dream-interpretation in my life

Understanding Dream Analysis and Interpretation

2008-06-25T08:26:00.003+07:00

While it is true that no one knows the exact origins of dream analysis and interpretation, it is safe to assume that there has been some sort of dream analysis going on as long as their have been dreams. It is also a safe bet that dreams have been around as long as human beings have, and maybe even before.

For instance, some animals, such as cats and dogs, are known to dream, so it is probably true that our ancient ancestors had dream worlds of their own.

No one knows the content of these early dreams of course, or how early humans reacted to them. At first, humans probably reacted with fear to find themselves in unfamiliar territory, facing unfamiliar objects and places.

It is known that many ancient cultures saw no distinction between the world of dreams and the world of physical reality. In these cultures, the dream world was simply an extension of the physical world.

As a matter of fact, many cultures throughout history have placed a greater level of importance on the dream world than on the physical world. Dreams were often imbued with magic powers, and many people thought that dreams were a way for the soul to commune with the spirit world while the body got its much needed rest.

Dream interpretation may have been around for as long as dreams have been, but archeologists have discovered that dream interpretation is at least 5000-6000 years old. That is because clay tablets dating back to 3000-4000 B.C. have been found, and these tablets detail dreams and their interpretation.

Even in today’s world, dream analysis and interpretation continues to be a source of wonder, inspiration and even healing. Psychologists and therapists often use dream analysis as part of their careers, and dream interpretation has been used in modern times to treat victims of trauma and help them heal.

In the ancient world, dream interpretation has a long and storied history. Some of the earliest mentions of dreams and dream analysis occur in the Bible, and the Bible contains more than 700 references to dreams and their meanings.

The world of the ancient Greeks and Romans was also fascinated with dreams and what they meant. The Greeks and Romans often saw dreams as a way for their gods to connect with mortals, and the messages contained in dreams were carefully examined and taken very seriously.

Greek and Roman politicians and warriors employed dream interpreters to provide analysis of the dreams of soldiers, generals and politicians, and the results of this dream analysis was used to influence political and military decisions.

The ancient Egyptians also saw religious significance in dreams, and those who could interpret and analyze dreams, as well as those whose dreams were particularly vivid or significant, were given special status in Egyptian society.

Dream interpretation and analysis continues to enjoy a special place in the modern world. After Sigmund Freud revolutionized the world of dream analysis more than a century ago, a new era of dream interpretation was ushered in, and dream research continues to evolve and grow at a rapid pace.

Common Dream Interpretation

2008-06-25T07:59:00.002+07:00

By John Johnston

Detailed and Common Dreams
People have so many genetic characteristic traits in common. This is the reason that we are able to create huge databases of analysis information found in dictionaries. But not all dreams are created equal. Somewhere in the inner depths of our minds the deepest, most detailed and obscure dreams are manifested.
The meanings are not readily available online and you may want to pursue a more analytical and professional interpretation. Dream dictionaries are a great source of finding out common dream interpretation. They can also assist in providing more clarity in detailed dreams if you interpret segments, one at a time.
Dream dictionaries are a wonderful way to learn about the meaning of a relevant example of a dream you've had and wondered what meanings may apply to it. Not always is the same analysis applicable to every individual. For example a commonplace dream that people have is dreaming of teeth.
Here are a few different dream meanings as they apply to human teeth.
Brushing teeth
If you have dreams of brushing hair and/ or teeth with a brush whose bristles are soft and flabby, you will be disappointed in the way your fortunes will turn. If the bristles are stiff and vigorous, good luck may be expected.
Bucked Teeth
It is a premonition of sadness to have dreams of one or more prominently protruding teeth. On someone else it portends travel to faraway lands.
Mouth
Cruel mouths seen in a dream are a warning against being too quick to criticize the actions of others. If the teeth show, you are likely to be hurt by base insinuations from those whom you had trusted. A beautiful mouth is a portent of great happiness for lovers. The mouth of a baby is a sign that the person you had trusted least will turn out to be a firm and lasting friend.
What Common Dreams Does A Woman Have and Why
Sometimes dreams pregnant woman have require dream analyzing to satisfy the curiosity of your conscious mind. 3 thoughts or actions that a pregnant woman may think about in her conscious day may include an incubator, giving baby a kiss and doing the washing...
But what does each a dream mean that is a result of your conscious thoughts?
Babies in Incubators
Baby incubators seen in a dream are portents of better health for you and your family. Chicken incubators are an omen of being able to meet your obligations.
Getting and Giving Kisses
The portent of a kiss depends on the circumstances surrounding it. Kisses between married people are an omen of content; between unmarried people they predict happiness. A woman who dreams of kissing an old man will suffer disappointment. To dream of kissing a baby indicating success in a difficult undertaking. Kisses given in hypocrisy or contrary to moral code are a sign of illness or disgrace.
Cleaning Your Body and Clothes
If you dream of washing clothes in a tub, it presages that you will be called upon to act as peacemaker between quarreling lovers. Washing clothes in a machine portends a vacation with pay. To dream of washing your body is a sign of success in a new venture. If you wash a baby in a dream, you will find happiness in your home.
A Short Dream Interpretation History
Humans have been curious about the inner world of dreams dating as far back as the early day Egyptians. Today dreamers and dream analysis researchers still turn to Sigmund Freud's' theories of human dreams more than 100 years later. During this time Sigmund Freud started a psychiatric practice that focused on the interpretation of dreams. It was discovered dreams are an experience that all people share.

The Importance Of The Sleep Cycle

2008-06-01T21:40:00.000+07:00

It is important to understand the sleep cycle in order to understand the dreaming process. Before we can gather information from our dreams, we need to understand where those dreams come from, and to do that we must understand the various stages of sleep and how they fit together.
The sleep cycle consists of four individual stages, and every person goes through all four stages each and every night. The length of each cycle varies from person to person, but every human being experiences all four stages of sleep every night.
In general, the dreams that are most likely to be remembered are those that take place the closest to waking. Dreams that take place earlier in the night are almost never remembered. The one exception to this rule is those dreams that are disturbing enough to wake the dreamer. If a dreamer awakens in the middle of dream sleep, as with a particularly vivid nightmare or a dream about falling, he or she will most likely remember vividly every detail of the dream.
Let us take a look at the four individual stages of sleep, starting, logically, at stage one.
Stage 1:
The initial stage of sleep is a very light sleep, and the slightest disturbance can wake the dreamer at this stage. The first stage of sleep usually lasts for only a few minutes, and most sleepers move on quickly to stage two.

Stage 2:
The second stage of sleep is much deeper, and it is much harder to wake the sleeper up at this point. While the dream state begins in stage two, there are usually no clearly formed images at this point. Instead dreams in stage two consist mainly of vague ideas and images floating around the mind. After stage two is completed, the dreamer moves quickly on to stage three.

Stage 3:
The third stage of sleep is even deeper than the second stage. At this stage, the muscles in the sleepers body have relaxed, and the heart rate and respiration rate have both slowed down. The sleeper’s blood pressure also drops off at this point, and breathing is typically even and steady. A sleeper in stage three sleep is very difficult to awaken, and typically waking can only be accomplished by a very loud startling noise or by shouting the sleeper’s name repeatedly.

Stage 4:
Stage four is the deepest stage of sleep, and the one in which most dreaming takes place. During this stage of sleep, it is almost impossible to wake the sleeper. During stage four of sleep, the sleeper moves in and out of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep several times. It is during REM sleep that dreaming is occurring. The eyes move back and forth rapidly under their lids, the heart beat and respiration spike, and brain wave activities increase. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that brain wave activity is higher during dream sleep than it is during normal consciousness.

Most sessions of dream sleep last for about 10 minutes, after which the sleeper returns to the normal deep sleep of stage four. The dreamer will cycle back and forth between stage four sleep and dream sleep several times each night, usually repeating the process from four to seven times on an average night.

The Importance of Remembering Your Dreams

2008-05-28T16:02:00.001+07:00

Dream interpretation and analysis can be anything from a fun and interesting diversion to a serious, full time pursuit. Many people have been able to analyze their dreams and use the clues found there to address important issues in their waking lives, and dream analysis has been an important subject throughout the ages, from the earliest Greek and Roman philosophers to modern day society.

Before any dreamer can set about analyzing and interpreting his or her dreams, however, those dreams must first be remembered and recorded. Remembering your dreams is an often overlooked part of dream analysis, but it is the basis upon which all dream analysis stands or falls.

It is important to record dreams quickly, since dreams are one of the hardest things to capture. Half of a dream’s content can be lost in as little as five minutes, and up to 90% of the dream can slip away within less than ten minutes.

Therefore, it is vital that anyone seeking to interpret or analyze his or her dreams keep a dream journal as close to the bed as possible. Keeping a notepad on the night stand or under the clock radio is ideal.

It is important to get into the habit of playing your dream back in your mind before you even open your eyes. That is because the clock is ticking as soon as you wake up. Running the dream back through your mind will serve to strengthen and reinforce some of those little details that will soon be forgotten.

Write down as many of those details as you possibly can, even if it just means jotting down a quick word of phrase. You can always fill in the gaps later, the goal is to get as much recorded about your dream in as short a period of time as possible.

After you have written down as many details as possible of your dream, it is a good idea to read what you have written, fill in as many gaps and details as you can, and try to make sense of it. If there are meaningful symbols in your dream, or things you recognize from real life, you may want to circle them or otherwise point them out.

