In these contemporary times, dream symbolism has taken on a more psychological view which also tends to be the currently accepted world view. Nearly everyone today is familiar with the psycho-analytical work of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung who basically both believed that dreams had their own language and logic based in the unconscious. Their personally approaches to dream analysis is where the psychological camp became divided with Freud an advocate of ‘contra-desire’ and free association symbolism and Jung who believed in ‘sticking with the images’ and their connection to the Universal Archetype only as they pertained exclusively to the life and experience of the individual.
There are all sorts of “Dream Books” on the market today ranging from serious psychological texts to the more esoteric brands. The psychological spin on the subject often lists common dreams and their possible ‘conscious time’ connections and meanings. For example, a dream of flying by one’s own volition is a very common dream as is being naked in public or falling.
Flying dreams are generally pleasant or unpleasant but should this opportunity come up in the dream state it is not likely the dreamer will pass up being able to soar freely from one place to the next. Some of the ancients believed that the higher one soared in a dream the luckier he would be in his waking life… soaring to the heights so to speak. Modern psychology would ask the individual to define how he or she felt while flying in the dream and if those feelings in any way equated with a waking life situation. If pleasant, the dreamer would be asked if the dream equated with any conscious situation whereby the individual wished he or she felt as good as was portrayed in the dream. If unpleasant, the dreamer would be asked if the dream paralleled any life circumstance that was threatening triggering reticence to cope.
The being naked in public dream has had several meanings in the world of psychology. Freud relegated it to a waking need for exhibitionism based upon infantile tendencies and wishes for freedom. In the 1950’s, Psychoanalyst Emil Guthiel expressed that he thought this dream revealed the dreamer’s feelings of guilt or inferiority thus bolstering the waking sense of justification for personal shortcomings. Today this dream is thought to exemplify anxiety or worry over feeling vulnerable and being exposed particularly concerning matters of sexual prowess.
Finally, the falling dream and the misnomer that if the dreamer hits the ground he or she will die. Almost any practicing psychologist will tell you that they have spoken to many dreamers who have hit the ground in a falling dream and lived to tell about it! Nearly all also agree that dreams of falling are generally dreams relating to anxiety connected to loss or failure. In this case the dreamer is often asked about the part of the dream that precedes the fall and how that might equate with a conscious time situation.
DREAM THEMES
One thing that has remained a constant since ancient times is the importance of recognizing the main theme of a dream. This is easier to determine in some dreams more than others if the dream tends to have less tangents or minor frivolous details. To discern the theme of a dream and the subconscious wish it is helpful to record the dream in the following way:
- Jot down the dream “story” (try to keep down to a one page synopsis) during a time of the day when you are relaxed and undisturbed but do so within 12 hours. Some of the minor details may be lost but this is actually a help not a hindrance.
- Divide the dream into its parts or elements such as settings, people, characters, animals, objects, emotions, dilemmas, and actions. Don’t forget to note any outstanding colors. Dream breakdown is done only to avoid overlooking something that may be important to analysis.
- Since you are actually one of the dream elements, note whether you had an active role in the dream or a passive observer role.
- Highlight the main elements of the dream.
- Ask yourself if any of the main elements relates to a recent event or idea in your life that you are currently struggling with or considering. Also allow yourself to memory associate to see if the dream relates to anything from your past.
Dream Theme Example
Summary: “ I (active role) was in my house doing my routine (setting)
domestics when I became aware of a terrible commotion (action) outside.
When I went outside I saw Shiva the Hindu god of destruction (character)
tearing up the neighborhood destroying (action) everything in his path. He
was jumping from rooftop to rooftop smashing and burning everything.
Finally he landed on the roof of my house and I was very frightened
(emotion) trying to figure out a way to get out. ” (dilemma) Dream ends.
This was the dream of nice Hindu woman who for many years had been holding a serious religious occasion for her community in her home. This was an important event in the community which lasted a full week and ran a full 24 hours each day with people coming and going at all hours. It took tremendous planning for the religious aspects, food, lodgings, and entertainment. She and her husband were considered pillars of the community and her husband wanted to continue the event on an annual basis but she has grown tired of it all and needed a break. She was also upset about the wear and tear everything was taking on her beautiful home. She expressed her wishes to her husband who was resentful and who kept arguing with her in an attempt to change her mind. The dream occurred the day after her husband expressed a vehement counter argument in favor of the festivities. After a brief analysis it was discerned that the subconscious wish was to be free of the guilt she felt by declining to host any further festivities. She felt trapped and was looking for a way out of the situation. She was also worried that she would be punished on a spiritual level because she was declining to do her duty and was concerned about losing face in the community. It just so happened that this woman’s personal patron god was Shiva.
Once the dream was analyzed she felt better. She was able to reason with her husband who finally agreed to take a break. She spent the following year having her home repaired and painted. She was able to bring her subconscious wish to conscious fruition.