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DREAM ANALYSIS

by

Thérèse-Isabelle Saulnier

In its present state, this site summarizes my book Guide d'analyse des rêves (A Guide to Dream analysis), Volumes 1 (Methodology) and 2 (Applications) published by Québec/Amérique in 1990 and 1993. The first part of Volume 1 explains the method of analysis. The second part, "Les symboles (ou éléments de rêve) les plus fréquents" (The most frequent dream symbols or elements), looks at the various meanings which different authors have given to such subjects as animals, numbers, body parts, the rooms in a house, clothes, etc., as well as meanings which can be logically attributed to them. Volume 2 contains 38 dream analyses which illustrate the method used.

Abstract

I. ANALYZING DREAMS

A. Preliminary comments about studying dreams

B. The basic principles of dream analysis

C. How to go about deciphering a dream

D. Practical advice

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I. ANALYZING DREAMS

A. Preliminary comments on studying dreams

One does not need a special gift let alone divinatory powers to be able to translate a dream and understand its meaning. All that is needed to practice Oneirology (The science or study of dreams) is a certain amount of sensitivity towards oneself, and some analytical capacity. Nor is it necessary to be in love with psychology.

Simply put, a dream can be seen as a message received in symbolic or pictorial form which has to be translated for its meaning to be understood. But who is sending the message? Surely not some superior being or someone other than ourselves (for example, a dead person who speaks to us while we are asleep). The message comes from within ourselves, from a faculty which I call the Super-conscious as it contains both what we know and what we don't know, and knows all that concerns our psychical (conscious, subconscious and unconscious) and physical being. Many call this faculty the Subconscious.... You must be familiar with this term, but it has to be admitted that Superconscious is the more suitable term.

There is a great difference between interpreting and analyzing a dream. Someone who interprets will tell you in a few minutes what your dream means on the basis of a chart of pre-established meanings. As different schools of thought or different individuals have different pre-established charts, there's a good chance that if you consult five different people, you will end up with five different interpretations of the same dream. Which one is right? There's a good chance that none of them are!

Analyzing one's dreams always boils down to auto-analysis, an analysis which we carry out ourselves on the basis of our perceptions (TN1) and the meanings we give to different phenomena. A dream analyst never claims to know the meaning of someone's dream. He or she looks for the meaning by asking the dreamer questions about the different components of the dream and the latter's everyday life.

To be able to decode a dream properly, every component has to be individually examined and given personal associative meaning. These associations are essentially of a personal nature as each person gives their own meaning to someone or something. Universal meanings , symbols or images which have the same significance for everyone are very rare. If the author of the dream is doing the analysis, he or she must continually ask himself or herself "What does this mean to me?, What do I think of X? , or of this place?, or of this animal?" If the analyst is working on a dream with someone, she or he must ask these questions, but avoid as far as possible introducing the meanings he or she would give. If it becomes necessary to intervene, attributing meaning must be presented as a hypothesis or suggestion and in question form: "Could it be that....?" The dreamer then agrees or disagrees.

B. The Fundamental Principles of Dream Analysis

The First Principle :

The only person capable of decoding a dream is the author of the dream. No one can or should impose the meanings he gives on someone else. It is imperative that only the dreamer's representations and associations be taken into consideration. Herein lies the only key to the puzzle. Moreover, it's by analyzing one's dreams that one discovers one's own keys, and these normally have nothing to do with meanings given in dream or symbol dictionaries. It is therefore useless to consult such works unless one is pretty lazy, or suffers from a singular lack of inspiration.

The Second Principle:

The Superconscious doesn't follow a textbook or what is in someone else's head. It's starting point is our unconscious perceptions, what we think without really knowing it or recognizing it. A little mental effort can make that which is in the unconscious pass into consciousness!

An Example of the Second Principle

This example comes from "Guide d'analyse des rêves", Volume 1, pp.30-31:

My conscious perception of Aunt Claudine:

I like her a lot, I think she's nice, very patient and easy-going, traits which I appreciate a lot. When I see her, she is always in a good mood and we get on very well together. However, I wonder how she can stand her husband; I've never understood how she manages to put up with him so effortlessly.