It is best to keep a dream journal over a period of a few nights, in order to look for patterns and similar elements. There are often recurring themes in dreams, and those recurring themes can provide valuable clues to the root causes of the dream elements.

When interesting and analyzing your dreams, it is best to keep it a fun and exciting exercise. While dream interpretation can be used by experts such as psychologists and therapists to treat and diagnose issues, that part of dream analysis is best left to the experts.

It is of course possible to use your dreams as healing tools, or as ways to examine underlying issues in your life. For instance, dreams about being naked are often metaphors for being exposed in a lie, or having a secret revealed. If you see such a pattern in your dreams, it may be worth examining what parts of yourself you have kept hidden, and for what reasons.

Likewise, dreams of falling are often indications of feeling out of control. If you see a pattern of falling dreams emerging, you may want to examine your life and try to take better control of your waking hours.

The History of Dream Analysis

2008-05-19T08:52:00.002+07:00

No one knows the true origins of dream analysis, or how long it has been going on. Chances are, however, that the analysis and interpretation of dreams, in some fashion, has been taking place almost as long as people have been dreaming.

Dreams must have been both fascinating and terrifying to our ancient ancestors, and they were most likely very confused by this strange form of consciousness. We do know that many ancient civilizations placed great importance on the situations encountered in their dreams, and used those situations to cast light on their waking lives.

As a matter of fact, many civilizations did not see a distinction between the waking world and the world of dreams, but instead saw one as merely an extension of the other.

Of course dream analysis and dream interpretation is still in use today, and it has been used successfully to deal with all manner of traumas and emotional issues. For instance, it is known that those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), are often troubled by nightmares.

Dealing with the underlying cause of the PTSD, through a combination of therapies and psychological techniques, can banish those nightmares as well.

Some of the earliest references to dreams and their interpretation occurs in the Bible, and the Bible is full of references to the dreams of prophets and other notable people.

The ancient Greek and Roman world was also full of dream interpreters and analysis, and the Greek and Roman government and military alike used the services of professional dream interpreters to determine the best course of political action and even the best strategy for battle.

Dream interpreters were even taken along as troops prepared for battle, and their prognostications were taken very seriously, as were the dreams of the generals and the troops.

In the ancient world, the Greek philosopher Aristotle was a big propend of dream interpretation, and he spoke about the illusion of the senses that allowed dreams to occur. He later came to be believe that disturbances of the body were the cause of dreams.

Many ancient peoples thought that dreams were a way for the soul to commune with the spirit world. In many cultures, the soul was thought to leave the body at night, and dreams were thought of as a way of communicating with, and gaining information about, departed relatives and ancient ancestors alike.

Even today, many people place great significance on dreams and dreaming, and many people continue to see a spiritual element in the dream world. Dreams still remain largely a mystery to science, and this mystery has helped to spur thoughts that dreams contain more than a mere physical meaning.

Dream interpretation continues to be used, both as a fun hobby and as a serious scientific pursuit. Dream research is one of the most fascinating, and widely studied, elements of psychological research, and new dream studies continue to reveal hidden insights about the world of dreams.

New symbols, too, continue to emerge from the world of dream analysis and dream research. From Carl Jung to Sigmund Freud to modern psychologists and psychiatrists, many people have strived, and continue to strive, to understand the hidden meanings, and hidden messages, of our dreams.

Some Common Dream Symbols

2008-05-17T06:00:00.002+07:00

Dream interpreters, from the earliest Greek and Roman societies, to Sigmund Freud, to modern therapists and dream researchers, have long recognized the symbolic nature of dreams. Unlike the real world, in dreams things are often not as they appear. What appears to be a normal, everyday object in your dream world is often anything but ordinary.

Learning to recognize and interpret these objects, and learning about your dreams can be an exciting and fun exercise as well as a great learning experience. Since dreams and their symbols are often manifestations of real fears and anxieties, dreams can provide much help in working through these serious issues.

Let’s examine a few of the most common dream symbols and scenarios.

Dreaming Of School
Dreams of school, including taking tests, forgetting about a test, showing up to school without your books, and they like are among the most common of dreams for students and non students alike.

For those currently in school, dreams about school can be reflections of anxiety about grades, peers, social issues and other concerns. For those who are not in school, dreaming about school or taking a test is often a manifestation of anxiety about work, or even your personal life. Dreaming about school is often related to your latest lesson in life.

Dreaming Of A Car Or Other Vehicle
Dreams of driving in a car or other vehicle often symbolize a desire to escape. Cars and other forms of transportation represent freedom, and dreaming of driving, especially of driving fast, can symbolize a desire to get away from an unpleasant or undesirable task.

Dreams about car crashes or near misses can symbolize the feeling of being out of control. Such dreams often occur when you are feeling overwhelmed by pressure and unable to cope with the stresses of everyday life.

Dreams in which you are the passenger instead of he driver can also symbolize this sort of lack of control. This is especially true if the vehicle in the dream seems to be out of control. Such dreams may signal a need to relax and avoid additional stress.

Dreams About Houses
Dreams about a the house you grew up in can represent a desire to go back in time to when life is simpler. These dreams often occur at turning points in our lives, such as just after college graduation, prior to a marriage, or during or after a move.

Dreaming about an unfamiliar or threatening house can represent a fear of the unknown or an unwillingness to change. Again, these dreams often take place during times of upheaval or change, and they can be your unconscious mind’s reaction to such sudden change.

Dreams About Tornadoes
If you live near an area prone to tornadoes, or if you have been the victim of such a force, then a tornado can simply be a tornado. Unpleasant experiences can be relived through dreams, but most of the time the tornadoes we dream about are symbolic and not literal.

Most of the time, a tornado represents an emotional turmoil. People in such a state are often described as being whirlwinds of emotions, so a tornado is a fitting symbol of that state. Dreams of tornadoes often accompany sudden upheavals or changes in life, such as a sudden career change or cross country move. A dream about a tornado can indicate that you feel your life is spinning out of control. Those experiencing tornado centered dreams may want to take a step back, meditate and concentrate on the positive aspects of change.

Dreams About Telephones
Dreams about telephone often carry important messages that the dreamer needs to pay close attention to. When interpreting a dream about a telephone, it is important to pay attention to the details. For instance, did you initiate the call, or did someone call you? Was the voice on the other end of the telephone friendly or threatening? Can you hear the other party or is their static on the line? These details of a telephone dream can give you valuable insights into just what is being communicated.

Keys To Interpreting Your Dreams Successfully

2008-05-16T19:43:00.003+07:00

The exact meaning of dreams is up to each individual dreamer, since each dream is unique to the mind that created it. There are many interpretations of virtually any object, place or person encountered in a dream, but each of those objects, people, and places are open to alternate explanations as well.
Those wishing to analyze their own dreams often do so out of a desire to use those dreams to make decisions or gain control over issues in their working life. Whether you wish to analyze dreams simply for the fun of it or to gain access to your subconscious mind, it is important to capture your dreams properly in order to analyze them.
Keeping a dream journal is a great way to keep track of your dreams, and to look for patterns that may emerge after a few weeks. Even those who do not have recurring dreams often notice the same themes popping up again and again, and a dream journal can help uncover these connections.
This article will provide you with some times for getting the most out of your dream world, and using that world to improve your waking life.
Ø Immediately upon awakening, play the dream back in your head several times. Playing the dream back in your mind will help you remember those all important details that are so quickly forgotten.
Ø Be sure to move quickly when recording your dreams. The dream world is one of the most ethereal, and one of the most easily forgotten. It is estimated that as much as half of the dream can be forgotten in as little as five minutes, and after as little as ten minutes almost all of the dream can be lost.
Ø Write a quick description of the dream as quickly as possible, focusing on the key symbols and themes of the dream. Write down any words or descriptions that jump out at you. It is not necessary to write a full narrative of the dream at this point; simply record how the dream felt, some of the objects that were encountered, and similar details.
Ø After the initial impressions of the dream have been recorded, read over your notes and start filling in the gaps. The dream narrative can be recorded at this point.
Ø Look for a quiet place in which to start interpreting and analyzing your dream. It is important to choose an area free of distractions, and to concentrate on what the dream really means. If no quiet room is available at the moment, take a last look at your notes and come back to them later when you can find a quiet place.
Ø Pay close attention to your feelings as you review your dream notes. First impressions about the meaning of a dream are often quite accurate. Also pay attention to the context of the dream, where it took place, and the feelings it engendered both while in the dream world and upon waking.
Ø If you meditate, that can be a big help in trying to capture the deeper meaning of the dream. A few minutes of quiet meditation can reveal much of the nature of the dream.
Ø In reviewing your dream notes, examine the emotions they stir in you. Pay attention to the emotional state that existed in the dream.
Ø Pay particular attention to any details that stand out. Vivid parts of your dream, or those that can be remembered long after the dream, are often the most important.
Ø When examining you dream and looking for the meaning of symbols, it is important to not limit yourself to the most common interpretations. Remember that each dream is as unique as the person who dreamt it.

Fun Facts About Dreams and Their Meaning

2008-05-12T19:46:00.001+07:00

Dreams have been around for at least as long as human beings, and dreams are universal, experienced by men and women, young and old, and people of all cultures and ethnicities. In some ways, dreams are a universal language, and there are certain themes, such as falling, flying, taking a test and finding yourself naked, that show up in dreams throughout the world. Dreams, it could be said, represent a kind of universal human language.

