheating on the test" is lifted, and

we are shown what type of progress we are making or not

making and given guidance on what to do next.  

We always have free will in our waking physical lives,

though, and if we stubbornly refuse to finish our tests,

then we have that right--but we are doomed to repeat it

until we pass it; and each time we turn away from it, the

next time it will be more unpleasant until finally we are

forced to acknowledge it's importance for our growth.

The things we consider vitally important in our waking

physical lives are not nearly as important as the TRUE

reason we are here, which is to overcome our

shortcomings so that we may get closer to our

Source/God/Higher Power. Don’t avoid learning the lesson

or you will find yourself repeating the same tasks over and

over again never making any progress.

A House

Dreams about a house symbolize a larger aspect of

your Self, and the aspects of Self which make the whole.

Each room is said to symbolize a different aspect of your

Self; for example:

An ATTIC symbolizes your Higher Self, and your

spiritual development & progress. Look at other symbols in

the attic of your dream, and try to evaluate what they mean.

Also pay attention to the feeling you experience in your

dream...is it pensive, enlightening or what, exactly? All

these things are clues for you.

A BATHROOM would symbolize the need for

cleansing/purging/elimination of something in your life that

isn't quite working or that has served its purpose and now

it's time to move on.

A KITCHEN would symbolize the need or act of

supplying nourishment or food for the

body/mind/soul...whatever is currently "cooking" or

developing in your life. If the food is plentiful, you have what

you need. If the cupboard is bare, time to go shopping for  

new nourishment, and you need to figure out what is needed

for that "shopping list."

A DINING ROOM is similar to the kitchen, but has more

to do with immediate needs for supplying & utilizing

nourishment, and less with the preparation or taking stock

of those needs.

THE MAIN ROOM or LIVING ROOM symbolizes your

daily interactions with others, and often you will have other

people appearing in your dreams in this room. Remember,

they represent aspects of yourself, and not themselves. (See

PEOPLE, above)

BEDROOMS symbolize the unconscious mind aspect of

your self, rest, dreams, sometimes sexuality issues in your

life.

THE UPSTAIRS symbolizes your spiritual awareness

aspect of self, or the Higher Self that holds all the keys or

knowledge to this life's role you are acting out, and always

has your higher good looked after, no matter how it might

seem otherwise.

THE DOWNSTAIRS/BASEMENT symbolizes your

subconscious mind aspect of self, which deals with habits,

old coping skills, automation, ego. That's usually the part of

ourselves that makes us feel "torn" between knowing we

should do one thing, and inexplicably ending up doing the

opposite.  Old belief patterns & fears have to be corrected, if

that is the case. Tackle & overcome it, and you will feel

much more peaceful about your life.

THE GROUND FLOOR of a house represents your daily

agenda; what's currently going on in your life.

REVISITING OLD HOUSES FROM CHILDHOOD OR

EARLIER TIMES: This points to issues that probably are

resurfacing in your current life, and need to be looked at,

analyzed, and healed so you can move forward and not look  

back. If you find yourself repeating the same old tired

mistakes, or dealing with the same old tired fears, chances

are you will have this dream.

A HALLWAY symbolizes that you have reached an area

that is necessary to journey through in order to get to the

other side, and it may be a narrow path that has to be

traversed with care and awareness. If you have that "closed

in, claustrophobic feeling" then you need to expand your

awareness/open your mind to more possibilities for

completing this phase of your journey.

A  PORCH symbolizes perhaps a metaphor of being

undecided, such as the saying, "I'm still on the porch on

that decision."  It could be symbolic of being

contemplative, or uncommitted or withdrawn.  It could be

something entirely different such as being on the threshold

of a new sense or an extension of self.  It depends on the

entire context of the dream.  Is it the back or front porch?

Is it screened-in or open, messy or neat, sparse or

furnished?  All these details add to the overall symbolism.

Colors

Experts believe that almost everyone dreams in color.

If a major portion of your dream reflects a consistent color

theme, this could have some type of meaning in interpreting

that dream.  Below are the major colors and what they could

mean.

