Jung's Rediscovery of the DreamWhat is a Dream?We all dream. Every night as we dim the light of consciousness we enter the realm of the dream. In this dream state our imagination runs free with little or no interference from our conscious mind. In the morning, when we wake and return to consciousness, we may bring with us a recollection of the wanderings of our imagination we remember the dream.To dream is natural, it is a universal experience. All people of all cultures enter into this dream state when they sleep. As sleep research has shown even animals dream. How we regard the dream, however, varies from culture to culture and from person to person.Unfortunately most of us remain unaware of our dreams. We fail to remember them. Even if we do remember a dream it is typically dismissed as meaningless and unimportant. For those of us who do place an importance on the dream it still remains a mystery. So what is a dream?Dreams God's forgotten languageOriginally the dream was held to be the voice of God. Most indigenous cultures hold that the dream is sent by the Great Spirit and serves to offer advice and instruction. This idea of the divinity of the dream can also to be found in the ancient Egyptian and Greek cultures.In the Old Testament Jacob interprets a dream for the Egyptian pharaoh. Jacob explains that God has spoken to the Pharaoh and warned of seven years of prosperity to be followed by seven years of famine.In Egypt and Greece the dream was considered as a message from the gods. There existed temples where one would go to dream and receive healing or instruction from the gods. Homer's Iliad (8th century BC) tells the story of Agamemnon who receives instruction from Zeus through a dream. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used dreams as a diagnostic aid.In the Christian tradition the dream was thought of as the word of God. St. John Chrysostom preached that God revealed himself through dreams while other church fathers, such as Martin Luther, viewed the dream as the work, not of God, but the devil. According to Luther the church, and only the church, was the conduit of God's word. For Luther revelations given to people in dreams could only be diabolic.In the Middle East the dream was considered to be a source of divine inspiration. Mohammed, the founding Prophet of Islam, is said to have received much of what is written in the Koran through his dreams.The Rediscovery of the DreamIn the Christian epoch the church and its scriptures supplanted the importance of the dream. The dominance of Christianity obscured the divinity of the dream. Later, the rise of rationalism and science further undermined the value of the dream. To this day scepticism toward the dream remains the predominant attitude.In the early part of this century, however, the value of the dream was rediscovered by two great psychologists, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. For Freud the dream revealed what the dreamer would rather keep hidden. By exploring the dream one was forced to face what was suppressed and rejected within oneself.Jung had another theory. Jung felt that the dream acted as a mirror for the ego revealing that which was missing from the consciousness of the dreamer. For Jung the dream acted as a teacher and guide on the road toward wholeness. With the work of both Jung and Freud the dream regained its status as a source of wisdom and healing.Dream Analysis , Healing & WholenessIn his work with both patients and clients, Dr. Jung witnessed the natural healing mechanism of dreams and dream analysis. The dream acted in such a way as to amend a lop sided or partial perspective on life. A series of dreams would develop, balance and refine the conscious awareness of the dreamer. Jung had rediscovered the age old wisdom of the dream and its capacity to heal and make whole.In his patients Jung noticed that the dream served as a healing mechanism for the psyche. As the therapist all Jung needed to do was to help and encourage his patients to understand their dreams. For Jung it was the dreams, not the doctor, who was the healer.Having solved their original problems many of Jung's patients continued on with their psychotherapeutic work with Jung. For they did not stop dreaming. Instead the dreams seemed to focus on a whole new set of untouched problems and issues. No sooner had one difficulty been resolved when another, of even greater complexity and depth, would present itself. And again the dream would provide the healing and answers.In this pattern of raising one issue after another Jung recognised more than a healing mechanism at work within the dream. Apart from healing, the dreams also seemed to be encouraging and actively participating in the growth and development of the personality. Jung termed this inherent drive of the psyche as the force of individuation, the force by which we become whole and indivisible.Both in himself and in his clients Jung pursued the way of the dream and became a student to its teachings. It was in this way that Jung helped to usher in the new religious paradigm, which has come to be known as the idea of Self-development.Individuation & the Creation of ConsciousnessFirst there was nothing and then there was light so runs the creation myth of almost every culture. Even western science postulates the idea of a Big Bang an explosion of light from out of the void. Light emerging from darkness is a universal theme.Light emerged from out of the darkness. While we may never know the legitimacy of such a claim it does reflect the most basic of all psychological principles, that is, the known is born out of the unknown.The psyche is made up of two distinct fields the conscious and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind is also referred to as the ego (from the Latin meaning 'I').The ego, or conscious mind, represents our awareness and capacity for thought and self-reflection, while the unconscious houses our instinctive wisdom and patterns of behaviour.Just as light was born of the darkness the ego has formed from out of the matrix of the unconscious. This creation of consciousness is re-enacted with every new life. One need only witness the development of a young child to see this miracle take place.The creation of consciousness is ongoing. If you look back upon yourself you will find that you are more aware now than you were say a year ago. You are not different, just more fully who you've always been.Active within the unconscious is a creative force which seeks consciousness the unconscious