Dreams have been studied throughout history, and dream interpretation is an old art form indeed, dating back at least as far as 3000-4000 B.C. Even today, dream interpreters are highly sought out for their help untangling the sometimes puzzling world of dreams.

You may think you know everything there is to know about dreams and dream interpretation, but did you know that:

Ø A third of our lives is spent in sleep, and a good amount of that time is spent in dreams.
Ø The average person dreams from between four to seven times every night. That means that by the time you reach the age of 80, you will have had between 116,800 and 204,400 dreams.
Ø That number may be even larger, since there is evidence that dreaming begins even before birth. No one deigns to know what unborn babies dream about, but there is evidence that they do dream.
Ø In the average lifetime, a person will have spent approximately six years in dream sleep, equivalent to more than 2,100 days of dreaming.
Ø There are records of dream interpretation, written on clay tablets, dating back more than 4,000 years.
Ø Those who could interpret dreams were held in high regard in Roman and Greek societies, and their counsel was sought before making significant political and military decisions.
Ø Everyone dreams every night, even though only a tiny fraction of those dreams are remembered upon waking.
Ø Many animals dream as well, although no one has been able to ask them what they dream about.
Ø People have to dream, though no one really knows why. What we do know is that preventing people from dreaming can cause irritability, mood changes and even hallucinations.
Ø The average person spends about one quarter of his or her sleep time in dream sleep, and dreams an average of four to seven times during that time.
Ø The average episode of dream sleep lasts about 10 to 15 minutes.
Ø Dreams slip away very quickly upon waking. It is estimated that as much as half the dream’s content is forgotten within five minutes, and after only ten minutes up to 90% of the dream can be gone forever.
Ø Men dream more about other men than about women, but women tend to dream about men and women equally.
Ø The brain is actually more active, not less during dream sleep than during wakefulness.
Ø People who are awakened during dream sleep are able to recall their dreams vividly and in great detail, while those who wake normally generally are not.
Ø Both men and women experience sexual arousal during most dreams, regardless of whether the nature of the dream was sexual or not.
Ø Smokers who are quitting often experience more intense dreams than either non smokers or current smokers.
Ø Babies and toddlers dream just as adults do, but studies have revealed they do not dream about themselves. Toddlers generally do not appear in their own dreams until they are at least three or four years old.
Ø It is not possible to dream and snore simultaneously.
Ø Nightmares are a common trauma of childhood, with the first nightmares usually occurring by the age of three, and typically lasting at least until the child is seven or eight years old.
Ø Many people report having experienced Déjà vu in their dreams, but dreams involving Déjà vu are more common in women than in men.

Facts About Dreams

2008-05-11T16:21:00.002+07:00

Dreams have been studied throughout history, and dream interpretation has tried to make sense of these nighttime visitations for as long as their have been people to dream. People who could interpret dreams, and those whose dreams were particularly vivid, where often thought to be imbued with divine powers, and they were given a special place in their societies.

Even today, dream interpretation remains a highly sought after art, and science is continuing to focus on dream interpretation as a way to deal with all kinds of anxieties and other underlying psychological issues.

There are some interesting facts about dreaming that you may not be aware of. These facts include:

Ø One third of most people’s lives is spent asleep, and a good portion of that time is spent in dream sleep.
Ø In the average lifetime, a person will have spent approximately six years in dream sleep, equivalent to more than 2,100 days of dreaming.
Ø Dreams have existed as long as human beings. There are records of dreams going back over 4,000 years.
Ø Dream interpretation has existed almost as long as dreaming, and Roman senators in the ancient world often engaged the services of dream interpreters before making important political and social decisions.
Ø Every human being dreams. Even if you do not remember your dreams, you dream between four and seven times a night, every night.
Ø Many animals dream as well. All mammals are thought to dream, and it is suspected that some lower animals dream as well. What they dream about, however, remains a mystery.
Ø If people are prevented from dreaming, they suffer a variety of personality disorders and psychological problems. The exact function of dream sleep is still not known, but it is known that dreaming is an indispensable part of life.
Ø The average person spends two hours per night sleeping, and has from four to seven dreams during that time.
Ø Even blind people dream. The dreams of blind people who were previously sighted sometimes contain visual images, while the dreams of those who have been blind from birth do not. Vision is not the only component of a dream, however. Dreams also contain sounds, sights, smells and touch sensations.
Ø Dreams are forgotten very quickly upon waking. It is estimated that 50% of the content of a dream is lost within five minutes of waking, and after 10 minutes as much as 90% of the dream can be forgotten.
Ø The word dream is derived from a word in Middle English. This word, dreme, translates to “music” and “joy”. It is therefore apparent that dreams have long been looked at as a source of wonder and inspiration.
Ø Men most often dream about other men, while women tend to dream about men and women equally.
Ø Studies of brain wave activity have revealed greater activity during dreaming than during waking periods.
Ø People who are awakened during dream sleep are able to recall their dreams vividly, while those who wait until morning to wake often are not.
Ø Everyone, men and women, seem to experience sexual arousal during their dreams, regardless of whether or not the content of the dream is overtly sexual.
Ø Smokers who are trying to quit often report greater intensity in their dreams.
Ø Studies have shown that toddlers do not dream about themselves. In general, toddlers do not appear in their own dreams until they reach the age of three or four.
Ø It is impossible to snore and dream at the same time.
Ø Children commonly experience nightmares, and these nightmares usually begin by the age of three and last until the child is seven or eight years old.
Ø More than 60% of people surveyed have reported experiencing Déjà vu in their dreams. Déjà vu dreams occur more frequently in women than in men.

Dreams of Teeth

2008-05-09T11:20:00.003+07:00

Dreams about teeth, particularly dreams where the dreamer finds his or her teeth falling out, are much more common than you might think. Some common forms of this dream include dreams in which the dreamer’s teeth crumble in his or her hands, or dreams in which the teeth fall out with just a light touch.
These dreams can be extremely frightening, even more so than chase dreams or falling dreams. In addition, such dreams often leave the dreamer with an image that is hard to shake even after waking.
There are many theories about just what teeth, and losing teeth, represent in the dream world, and these can be some of the most difficult dreams to interpret. One theory holds that dreams about teeth, and losing teeth, are a reflection of the dreamer’s anxiety about his or her appearance, and about how the dreamer thinks others perceive him or her.
This interpretation is certainly valid, especially since we live in a society that seems to value physical beauty above all else. Since a good set of teeth play an important role in physical beauty, it is easy to see how uncertainties about one’s appearance could manifest themselves in dreams about losing teeth.
Since teeth play such an important role in physical attraction scenarios, such as flirting and getting the attention of the opposite sex, dreams of losing teeth can be manifestations of fears of getting old, fears of sexual impotence or other dating related anxieties.
Other interpretations of dreams of losing teeth hold that they are representations of fear of embarrassment or making a fool of oneself. For instance, someone who is dreading a potentially embarrassing situation, such as making a speech or other public speaking engagement, may dream of his or her teeth falling out.
This type of dream would represent an exaggeration of already present fears or anxieties brought on by the upcoming event. People who are troubled by dreams of losing teeth or teeth falling out should examine their own lives for the source of possible embarrassment or appearance based anxieties.
Another theory holds that teeth in dreams represent power, since they are used in real life to tear, chew, and bite. Therefore, the loss of teeth in a dream represents a perceived loss of power or influence. People who feel frustrated, or who feel that their voices are not being heard, may have dreams about losing teeth. Feeling ineffective, or feelings of inferiority, are often associated with such dreams as well.
Finally, some of the latest dream research has revealed that women have more frequent dreams about teeth as they enter menopause. These dreams about teeth may be related to anxieties about appearance and fears of getting older.
There are of course other interpretations of dreams of missing or losing teeth. There are interpretations of this dream in a number of cultures around the world, further testament to the fact that teeth are a common dream theme in many cultures.
One biblical interpretation of the dream of losing teeth holds that the bad teeth mean the dreamer is placing his or her faith in the works of man rather than in the word of God. Thus the falling teeth in the dream are urging the dreamer to turn back to God for guidance.
The ancient Greeks believed that dreams about loose, rotting or missing teeth were warnings that a close friend or family member was very ill or near death.
The Chinese hold that teeth falling out is a punishment for lying, and that dreams of falling teeth are manifestations of guilt over telling lies.
Some have even suggested that dreams of missing teeth are associated with money. This connection probably goes back to the old tooth fairy story, where children are rewarded with money for putting their lost teeth under their pillows.