Let's look for something else, which leads us to......

My subconscious perception of Aunt Claudine:

I think she does too much at home; she does everything....Her children never help her and I think she should insist on their helping.....I think she doesn't stand up to my Uncle enough; he takes up all the room......

One step more and I discover....

My unconscious perception of Aunt Claudine:

My Goodness! I see my Aunt Claudine as totally dominated by her husband, and a slave to her children! Exactly the opposite of what I'd like to be! (But maybe what I am unconsciously, as I'm dreaming about it.)

The Third Principle:

Our dreams have only one subject: "Me, myself and I". They tell us what we think, what we see, what we feel; they tell us what we are at the moment and why; they tell us about our qualities, our strong points, our difficulties and our problems so that we can grow, develop our full potential and "realize our essential strengths" to quote Marx's beautiful expression.

The Fourth Principle:

Essentially, our dreams tell us about our present and our past. They tell us what we are and what we are going through; they also give us the reasons for this present state of affairs. Psychologists say that the stage is set between the ages of 0 and 5 years; if necessary, our dreams take us back as far as then. Dream self-analysis, which is in reality auto-therapy, consists of retrieving that which has been forgotten or repressed from the unconscious so as work out what is causing us the most problems.

The Fifth Principle:

There are two types of dream: first, circumstantial or situational dreams which deal with what we are presently going through. It is easy to find the subject of such dreams. Then there are dreams whose themes are psychological; these deal with our past. The subjects dealt with by such dreams are rarely obvious; we must look for them by clearing the ground and studying each dream component individually. Eventually, we get an answer.

An Example of the Fifth Principle

An 18 year old youth dreams about his girlfriend. In his dream, she has a fit of jealousy because he talked to another girl; she tells him that tthey'reinished and that she's going to die in a few moments... Even for someone with little experience, the subject of the dream is obvious: his girlfriend's jealous nature. It's a problem he's presently living with. This is a circumstantial dream. At a conscious level, the young man thinks his girlfriend is "a bit jealous" (it's what he wrote about her), but through analysis he finds out that his girlfriend is more than "a bit jealous" and this upsets him more than he realizes.

A seventeen year old girl dreams that she is on a boat with a friend. They'redrawing in a shark when a storm suddenly arises, the fishing-line breaks, the dreamer falls into the water and the shark, which is very angry with her, wants to eat her. Finally she emerges safe and sound ( I'm leaving out the details of the dream). Here, the subject is highly mysterious! There's no ways it can be identified without knowing who or what the shark represents. However, once the subject is identified, the dream becomes self-explanatory. Here we are dealing with what I call a psychological theme dream.

The Sixth Principle

Dream analysis is more a matter of logic than symbolism. To begin with, always ask yourselves what a certain thing is, and what it's for; if this does not clarify matters, then you can go to the symbolic level. However, you mustn't look for meanings in a book; you must simply ask yourself what you associate with that particular component. A good search and we always finish by finding an answer.

The Seventh Principle

Conjointly with the previous principle, search for the meaning of certain dream components in your everyday life. Also examine them from the point of view of the dream and of your real life situation.

An Example of the Seventh Principle

I am going to use the example I gave in Guide d'analyse des rêves, Volume 2, pp.54-56. For a complete interpretation of the dream, please go to the book. To summarize matters, the subject dreamt of a big fish which appeared in shades of blue, then in shades of green, then blue, etc. The source of these two colors was a calendar in her kitchen. In this calendar, each month was a different color and each week of the month was a different shade of the color. By looking at the two months at issue and the shade of the week corresponding to that of the dream, she noticed that during the week "blue, this shade" she felt very well and that during the week "green, that shade" she felt awful. Such was the meaning of the two dream colors! To have worked with the symbolic meanings of blue and green would have led nowhere, as is often the case when one limits oneself to consulting dream or symbols dictionaries.

If you dream of a black skirt which belongs to you, it's useless to work with what you think of and associate with black. What you have to ask yourself is what you think of that skirt. And don't forget that colors rarely appear alone; they are nearly always associated with an object. Therefore, the group color-object has to be studied, for example, a green bicycle, a yellow basket, a white box, etc.