Black

Black symbolizes the unknown, unconscious, danger,

mystery, darkness, death, mourning, hate or malice.

If the feeling in the dream is one of joy, blackness

could imply hidden spirituality and divine qualities.

To dream in black and white, suggests that you need

to be more objective in formulating your decisions. You

may be a little too unyielding in your thought process and  

thus need to find some sort of balance between two

opposing views. Consider the views and opinions of others.

Alternatively, black and white dreams are signs of

depression or sadness. You may feel that there is not

enough excitement in your life

Blue

Blue represents truth, wisdom, heaven, eternity,

devotion, tranquility, loyalty and openness. The presence of

this color in your dream, may symbolize your spiritual

guide and your optimism of the future. You have clarity of

mind.

Depending on the context of your dream, the color

blue may also be a metaphor of "being blue" and feeling

sad

Brown

Brown denotes worldliness, practicality, domestic and

physical comfort, conservatism, and a materialistic

character. Brown also represents the ground and earth

Gold

The golden color reflects your spiritual rewards,

richness, refinement and enhancement of your

surroundings.

Green

Green signifies a positive change, good health,

growth, healing, hope, vigor, vitality, peace, and serenity.

Green is also symbolic of your strive to gain recognition

and establish your independence. Money, wealth and

jealousy are often associated with this color.

Dark green indicates materialism, cheating, deceit,

and/or difficulties with sharing. You need to balance

between your masculine and feminine attributes.  

Gray

Gray indicates fear, fright, depression, ill health,

ambivalence and confusion. You may feel emotionally

distant or detached.

Orange

Orange denotes friendliness, courtesy, lively,

sociability, and an out-going nature. You may want to

expand your horizons and look into new interests.

Pink

Pink represents love, joy, sweetness, happiness,

affection, kindness.  Being in love or healing through love is

also implied with this color.

Purple

Purple is indicative of devotion, healing abilities, loving,

kindness, and compassion.  It is also the color of royalty,

high rank, and dignity.

Red

Red is an indication of raw energy, force, vigor, intense

passion, aggression, power, courage and passion. The color

red has deep emotional and spiritual connotations.

Red is also the color of danger, shame, sexual impulses

and urges. Perhaps you need to stop and think about your

actions.

White

White represents purity, perfection, peace, innocence,

dignity, cleanliness, awareness, and new beginnings. You

may be experiencing a reawakening or have a fresh outlook

on life. However, in Eastern cultures, white is associated

with death and mourning

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50  

Yellow

The color yellow has both positive and negative

connotations. If the dream is a pleasant one, then the color

yellow is symbolic of intellect, energy, agility, happiness,

harmony, and wisdom.

On the other hand, if the dream is an unpleasant one,

then the color represents cowardice and sickness. You may

have a fear or an inability to make a decision or take action.

As a result, you are experiencing many setbacks

Death

To dream about the death of a loved one, suggests that

you are lacking a certain aspect or quality that the loved one

embodies. Ask yourself what makes this person special or

what do you like about him. It is that very quality that you

are lacking in your own relationship or circumstances.

Alternatively, it indicates that whatever that person

represents has no part in your own life.

To dream that you die in your dream, symbolizes inner

changes, transformation, self-discovery and positive

development that is happening within you or in your life.

Although such dreams may bring about feelings of fear

and anxiety, it is no cause for alarm and is often considered

a positive symbol.  Dreams of experiencing your own death

usually mean that big changes are ahead for you.  They

mean you are moving onto new beginnings and leaving the

past behind.

These changes do not necessarily imply a negative turn

of events. Metaphorically, dying can be seen as an end or a

termination to your old ways and habits. So, dying does not

always mean a physical death, but an ending of something.

On a negative note, to dream that you die may

represent involvement in deeply painful relationships or

unhealthy, destructive behaviors. You may feeling depressed  

or feel strangled by a situation or person in your waking life.

Perhaps your mind is preoccupied with someone who is

terminally ill or dying. Alternatively, you may be trying to

get out of some obligation, responsibility or other situation.