Dreams of Flying

2008-05-06T06:52:00.001+07:00

Dreams of flying may well be the most common of all dreams. Dreams of flying often fall into that special category of dreams in which the dreamer realizes he or she is dreaming. These dreams, called lucid dreams, are some of the most fascinating to both dreamers and dream researchers alike.
Dreams of flying are often described as joyful, fun and exhilarating, and flying dreams are often among the most pleasant dream experiences.
Dreams where you are flying easily, soaring over the landscape and enjoying the serenity often mean that you feel on top of the situation and in control of your life. Flying dreams of this nature are often a nighttime manifestation of the feeling of rising above it all and being in control. Often dreamers are able to control where they fly in their dreams. Being able to control where you fly, how fast you fly and how high or low you fly is often a representation of a strong sense of personal power.
The flip side of that happy scenario are dreams in which the dreamer has difficulty remaining in the air, or dreams where you are unable to fly and begin to fall to earth. These types of flying dreams can represent a lack of power, and an inability to control your personal circumstances. Often people going through situations where they feel powerless will experience these negative kinds of flying dreams.
Obstacles like power lines, mountains and trees in a flying dream can be dream state manifestations of actual barriers in your waking life. For instance, if you feel that roadblocks are constantly going up in your life, you may see these roadblocks manifested as trees, mountains, power lines or other hazards in your flying dream. Identifying the barriers in your life, and overcoming them, can remove these barriers from your dream state as well as your waking life.
Often the dreamer will experience fear while flying, or be afraid that he or she is flying too high. These types of dreams are often representations of fear of challenge, or fear that you cannot succeed.
Dreams of flying are some of the most interesting types of dreams for dream researchers and psychologists. Unlike dreams of being naked, dreams or running, dreams of falling and other common dreams, flying dreams represent an ability that humans do not have in their waking lives. Anytime someone dreams of doing something they do not have the ability to do, it is of interest to dream researchers.
Dreams of flying can represent yearning, or striving to be better. They can also be manifestations of feelings of power, or in some cases feelings of lack of power. The ability of the dreamer to take control of the flight in his or her dream can be an exhilarating experience, and provide the dreamer with a feeling of power than can last into his or her waking life.
No matter what the dream of flying represents, it remains one of the most fertile fields in the world of dream interpretation. There are many reasons to dream of flying, and many ways such a dream can play itself out. Chances are that dreams of flying have been around as long as humans have been dreaming, and that they will continue to be around for millennia to come.

Dreams of Falling

2008-05-05T16:41:00.002+07:00

Dreams where you are falling are some of the most commonly reported dreams there are, and such dreams are one of the leading causes of sudden waking from a dream.
First, let’s begin by dispensing with the myth that if you hit the ground in your dreams you will die. There are plenty of fully alive human beings who have reported hitting the ground during their dreams of falling. The fact that these people were around to report this situation is proof that this legend is merely that – a legend.
Dreams of falling are most often interpreted as an indication of unresolved fears, anxieties, instabilities and insecurities. The person who experiences recurrent dreams where he or she is falling may be feeling overwhelmed by and unable to control certain situations in his or her waking life.
For instance, the dreamer may feel that his or her home or work life is out of control, and that he or she is unable to remain on top of the situation. This kind of generalized anxiety can easily manifest itself in a dream where he or she is out of control, such as a falling dream.
Falling often represents a loss of control, or feelings of helplessness on the part of the dreamer. After all, when you fall, you have no control over your direction or your pace. This feeling of being out of control and falling often represents similar feelings in the dreamer’s waking life.
Therefore those who are troubled by such dreams should be encouraged to examine their life for the source of anxiety and fear, and to confront the situation head on. Doing so often results in a lessening or even an elimination of dreams of falling.
Dreams of falling can also represent a sense of inferiority or a sense of failure in your personal or professional life. This fear could be a fear of failing in school, failing at your job, losing your social status, or failing in a relationship.
People experiencing these situations are often troubled by dreams in which they are falling. These dreams of falling can represent a perceived failure to measure up to expectations, or a fear of losing your status, losing an important person in your life, or just a generalized fear or failure.
The strict Freudian interpretation of a dream of falling was that such a dream indicated that the dreamer was contemplating giving into a sexual desire or sexual impulse.
Dreams of falling are most likely to take place during the first stage of sleep. That is because dreams at this stage are often accompanied by spasms of muscles in the arms, the legs or even the whole body. These sudden muscle contractions are known to science as a myclonic jerk.
The dreaming mind can interpret these muscle spasms as falling, and thus incorporate falling into the dream state. Often when dreamers experience this myclonic jerk, they awaken at feeling their body twitch. This fast reaction is part of the evolutionary mechanism that allows us to be awakened quickly in the presence of a threatening environment.
Those who do biblical and religious interpretations of dreams often see falling dreams as meaning that the dreamer is taking his or her cues from the world of man instead of turning to God for guidance and advice.

Dreams of Being Naked

2008-05-04T08:45:00.001+07:00

One of the most common dreams around the world is the one in which the dreamer is naked. Dreams of being naked can have several interpretations, and the nakedness in the dream can manifest itself in a number of different ways.
In some naked dreams, the dreamer is simply going about his or her own business, commuting to work driving in the car, walking around the neighborhood, etc. In many cases, the dreamer is completely unaware of his or her nakedness and not at all bothered by it.
In other cases, the dreamer is aware of his or her nakedness but no one else seems to notice at all. While the dreamer may be conscious of the nakedness, everyone else just goes on about their business and make no comments. These types of dreams are often manifestations of the dreamer’s fears.
Often the dreamer has fears that he or she worries may be uncovered. Dreams in which no one but the dreamer notices the nakedness are often indications that the fears bothering the dreamer are unfounded, and that no one else is concerned about them.
On the other hand, dreams in which the dreamer suddenly becomes mortified at realizing he or she is naked often indicate vulnerability, fear or shame. In many cases, the dreamer is hiding a secret or hiding something that he or she is afraid will be found out. The nakedness in the dream indicates a fear that other people see through you and will discover your secrets.
In dreams, clothes can represent concealment and hiding, so being stripped of clothes can mean being left defenseless and exposed. The dream may be trying to tell you that you think you are hiding something, but that everyone else already knows about it. This is one of the most common forms of the naked dream.
Being naked in a dream can also indicate fear of being caught off guard. For instance, many people dream that they are suddenly naked at work or at school. As a matter of fact, the dream of being suddenly naked in a classroom before taking a test is one of the most frequently studied dreams. This kind of nakedness usually symbolizes fear of being unprepared for a situation at school or work, such as an important project at work or an exam at school.
Often times these dreams of nakedness at work or school coincide with events in real life. For instance, you may dream of being naked at the office right before that big project is due, or before you are due to make that big presentation. These types of dreams can be especially common among those who feel they are unprepared for the challenge.
Likewise, students who feel they have not studied sufficiently for any exam often dream of being in the exam room naked and exposed.
Sometimes these types of dreams to not coincide with real events. Rather they may simply be manifestations of a more generalized fear of being caught unaware, or of being unprepared for the challenges of life.
Other naked dreams with similar meanings involve being naked and standing in front of a crowd. Since nakedness and public speaking are two of the most common fears in the world, this combination can be mortifying, even in a dream. Being naked in front of a crowd can symbolize a fear of being exposed, a fear of being unprepared, or a fear that those around you know things about you they are not telling you about.
One of the rarer types of dream nakedness is where the dreamer realizes he or she is naked but shows no fear, shame or embarrassment. This type of naked dream can be a symbol of freedom and unrestrained exuberance. This kind of dream can indicate that the dreamer has nothing to hide and is proud of his or her life. In this case, the nakedness in the dream can be a positive thing – symbolizing openness, honesty and a trusting and carefree sense of life.

Dreams of Being Chased

2008-05-03T20:00:00.001+07:00

Dreams of being chased probably have a deep, evolutionary origin. After all, our ancient ancestors actually were chased by all manner of predators, and this fear of being chased and caught has remained part of our hard wired nature.
Even today, after all fears of predation have been removed from our waking lives, dreams of being chased are there to remind us of our earlier animal nature. In modern societies, dreams of being chased can often arise from feelings of general anxiety experienced in the waking hours.
The way the dreamer responds to feels of pressure and anxiety while awake is often reflected in the dream state. Chase dreams can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Often the dreamer will dream about being chased by an attacker or pursuer who the dreamer fears will hurt or kill them. In these dreams, the dreamer attempts to run from, hide from or otherwise outwit the pursuer. These dreams can often be very realistic, and chase dreams are some of the most commonly reported nightmares.
Chase dreams can be reactions to events in your waking life. For instance, there may be something you are supposed to do but have been avoiding. If this proposed action is a source of fear, stress and confusion, is can sometimes manifest in your dream life as an attacker or pursuer. Instead of facing your fear, you are running from it, and the attacker in your dreams represents the thing you are trying to get away from or avoid in real life.
People troubled by recurring dreams of being chased often benefit from an examination of their waking life. Finding the thing that they are running from in real life, and confronting it, is often an effective way of banishing frequent chase dreams.
In some cases the pursuer or attacker in a chase dream represents not an outside force but part of your self instead. Unresolved feelings of anger, jealousy and fear can often enter your dreams in the form of a threatening or frightening figure. In reality, the attacker in your dreams is a representation of these issues in your waking life.
Dreams where you are being chased can be easy to turn around for many people. Some people are better than others at taking an active role in their dream, but everyone who is aware of their dream should at least try to resolve a frightening dream. For instance, the next time you are being chased in a dream, try turning around and confronting the pursuer. Ask the pursuer what he or she wants and why they are chasing you.
People who are indulging in self destructive behaviors, or consumed by self destructive emotions like jealously or anger, are often troubled by dreams of being chased. Chase dreams can be an attempt by your subconscious to reach you and call attention to your self destructive behaviors.
Of course chase dreams do not always have such symbolic interpretation. Often dreams where you are being chased represent literal fear of becoming a crime victim. These type of direct fear chase dreams are more common among women than men. Women, especially those living in high crime areas, often feel vulnerable and afraid in their waking lives, and this fear can spill over into the dream state and manifest itself as a chase dream.
No matter what the reason for the chase dream, it is usually possible to reduce the occurrence of such dreams. The first step is a careful examination of the factors that are causing these dreams to occur. Whether the dream is a manifestation of a symbolic or a literal fear, confronting the thing you are afraid of is the best way to banish these frightening nighttime visitors.