To decode a dream or parts of a dream we can simply reason in a logical fashion on the basis of the principle of cause and effect. A young college student dreams that he and one of his friends are being prosecuted for having killed all the teachers in the college by poisoning them. I thought that "By poisoning" was a clue, but it meant absolutely nothing to the student: he had never "poisoned (TN2) his teachers' lives". So we had a look at the consequences of the mass murder. If there were no more teachers, what would happen? There'd be no more school! (Said with a big smile and sparkling eyes, of course!) And what does "No more school mean"? Holidays, no pressures, no stress! And here we have the subject of the dream: the stress of studying which is eating away at the young man! (All the other components of the dream were connected to this subject, but it wasn't obvious from the dream description!)

The Eighth Principle:

To do a serious translation, all the details of a dream must be examined - one mustn't be content with only a few. For an analysis to be reasonably fruitful, the dream's subject, problem and messagemust be identified, and all of these must correspond to the person's situation. The ideal situation to get maximum profit out a dream, is to explain all its components without omitting a single one. Be sure of one thing, everything is there for a reason; even the smallest detail, which might appear insignificant, means something.

The Ninth Principle:

The secret of analyzing a dream and discovering its significance lies in its verbal or oral formulation. What we think more or less consciously must be formulated in words, sentences, clear ideas set down in black and white. When I ask someone if they've worked on their dream and they answer "Yes, in my head", I consider that this is a bad sign: we don't discover anything working this way, in such a lazy fashion. We must write, or record oneself, and say everything we think about the dream component being studied. We must never be satisfied with just two or three lines. The more we say, the better our grip on the subject, and the more clues we have for understanding! Always keep in mind that your Superconscious works from your subconscious perceptions; one must be able to verbalize them to put them up to date!

An Example of the Ninth Principle

I will use one of the dreams already given as an example of the 5th principle.

A seventeen year old girl dreams that she is on a boat with a friend.
They're drawing in a shark, when a storm suddenly arises, the fishing-line
breaks, the dreamer falls into the water and the shark, which is very angry
with her, wants to eat her. Finally she emerges safe and sound (I'm leaving out
the details of the dream).

At first, when dealing with the shark, which is the key element in translating this dream, the dreamer simply wrote: "It's a very nasty, ferocious animal which likes attacking and killing." We have to admit that this is very little to go on, but it's still something! So we have to see who in her life can be associated with this kind of "very nasty, ferocious animal". But Heavens, it's not easy, particularly when one doesn't seem to be able to find anyone in one's life who has these two characteristics!

After the dreamer had considered the matter a bit more (she is familiar with sharks, which is why she dreamt about them), she wrote "I like this animal a lot, but I also hate it. It's very impressive and intelligent. Normally, people don't realize it's there and suddenly it attacks. The only sign it's there is its fin which is often above water level. However, then it's often too late. It swims in a grandiose fashion and is also very imposing. I admire the way it attacks its victims when they suspect nothing. It's so skillful! What I hate about it is that it hurts people and, sometimes, it hurts someone so much that it almost ruins their life. I also admire the way it lives. It is alone and never needs anyone, except us! It's capable of fulfilling its needs alone."

Notice that we are now in a better position to analyze and correctly identify what the shark stands for! Before, we only had one clue; now we have at least nine:

1) Someone she both loves and hates.
2) Someone who is impressive and very intelligent.
3) Someone who attacks suddenly without our suspecting anything.
4) When we realize, it is already too late.
5) He is very imposing.
6) He is very skillful (as far as his prey is concerned).
7) It's someone the dreamer admires. ( What a great clue for searching more efficiently!)
8) Someone who hurts people, to the point of ruining their lives. (Another great clue!)
9) He's a loner.

Naturally the dreamer was able to identify who the dream could be about. Unfortunately, if this is the right expression, two men fitted the description. She therefore had to do a double translation of the dream: one with respect to the first man, and another with respect to the second man. It was double the normal work, but also a double discovery! As sometime happens, this dream kills two birds (two simultaneous discoveries) with one stone (the dream). I've given a few examples of this type of dream in Guide d'analyse des rêves, Volume 2, mainly in chapters 6 and 7.