To see someone dying in your dream signifies that your

feelings for that person are dead or that a significant

change/loss is occurring in your relationship with that

person. Alternatively, you may want to repress that aspect

of yourself that is represented by the dying person.

Love/Lust

To dream of love of being in love suggests intense

feelings carried over from a waking relationship. It implies

happiness and contentment with what you have and where

you are in life. On the other hand, you may not be getting

enough love in your daily life. We naturally long for the

sense to belong and to be accepted.

To see a couple in love or expressing love to each

other, indicates much success ahead for you.

To dream that your friend is in love with you may be

one of wish fulfillment. Perhaps you have developed have

developed feelings for your best friend and are wondering

how he or she feels. You are so preoccupied with these

thoughts that it is evitable that it finds its way into your

dreaming mind.

On the other hand, the dream may also suggest that

you have accepted certain qualities of your best friend and

incorporated into your own character.

To dream that you are making love in public or in

different places, relates to some overt sexual issue or need.

Your dream may be telling you that you need to express

yourself more openly. Alternatively, it represents your

perceptions about your own sexuality in the context of politic  

and social norms. You may be questioning your feelings

about sex, marriage, love, and gender roles.

To dream of lust, suggests that you are lacking or

feeling unfulfilled in some aspect of your life. Alternatively,

you need to exercise some self-control.

Aliens

To dream that you are an alien, symbolizes the

undiscovered part of yourself. Your manifestation as an

alien may be your way of 'escaping' from reality. Dreams of

this nature also symbolize your outlandish ideas and your

wild imagination.

To dream that you are being abducted by aliens

indicates your fears of your changing surroundings or your

fear of losing your home and family. You feel that your

space and/or privacy is being invaded.

To see aliens in your dream signifies that you are

having difficulties adapting and adjusting to your new

surroundings. You are feeling "alienated" and invaded.  On

a psychological level, seeing aliens may represent an

encounter with an unfamiliar or neglected aspect of your

own self.

Angels

To see angels in your dream signifies an unusual

disturbance in your soul. Angels symbolize goodness,

purity, and protection and comfort and consolation. Pay

careful attention to the message that the angels are trying

to convey. These messages serve as a guide toward

greater fulfillment and happiness. Angels may appear in

your dream as a result of your wicked and mean-hearted

activities.

To see an angel holding a scroll in your dream

indicates a highly spiritual dream. Your future and goals are  

clearer to you in dreams of this type. The message on the

scroll is particularly significant.

Children

To see children in your dream signifies your own

childlike qualities or a retreat back to a childlike state. It is

an extension of your inner child during a time of innocence,

purity, simplicity, and a carefree attitude. You may be

longing for the past and the chance to satisfy repressed

desires and unfulfilled hopes. Take some time off and cater

to the inner child within. Perhaps there is something that

you need to see grow and nurtured.

To dream that your own grown children are still very

young indicates that you still see them as young and

dependent. You want to feel needed and significant.

To dream that you are watching children but they do

not know you are there is a metaphor for some hidden

knowledge or some latent talent which you have failed to

recognize.

To save a child signifies your attempts to save a part of

yourself from being destroyed.

Dead People

To see the dead in your dream forewarns that you are

being influenced by negative people and are hanging around

the wrong crowd.  You may suffer material loss. This dream

may also be a way for you to resolve your feelings with

those who have passed on.

To see and talk with your dead father in your dream

signifies that you are about to enter into an unlucky

transaction or rotten deal. Thoroughly think through your

decisions before entering into them.  

To see your dead mother in your dream signifies your

wretched and mean-hearted nature towards others around

you.

Seeing your dead parents in your dreams may mean

your fears of losing them or your way of coping with the

loss. You may want that last opportunity to say your final

good-byes to them.

To see your dead sibling, relative, or friend in your

dream foretells that you will soon be called on for aid and

assistance. It may also mean that you miss them and are

trying to relive your old experiences you had with them. In

trying to keep up with the pace of your daily waking life, you

dreams may serve as your only outlet in coping and coming

to terms with the loss of a loved one.