Dreams And Their Interpretation

2008-05-02T20:36:00.001+07:00

Dream interpretation as an actual profession goes back at least as far as ancient Greek and Roman society, but informal dream interpretation is likely as old as dreaming itself. There is good reason to believe that people have been experiencing dreams as long as their have been people, and we know that dreams and their interpretation date back at least as far as 3000-4000 B.C. We know that because the interpretations of various dreams were recorded on stone tablets and found later by archeologists.

Many scientists and anthropologists believe that ancient peoples were unable to distinguish the difference between the real, or physical world, and the dream world, or the world of the unconscious. To many of these people, there was no distinction, and the dream world was simply an extension of the physical world.

In fact, many of these ancient cultures, and some modern ones as well, felt that the dream world is more powerful and real than the physical universe, and that dreams are the soul’s way of communing with the infinite, and gathering knowledge and wisdom from the past.

While science knows a great deal about dreams and their meaning, in many ways dreams remain as much a mystery today as when the first cavemen dreamed about the thrill of the hunt or the fear of running from faster predators.

For instance, scientists still do not know why we dream, or what the purpose of dream sleep is, but they do know that people need to dream. Volunteers deprived of dream sleep experienced all manner of psychological problems, ranging from problems concentrating to visual and auditory hallucinations.

Dream interpretation has a long and storied history, and dream interpreters have been in high demand throughout history. The interpretation of dreams was so important to the ancient Greek and Roman societies that they rode along with soldiers in battle, and advised rulers on the best course of action. Dreams were taken quiet seriously in these societies, and a dream thought to be an ill omen was enough to derail a piece of legislation or even put off a long planned battle.

The culture of ancient Egypt also gave dreams great importance, as well as religious significance. The Egyptians believed that dreams contained messages from the gods, and these messages were to be heeded. We know about the importance the ancient Egyptians placed on dreams, because dreams and their interpretations were recorded in hieroglyphs.

People who had particularly vivid dreams were given a special place in society, and thought to be blessed by the gods. Those who had special abilities to interpret those dreams also enjoyed a blessed status and a special place in Egyptian society.

Egypt was not alone in the Middle East as a source of dreams and dream interpretation. The Bible contains over 700 mentions of dreams, and many dream interpretations as well. The dreams of prophets, and the interpretations of those dreams, played a large role in Biblical history.

Dream interpretation was often looked upon as a form of prophecy, and dreams were often analyzed to provide clues to future events. Dreams were seen to be messages from gods, spirits or from departed relatives.

Dreams About Houses

2008-04-30T08:10:00.001+07:00

Dreams about houses are among the most common. Dreams, both of familiar and unfamiliar houses, are great fun to interpret, and they can even reveal clues into the personality of the dreamer. Clues like whether the house is familiar or strange, comforting or scary, in good repair or falling down, provide interesting insights into the dreamer’s conscious mind.
In addition, each room of the house is a specific symbolic element all its own. Dreaming of one room over another provides clues into your state of mind, your fears, and your anxieties. Let’s start our room by room examination of your “dream house”.
The Attic

The attic is thought to symbolize your higher self, or your spiritual development. Dreams involving an attic, or climbing into an attic, often represent the search for spiritual enlightenment or a higher purpose.

The Bathroom

Dreaming of a bathroom can mean that something is not quite right in your life, and that a cleansing or purging is needed. It can also mean that something in your life is not working, and that you need to move on.

The Kitchen

The kitchen can symbolize the need for nourishment, either in the form of food, or nourishment of the soul through spiritual pursuits. What is in your dream kitchen can be revealing as well. If the kitchen contains all that is needed for a gourmet meal, it can mean that you have all you need in life. If, on the other hand the cupboard is bare of the kitchen is empty, it could mean you need to seek nourishment for your body and your soul.

The Dining Room

Dreaming of the dining room is similar to dreaming of the kitchen, but the dining room tends to symbolize a more immediate need for physical or spiritual nourishment.

The Living Room

The living room is a symbol of your normal daily interactions with the other people in your life. Dreams often include meetings with many other people in the main room or living room of the house.

The Bedroom
Dreams of the bedroom can take several turns. They can be concerned with issues of rest, or with issues of repressed sexuality.

The Upstairs

The upstairs of your “dream house” is often a symbol of your spiritual awakening or your higher self. Dreaming of going upstairs can symbolize a desire for more spirituality or religious fulfillment.

The Downstairs

The downstairs, or basement of the house often symbolizes your subconscious minds and hidden desires. Dreaming of the basement, especially if the dreams are disturbing, is often an attempt to deal with negative aspects of your life or your personality.

The Ground Floor

The ground floor is often seen as a symbol of the current events and daily agenda of your life, or the mundane, everyday aspects of your existence.

Old, Familiar Houses

Revisiting an old, familiar house, or a childhood home, often represents a longing to return to a simpler time. Dreams of childhood homes can also occur when old issues from childhood are resurfacing in your life. Events such as school reunions, or unexpectedly meeting someone from your childhood, can trigger dreams of childhood and childhood houses.

The Hallway

A hallway in a dream can often symbolize the need for a journey to an unfamiliar place in your life, or the need to explore unexplored issues.

The Porch

The porch is often seen as a symbol of being undecided about something in your life. The porch can also be seen as a symbol of being withdrawn, uncommitted and unable to make a decision.

Dreams About Cheating

2008-04-29T10:01:00.005+07:00

Dreams about cheating, either being cheated on or cheating yourself, are some of the most commonly reported, and most troubling, dreams there are. Many people take these dreams as prophecies, and accuse their spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend of cheating in real life. While these kinds of dreams are sometimes valid, most times they are not.

When a dream of a cheating spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend turns out to be accurate, it does not necessarily mean you are psychic. Rather, it probably means that your unconscious mind picked up on some subtle signals that your conscious mind either overlooked or blocked out.

For instance, things like a sudden change in wardrobe, new cologne or sudden interest in fitness can often signal a cheating spouse. It is possible that your unconcious took note of all these signals during the day, and then used your dream state to send a message.

In most cases, however, a dream about a cheating boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse is not about the spouse at all. Rather, the dream is most likely caused by insecurity, anxiety or guilt on the part of the dreamer.

For instance, dreaming about catching your boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse with another partner probably indicates a deep seated anxiety on your part, either worry about your appearance, doubts about your attractiveness, or just generalized anxiety about the future.

Likewise, dreaming that you are cheating on your spouse or significant other can result from guilt you feel about other issues. In some cases these feelings of guilt are not even related to your relationship.

Rather, the guilt could be the result of anything from cutting corners at work to cheating on a test to being less than honest with family members. Thus the cheating is only a symbol of guilt you already feel, not a prediction that you will be stepping out on your husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend.

Dreams about a boyfriend or girlfriend cheating on you tend to be fear based dreams. These dreams do not necessarily represent fear of being cheated on, although those fears can come out in dreams. Instead, the fear could be anything, from fear of failure on a project at work to fear of failing a test at school.

The fear expressed through a boyfriend/girlfriend cheating dream could also be the manifestation of a deep seated childhood fear of abandonment. Children of divorced parents, or children whose parent or parents have died, often express their fear of abandonment through bad dreams, and these dreams can morph into dreams where they are abandoned by a partner or a spouse.

Even though the issues expressed through dreams of cheating and being cheated on are not rooted in the relationship, it is always a good idea to work through the issues that caused the dreams. That is because the issues associated with these kinds of dreams, issues like trust and fear, are important things to work through. Issues with trust, and fear of abandonment can be very damaging to even the strongest relationship.

So whether you are the cheater or the cheatee in your dream, it is important to examine the situations you encounter in your dreams. The situations, places and people encountered while in a dream state often represent real people, places and objects, and learning the connections can allow you to correct the situations that are leading to such feelings of insecurity and anxiety.

Dreams About Arms

2008-04-28T18:14:00.004+07:00

Seeing arms, either your own or someone else’s in a dream is very common. While arms do not always have special significance in dreams, arms can be very significant under some circumstances.
Dreams in which details about arms remembered are likely to be significant, since it tends to be the most significant details that are remembered upon waking. Since dreams fade so quickly, if you are able to remember how arms figured in your dreams, chances are the dream had something important to tell you.
When you see your arms in a dream, especially when they represent an important part of the dream narrative, those arms may be symbols for your nurturing side, and for your desire to reach out and care for the people around you. Dreaming about arms is particularly common in people who are currently caring for, or worried about, a sick friend or family member. Reaching out with the arms in a dream is your mind’s way of telling you how important it is to connect and care for those around you.
Dreams about arms can also be indications of the challenges and struggles in your life. Again, the exact meaning will depend on the context of the arms within the dream narrative. Using your hands and arms for defense can indicate you feel like you are under attack, or that you need to defend yourself.
The impetus for this kind of dream about arms could come from many sources. For instance, perhaps you feel like you are being unfairly singled out for criticism in your job, and you feel a desire to strike back or defend yourself against the onslaught. Or perhaps you feel overwhelmed by events in your life, and you feel the need to struggle against those challenges.
Dreams in which your arm is injured, or dreams in which you appear with your arm in a cast, can signify that you feel an inability to care for yourself. These kind of injured or broken arm dreams an also mean that you are feeling helpless in being able to care for others. People who are caring for a friend or family member whose medical condition is beyond their control may experience dreams in which their arm is injured, or they may see themselves in a cast.
A dream about a broken or injured arm can also mean that the dreamer has been feeling restricted or limited in his or her activities. Seeing yourself constrained in the dream, by a cast or a broken arm, can be a symbol of your perceived restriction of freedom or movement.
The specific arm featured in the dream also carries a significance. The right arm is often seen as a symbol for an outgoing nature, and the right arm is often associated with the masculine side of the dreamer’s nature. The left arm, on the other hand, is more associated with female characteristics, such as nurturing and caring.
A dream in which the dreamer injures someone else’s arms, or even rips them from their sockets, indicate that the dreamer has been repressing anger towards another person, but has been prevented from expressing that anger for one reason or another. Like most dreams about violence, this type of dream stems from a repressed anger and a perceived inability to do anything about it.

