Dreaming 101: How To Interpret Your Dreams Part One

Interpreting your dreams can be fun, and enlightening. It is interesting to note, that a person’s dreams actually come to reflect the interpretation style the user is relying upon. If a person uses a Jungian style, they will have Jungian style dreams. The mind seems to adapt to whatever system we teach it, and make the symbols available in that language.

Anyone with half a brain can use this system, and no book is required. There are a few books out there based on this system, but your personal interpretations will be far better.

The majority of systems out there rely on predefined symbol systems that were created by ancient occultists, philosophers, or psychologist. The belief’s of those who created these systems, tainted the final outcome they offer us as truth.

Each symbol is nothing more than what it is. Really, it is a WUSIWUG. What you see, is what you get. Think literally. A monster in your dreams, is something monstrous seeming in your life. A phone call is a symbol of communication. Your car is a symbol of what is moving you through life. For years I had a dream that I was always the passenger, and usually in the backseat. This was in part due to my no longer driving, but the backseat part was unmistakably symbolic.

Some symbols are a little bit more difficult to interpret off of the top of your head. For animal symbols, I find the Native American tradition has some excellent insights.

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You may hear the name of a person, or a place in your dreams, or foreign words you have never heard before. Whenever you can, record these, and Google them when you can. I have discovered some incredible things in my dreams, that I had no conscious knowledge of.

Another thing to keep note of in dreams relates directly to Freud’s ideas, but they are far more ancient than Freud. Those symbols that are projective(such as a spire), are masculine, and those symbols that are receptive(such as a cave), are feminine. Some people get in a huff over classifying things in this way, but it is just an inherent aspect of realty. Everything is based off of projective/receptive patterns, it is part of the universes foundation.

Another way to interpret your dreams, is from the perspective of a whole story, rather than individual symbols. As an example, here is a short dream I had this week.

I am living in this place that has a fish tank, and pets within it. I go over and look inside, and see a guinea pig, and fish swimming around in the water. The fish tank is only half full of water. I realize I have been so neglectful! Why the poor fishies don’t have enough water, and I haven’t fed them in…I can’t remember when! The poor little guinea pig is wandering around on the bottom, looking like he is starving, and I wonder how all of these creatures are still alive! I go and get some fish food, and sprinkle it about on the water’s surface. I ponder whether I even have any food for the guinea pig, and I am very worried about the little guy.

As a whole story, I was easily able to ascertain that I was neglecting the little things in my life lately, and was focused too much on my blogging. The next day, I made efforts to amend this. This is the purpose of interpretation, to aid in making conscious life choices.

It may take a little practice, learning to interpret your dreams, but it is quite an empowering experience. This skill bleeds over into other areas of life, which I will talk about in another piece.

Dream true everyone!

[tags]dreams, dream interpretation, freud, Jung, symbol systems, shadowmyth, self improvement, lockergnome[/tags]