So, don't be satisfied with just a few lines when you make associations. On the contrary, go the whole way, unravel everything, say all you have to say.

C. How to proceed

Time for practice! You'll need a binder, sheets of paper ( I recommend a ring-binder and loose sheets, much more practical) and a pencil.

The First Step:

Describe your whole dream using the present tense. (Writing in the present tense immerses us in the dream in a more vivid and intense way.)

Give the dream a title and mention when it occurred, even if only approximately (last summer, march 1994, etc.). Often the title itself is significant and can be used to give direction to the analyze.

Once you have completed the description, try to identify the subject of the dream: what is being talked about.

The Second Step:

Slowly reread your dream and underline the important points or all that has to be explained.

Make a list of these points, number them and add a few questions or comments that pass through your mind.

An Example of the Second Step

The Marriage Proposal

I'm a loaf of rye bread and I'm in a cinnamon and raison bread bag. I'm on the dining-room table at my mother's, in the far right corner. Close to me is a loaf of bread that I hadn't noticed until he talked to me. He surprises me. I don't know him; he asks me to marry him. I find him a bit naive and I tell him that I can't marry him as there's already a piece of me missing.

The points that have to be examined:

1) Why a rye bread?
2) Why a rye bread in a cinnamon and raison bread bag? Isn't there a contradiction here?
3) Why on the far right-hand corner of the table? What is the significance of this particular place?
4) Why a white bread? (Contrast with rye bread.)
5) What does this marriage proposal stand for?
6) Why do I think he's "a little naive"? What does this imply on my part?
7) What does " there's already a piece of me missing" mean?

For a study and translation of this beautiful parabolic dream, see Guide d'analyse des rêves, volume 2, pp.61-64.

The third step:

Deal with the above points one by one and write everything, absolutely everything you can say about them, until they are explained. You deal with the points in the order they appeared in the dream, starting with the first point and finishing with the last, though generally it's obvious that one goes from what is most conscious to what is most unconscious. In fact, one can start with any of the points and "travel" in the dream. The most conscious points, once explained, help to clarify the sense of the others, be they sub- or unconscious. Note, however, that the meaning and the message of a dream is often in the last point we deal with! It is therefore necessary to be patient. If a point does not lend itself to explanation (this is always "for now"!), put it aside and come back to it later. Also note that a dream analysis, particularly if the latter is important, can last for days.

An Example of the Third Step

The Bridge Breaks

My father and I are walking on a very long bridge. The bridge seems to me to be very solid as it's made out of wooden planks. I'm walking along when suddenly an old plank gives way under me. I try to get a grip on something so as not to fall, but everything happens so quickly that I can't hold onto anything and I fall. It's a very long fall and I land on earth and rocks. I am in pain, terribly in pain, from this fall. I've suffered multiple injuries. My father looks down at me and does nothing to help. Cry out as I may that I need help, he remains indifferent. I stay on the ground for a while crying and looking at my manifold injuries. A bit later and despite my injuries I get up and notice that there's a sort of ladder made out of thick cords for climbing onto the bridge. I get hold of the ladder and climb to the top. My father is still there, but I continue on my way without looking at him. I reach the end of the bridge, turn around (he is still there) and cut the ropes of the bridge. I continue without looking back or thinking about him. I wake up.

Analyze

My father and I are walking on a very long bridge.

In this dream, my father stands for my old boyfriend. Why? Because while we were together, I sometimes saw him as a father: counseling, authoritarian and on occasion I found this old-fashioned and annoying. As to the very long bridge, this was the way I saw our relationship; I thought it would last for a long time.

The bridge seems to me to be very solid as it's made out of wooden planks.

I think that this also corresponds to the way I saw our relationship; very solid and for life. It seemed solid until it broke up....

I'm walking along when suddenly an old plank gives way under me. I try to get a grip on something so as not to fall, but everything happens so quickly that I can't hold onto anything and I fall.