Dreaming About People

2008-04-28T18:12:00.003+07:00

People often wonder if the people encountered in dreams are actual, real people, or simply manifestations of their own personality and emotions. Most modern dream interpretation holds that the people in dreams are not actual people at all, but rather symbols for parts of your own personality.

Therefore, the bubbly, exuberant blonde in your dream may into be a real person at all, but rather a side of your personality that you have been afraid to express.

Likewise, negative people encountered in dreams are often manifestations of those parts of the personality that you are ashamed of or wish to repress. Therefore, dreaming of a person you do not like could mean that you need to alter your thinking and be more open minded and accepting of others.

When examining the people in your dreams, it is always a good idea to examine the personalities of these people and try to examine what they might be trying to tell you. Examining parts of your personality you do not like can be a positive result of dream interpretation.

When interpreting dreams about other people, it is important to remember that in the vast majority of cases dreams are about yourself, not about other people. Thus, the people you meet and interact with in your dreams are much more likely to be physical symbols of your own thoughts and desires as they are to be actual representations of actual people.

Therefore, interpreting dreams about other people can be a great way to work through personality and identity issues, and many psychologists and therapists use this approach to dream interpretation.

Of course there are instances in which the people you dream of really do represent actual people. Sometimes these people are relatives or friends who have passed on, while at other times they may be famous people or movie stars whom who have never met.

Dreams in which you meet movie stars or other famous people often represent a longing for something you want but cannot achieve. Sometimes the dream simply represents a conscious desire to meet the person in your dream, but most often the movie star represents something you have been striving for but failing to achieve. This kind of dream is often a way of urging you to try harder to reach your goals.

Many ancient cultures put great stock in dreams which featured departed relatives, and many of these cultures thought of the dream state as the time when the soul left the body to roam free in the spirit world. Even today, many people take dreams of departed relatives or friends very seriously, and they give these dreams many layers of meaning.

These types of spiritual dreams can indeed be very valuable to the dreamer, and a great source of comfort in a time of need. Whether they represent the convergence of souls on the other side, or just the unconscious desire to have the person back in their life, these dreams are some of the best and most fulfilling there are.

Dream Interpretation and Types of Dreams

2008-04-28T18:09:00.005+07:00

Dream researchers have discovered several distinct categories of dreams, and these dream categories can be very useful both to people attempting to interpret their own dreams and to professional psychologist and therapists striving to interpret the dreams of others. This article will discuss these categories of dreams.

1. The Daydream

While not technically a dream, since it takes place while we are awake, researchers are looking into just where the daydream fits on the spectrum of dreaming, and what it can teach us about more traditional dreams.

It is estimated that most people spend between 70 and 120 minutes each day engaged in daydreaming. Daydreaming is thought to be a level of consciousness below that of a normal waking state but above that of sleep. Daydreaming falls about midway between these two extremes.

During a daydream, we allow our imaginations to take us away from the mundane tasks of the day. As the mind is allowed to wander and conscious awareness is reduced, we can become lost in the fantasy or imaginary scenario.

2. The Lucid Dream

Lucid dreams are among the most fascinating subjects in all of dream research. Lucid dreaming takes place when the dreamer realizes that he or she is dreaming while still immersed in the dream. Lucid dreaming occurs in that moment when you tell yourself – “This is only a dream”.

The occurrence of lucid dreams varies widely from person to person, with some people reporting never having lucid dreams and others reporting almost 100% lucid dreams.

While most dreamers wake up when they realize that they are in a dream, other people are able to develop the ability to remain in the dream and take control of it. These people are able to become an active participant in their dreams, and to take the dream narrative where they want it to go. These people experience some of the most enjoyable and interesting dreams.

3. The Nightmare

Many people are troubled by frightening and disturbing dreams, commonly known as nightmares. Young children in particular often suffer from nightmares brought on by fears of monsters in their closets and under the bed, as well as other types of fear.

Of course nightmares are not confined to childhood, and many adults, particularly those who have suffered real life trauma, are particularly susceptible to nightmares. Those people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as soldiers returning from war, and rescue workers who have been through harrowing situations, report a higher incidence of nightmares than the public at large.

Many people who suffer from frequent nightmares report a history of real life problems, including psychiatric problems, problems with drugs or alcohol, or problems with family relationships. Treatment for frequent nightmares should therefore be aimed at dealing with the initial trauma or traumas that created the situation in the first place.

4. The Recurring Dream

Most people have had a recurring dream at one point in their life, a dream that repeats itself, with minor variations or even none at all. Recurring dreams can be about any subject, and they focus on that subject night after night.

Some recurring dreams are positive and uplifting, but studies show the majority of recurring dreams to be negative in nature. Dreams can recur in this manner because the real life event that triggered it has remained unresolved. Dealing with the real life trauma responsible for recurring nightmares is often the best way to banish the bad dream.

Some dreamers report experiencing narrative dreams, in which the dream picks up where it left off night after night. These dreams are somewhat rare, but the people who experience them report them to be very vivid and memorable. Keeping a dream journal can be a big help in both remembering and interpreting these kinds of dreams.

5. The Healing Dream

Healing dreams are often seen as sending a message to the dreamer regarding his or her health. Healing dreams often spur the dreamer to take a long delayed trip to the dentist or doctor.

6. The Prophetic Dream

Prophetic dreams are also known as precognitive dreams, and the people experiencing these dreams often report the ability to use them to foretell the future. Independent studies of these types of dreams are rare, and the jury remains out on whether this ability to see the future exists.

One non supernatural explanation for the prophetic dream is that the subconscious mind pieces together bits of information encountered throughout the day, then puts them together in a form that makes sense to the dreamer.

7. The Epic Dreams

Epic dreams are somewhat rare, but they are unforgettable to those who experience them. Epic dreams are so vivid, and so compelling that they simply cannot be ignored. The tiniest details of these dreams are often remembered for many years. These epic dreams may possess lots of symbols and meaning for the dreamer.

Dream Interpretation and Sigmund Freud

2008-04-28T18:06:00.003+07:00

In the early part of the 19th century, dream interpretation had fallen out of fashion, and almost no one practiced this art seriously. In the early part of the century, dreams were thought to have no meaning at all, and to be simply the result of a heavy meal before bedtime, noises heard in the night and other trivial causes.
By the latter part of the 19th century, however, Sigmund Freud would revolutionize the world of dreams and dream interpretation with his radical new ideas incorporating dreams and deep seated childhood fears.
Born in 1865, Sigmund Freud revolutionized the world of psychiatry and dream interpretation with his seminal work “The Interpretation of Dreams”. Freud started to analyze the dreams of his patients, and he used this dream analysis to diagnose and treat their psychiatric ills.
Freud also studied dreams as a way to understand certain aspects of the personality, especially those aspects that lead to psychological problems and disorders. Freud believed that nothing human beings did happened by chance, and that every action, no matter how small or seemingly trivial, was at some level motivated by the unconscious mind.
Of course in order for a civilized, modern society to function, certain primal needs and desires must be repressed, and Freud’s theory was that these repressed urges and desires were released by the unconscious during dream sleep.
Doctor Freud saw dreams as a direct connection to the unconscious mind, and he studied that connection through the interpretation of symbolic objects found in dreams. The theory was that with the conscious mind acts as a guard on the unconscious, preventing certain repressed feelings from coming to the surface. During sleep, however, this conscious guard is absent, and the subconscious mind is free to run wild and express its most hidden desires.
Freud was especially interested in the sexual content of dreams, and he often saw ordinary objects in dreams as representations of sexual desire. To Freud, every long, slender item encountered in a dream, from a knife to a flagpole, was a phallic image, while any receptacle such as a bowl or vase, represented the female genitalia.
Freud believed in five stages of personality, and he saw dreams as manifestations of desired stemming from each of these five stages. To Freud, personality formation consisted of:
Stage One – Oral/Dependency

Freud’s theory was that any needs not satisfied during the oral/dependency stage would cause the person to go through life trying to meet them. Thus, to Freud, habits such as overeating, drinking to much and smoking were all oral fixations. People suffering from these oral fixations often dreamed about their unmet needs and desires.

