Last December, 2019 I have recurrent dreams which I was compelled to share just recently after some parts of it came true. Then, just today (Jan. 28, 2020), 2 complete strangers sent me a private message to share their dreams. And I was surprised that they were both in a stressful, depressive state (one is suicidal) and was relieved after talking with them and interpreting their dreams. The method I used was the same method I’ve learned 20yrs plus ago during my College days, and surprisingly it worked! These 2 complete strangers were comforted and relieved.

So let me share in this short article, what is Dream Therapy or Dream Analysis and how you can use it to help you interpret your dreams.

DREAM THERAPY – uses dreams to analyze emotional problems, stressors and connecting the subconscious mind into the conscious state.

Dream analysis is a therapeutic technique best known for its use in psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud viewed dreams as “the royal road” to the unconscious and developed dream analysis, or dream interpretation, as a way of tapping into this unconscious material.Feb 2, 2016 – http://www.goodtherapy.com

Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis, believes that dreams concealed conscious thoughts. Dreams reflect the ID (desire), Ego (current state of mind) and Super ego (conscience) or the conscious and the subconscious.

So are you having nightmares? Are you having recurrent dreams? The next time you do, try to follow these steps:

SIMPLE Methods to Interpret your dreams (and help your real life situations):

1. Make a Dream Journal – Upon waking up write down your dreams, in as much details as possible.
2. Think of the relationships you have with the people in your dream (boyfriend, husband, mother, etc)
3. Take note of the color (black and white, or colored dreams)
4. Take note of the symbolism in your dream (knife, telephone, ladder, etc.)
5. Take note of the succession of the story
6. Interpret

Remember, the Dreamer is the Best interpreter.

Let us take for example the complete strangers who pm’d me and shared their dreams;

Girl #1, 15 yrs old

Dream Story:

I was late in class, and my teacher was already discussing who will not make  make it in Gr. 11, and she already called 2 students. I don’t know what happened next as I already woke up. Then I remembered in my dreams I told my teacher after being late ” Just slap me Sir, and I was kneeling down in my dreams.”

Interpretation:

While interpreting, we need to know the symbolism or flow of the story if it relates to real life. This type of dream is quite easy since it obviously reflects the real life scenario. Though the dreamer was not aware of it and was so consumed with “depression” and problems.

Symbols and interpretations:

Late in class – an indication of something missed, catching up (in this situation a difficult subject)

Grade 11 – the future, the goal

Teacher – person of authority

Wishing to be hurt (asking to be slapped) – thinking that she must be punished for her inability to meet the class standards

Kneeling down – helplessness

Analysis:

In real life, she is having difficulty in one of her subjects. She cannot tell her problems to anyone. Her mother was already dead, and she have a 60+ father left with her. She cannot rely to her older siblings since they always put her down.

So upon, interpreting her dreams (this wasn’t mind reading) it is just connection of symbols and life events) we have brought her feelings into the surface (feeling of depression, suicidal) and gave her an initial insight and friendly advice (if there is a suicidal tendency, it is better to seek professional help for proper assessment and medication if needed.

Girl #2,  who pm’d me and share her dreams have a more complex dream but when analysed presented her current situation, emotions and what her subconscious mind is telling her to do.

I divided it into 4 episodes which the dream had, and after analysis it presented the ff.:

1. Her current mood state / situation
2. Her relationship with others
3. Her defense mechanism
4. What she needs to do

1st episode symbols to take note:

Classmates – depicts other people, how she brags about her relationship with her boyfriend

Cloud 9 candy – she was giving away Cloud 9 candy which denotes she was pretending to be happy, some believes it, other don’t

Church – their future plan of marriage

Earthquake – the shaky, terrible stress or problem their relationship had

2nd episode

Mother – She is warning her mother not to step on the ladder which is already breaking apart

Ladder – A crooked ladder, a means that is just an inch away from breaking

Nephews, nieces – those close to her and her boyfriend

Boyfriend – saying “I’m going home happy

Interpretation: She was trying to salvage a very damaged relationship. Her mother or other people around her pretends not to see the situation. Plus, it is the means of communication (ladder, bridge) to reach her bf. The smiling boyfriend in the dream saying his happy to be home, was a real life reflection of his boyfriend who once said that he is now happier and enjoying his freedom away from her.

3rd episode

Flour – she was buying a flour which means she will be cautious in the coming days

She then looked for the flour and found pepper with it

Pepper means she needs to add spice in her relationship

4th episode

She was walking with her dog (which is bigger in her dreams) and seen numerous dogs in the street

It may mean, she should be cautious, and guarded and protect herself. She should take care of herself more.

Analysis:

However, horrible the nightmare seem to be it was a reflection of her current stress, depression and anxieties. That it have finally reflected in her dreams.

Dreams are sometimes so scary that we often cry upon waking up. Or so sad that we also carry the emotions in the real world. If you cannot comprehend your dream, you may voice out your fears with a friend or a therapist if you are also under too much pressure and stress, have feeling of depression etc.

So what to do next?

After interpreting your dream here’s what you can do:

1. PRAY -Prayer is POWERFUL! If your having nightmares or suffering from stress, pray it all out. If it is too much to take just say “In Jesus Name” or a Prayer of your choice based on your faith. Pray for knowledge to analyze your current self and situation and pray for Guidance to lead you to wise decisions.
2. Take note of the important symbols your dreams tell you, and based on this, do some action in the real world. If you still cannot change your current situation, try to change your reaction in your dreams. For example: If your running away from someone in your dreams, the next time try to face him/her. Maybe he/she is not pursuing you but you were just running away or escaping some truth.
3. Take some actions in your life that would lead to self-care. Our dreams often reflects our deepest wishes and it is usually reflects whenever we felt hopeless. For example: you were always crying in your dream, consciously try to smile the next time you had this bad dream. You can do it with practice.
4. Accept some truths at the time that you cannot do anything with it at the moment. It will soon come to pass, believe me.

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Ooppss, I got a new Facebook page where you can share your dreams at Dream Journal .

On our next article I’d like to tackle on Nightmares and how to deal with it, share your thoughts in the comments section below.