This stands for the end of our relationship. All was going well , then, without my suspecting anything, he left me. It happened very quickly and I wanted to hang onto him. However, it was too late, it was over.

It's a very long fall and I land on earth and rocks. I'm in pain, terribly in pain, from this fall. I've suffered multiple injuries.

Yes, when he left me, it was a rude awakening (TN3) as I wasn't really expecting it. This was my greatest sorrow as well as my unhappiest love affair. It took me a long time to get over it.

My father looks down at me and does nothing to help. Cry out as I may that I need help, he remains indifferent.

When my boyfriend left me, I really felt like calling him up, going to see him, but there was no way to make him come back to me. He simply said that I would get over it with time. He was totally different, no longer the person that I used to know and I couldn't get it into my head that he could be so indifferent to me, that our relationship was well and truly finished.

I stay on the ground for a while crying and looking at my manifold injuries. A bit later, and despite my injuries, I get up and notice that there's a kind of ladder made out of thick cords for climbing onto the bridge.

For a long time, for too long in fact, I cried and wanted to fight to get the relationship going again. The rope ladder most probably stands for all the friends who helped me get over my heartbreak and stand on my own again.

I get hold of the ladder and climb up it. My father is still there, but I continue on my way without looking at him.

At first, I put on an independent face so that he would think I no longer cared for him. It was all a game as I still loved him. Doing this was hard as it didn't correspond to my feelings; I was doing it so that he would feel hurt by my no longer loving him.

I reach the end of the bridge, turn around (he is still there) and cut the ropes of the bridge. I continue without looking back or thinking about him. I wake up.

I saw him lately and of my own free will decided I wouldn't speak to him again, even as a friend. When I see him, I pretend not to know him and I avoid him. Now, I behave as if this man, whom I knew and loved, is dead. The person I meet today is a stranger whom I don't want to know. I feel free and it's better that way. The bond has been cut once and for all.

Comment

What a superb auto-analysis! Everything is explained and, as is the case in a complete, perfect analysis, the translation follows step by step what is happening in the dream. There is a perfect fit between the dream and reality.

It is somewhat surprising and remarkable that the dreamer's father stands for her ex-boyfriend. As mentioned in chapter 4 of Guide d'analyse des rêves, volume 1, people we know, sometimes even strangers, can be used as substitutes for, for example, our father, our mother, our parents seen as a couple, or a part of ourselves. I had always thought that if we dreamed of our father or mother, we had to consider them as such and not as substitutes. This just goes to show that nothing must be stated decisively. There is always an exception to the rule. In this case, the substitution is explained by the way the dreamer saw her boyfriend: as a father. To each and every one of us, our way of seeing things! And all dream analysis have to be carried out on the basis of the individual's own way of seeing things.

D. Practical Advice

If you are dealing with a repetitive dream, work out when you first had it and try and discover what had changed in your life at that time. This often provides us with the subject of the dream. If you stop having this dream, repeat the same procedure. If you are still having the dream, this means that the problem still exists. It's time to solve it! Once a dream is explained, it doesn't come back. Guaranteed or your money refunded!

Make the most of your impressions, your feelings and your presentiments. Don't let anything escape you. If you come up with an explanation as a hypothesis and you quickly try and bury it in your unconscious, it's most probably the explanation of the dream!

Different hypotheses ( maybe 2 or 3, rarely more) may simultaneously give a good explanation of part of a dream. Examine them all. The one which gives the most complete explanation of the dream is the best; however, the others are not useless and always teach us something. One dream can easily deal with two or three elements in one and the Superconscious is very efficient!

If the work turns out to be a bit difficult and you're short on ideas, let things be, they will find their place unconsciously and a new idea will finally emerge. So be patient, and read and reread what you have written. Also, speak to a friend on whom you can depend about your dream. This can be very profitable.

If you need to, ask your Superconscious to help you. Before going to sleep, repeat many times: "I need a message to help me understand this dream", and try to go to sleep with this idea in mind. It should work. However, don't overuse this method as you will probably be told: "You can find it yourself." The Superconscious doesn't like it when the Conscious tries to take the easy way out.

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