The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau, 1897

The unconscious speaks to us through the images and stories of our dreams. Dreams are symbolic messages that are often complex and mysterious and need to be decoded to be understood and to gain access to this valuable source of information..

Working With Dreams

  • The more attention you pay to your dreams the better.  Read dream books, talk about your dreams, keep a dream journal.
  • Wake slowly; It is best to wake on your own, and not by a clock. If you must use a clock have a mellow alarm and consider the slow awakening alarm clock of Now and Zen; give yourself time to lay in bed and mull your dreams before you become totally awake.
  • Keep a journal near you in bed and write down your dreams as soon as you remember them, even if it is in the middle of the night. Get a pen with a light on it, or have a small night light to turn on so that you can remain in a half sleep state. Some people prefer to record the dream in the middle of the night, then write it in their journal later.
  • Write anything about the dream that you remember, even if just a fragment. Note the date of the dream, and give the dream a name that will remind you what it was about.
  • Look for themes in your dreams, for example maybe there is often a car in your dreams, or you are going on different types of journeys, or the same people keep showing up.
  • Use Active Imagination to explore certain elements or symbols of your dreams.
  • Incubate a dream, which means to put forth a question as you go to sleep and let the dream provide the answer.
  • Direct a request to your dreams, for example,  I want a healing tonight…
  • Work with issues in life through your dreams, for example gaining insight on a work conflict.

 

10 Steps for Understanding the Dream

Interpreting a dream is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. There are many different theories to dream interpretation and you can try them out until you find one that works for you. There is no correct way to do it. You can listen for the major theme in the larger dream or go deeply and explore every symbol. I use different ways of understanding depending on the dimension of the dream.

Step 1. What was your dream? Tell/write the story of your dream? Listen for the activity, the storyline/plot.

Step 2. What is the storyline? Is it about trying to contact someone? Being chased? Not being prepared? The story line is the most important part of the dream. You should be able to describe the storyline in one or two sentences. Give the dream a title that is descriptive, “Chased by a Dog”

Step 3: Do you have a sense of what this dream is about? How does this storyline fit into your life now? Is there something in your life like this now? (feeling pressured and on the run?)  Or is this something you need in your life now (protection?) Ex: I am feeling pressured at my job and never have enough time.

Step 4: Do the rest of the dream interpretation with the present situation as your focus. (my job)

Step 5: What is the main feeling to the dream? (fear, anxiety, joy, curiosity?)

Step 6. Translate each major symbol or event. You do this by using your own associations.

What is a dog? Dirty, nasty, mean, scary.  Is there anything about your experience at work that is dirty, nasty, mean, and scary? My Boss.

If you have more time and its seems like an important dream you can get more specific. For example, what type of dog? A boxer. What is a boxer? Someone who beats people up.  And so on. Do the major events, people, objects.

Is there something that really stands out in the dream as being particularly significant or doesn’t make sense? This might be a focal point. Ex: I turned into a rabbit and escape down a hole.

Symbols will often come from your daily life as the creative inspiration of your dream self. Some symbols are archetypals (universal) such as water, fire, birth, death, dismemberment, or ideas seen in folk tales and myths.

Step 7. Retell the story based on your association of the symbols. For example, My Boss, a mean and nasty guy is scaring me and making me feel vulnerable with his nasty and intimidating attitude. I make myself invisible and escape through fantasy. Ask: Does this feel like the right interpretation?

Step 8: What do you think is the message of the dream? The dream will reveal something new. For example, you didn’t realize how vulnerable you felt at work. Or that you escaped through fantasy. (too much World of Warcraft)

Step 9: How can you apply this message to your life? You might know immediately. If not, you can often work out the solution by using the storyline and images of the dream. For example: In the dream what could you have done so you wouldn’t be afraid? Well, if I were a lioness instead of a cat, I’d be more prepared. So how can you become more like a lioness at work?

Step 10: Dreams want to be understood. But sometimes their message isn’t easily revealed. You can ponder the dream and then keep awareness through the day for some insight that will help you. If it seems important then you can also ask for more information by incubating a question the next night. For example: Tonight I would like a dream that shows me how to be a lioness.