seeks to be made known. This drive toward consciousness is the force of individuation the force by which we come to realise our greater potential.The birth of the ego was only the start. Now we have reached a point where the collective ego, that is, the conscious awareness common to us all, is well developed simply look at our culture, our technology and our history. Yet, despite our achievements, the latent potential of the unconscious is in no way exhausted. There is still plenty of darkness which seeks the light.Meeting the UnconsciousThe activity of the unconscious may be found within all aspects of our lives. It is there in our relationships, in our aspirations, our difficulties, health and the fate we attract. As Jung would often say, "called or uncalled God is always present".The ego cannot escape its destined encounter with the unconscious. Take for example the problem of love and hate. What we fail to see in ourselves we often find attractive in other. What we deny within, we battle outwardly. So too, the circumstances of our life are often designed to teach us exactly what it is that we need to learn. Illness often conceals a hidden wisdom. The ego cannot escape the unconscious just as we cannot escape our own birth.The ego's encounter with the unconscious need not be negative. In failing to open to the unconscious then it will force itself upon one. With a willing attitude such force is not required. The question becomes 'how does one open to the unconscious?' Its like asking someone to find their way in the dark.The dream serves as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind. For the dream belongs to the twilight zone of consciousness where the ego and the unconscious meet.The conscious element of the dream lies in its remembrance, the unconscious element lies in its mystery and perplexity. Half conscious, half unconscious, the dream unites the known and the unknown.To listen to the dream is to listen to the unconscious. Through doing so one relieves the need for the unconscious to force itself.Take for example Peter, a stock market analyst, who suffered a depression and tendency to black moods. Several years back he found himself hopelessly attracted to a woman whom he noted for her softness and sensitivity. He entered into relationship with this woman but somehow it went horribly wrong. In the relationship he was happy but she was not. She left him saying he was too hard and callous and that he would never change. Broken hearted he went from one relationship to another, each one more problematic than the first. The common theme of each relationship was the perceived sensitivity of his partner. After a while he lost faith in relationships and fell into periodic depressions. These depressions caused him to take an easier job and to spend time alone, away from the rat race as he called it. It was during one of these depressions that he decided to come in for a dream analysis session and reported what had been a repetitive dream for the last several years a dream whose nuances had first appeared as his first true relationship began to crumble.The dream ran as follows:I am in the city, but it is a sort of wasteland where nothing ever happens. In this city there are an endless number of high rise concrete apartments. In one apartment there is a girl. She is caught in the apartment because it is so run down that the lifts no longer work. All around are thousands of mangy stray cats.The dream reflected Peter's relationship to his own inner feminine. In the dream the young girl is trapped in a hard and hostile environment. Here nothing ever happens and nothing ever changes. Cats (which Peter hates) are symbolic of the feminine and in the dream they are starved and uncared for. The mood and atmosphere of the place was reminiscent of Peter's own moods and depression. The dream presented a static situation which seemed to have no resolution.Yet, through studying the dream, Peter finally recognised his own hard and callous nature as it was reflected in the cityscape of his dream. While he had been criticised along these lines many times he had ever really taken such criticism to heart. It took the extreme images of the dream to set Peter thinking. Working on the dream released a watershed of remorse. "How right she had been, if only I'd listened."Peter approached the unconscious the hard way. His attraction to sensitive women highlighted the need to develop his own sensitivity. Instead Peter sought relationship where the partner would carry his own unlived sensitivity and feeling life. The depressions and black moods which Peter suffered where simply an unconscious means of making Peter listen to and honour his own feelings. This approach, instigated within the unconscious, worked Peter's depressions forced him to back away from the harshness of the world. And from there he was able to listen to himself and his dreams for the first time.Through working on his dreams Peter's depressions soon cleared. He entered into a new relationship, lost what he called his hard edge and took a new job as a financial adviser a move away from the cut throat nature of his previous role as a market analyst.The way of the dream avoids a forced and problematic encounter with the unconscious. Dreams put us in touch with our selves and smooth our passage throughout life.1. Start at the beginningThe start of the dream generally identifies what the dream is referring to. As such it is important to pay particular attention to thebeginning of the dream. Without an understanding the beginning of the dream, it is difficult to identify what aspect of one's life and oneself the dream is addressing.2. Get down the associationsBefore launching into an interpretation of a dream, it is important to get down the associations for each element in the dream. What do each of the figures, places and situations in the dream mean to you? The more you work on the associations, the easier it becomes to interpret the dream. Seehow toanalyse a dream.While the art of dream analysis builds on a knowledge of universal symbols, the personal symbolism is typically more important. A dream speaks the dreamers the language. No great dictionary of symbols or dream interpretation handbook is required. Rather you have at your disposal all the keys required to unlock the riddle of the dream. When analysing a dream for someone else, again it is essential to draw out the dreamers associations.When it comes time to interpret the dream, the associations may be fed back to the dreamer. In