DREAMSDREAMS

Describe an ideal place Describe an ideal place that you would like to that you would like to

be NOW!be NOW!

•Colors•Textures•Sights•Sounds•Characters•Theme

DreamsDreamsInvolve imagery, scenes, and Involve imagery, scenes, and

eventsevents

Differ according to ageDiffer according to age

1. 0-4 years = “snapshots” (family, 1. 0-4 years = “snapshots” (family, animals)animals)

2. 4-8 years = “motion” (school, friends, 2. 4-8 years = “motion” (school, friends, play)play)

3. Teens = “theme” (embarrassing 3. Teens = “theme” (embarrassing situations)situations)

Differ according to Differ according to GenderGender

1. MEN – outdoors, $, aggressor, 1. MEN – outdoors, $, aggressor, menmen

2. WOMEN – indoors, family, victim2. WOMEN – indoors, family, victim

Differ according to sleep Differ according to sleep periodperiod

1. EARLY – past days events1. EARLY – past days events

2. LATER – far away past 2. LATER – far away past experiences. experiences. More More vivid and dramatic. vivid and dramatic. Last dream is the longest. Last dream is the longest.

Dream SymbolsDream Symbols

Watching others kiss may be a sign of knowing too much Watching others kiss may be a sign of knowing too much about them personally or participating in their lives at too about them personally or participating in their lives at too personal a level. The exception here would be if you are personal a level. The exception here would be if you are watching your partner kiss another, which is an obvious watching your partner kiss another, which is an obvious herald of infidelity or a desire for voyeurism in the herald of infidelity or a desire for voyeurism in the relationship. relationship.

The "about to be kissed" moment is an interesting one. The "about to be kissed" moment is an interesting one. Often, it occurs as we wake up. This is the dream that may Often, it occurs as we wake up. This is the dream that may most accurately reflect a desire for actual passion with most accurately reflect a desire for actual passion with another. The reason we wake up is the taboo feeling that another. The reason we wake up is the taboo feeling that perhaps, while we want this, it would not be beneficial to perhaps, while we want this, it would not be beneficial to actually participate in it.actually participate in it.

Kissing another is often wish-fulfillment or sexual Kissing another is often wish-fulfillment or sexual actingacting

out. The wish-fulfillment may not be to kiss per se, but to out. The wish-fulfillment may not be to kiss per se, but to experience the youthful energy of love. Kissing in this sense experience the youthful energy of love. Kissing in this sense is the desire for the awakening of passion, not necessarily is the desire for the awakening of passion, not necessarily the passion acted outthe passion acted out

Kissing

Dream SymbolsDream Symbols

Water

Water is a strong symbol in dreams because so often it Water is a strong symbol in dreams because so often it is the exclamation point of the feelings in the is the exclamation point of the feelings in the dreamdream. If . If other objects in a dream are relaxing, a bubbling brook other objects in a dream are relaxing, a bubbling brook through a meadow is more relaxing. If some symbols through a meadow is more relaxing. If some symbols generate feelings of fear or generate feelings of fear or anxietyanxiety, the tumultuous , the tumultuous ocean creates the most anxiety. Water has symbolic, ocean creates the most anxiety. Water has symbolic, archetypal meaning in that it either provides life, or archetypal meaning in that it either provides life, or harbors mystery and danger. This is a reflection of our harbors mystery and danger. This is a reflection of our human experiences with water. human experiences with water.

In early human history, the hunter-gatherers quickly In early human history, the hunter-gatherers quickly learned that water was the central ingredient of life. learned that water was the central ingredient of life. (We die of thirst much more quickly than we starve.) (We die of thirst much more quickly than we starve.) More importantly, to know where the water was meant More importantly, to know where the water was meant knowing where the food was. knowing where the food was.

To emphasize the positive, water is often a symbol of To emphasize the positive, water is often a symbol of new life, refreshment, and vigor. Water in manageable new life, refreshment, and vigor. Water in manageable amounts or controlled settings almost always conveys amounts or controlled settings almost always conveys this sentiment to the dreamer. Controlled water is the this sentiment to the dreamer. Controlled water is the key.key.

Dream SymbolsDream Symbols

Nudity

Exposure in Exposure in dreamsdreams is a powerful is a powerful eventevent. . Often times, people report dreaming they Often times, people report dreaming they are nude or dressed only in are nude or dressed only in undergarments. These dreams often undergarments. These dreams often reveal the vulnerability that lies just reveal the vulnerability that lies just below the surface of our more confident below the surface of our more confident selves. This vulnerability comes from the selves. This vulnerability comes from the self that we hide from others. The hiding self that we hide from others. The hiding may be conscious, such as taboo may be conscious, such as taboo behavior, or less conscious, stemming behavior, or less conscious, stemming from a general sense that if you were from a general sense that if you were fully known, you would not be fully fully known, you would not be fully accepted.accepted.