Do not fear conversation with the so-called "dead" in

dreams. If the communication is one-sided, it denotes

telepathy. If both participate, it may be an actual encounter

of bodiless consciousness.

Accidents

To dream that you are in an accident signifies pent up

guilt and you are sub-consciously punishing yourself over it.

To dream of a car accident symbolizes your emotional

state. You may be harboring deep anxieties and fears. Are

you "driving" yourself too hard? This dream may tell you to

slow down before you hit disaster. You need to rethink or re-

plan your course of actions and set yourself on a better

path.

To dream that a loved one dies in an accident indicates

that something in your own Self that is no longer functional

and is "dead". It is also symbolic of your own relationship

with that person. Perhaps you need to let go of this

relationship.  

Accident dreams may also represent your

straightforward fears of being an actual, physical accident.

You may be simply nervous about getting behind the wheel.

This dream may be a clear warning to cautious of

approaching vehicles.

This is only a general partial list – of course.  Every

single detail in your dream could have some hidden

meaning.  There are a lot of places online to find information

about the specific details of your dreams and what they

might mean.

You need to discover the link between all these images

and what they might mean.  This process is a bit like those

“connect the dots” puzzles that reveal a hidden picture.

Psychologically, you simply need to understand what

this net of associations from the dream is telling you

specifically, at this precise time of your life, about your

current  problems and conflicts .

Quite often, these associations are purely emotional;

that is, you can take a particularly graphic dream image,

examine your emotional reactions to it, look back into your

past for times when you felt the same emotions, and then

ask yourself in what way those situations from the past have

any bearing on what is happening in your life now

Repetitive dreams indicate that you are continuing to

miss the point about the meaning of the dream. If you don’t

“wake up” to the unconscious meaning of the dream but

instead persist in seeing it through your own wish-fulfillment

needs, you will remain stuck in your own self-deception.

Almost everyone has experienced a nightmare at one

point or time in their life.

NIGHTMARES

Children, especially, are prone to nightmares.

Nightmares are common in children, typically beginning at

around age 3 and occurring up to age 7-8.

People with anxiety disorder might also experience

what experts term “night terrors”.  These are actually panic

attacks that occur in sleep.

It is especially difficult to remember these types of

dreams since they conjure up terrifying images that we

would just as soon forget.

In poetic myth, the Nightmare is actually a “small

nettlesome mare, not more than thirteen hands high, of the

breed familiar with the Elgin marbles: cream-colored, clean-

limbed, with a long head, bluish eye, flowing mane and

tail.” Her nests, called mares’ nests, “when one comes

across them in dreams, lodged in rock-clefs or the branches

of enormous hollow yews, are built of carefully chosen twigs

lined with white horse-hair and the plumage of prophetic

birds and littered with the jaw-bones and entrails of poets.”

Thus, in a pagan world of myth and blood sacrifice, the

Nightmare was a cruel, fearful creature. Our modern word

nightmare derives from the Middle English nihtmare (from

niht, night, and mare, demon), an evil spirit believed to

haunt and suffocate sleeping people. And so, in today’s

world, when we speak of a nightmare we mean a frightening

dream accompanied by a sensation of oppression and

helplessness.

The blood-thirsty aspect of the mythic Nightmare,

however, can give a good clue about nightmares in general,

for in psychodynamic terms nightmares are graphic

depictions of raw, primitive emotions such as aggression and

rage that have not been incorporated into the conscious

psyche. Thus we tend to encounter these “ugly” aspects of  

our  unconscious  lives as terrifying dream images in whose

presence we feel completely helpless.

Nightmares are quite common in childhood because

this is a time of our emotional development when we all

have to come to terms with, well, raw, primitive emotions

such as aggression and rage.

Traumatic nightmares can also occur as one of the

many symptoms of  posttraumatic stress disorder  (PTSD).

Repetitive, intrusive nightmares following a trauma often

contain symbolic themes that mirror the original trauma and

relate to threat to life, threat of abandonment or death, or

loss of identity.