this way the dream interpretation will leverage the dreamers own statements. When the message of the dream is draws on dreamers own voice, the analyst no longer needs to be believed or held as an authority. Instead the dreamer learns to listen to their own Self.3. What was the trigger?Generally a dream is triggered by the events of the previous day orrecent past. When writing down your own dreams, make a note of what happened the day before. When performing dream analysis on behalf of another, always ask what was happening at the time.4. A dream is a mirrorA dream serves as a mirror. In looking into the dream you see yourself from another angle. For a correct analysis of the dream, it needs to be appreciated as a statement of fact, albeit from an alternate perspective. A dream does not tell you what to do, rather it show you what youaredoing. The meaning or message of the dream is derived from an assessment of this alternate perspective. As Jung explained, a dream always aims to amend a lopsided attitude. It shows you what you are not seeing. The creation of consciousness arrives through seeing oneself in a new light.4. Remain with the Imagery of the dreamA common mistake in dream analysis is to read into the dream that which is not really there. Freud encouraged the free association in his approach to dream interpretation, but this approachoften leads away from the central message of the dream off to whereveryour imagination cares to take you. Don't stray! Try to stick with the imagery in the dream6. Do the workA dream is not rendered meaningful with little or no effort. When faced with the riddle of the dream weoften give up too easily. Yet a dream is nevertoohard. Rather it is always pitched at a leveljust within reach of the dreamers consciousness. The great Freud and Jung had as much difficulty with their own dreams as does the complete novice. A dream is always a little bit beyond ones comprehension. To understand the dream requires an expansion of consciousness.7. Approach the dream with an open mindIn sharp distinction to the previous principle, a common mistake in analysing ones own dreams is to think that you already know what the dream is referring to. If this were the case then you would have no need of the dream. To approach a dream correctly, start with a beginners mind.8. Dont literalise the dreamA dream needs to be approached as if it were a metaphor. To take dream literally is to completely miss the underlying meaninginherent within the dream.9. Find the themeThe analysis of a dream is best conducted in the context of preceding dreams. When working on ones dreams a theme will quickly emerge. The same figures and situations may appear over and over again. By working with the dream, and in coming to a new consciousness, the imagery of the dream will gradually change. Dream analysis takes time, it is a very deliberate and thorough path of self-development.10. Do something!Lastly, and most importantly, having learnt from the dream it is important to act upon on that dream. To achieve a greater consciousness, yet not act on such awareness, creates a split in the psyche. The inner is divorced from the outer. To truly integrate and honour the message of a dream, one must act upon the dream.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 talk about our dreams, we have been fascinated with them and have strived to understand them.In some primal societies, members were unable to distinguish between the dream world and the waking world. Or they could simply choose not to make the distinction. They saw that the dream world wasnot only an extension of reality, but that it was a more powerful world.In theGreek and Roman eras, dreamswere seen in a religious context. They were believed to be direct messages from the gods or from the dead. The people of that time look to their dreams for solutions on what to do or what course of action to take. They believed dreams forewarned and predicted the future. Special shrines were even built where people can go there to sleep in hopes that a message could be passed to them through their dreams. Their belief in the power of a dream was so strong that it even dictated the actions of political and military leaders. In fact, dream interpreters even accompanied military leaders into battle to help with war strategy.Greek philosopher, Aristotle believed that dreams were a result of physiological functions. Dreams were able to diagnose illness and predict onset of diseases.During the Helllenistic period, the main focus of dreams was centered around its ability to heal. Temples, called Asclepieions, were built around the healing power of dreams. It was believed that sick people who slept in these temples would be sent cures through their dreams.Dream interpreters even aided the medicine men in their medical diagnosis. It was believed that dreams offered a vital clue for healers to finding what was wrong with the dreamer.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.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 us 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.Tracing back to these ancient cultures, people had always had an inclination to interpret dreams The bible alone has over seven hundred references to dreams.The Sleep CycleOne sleep cycle comprises of four stages and lasts for about90-120 minutes. Note that some books list five stages in the sleep cycle. These books consider the first five to ten minutes when you are falling asleep as a stage in the sleep cycle. We think this is more of a transitional phase and not really part of the cycle, especially since this stage of sleep does not repeat itself, while the other four stages do repeat themselves throughout the night. For thisreason,we have excluded as part of the cycle.Dreams can occur in any of the four stages ofsleep, but the most vivid and memorable dreams occur in thelast stage of sleep (also commonly referred to as REM sleep). The sleep cycle repeats itself about an average of four to five times per night, but may repeat as many as seven times. Thus, you can see how a person has several different dreams in one night. However, most people only remember dreams that occur closer toward themorning when they are about to wake up. But just because you can't remember those dreams do not mean thatthey never happened. Some people believe that they simply do not dream, when in reality, they just don't remember their dreams.The Stages Of SleepThe stages in the sleep cycle are organized by the changes in specific brain activity.

