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Here are some interesting dream facts. These are all little sound bites
which I use in my signiture on forums. I have placed them all in this page.
Incomprehensible : Dreams are so difficult to understand because they
are formed by the unconscious mind and interpreted by the coinscious in a
language that is totally alien to it. The unconscious mind seeks patterns.
The unconscious sees mist as the same as emotional confusion because they
both inhibit clear vision. In the same way a wolf is the same as a detective
because they are both relentless hunters seeking out their prey.
Go to sleep on a problem : Dreams help us sort out our emotions.
If you don't believe me then think.... how many times have you gone to sleep
with an emotional problem on your mind... and when you wake up that problem
has gone entirely.
Defining Momments : Dreams concentrate on defining moments in our thoughts.
That moment when we feel a friend who we previously trusted who now may not
be seen as loyal. Our dream mind concentrates on such moments so try to look
out for them. If you have a dream about that time its likely to be about that
defining moment. That moment when we mastered a skill. Its that moment when
we realised that the injurey to a leg is just not healing as fast as it should
so maybe we should go to the doctor about it rather than just let it heal
by itself. Such moments like that define changes in our thoughts.
Conceptual thought is at home only in the dream mind : The unconscious
mind is the home of the dream mind. It is were all our conceptual thinking
takes place. That is where we decide the bigger picture... its where we form
our emotional, political, intellectual and ethical thoughts. If you detect
changes in your higher thoughts expect these to come out in dreams.
Analyze your thoughts not your dream : Instead of analyzing your dream
try looking at what you thought, what you saw, the arguments you had and
the things you learnt the day before the dream. Your dream is very likely
to be about one of those. So look for clues. If there was only one emotional
issue on your mind and the dream seems about emotion then you are virtually
home and dry. Then look for some, more clues to connect the two together.
Its a simple and very effective method.
Imprinted memory - premonitions : A man has a car crash , breaking
both legs. The first thing he sees is a child who, in the commotion has spilt
her ice cream, and is now crying because of it. If the man had a premonition
of this incident the dream would probably be about the childs ice cream. That
is the thing that sticks in his mind - imprinted in his memory. The crash
itself would probably be ignored.
Clear answers? : Many people see dreams as a clear path to what they
should do. Dreams do show our deep thoughts on issues. But do not look for
clear yes or no's. The very fact that your dreaming about an issue shows that
your emotions are unclear. The dream mind - like the waking mind can also
be confused and undecided.
Internal and external dreams : There are two types of dreams - dreams
that deal with general emotions and dreams which deal with our thoughts about
specific people and events. The dreams about general emotions will take place
in houses and rooms whilst the dreams about REAL LIFE EVENTS and REAL people
will take place in cafes and anywhere else where you are eating or drinking.
General meaning and personal meaning : Dreams have two types of meanings.
A general meaning where the message of the dream is told as a symbolic story.
But dreams also have an individual meaning..which is specific to the dreamer.
Only the dreamer will know that meaning. So you must compare the general message
to your own emotions and circumstances.
Emotions of the dream : Consider the emotions you felt in the dream
- then compare them to real life circumstances and relationships. Do the emotions
seem the same. If you are confused in the dream it means you are confused
about something in real life.
Snapshots : Premonitions are snapshots of feelings and emotions you
felt in situations. That could be the sense of being crammed in like sardines
in a lift; the urge to laugh when you see an extremely tall man next to a
very short man; and anything else that is extremely odd and sticks in the
mind.
Only you can interpret your dream properly: There is only one person
who can really interpret a dream - YOU. Often symbolic meanings are quite
specific. Dream dictionaries may interpret rats as vile and disgusting creatures...but
you may have a pet rat. So your own symbolic meaning maybe completely different
than what others expect. So try to work with an interpretor adding as many
useful details as possible.
Homer Simpson : When your boss finds out you have fallen asleep at
work.just tell him that sleep is the only time your neuronal gates open up.
The brain crams all information about learning new tasks into sleep time -
thats why when you wake up you are more competant with any task you have been
learning. So sleep actually helps you work more productively.
Dream dictionaries : Many people dismiss dream dictionaries...but dream
symbols must mean something. OK dictionaries often disagree...but ordinary
dictionaries also have multiple meanings for words. Use a dream dictionary
but do not let it dominate your thoughts. It is only a guide.
Left and right minds: The mind has two perfect brains but they work
in an entirely different way. The unconscious sees the bigger picture...it
spots patterns. The conscious mind is more logical and systematic specialising
in maths and logic. Dreams help us to take information from both sides. They
balance the two sets of information.
