Dream Analysis

Dream Analysis -Do you remember your dreams each night?

Everyone dreams; dreaming is part of the sleep cycle, but not everyone remembers their dreams each night. If you would like to remember them, set an intention when you go to sleep that you will remember your dreams when you wake up.  It also helps to keep a notebook and pen next to your bed, and as soon as you wake up, write down what you remember. The more you move or think, the more the dream will dissipate, so it’s best to write it down right away. And the more you do this, the more you will remember.

Our dreams have messages for us. Dreams are full of symbolism, which is how our subconscious speaks to us. The symbolism of a dream, and the interpretation of those symbols, is different and unique for each of us – there is no one correct interpretation of a dream symbol that is right for everyone.

To analyze your dreams, there are two main parts to look at – the main elements or symbols, and the emotional tone or feeling.

First, what are the main elements to the dream, and what do they mean or symbolize to you? This will tell you the main subject or topic of your dream. Briefly let your mind review the dream, and pick out the major elements, skipping all the minor details. Then think about it – what is your first impression of those elements? What do they mean to you? What do they bring up?

For example, different people may interpret a snake differently – it could mean fear or danger, wilderness, power, evil, something sexual, or countless other interpretations. There is no one correct or appropriate interpretation for everyone – it is what it means to you. This is your subconscious speaking in symbols to you, and you are the only one who can really interpret what it is saying.

And second, what is the main feeling or emotion or tone to the dream? This will tell you how you are feeling about the main elements. Are you worried, anxious, or tense? Scared or fearful? Happy, relaxed, and joyful?  How were you feeling in the dream?

For example, let’s take a dream that I had this past week. In my dream, I was supposed to sing in a choir, and there were maybe 20 people taking seats in an auditorium, getting ready to practice. I was not very confident of my voice, and was not sure I knew the songs. I also did not know where to sit, or whom to sit next to. A few people sat with others, with whom they were friends, but I did not know anyone. I did not want to sit too close to the front, but I did not want to sit behind everyone where I could not easily hear everyone’s voices and the pitch, especially since I was not sure of what we would be singing. I stood there in the aisle, not sure of what to do or where to go.

So to interpret this dream, we look at the two main parts of it.

1. What are the main elements? Singing in a choir. What does that mean or symbolize to me? To me, singing in a choir would mean creativity, expressing myself, putting myself out there in an expressive and vulnerable way. In my life today, that would mean my writing. So this dream is about my writing.

2. What are the emotional elements? Feeling like I don’t quite belong, not sure where I fit in, feeling somewhat detached, uncomfortable, not sure what I’m doing, and that maybe I’m not good enough.

Therefore, I would interpret this dream to mean that I am uncomfortable with my writing, feeling not quite good enough, and not sure exactly where I fit in and what I am supposed to do, and possibly not fully in touch with what I want to express.

So my dream is a way of dealing with all of this and speaking to me in symbolism that has meaning to me.

Dreams are also a way of releasing emotions, fears, and issues, of letting them go. Just as we can talk about feelings with a friend and release what is bothering us, dreams are a way of our subconscious talking about issues or feelings and releasing them.

For example, I knew a woman who kept having dreams of losing people. She was afraid that these were premonitions of something horrible about to happen. However, after discussing this with her, and realizing how she had lost a few people in her life already, we realized that she was still grieving, and her subconscious mind was in the process of letting go of this grief. She was dealing with feelings of loss and her subconscious mind was releasing them, purging them, and letting them go so that she would not remain stuck, and she could continue through the grieving process. After this realization of what her dreams meant, she felt enormous relief, like a huge weight had been lifted from her.

The bottom line is that the interpretation of dreams is very individual and personal. So don’t let anyone else tell you what your dreams mean – you are the who knows what the elements symbolize and mean to you. It is your own subconscious mind talking to you, and you are the one in the best position to know what it is about.

I hope you find this helpful – and I wish you many happy dreams and countless happy moments and memories.

Copyright © 2014 Lynn Miclea. All Rights Reserved.