Stage 1:You are entering into light sleep. This stage is characterized by Non-rapid eye movements (NREM), muscle relaxation, lowered body temperature and slowed heart rate.The body is preparing to enter into deep sleep.Stage 2:Also characterized by NREM, this stage is characterized by a further drop in body temperature and relaxation of the muscles. The body's immune system goes to work on repairing the day's damage. The endocrine glands secrete growth hormones, while blood is sent to the muscles to be reconditioned. In this stage, you are completely asleep.Stage 3:Still in the NREM stage, this is an even deeper sleep. Your metabolic levels are extremely slow.Stage 4:In this stage of sleep, your eyes move back and forth erratically as if watching something from underneath your eyelids. Referred to as REM sleep or delta sleep, this stage occurs at about 90-100 minutes after the onset of sleep. Your blood pressure rises, heart rate speeds up, respiration becomes erratic and brain activity increases. Your involuntary muscles also become paralyzed or immobilized. This stage is the most restorative part of sleep. Your mind is being revitalized and emotions is being fine tuned. The majority of your dreaming occurs in this stage. If you are awakened during this stage of sleep, you are more likely to remember your dreams.These stages repeat themselves throughout the night as you sleep. As the cycle repeats, you will spend less time in stages 1 to 3 and more time dreaming in stage 4. In other words, it will be quicker and quicker for you to get to stage 4 each time the cycle repeats.The Mechanics of DreamingWhile you are dreaming, your body undergoes noticeable changes. Your adrenaline rises, your blood pressure increases, and you heart beats faster. Given this hyperactivity, it should be no surprise how someone with a weak heart can die in their sleep.Their heart may not be able to withstand the strain and the erratic changes that their body is going through.Dreaming takes place during REM, which stands forRapidEye Movement. It is thuscalled, because your eyes move rapidly back and forth underthe eyelids.REM sleep takes place in the fourth stage of sleep and accounts for 15-20% of your sleep time. From the point you fall asleep, it takes 30 to 90 minutes before you start dreaming. You cycle through the 4 stages of sleep and may enter the REM stage 4 to 7 times in one night. During REM, your blood pressure and heart rate fluctuate and increase. It sounds like your body is going through a lot, but in fact, it is quite the contrary. During REM, your bodies are completely immobile and your muscles remain completely relaxed. You may shift in your bed throughout the night, but when in REM, you are completely still. This is commonly known as "REM Paralysis".In REM sleep, the mind is as active as it is during waking.However, chemically it is different. REM is controlled by the excitability level of the cholinergic neruons. Noradrenaline and seratonin are missing in the brain when in the dream state. These chemicals allow the brain to carry out task, solve problems and remember things. This is a reason why you find it so hard to remember your dreams.The Importance Of DreamingDo you dream in order to sleep or do you sleep in order to dream? Although that question remains debatable, researchers agree that there is a purpose and importance to dreaming.Research have showed that people who are deprived from entering the dream phase of sleep or the REM stage, exhibit symptoms of irritability and anxiety.In one dream study, volunteers are woken up right before they enter into thedream state. Then they are allowed to fall back to sleep. Again, right before they enter REM sleep, they are awaken. This continues on through the night. The volunteers sleep the same amount of time as they normally do. The next day, these volunteers go about their day and observed to be disoriented, depressed,crabby, and quicktempered. There is a general impairment in their daily functioning. Some eat more than usual. As this study continues on through several nights, subjects become more and more agitated. It is found that deprivation of REM sleep causes over-sensitivity, lack of concentration and memory loss.This study shows the importance of dreaming and its role in your well-being and health. Some researchers believe that dreams help you to tackle stress. Dreaming is a necessity and helps to recharge the mind and revitalize the body.Babies And DreamsIn a study on babies and dreaming, it was learned that babies spend about 66% of their sleeping time in the REM state. That is quite a bit of dreaming, considering that the average adult spends 15-20% of their sleep time in the dreaming stage. Dream researchers believe that there is a correlation between REM sleep and brain development.While still in the womb, the fetusisalready spending a significant amount of time in REM sleep. At only 30 weeks, the fetus spends nearly 24 hours in the REM state.Prematurebabies also spend up to 80% of their sleep in theREM state. As babies mature, their REM sleep decreases.It drops to 50% in the full term baby and down to 35% in a one year old. This finding supports the notion that REM sleep is important in the mental development of the baby. Dreaming may be seen as a way of "exercising" the mind and stimulating it. As babies get older, they will be able get mental stimulation from their surroundings and outside environment.It is difficult to know what babies are dreaming about, but their dreams are probably triggered mainly by physical sensations. As babies continue to develop, visual images and sounds begin to play a role in dreams.Children And DreamsIn a research conducted at the University of Virginia, it was found that animals are featured more prominently in children's dreams compared to adults' dreams. This may be due to the notion that children are just interested in animals. Furthermore, frightening animals, like lions, snakes, crocodiles, and wolves occur more often then non-frightening animals, like sheep, butterflies or birds. Children use animals to symbolize their wishes and fears.Children also seem to dream more about aggression than adults. Surprisingly children