Why dream?: Dreams are the only time certain brain activities take
place. We need to dream - that is why sleep deprivation is so dangerous. Dreams
and the resulting theta waves they create sort out our memories, help us form
new opinions, learn new tasks and update our emotional outlook. These activities
only take place during sleep allowing all neuronal gates to open up.
What is on your mind!: Dreams are about whats on your mind. So think...
what is on your mind? Your dream is probably about that! Look to the thoughts
which dominated your mind the day before the dream.
Highest thoughts : Dreams come from our unconscious minds. They represent
us thinking about current and often mundane little day to day issues. Yet
they are difficult to decipher because they are made in a language akin to
sign language. The unconscious only understands symbols.... but yet all the
dragons, underground caves and other symbols from our dreams are the building
blocks of our brains highest thoughts. Grand concepts are made here - along
with all our emotional thoughts.
Thoughts which need a bit of work on: Dreams are about the complexities
of our thoughts. They do not say do we like Pizza or do we not like pizza.
Instead they are about in what circumstances we like pizza and what type of
pizzas we like. They can also show just how much we like pizza. They are therefore
not about black and white issues but issues which are in several shades of
grey. Dreams therefor are about issues which we are unsure about. So if we
are sure we like pizza then why would we dream about it? There is no point.
We dream about things which need a bit of work on... which we need to think
about,
Its not likely to be about what its about?: If you dream about some
particular subject it is not often that the dream is about that. Dreams speak
in a deeply symbolic language. The unconscious mind tries to compare your
dream to something else which is similar. Its like writing a poem and saying
that a group of ants were like machines that never stop. But you would never
compare something to itself....eg "That beautiful sunset was like a beautiful
sunset". So whatever symbol your dream picks on it is most unlikely to be
a symbol for itself.
Nightmares help us make sense : Dreams about deceased loved ones are
often your minds way of sorting out thoughts in your head. A dream shows that
your mind is confronting the issue. You are dealing with it. But often nightmares
show that your mind has failed to make sense of an issue. But if your young
child has died how do you ever make sense of it? And how do you ever make
sense of the holocaust and major terrorist incidents. People who have experienced
extreme torment continue to dream... they just cannot make sense of such incidents.
Dreams are just thoughts on issues in our lives : actually dreams are
just thoughts like other thoughts... its just that they are written in this
strange language of association that the dreammind uses.... anything you think
about gets an airing here... especially conceptual thinking and emotional
thinking. Dreams are the movies of the brain... some are simple movies which
deal wth your thoughts about yesterday... others are learning movies which
deal with new ideas and concepts... others deal with telepathy and premonitions...
dreams deal with every level of consciousness within your brain...
Dreams are not vague messages : Many people think a dreams are messages
about how you are "going to meet a tall dark stranger". But actually dreams
are more likely to have a message like "I said this to her and she said something
about my boyfriend and I did not like that as she was being disrespectful
and anyway she does not even know him properly"
Weave the symbols together : Dream symbols are just clues. For instance
a secret agent in a dream means the dream will feature some idea involving
that... secrets within you... or secrecy within others... The dream may also
feature a bathroom - a symbol of frustrations. So then you have to weave these
various themes together. Perhaps you are frustrated because of secrecy in
others... or because of your own secrecy... or others are secretly frustrated
at you .....a dream will give clues to the themes of the dream but it up to
you to weave and weld these together into a coherent message... that leaves
plenty of room for error
The same dream twice : Often you will get the same dream twice in the
same night but with a different outcome. This is because dreams are about
difficult subjects in your life. They are about subjects which one minute
you may decide one course of action and the next minute a completely different
way. Such dreams are weighing up the big issues in your lives. They are about
issues of trust. Do you trust someone? Or don't you trust them? Think of issues
like that... dreams are where such debates are played out.
Spotting the issues that you will dream about : Dreams use a symbolic
langauge a bit like sign langauge If your dream is about being a bit tired
then that is very easy to put into symbols However, if your dream is about
you wondering if you are tired because of relationship problems or because
of stress you have been put under at work then the dream symbols needed are
likely to be very strange and complex But still you may get some clues But
many dreams are about such issues Look for them in your life They surely will
appear in your dreams Dream interpretation is as much about spotting the likely
issues that will come up
Left and right mind : Your mind is made up of both the left and right
brains The left brain takes a rational and logical approach whilst the right
brain takes an intuitive approach Often dreams with cats are associated with
your own freedom to use an intuitive approach based on a sixth sense 'feeling'
about something