Therefore, traumatic nightmares need to be treated

differently than other dreams. It’s not enough just to “know”

intellectually the psychological reasons why you have these

nightmares. An event is traumatic because it disrupts your

previously secure—and illusory—sense of “self.” And so, to

heal from a trauma, you must take the initiative to make

conscious changes in your life to accommodate the

traumatic shattering of your illusions about life and  identity .

Some believe that nightmares have a physiological

nature as well.  Edgar Cayce believed that Nightmares,

which bring with them an inability to move or cry out,

usually indicate the wrong diet. To end the nightmarish

dreams change your diet.

We found a technique online that can help people who

suffer from recurrent nightmares.  It is not meant to be a

cure-all.  It is just a suggested treatment to deal with

frightening nightmares.  The idea is to use this therapy

every night until the nightmare has been resolved.  It is

called Imagery Rehearsal Therapy.

Here are the steps of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy:  

1.

Write out the text of the nightmare. Tell the story, no

matter how frightening, in as much detail as you can

remember.

2.

Create a new ending for the nightmare story and write

it out. Be careful, however, to make the new ending

peaceful. Remember that the nightmare is grounded in

emotions such as raw anger that have been provoked

by a trauma. The point of a new ending is to “tame”

the emotions, not merely vent them in violence and

revenge.

3.

Rehearse the new version of the story in your

imagination each night just before going to sleep. Do

this as close as possible to your falling asleep without

any other activity between the rehearsal and sleep.

4.

Perform a relaxation exercise. Do this immediately after

the rehearsal, as a way to fall asleep peacefully. You

may use any technique with which you are familiar.

This could be meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises.

The “cousin” of nightmares is disturbing dreams with

unpleasant images.

DISTURBING DREAMS

Disturbing dreams aren’t quite nightmares.  They may

cause you to wonder what exactly your sub-conscious is

trying to tell you.

First, the dreams could be unconscious advice. Maybe

in some way you are betraying yourself, forgetting

something, or not fulfilling a potential. For example, persons

on the edge of a midlife career change may have dreams

about being in school and searching for a missing classroom,

or they may find themselves in a class about to take a final

exam while realizing that they completely forgot to attend  

the class all year. Thus the feeling of panic in the dream

points to the real feeling of panic in their current life about

the failure of their present career.

Second, the dreams could be an admonition, based in

guilt. Imagine, for example, that you are embezzling the

bank for which you work. Then you start having dreams

about burglars breaking into your home.

Well, the dreams are simply a depiction of something

happening to you that is similar to the hurt or moral injury

you are inflicting on someone else. This same dynamic often

occurs in children’s nightmares: in waking life, children often

experience angry feelings toward their parents and yet lack

the cognitive capacity to express these feelings openly; so,

in unconscious guilt, the  anger  becomes turned against

themselves as threatening nightmare images.

Third, the dreams could be hints of a repressed trauma.

As I say above, nightmares often accompany the emotional

pain of a traumatic event experienced in adulthood. But if a

trauma in childhood is  repressed , dreams reflecting the

emotional intensity of the trauma can persist throughout

life—as a  repetition compulsion —until the trauma is

eventually brought to conscious awareness and healed.

Finally, the dreams could be psychic premonitions. This

is a rare phenomenon, but it does happen to some persons.

The best advice we’ve found about disturbing dreams is

to just ignore them.  You can try to analyze the images you

find, but that is most likely not going to give you the

answers you need.

CONCLUSION

Dream analysis and interpretation isn’t the mystical

science that it seems to be.  It’s simply remembering your  

dreams and then figuring out what your sub-conscious is

trying to tell you about your life and anything that might be

happening in your life.

You should keep in mind that dream analysis is simply

an interpretation of your dreams, not a definitive answer for

all that “ails” you, so to speak.

If you are having some major life problems, we suggest you

seek the assistance of a trained professional.  You can still,

however, pay close attention to your dreams and report

them to your therapist for some insight into your troubles.

Your dreams are unique to you.  They can represent all that

is good in you and all that you need to improve upon.  When

you better understand your dreams, you can better

understand yourself.

Sleep well!