dream about aggressive acts twice as often as adults. This may be due to the notion that children are still trying to control their impulses in order to live and function in a civilized society. They are trying to keep their impulses in check.Interestingly, the research showed that the dreams of girls were longer than those of boys. Girls' dreams contained more people and clothing. Boys' dreams were more about tools and objects.Children's nightmares often stem from being punished by parents, when a child is sick or if there is turmoil in the child's home life.DaydreamsDaydreaming is classified as a level of consciousness between sleep and wakefulness. Studies show that you have the tendency to daydream an average of 70-120 minutes a day. It occurs during waking hours when you let your imagination carry you away. As your mind begins to wander and your level of awareness decreases, you lose yourself in your imagined scenario and fantasy. Click herefor a more in depth look at daydreams.TOPFalse Awakening DreamsHave you ever thought you have waken up and gone about your daily morning routine: getting up, brushing your teeth, eating breakfast and going to work, only to wake up "again" and realize that what just happened is just a dream. That sensation is referred to as a false awakening.TOPLucid DreamsLucid 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 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.Click herefor a more in depth look at lucid dreams.TOPNightmaresA nightmare is a disturbing dream that causes you to wake up feeling anxious and frightened. Nightmares may be a response to real life trauma and situations. These type of nightmares fall under a special category called Post-traumatic Stress Nightmare (PSN). Nightmares may also occur because you have ignored or refused to accept a particular life situation. Research shows that most people who have regular nightmares have a family history of psychiatric problems, are involved in a rocky relationship or have had bad drug experiences. These people may have also contemplated suicide. Nightmares are an indication of a fear that needs to be acknowledged and confronted. It is a way for the subconscious to wake up and take notice. "Pay attention!"Click herefor a more in depth look at nightmares.TOPRecurring DreamsRecurring 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 find a resolution to the problem, your recurring dreams will cease.Click herefor a more in depth look of recurring dreams..TOPHealing DreamsHealing dreams serve as messages for the dreamer in regards to their health. The Ancient Greeks called these dreams "prodromic". Many dream experts believe that dreams can help in avoiding potential health problems and healing when you are ill or when you are grieving.Research shows that asthma and migraine sufferers have certain types of dreams before an attack. Your bodies are able to communicate to your mind through dreams. The dreams can "tell" you that something is not quite right with your bodies even before any physical symptoms show up. Dreams of this nature may be telling the dreamer that he or she needs to go to the dentist or doctor.If you can understand the language of dreams, your dreams will serve as an invaluable early warning system. They can help inform, advise and heal.TOPProphetic DreamsProphetic 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 your dreaming mind is able to piece together bits of information and observation that you may normally overlook or that you do not seriously consider. In other words, your unconscious mind knows what is coming before you consciously piece together the same information.Click herefor a more in depth look at prophetic dreams.TOPSignal DreamsSignal dreams help you how to solve problems or make decisions in your waking life.TOPEpic DreamsEpic dreams (also referred to as Great Dreams, Cosmic Dreams or Numinous 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 you just 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. Learn more on how to recognize an epic dream, byclicking here.TOPProgressive DreamsProgressive dreams occur when you have a sequence of dreams that continue over a period of nights. The dream continues where you left off the previous night. Such dreams are problem-solving dreams and help to explore different options and various approaches to a problem, situation or relationship.TOPMutual DreamsMutual dreams are described as such when two people have the same dream. Mutual dreams may be planned, meaning that two people actively work toward achieving one dream scenario or goal. It is a way to improve communication and build trust. Mutual dreams can also be spontaneous. You find out that a friend, a significant other, faraway relative, or someone has had the same dream on the same night as you. Not much study has gone into the phenomenon of mutual dreams, but there is a very strong bond that exist between these two people.1.One-third of your life is spent sleeping.2.In an average lifetime, you would have spent a total of about six years of it dreaming. That is more than 2,100 days spent in a different realm!3.Dreams have been here as long as mankind. Back in the Roman Era, profound and significant dreams were submitted to the Senate for analysis and interpretation.4. Everybodydreams. EVERYBODY! Simply because you do not remember your dream does not mean that you do not dream. In fact, you have several dreams during a normal night of sleep.5.Dreams are indispensable. A lack of dream activity may imply some protein deficiency or a personality disorder.6.On average, you can dream anywhere from one to two hours every night. Moreover, you can have four to seven dreams in one night.7.Blind people do dream. Whether visual images appear in their dreams depend on whether they were blind at birth or became blind later in life. But vision is not the only sense that constitutes a dream. Sound, tactility, and smell become hypersensitive for the blind and their dreams are based on these senses.8.Five minutes after the end of the dream, half the content is forgotten. After ten minutes, 90% is lost.9.The word dream stems from the Middle English word, dreme which means "joy" and "music".10.Men tend to dream more about other men, while women dream equally about men and women.11.Studies have shown that your brain waves are more active when you are dreaming than when we are awake.12.