Stage Two – Anal/Potty Training

Freud held that improper potty training could traumatize a child, and cause him or her to become anal retentive, rigid and controlling. Such traumatized children often develop obsessive compulsive disorders as well. Recurring dreams of being out of control, such as dreams of falling were common in such people.

Stage Three – Phallic

According to Freud, the personality is completely developed by the time stage three rolls around. The third stage of personality is identified with the Oedipus and Electra complexes. The Oedipus complex represents the love a male child feels toward the mother, coupled with fear and jealousy of the male parent. The Electra complex is the female version of Oedipus, in which the female child feels anger toward the mother and develops “penis envy”.

Stage Four – Latency

Unlike the other stages, the latency period is a time of relative calm. During this stage, the aggression and sexual urges are less intense, and little psychosexual conflict is exhibited.

Stage Five – Genital

This is the period of sexual maturity and the creation and enhancement of life. The stage of sexual maturity is where reproduction, intellectual activity and artistic pursuits take place.

Freud believed that wish fulfillment was the source of dreams, and that dreamers used dreams as a way to satisfy the fixations they had developed during childhood. In addition, issues like power and control frequently manifested themselves in dreams. The central part of Freud’s dream theory was that thoughts and desires repressed during the day were free to run wild during the dream stage.

Since Freud’s death, many have criticized him for seeing sexual motivation behind every dream object. Many have pointed out that Freud was born into the sexually repressed Victorian era, and his preoccupation with sexual matters could have been as much a product of the times in which he lived as a valid scientific theory. Even so, many of Freud’s dream interpretations have proven valid and are still used by psychologists and dream researchers today.

Common Symbols Seen in Dreams

2008-04-28T18:02:00.003+07:00

The objects, symbols and people we see in our dreams can be baffling and confusing at times. Dreams seem to contain their own particular language, and that language can be difficult to read for those who are unfamiliar with dream symbolism. There are a number of symbols in dreams that are thought to be universal. Some of these universal themes include flying, falling, losing teeth, and failing a test. In addition to these universal symbols, however, there are a number of other important symbols encountered in dreams.

Angels
Angels are typically seen as symbols of goodness, purity and wisdom. The appearance of angels in a dream can be a representation of the quest for spiritual goodness, or a desire to improve your live. Angels can also be symbols of enlightenment. Angels often appear in dreams as guides or teachers. The more spiritually minded often see the appearance of angels as omens or messages.

Animals
Animals encountered in dreams are often symbols of our own animal nature or baser instincts. Animals can also be used by the dreaming mind to symbolize repressed desires.

The exact interpretation of an animal dream depends in large measure on the type of animal in the dream. The key to interpreting an animal dream is to examine the nature of the animal dreamed about.

Black
Dreams about black objects can symbolize a fear of aging and death. Black can also represent a perceived void in the dreamer’s life.

Blood
Blood in the dream world can represent power and vitality, but the exact meaning of blood in a dream is depending on the context of the dream. Violent dreams where blood is spilled can represent an emotional upheaval or a loss of control. On the other hands, blood on the hands can represent feelings of guilt.

Cars
Driving a car in your dream can represent the joy of freedom, while dreaming of a car out of control can symbolize danger or a loss of control.

Dancing
A dream dance can have many different meanings, depending on the nature of the dance and its context. Dancing can be a symbol for sex, or for romance. Dancing in a dream can also be a symbol of freedom.

Eggs
Dreaming about eggs can mean a striving for renewal or rebirth, or a feeling of wholeness and unity. Dreaming of broken eggs, on the other hand, can represent a shattering of faith or a shattering of illusions.

Fog
Dreaming of fog can mean the dreamer is confused. Fog in a dream can also mean you are ready to explore unexplored parts of your life or your personality.

Gate
A dream gate can be either an entrance or an exit, deepening on which way it is swinging.

Illness
Dreaming about sickness can be an indication that you need to seek help for a physical ailment. The unconscious mind can be more aware of the body’s condition than the conscious mind.

Keys
Finding keys in a dream can indicate you have been keeping a secret, or that you are locking away a secret life.

Mountains
Dreams in which you are climbing a mountain can symbolize achieving a goal or reaching for higher levels of success. Dreams in which you are climbing down a mountain can mean that you have reached your goals.

Owl
Dreams of owls can represent the need for knowledge and wisdom. In some cases, the owl can be a physical representation of the subconscious mind. In many cases, owls are used to deliver messages in dreams.

Road
The road seen in a dream can indicate the direction the dreamer is headed, and the nature of the road can indicate the perceived nature of the journey. A long straight road can mean smooth sailing ahead, while a winding or bumpy road can indicate perceived difficulties along the way.

Stairs
Dreams of climbing stairs can mean a reaching or a yearning for higher levels of awareness, while deems of descending stairs can mean you fear a diminishing status.

Underground
Dreaming of going underground can symbolize a journey to the subconscious, or it can mean that the dreamer is wrestling with issues he or she is afraid to face. In addition, venturing underground during a dream can mean the dreamer is ready to explore previously hidden issues.

Babies And Dreaming

2008-04-28T17:59:00.003+07:00

Understanding how we dream and why we dream is vital to proper dream interpretation and analysis, and one of the most fascinating areas of dreaming involves the study of babies and young children. Scientists have known for some time now that babies, and all other human beings, dream every night. Many studies have even suggested that babies begin dreaming before they are born.

What these babies dream about, of course, is still a mystery, but a recent study has shown that babies spent considerably more of their sleep time engaged in dream sleep. In the study, babies were found to spend approximately two thirds of their sleep time in the REM state, compared to an average of 15% to 20% for most adults.

In trying to understand the importance of dream sleep to young babies, scientists have theorized that REM sleep plays an important role in the development of the baby’s brain. One reason for this theory is that babies born prematurely have been seen to spend an even greater percentage of their sleep in the REM state than full term babies. Premature babies can spend up to 80% of their sleep time in the REM state.

As babies become older, and the brain matures, the amount of time spent in dream sleep begins to decrease. By the time the average baby is one year old, the percentage of sleep time spent in the REM sleep has dropped to 35%. This finding is thought to suggest that REM sleep is important to the baby’s mental development. It is known that adults deprived of REM sleep suffer from a variety of psychological problems, so it makes sense that REM sleep and mental development are connected.

As a matter of fact, many scientists and dream researchers believe that dreaming is a way that the mind is exercised and provided with much needed stimulation. Therefore, babies, who do not get as much stimulation as older people, need more stimulation thorugh the dream state. As babies get older and begin to experience more stimulation from the real world, they need less stimulation and mental exercise from the dream world.

Knowing that babies dream is certainly important to parents, just as understanding that young children often suffer from nightmares is important for parents to be able to soothe and comfort the fears experienced by their sons and daughters.

Dream research has revealed that babies can have bad dreams and nightmares as well as positive dreams. Therefore, when the baby wakes up crying in the middle of the night, it may be the result of a bad dream and not gas, hunger of the need for a diaper change. In most cases, comforting the child will help he or she to fall asleep.

As children get older, it is easier for parents to at least understand the nightmares they may suffer from. Nightmares usually begin to occur by the time the child is three years old, and they most often continue until the child reaches the age of six or seven. These types of nightmares often take the form of a fear of monsters in the closet, under the bed or in other hidden places.

No one knows for sure why we dream, but the fact that young children, and even babies, spend much of their lives in dream sleep is proof of the universal nature of dreaming and the importance of dream interpretation.

Archetypal Symbols In Dreams

2008-04-28T17:57:00.003+07:00

Archetypes are among the most powerful and most significant of all items found in dreams, and they are of great interest to dream interpreters and to dream researchers and scientists alike. At its simplest, an archetype is a prototype, or an original copy, of any object or experience. An archetype can also refer to the prefect example of an object – the object by which all others are judged.

This article will examine several important prototypes encountered in dream interpretation. The first of these archetypes is the animus.

The animus is a term used by psychologist Carl Jung to represent the masculine side of the female. Jung felt that women possessed a unconscious masculine imprint, and he called this imprint the animus.

Women become familiar with the nature of the animus through a constant questioning of ideas and opinions, and of gender roles and identity. When coming to terms with her masculine side, the woman learns to criticize her opinions and hold them at a distance. This does not mean repressing those opinions; it simply means investigating where they come from, and delving more deeply into their background.

Dream interpretation can often be a big help in discovering the masculine side of a woman, and the woman who dreams of being a man is often exploring her masculine nature.

According to Jung, women go through four stages of development when exploring and discovering their animus. In stage one, he animus may appear in dreams, and he may represent the ultimate embodiment of physical power. Thus the animus may appear as an athlete, a highly muscular man, or even as a criminal or thug.

In stage two, the animus gives the woman the initiative and the ability to take action. Women in this stage are often ready to take on careers and lives of their own, apart from their family and other role models.

In stage three of the development process, the animus may be seen in dreams as a clergyman, professor or other authority figure. During this stage, the animus represents knowledge and wisdom.

In the final stage, the animus comes to represent spirituality and deeper meaning. During this stage, the animus moves back and forth between the conscious and unconscious mind, still appearing frequently in dreams but appearing in the waking world as well.

The other popular dream archetype is the Mandela. A Mandela can be either a complex or a simple geometric design or pattern, usually in the form of a circle. Mandelas are frequently seen in Native American ceremonies, and they make up a big part of the religious experiences of many Native American and indigenous peoples around the world.