Dream SymbolsDream Symbols

The things we value most often serve as an The things we value most often serve as an extension of our self-awareness. A favorite extension of our self-awareness. A favorite hat, hat, carcar, or relationship reflects a part of how , or relationship reflects a part of how we feel about ourselves. Therefore, the loss we feel about ourselves. Therefore, the loss of such an object in a dream is significant. It of such an object in a dream is significant. It is equally significant whether you actually is equally significant whether you actually own the object in waking or not. own the object in waking or not.

If the thing lost is an inanimate object, what If the thing lost is an inanimate object, what does it symbolize for you? Examples would does it symbolize for you? Examples would be jewelry, favored clothes, or pictures and be jewelry, favored clothes, or pictures and family heirlooms. In losses of this kind, the family heirlooms. In losses of this kind, the indication may be that you are nervous about indication may be that you are nervous about losing an expensive or important new object losing an expensive or important new object in your life. in your life.

Valuables

Dream SymbolsDream Symbols

MoneyMoney can be lost, gained, or spent in can be lost, gained, or spent in dreaming. Dreams about money are often dreaming. Dreams about money are often really about power, control, and competency. really about power, control, and competency. Consequently, the larger perspective of who Consequently, the larger perspective of who is interacting with you around money and is interacting with you around money and what your role in the transaction is are what your role in the transaction is are important features of the important features of the dreamdream. .

Many people who dream about money are Many people who dream about money are controlled by it-the desire for it, the lack of it, controlled by it-the desire for it, the lack of it, or the inability to control themselves with it. or the inability to control themselves with it. This last category is seen most clearly in This last category is seen most clearly in money dreams experienced by people who money dreams experienced by people who are drowning in debt. are drowning in debt.

Money

Dream SymbolsDream Symbols

flying

Flying in a dream is a fairly common, but very Flying in a dream is a fairly common, but very powerful event. Flying events seem to be divided powerful event. Flying events seem to be divided among those who fly spontaneously in their among those who fly spontaneously in their dreams and those who have a lucid dreaming dreams and those who have a lucid dreaming event and choose to fly. In either case, the event and choose to fly. In either case, the dreamers report powerful feelings of freedom in dreamers report powerful feelings of freedom in the flight. the flight.

Flying as a spontaneous event often includes some Flying as a spontaneous event often includes some special effort, like flapping one's arms, to get special effort, like flapping one's arms, to get going. However, many people experience flight as going. However, many people experience flight as soaring by a mysterious, jet-like power. These soaring by a mysterious, jet-like power. These events are precipitated by a strong desire to travel events are precipitated by a strong desire to travel or an imminent danger that requires escape. or an imminent danger that requires escape.

Dream SymbolsDream Symbols

colors

ColorColor - positive meaning (negative meaning) - positive meaning (negative meaning)BlueBlue - nobility or tranquillity (depression) - nobility or tranquillity (depression)BlackBlack - power (death or mourning) - power (death or mourning)BrownBrown - Earth, nature (scatological) - Earth, nature (scatological)GrayGray - neutral (passionless, death) - neutral (passionless, death)GreenGreen - fertility, renewal, wealth (greed, envy) - fertility, renewal, wealth (greed, envy)RedRed - sacrifice, sex (carnality, taboo sex, - sacrifice, sex (carnality, taboo sex, humiliation, physical injury)humiliation, physical injury)OrangeOrange - adventure, change (forced change, - adventure, change (forced change, disruptiveness)disruptiveness)PurplePurple - royalty, positive personal growth (injury) - royalty, positive personal growth (injury)YellowYellow - enlightenment, (cowardice, illness) - enlightenment, (cowardice, illness)WhiteWhite - purity, wholesomeness, sacred ritual - purity, wholesomeness, sacred ritual (emptiness) (emptiness)

Dream SymbolsDream SymbolsRunning

Running is a traditional symbol of Running is a traditional symbol of health and vitality in addition to health and vitality in addition to being a means of fleeing potential being a means of fleeing potential danger. Thus running could be danger. Thus running could be considered a dream of virility, as considered a dream of virility, as well as fear well as fear

Dream TheoriesDream Theories

1. Sigmund Freud: wish fulfillment of 1. Sigmund Freud: wish fulfillment of the unconsciousthe unconscious

a. a. manifest contentmanifest content: what you : what you remember of the dream.remember of the dream.

b. b. latent contentlatent content: hidden “meaning” : hidden “meaning” of the dreamof the dream

c. dreams contain clues to thoughts c. dreams contain clues to thoughts and desires we are afraid to and desires we are afraid to acknowledge when we are awakeacknowledge when we are awake

Dream TheoriesDream Theories

2. Ann Faraday: dreams are a way of 2. Ann Faraday: dreams are a way of reviewing and solving problems.reviewing and solving problems.

3. We dream to stimulate brain growth.3. We dream to stimulate brain growth.

4. Mental housecleaning – cleanse the 4. Mental housecleaning – cleanse the brain of un-needed information.brain of un-needed information.