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.13.Physiologically speaking, researchers found that during dreaming REM sleep, males experience erections and females experience increased vaginal blood flow, regardless the content of the dream. In fact, "wet dreams" may not necessarily coincide with overtly sexual dream content.14.People who are in the process of giving up smoking tend to have longer and more intense dreams.15.Toddlers do not dream about themselves. They do not appear in their own dreams until the age of 3 or 4.16.If you are snoring, then you cannot be dreaming.17.Nightmares are common in children, typically beginning at around age 3 and occurring up to age 7-8.18.In a poll, 67% of Americans have experienced Deja Vu in their dreams, occurring more often in females than males.19.Around 3% of adults suffer from sleep apnea. This treatable condition leads to unexplained tiredness and inefficiency.20According to a research study, the most common setting for dreams is your own house.21.It is very normal for males to experience an erection during the REM stage of sleep, even when they are not dreaming anything of a sexual nature.22.The original meaning of the word "nightmare" was a female spirit who besets people at night while they sleep.Why should you remember your dreams?1.Your dreaming mind has access to vital information that is not readily available to you when you are awake. Your dreams serve as a window to your subconscious and reveal your secret desires and feelings.2.In remembering your dreams, you gain increased knowledge, self-awareness andself-healing. Dreams are anextensionof how you perceiveyourself. They may be a source of inspiration, wisdom, joy, imagination and overall improved psychological health.3.Learning to recall your dreams help you become a more assertive, confident and stronger person. By remembering your dreams, you are expressing and confronting your feelings.4.Dreams help guide you through difficult decisions, relationship issues, health concerns, career questions or any life struggle you may be experiencing.5.Remembering your dreams help you come to terms with stressful aspects of your lives.6. You will learn more about yourself, your aspirations, and your desires through your dreams.Tips To Recalling Your DreamsRemembering your dreams will require some effort on your part. But what your dreams can offer and reveal about yourself is well worth the effort. Here are some tips in helping your dream recall:1.Before going to bed, keep a clear mind. Having toomany thoughts on your mind can distract you from remembering your dream in the morning.Tell yourself that "I will remember my dream when Iwake up". This is a proven and effective technique to help dream recall.Simply by suggesting to yourself or motivatingyourself to remember your dreams will actually help you to better remember your dreams.It is important to stay positive about being a able to remember your dreams.2. Have a regular bedtime and wake up time. Make this your routine. Going to bed and waking up at a regular time every day aids in dream recollection.3.Avoid alcohol consumption, taking medication before going to bed or eating fatty foods too close to bedtime as these things can hinder you from remembering your dream.4.Keep a pencil/notebook or tape recorder next to your bed so that it will be within reach as soon as you wake up.You want to make recording your dreams as easy a task as possible. Having a small lamp by your bedside is also a good idea should you wake up in the middle of the night and want to record your dream immediately.5.Do not get out of bed immediately. Upon waking from a dream, lay still in your bed, keeping your eyes closed and moving as little as possible. Wake up slowly and stay relax. Hold on to the feelings you have and let your mind wander to the images of what you have just dreamt. Were you frustrated, terrified, or happy?6.Write down as many details in your dream as you can, no matter how minute or seemingly unimportant it may be. Do not judge the content or worry if it makes sense. The idea is to get it down on paper so you can evaluate it later. Make it a habit that this is the first thing you do. Talking about your dreams to friends or participating inforumsand chats also help you remember.7.Sometimes it may help to draw pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. Even if you are not an artist a simple drawing can help to jolt details of your dream.8.Learn to share your dreams and talk about them with others, no matter who seemingly insignificant. The more often you acknowledge your dreams and bring them into "reality", the easier it will be to remember them.9.Don't get discouraged! At first, you may only remember a fragment of the dream. With practice and the more you work with your dream, the more easier it will be to recall you dreams. You will remember larger and larger chunks of your dream. Eventually dream recall will come automatically."I'm Naked!"So you are going about your normal routine - going to work, waiting for the bus, or just walking down the street - when you suddenly realize that you are stark 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 naked in public, reflects your vulnerability or feelings of shamefulness. You may be hiding something and are afraid that others can see right through you. Metaphorically, clothes are a means of concealment. Depending on the type of clothes you wear, you can hide your identity or be someone else. But without them, everything is hanging out for all to see. You are exposed and left without any defenses. Thus your naked dream may be telling you that you are trying to be something that you really are not. Or you are fearful of being ridiculed and disgraced. Such anxieties are elevated especially in situations where you are trying to impress others. Perhaps you are in a new work environment or in a new relationship. You may be expressing fears or apprehension in revealing your true feelings in such situations.