The Mandela also figures prominently in Eastern religions, and it is used to represent the universe in both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. In Jungian philosophy the Mandela is the symbol for the self. The Mandela is also used to symbolize the circle of life, completeness or wholeness.

Dreams can use any one of these meanings, or a combination of several meanings, for the Mandela. Dreaming of a Mandela or seeing a Mandela in your dreams, is often seen as a spiritual yearning, or as a greater enlightenment.

It is important to know that archetypes such as the animus and the Mandela are universal in nature, showing up again and again in religions and mythologies around the world and across the time. Their universal nature if one of the things that gives them such power and influence, both in the world of dream interpretation and in the waking world.

Even so, it is important to note that the appearance of these symbols in dreams can have very different meanings and interpretations for each individual dreamer. Even thought the symbols are universal, each individual is unique, and personal experience plays a large role in making each individual dream symbol unique as well.

Analyzing and Interpreting Your Dreams

2008-04-28T17:54:00.003+07:00

The meanings of dreams are as personal and unique as the people who dream them. No one interpretation, no matter how universal, will apply to every dream, dream symbol or dream situation. When analyzing or interpreting a dream, it is always important to pay attention to the details of the dreams, your feelings within the dream world, and of course, what is going on in your own life.
If you do wish to interpret your dreams, either purely for fun or to pursue personal and spiritual growth, there are a few pointers that will help you get the most from your dream world.
1. As you awaken, immediately replay the dream scenario in your head. It is important to do this immediately, preferably before you even open your eyes. The dream world slips away quickly, and as much as 50% of it can be gone in a mere five minutes. By the time ten minutes has passed, more than 90% of the dream’s contents may be lost. Replaying the dream in your head will help you remember more of those tantalizing details.
2. Immediately write down a description of the dream, focusing on key objects, symbols or feelings. Write a few words about each key element in the dream quickly, before they are forgotten, they go back later and fill in the gaps. Again, it is important to write your dream down as quickly as possible. Keeping a notebook by the bed will be a big help.
3. Choose a quiet place in your home to begin your interpretation process. Cutting yourself of from sources of distraction will be very important. The space you choose should be as quiet and peaceful as possible. If no such space is available, review your notes a final time, fill in any details you can remember, and come back to them later.
4. Use your intuition as you review your dream notes and try to make sense of your dream. You may already know on an instinctual level what your dreams are trying to tell you. Connecting with your intuition can help you connect with your unconscious mind. If you meditate, a short meditation session can often be a big help. Connecting with your inner self is always a huge help when it comes to interpreting and analyzing dreams.
5. As you review your dream notes, pay close attention to the emotions they stir in you. Paying close attention to your emotional state, both at this moment and during the dream, can help you to understand what your dream really meant.
6. Think very carefully about any vivid details, situations, locations, sensations or symbols that make the dream memorable. Open your heart as well as your mind and carefully explore the possible meaning of each symbol, situation and event. It may be helpful to jot down the impressions in your dream journal or notebook. As you search for meaning, don’t limit yourself to obvious interpretations. For instance, dreaming about a missed appointment could simply mean you are worried about being late for work, but that missed appointment could also symbolize a feeling of missed opportunity in your life.
7. Running an inner dialog with the people or objects you dreamed about is often helpful as well. This inner dialog is especially useful when trying to determine why you dreamed about certain people. Try asking them in your head “why am I dreaming about you?”, “what are you doing in my dream?”. It is also helpful to know that often people in our dreams are symbols of aspects of our own personality instead of literal people.
8. If you are stuck for an interpretation, it is a good idea to leave your dream notebook and come back to it later. It may also be helpful to discuss the dream with others, or to consult an expert on dream interpretation.

A Word About Dream Analysis And Interpretation

2008-04-28T17:49:00.005+07:00

It is quite likely that dreams have existed for as long as their have been humans to dream them. Dreams are an integral part of the human experience, and every person dreams at least four times, and as many as seven times, each and every night for their entire lives. It is even thought that unborn babies dream while they are still in the womb.

With such an important place in human history, it is no wonder that dream interpretation has such a long and storied history. Everyone wants to know what his or her dreams mean, and dream interpretation and analysis is likely as old as dreams themselves.

The interpretation and analysis of dreams is known to go back at least as far as 3000-4000 B.C., since a number of stone tablets containing dream interpretations have been discovered by archeologists.

People in primitive societies were often thought to make no distinction between the world of dreams and the waking world. Indeed, many people thought of the dream world as more real than the physical one, and thought that the world encountered in dreams was merely an extension of the physical world.

Many ancient peoples thought of the dream world as the time when the soul left the body to commune with the world of the spirits. It was thought that the soul departed the body each night, and visited the world of the ancestors. During this time the dreamer’s soul was gathering knowledge and wisdom from departed ancestors, both recent and ancient.

In other societies, those who could interpret and analyze dreams were held in very high regard, and given a special place in their societies. The Romans and Greeks in particular paid much attention to the analysis of dreams, and they used the analysis of dreams to determine the best course of action in matters ranging from politics to warfare.

The ancient Egyptians as well saw knowledge, power and spirituality in dreams, and gave those who could analyze and interpret them an honored place in the world. The ancient Egyptians often saw dreams as a way for the gods to communicate with the mortal world, and those dream messages were taken very seriously.

Many societies placed special emphasis on dreams that were seen to be prophecies. The dreams of generals on the eve of battle were given special analysis, and those interpretations often figured into the decisions made on the battlefield.

The ancient and modern world are both full of dreams seen to be prophetic. The Bible in particular is a rich source of information on all kinds of dreams and prophecies, and there are many dreams and interpretations of dreams contained within the pages of the Bible. The prophets of the Old Testament often consulted with dream interpreters for advice on politics, warfare and other relationships.

During the early part of the 19th century, the interpretation of dreams fell out of favor, and dreams were given little significance during that time. During this period of time, dreams were thought to be the result of bad food, indigestion, anxiety or even noises in the night.

Later in the 19th century, however, Sigmund Freud would start his psychiatric practice and revolutionize the interpretation of dreams. Freud’s work on dreams is still considered a seminal work even today, and many of Freud’s theories of dream interpretation are still studied and followed over a century later.

A Brief History Of Dreams And Their Interpretation

2008-04-28T17:13:00.002+07:00

The interpretation of dreams by dream experts may be almost as old as dreaming itself. We know that all humans, and many animals, dream every night, and humans have always been fascinated to learn what causes dreams and what they mean.

The interpretation of dreams dates back at least as far as 3000-4000 B.C. We know that because the interpretations of dreams were recorded in permanent form on clay tablets. It is thought that many primitive peoples were unable to initially distinguish between the real world and the dream world.

In many cases, these people looked upon the dream world as an extension of the physical world around them, and in many cases they saw the dream world as more powerful than the waking one.

Dream interpretation was such an important field to the ancient Greek and Roman world that dream interpreters often accompanied generals and other military leaders into battles. Dreams were taken extremely seriously, and the Greeks and Romans in particular often viewed dreams as messages sent by their gods.

Dreams also had a religious content in ancient Egypt, and priests their doubled as dream interpreters. Dreams were among the items recorded by the ancient Egyptians in the form of hieroglyphics.

Those whose dreams were especially vivid or significant were thought to be blessed and were given special status in these ancient societies. Likewise, people who were able to interpret dreams were thought to receive these gifts directly from the gods, and they enjoyed a special status in society as well.

There are over 700 mentions of dreams in the bible, and people in biblical times saw dreams as very significant. Dreams and their interpretations are mentioned in many of the most significant books of the bible and other holy scriptures.

In many cases, dreams were often seen as a form of prophecy. People often interpreted their dreams as omens or warnings, and adjusted their activities accordingly. Dreams were often thought of as omens from deities, as messages from spirits, or as messages from departed souls. In some cases, dreams were even seen as the work of demons, meant to confuse and trouble the dreamer.

Dreams were so important that they often dictated the actions of political and military leaders, affecting everything from the prosecution of a battle to the outcome of a political decision. Dreams were also thought to provide vital clues to healers, and they were used in the diagnosis and treatment of all manners of illness.

Dreaming was often looked upon by indigenous peoples as a way to commune directly with gods and spirits, and dreams are still used in this way by cultures around the world. Many people believed, and some still do, that during dream sleep the soul leaves the body and communes with the spirit world.

The Chinese were one culture who believed that the soul left the body each night during dream sleep. They believed that if the dreamer were suddenly awakened the soul may not be able to return to the body. That is why some Chinese are still leery about the use of alarm clocks. This is just one example of how ancient legends can linger into the modern world.

Some Mexican and Native American societies share this ancient view of the importance of dreams, and share the belief in a separate dimension that is visited during dream sleep. These people believed that their departed ancestors lived in their dreams, and that they were able to take forms like animals and plants.

Thus dreams were seen as a way for them to commune with their recent and ancient ancestors, and to gather wisdom and knowledge that would serve them in their waking lives. Dreams were also seen as ways to gather information about their purpose or mission in life.

The respect for dreams changed radically early in the 19th century, and dreams in that era were often dismissed as reactions to anxiety, outside noises or even bad food and indigestion.

During this period of time, dreams were thought to have no meaning at all, and interest in dream interpretation all but evaporated. This all changed, however, with the arrival of Sigmund Freud later in the 19th century. Sigmund Freud stunned the world of psychiatry by stressing the importance of dreams, and he revived the once dead art of dream interpretation.