Analysing Your Dreams

We all dream.

Dreaming is part and parcel of being alive.

Whilst it is true that we don't always remember our dreams, it is widely accepted that dream-sleep is a normal and essential part of everyone's nightly sleep cycles.

Why we dream is not so clear cut.

Whilst some claim that dreaming is more about 'brain dumping', that is the mind 'sorting out' and 'sifting through' the events of the day others maintain that dreaming is the result of your unconscious communicating with your conscious mind about repressed fears, anxieties, hopes and even solutions to challenges you are facing in your life.

What is true is that the human mind, when deprived of sensory stimulation, creates its own sensory input 'to work on'. Sensory Deprivation experiments in the 1960's demonstrated out minds ability to create self-generated sensory illusions.

Whatever the origin of our dreams there is a sense in which 'dreams contain messages' which can give us insights into ourselves.

The issue is that the stories within dreams may not be all they seem. When the conscious mind attempts to recall the ideas, images and presentations of the unconscious it may be inadvertently forcing 'narrative' and 'logic' onto that which is in all likelihood non-linear and chaotic.

The unconscious mind, rather like the mystic, speaks in metaphors. Certainly some dreams seem to have an 'episodic' nature and a story-line through them; some dreams are even repeated in a 'serial' fashion with each subsequent dream developing the 'story' and the narrative 'arc', but it is often easier to consider each dream as distinct set of ideas, symbols, images and thoughts.

Many people go straight to their favourite 'dream interpretation' book in order to decipher their dreams symbolism. Whilst this can prove to be interesting, and a bit like looking for the 'interpretation you want' rather than the 'insight you need', by far the best way of diving the meaning of your dreams is to consider what it means to you - after all it is your mind that has created the dream, using for the most part mental and emotional associations you have made.

Of course there appear to be some 'universal' themes and symbols within dreams and these are worthy of much consideration,but the starting point is within the mind of the dreamer.

So the following list of questions may be useful in starting the process of interpreting your dream. As you consider each question write down your answers, your immediate thoughts and intuitions. Avoid simply rushing through the list. It is the thinking inspired by the questions that contains many of the answers you seek. If you fee that your dream progressed through different 'scenes' in terms of 'place', 'people' or action treat each scene separately and as the following questions of each segment of your dream story.

1) When you awoke from the dream what were your immediate feelings and emotions?

2) Did you dream in colour or black and white?

2a) What was the main colour (or shade of grey) in the dream?

2b) Where there any other significant colours?

3) Where you 'in the dream' (that is looking through your own eyes) or were you a 'detached observer'?

3a) If you now imagine changing perspective (from 1st person to 3rd person) on reviewing your dream what do you think and feel?

4) Where was the dream located; which country, town, location, place or space and when in terms of historical period?

4a) What recognisable features, landmarks or objects were in this 'space'?

5) What people were there? (numbers, who specifically, genders, relationships)

6) What animals or significant other objects were in your dream?

7) What were the key activities in your dream - who was doing what and with what attitude or emotion?

8) Who was speaking in your dream - what were they saying, in what kind of tone/attitude/emotion?

9) Who or what had the 'power' in your dream - who or what dominated?

10) What are your feelings and thoughts about the significant parts of your dream now you've answered all these questions?

To explore the possible meaning of your dreams you need to start considering each of the key elements; thinking about what each element means to you (your memories and personal associations) and if appropriate what specific symbols 'mean' within the context of your culture and interests.

If you're into Tarot cards, for example, are there specific cards that contain similar imagery?

Remember, your unconscious mind will use any and all symbols in its arsenal to communicate to you. If you have understanding of any symbolic system your unconscious may use it to get your attention'.

Discrimination is the key factor here - be very careful of taking dream symbols and images too literally.

Colours, numbers, shapes, people (in terms of status - parent, teacher, child, beggar etc) animals, locations can all have personal associations and meanings as well as 'cultural' (myths and legends) and 'mystical' (religious/spiritual icons, signs and symbols) references.

The fascination is in exploring the richness of our metaphorical inner mind.

Dr Alan Jones in an NLP Trainer, Motivational Speaker and Educational Coach who has been working on the 'integration' of NLP solutions focus approaches and aspects of the mystical traditions in order to create interventions which utilise a rational-mystic and transpersonal-humanistic approach to coaching.

In this approach NLP, dream work, esoteric symbolism and frameworks are combined in a dynamic and transformational way. Bring inner and outer behaviours in align with values, goals and attitudes then there can be the potential for personal growth, development and empowerment.

You can read about the various aspects of this approach at http://www.mindalignment.com

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