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 unprepared in making a well informed decision. With all eyes on you, you fear that some flaw will be 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.

Often 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. If this happens in your dream, then it implies that your fears are unfounded; no one will notice except you. You may be magnifying the situation and making an issue of nothing.

If you dream 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. Perhaps you are trying to get to the bare facts. Alternatively, the dream may be telling you that you are drawing the wrong kind of attention to yourself. You want to get noticed, but are going about it the wrong way."I'm Being Chased!"Chase dreams are one of several common dream themes, stemming from feelings of anxiety in your waking life. Flee and flight is an instinctive response to a physical threat in the environment. In such dreams, the scenario often features you being pursued by an attacker, an animal, a monster or an unknown figure, who wants to hurt or possibly kill you. Consequently, you run, you hide or you try to outwit your pursuer. Your actions in the dream parallel how you would respond to pressure and cope with fears, stress or various situations in your waking life. Instead of confronting the situation, your dream indicates that you have a tendency to run away and avoid the issue. Ask yourself who is chasing you, so that you can gain a better understanding and insight on the source of your fears and anxieties.

The pursuer or attacker who is chasing you in your dream may also represent an aspect of yourself. Your own feelings of anger, jealousy, fear, and possibly love, can manifest itself as the threatening figure. Or the shadowy figure can symbolize the rejected characteristics of your Self. You may be projecting these feelings onto the unknown chaser. Next time you have a dream of being chased, turn around and confront your pursuer. Ask them why they are chasing you. What are you trying to run from?

If you are the one doing the chasing, then the dream may highlight your drive and ambition to go after something you want. Or perhaps the dream suggests that you are falling behind and having to catch up with everyone else.

Consider the distance or gap between you and your pursuer. This indicates your closeness to the issue. If the pursuer is gaining on you, then it suggests that the problem is not going to go away. The problem will surround you, until you confront and address it. However, if you are able to widen the gap between your pursuer, then you are able to successfully distance yourself from the problem. In essence, the problem is fading away.

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 often brought about by the media, who magnifies fears of violence and sexual assault.

"My Teeth Are Falling"Dreams of falling teeth are the most common dreams that Dream Moods receives. The typical dream scenarios include having your teeth crumble in your hands, fall out one by one with just a light tap, grow crooked or start to rot. Such dreams are not only horrifying and shocking, but they often leave you with a lasting image of the dream. So what does it mean?

One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxieties about your appearance and how others perceive you. Your teeth help to convey an image of attractiveness and play an important role in the game of flirtation, whether it is flashing those pearly white, kissing or necking. Thus, such dreams may stem from a fear of rejection, sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. To support this notion, a dream research found that women in menopause report to have frequent dreams about teeth. This points to teeth dreams as being related to getting older and/or feeling unattractive and less feminine. Teeth are an important feature to your attractiveness and how you are presented to others. Caring about how you look is natural and healthy.

Another rationalization for these falling teeth dreams may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxieties. Perhaps you feel that you are unprepared for the task at hand. However, you will find that your worries are unfounded in most cases. Sometimes what plays out in your mind is far worse than what is reality.

Teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. In this regard, teeth symbolize power. And the loss of teeth in your dream may be from a sense of powerlessness. Are you lacking power in some current situation? Perhaps you are having difficulties expressing yourself or getting your point across. You feel frustrated when your voice is not being heard. You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream may be an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the importance of what you have to say.

Traditionally, it was thought that dreaming that you did not have teeth, represent malnutrition or poor diet. This notion may still be applicable to some dreamers.

Other Perspectives

A scriptural interpretation for bad or falling teeth indicates 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."I'm Flying"Flying dreams fall under a category of dreams known as lucid dreams. Lucid dreams occur when you become aware that you are dreaming. Many dreamers describe the ability to fly in their dreams as an exhilarating, joyful, and liberating experience.

If you are flying with ease and are 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 new and 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 or stay on set course. Things like power lines, trees, or mountains may be obstacles that you encounter in flight. These obstacles symbolize something or someone who is standing in your way in your waking life. You need to identify what or who is trying to prevent you from moving forward. Difficulty flying may also be an indication of a lack of confidence or some hesitation on your part. You need to believe in yourself and not be afraid.

If you are feeling fear when you are flying or that you are flying too high, then it suggests that you are afraid of challenges and of success. Perhaps you are not ready to take the next step.

In reality, we cannot really fly, of course. Thus, such dreams can be representative of things that are beyond your 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 that nobody can tell you what you cannot do and accomplish. Such dreams are sure to leave you with a great sense of freedom.