Dreams explained

Forums ► Misc Topics ► Dreams explained
Reply to this post oldest 1 newest Start a new thread

Pages: oldest 1 newest

Dreams explained
By:
Post # 1
So in light of dream interpretation kind of getting really popular in the forum postings, I figured it wouldn't hurt to kind of put this little PSA post out there as well.

From a purely psychobiological standpoint, dreams serve the function of helping our brain encode information we process throughout the day. This includes emotions, images, thoughts, conversations... basically, any and all experiences are fair game for dream fodder. While there isn't much empirical research available on dreams (they've mostly been a hot button topic of debate for metaphysics), there is a LOT of "dream interpretation" methods and reasonings out there. In some cultures, dreams are revered as messages from the divine. In others, they are viewings of past lives. For some, it's a chance to go to the astral plane. And for others, like lucid dreamers, dreaming is an exercise of mental control.

There are some who claim their dreams are prophetic visions, glimpses into the future that more often than not come out jarbled and nonsensical until the events happen and unfold in real life. There are others who are plagued by nightmares, dark disturbing and vivid dreams that leave them ragged and weary by morning, and believe it to be because they have some kind of demonic influence working against them. Others have vivid dreams that might not be nightmarish, but still leave can leave a sense of being unsettled, and a little out of touch with reality depending on the content. Some use dreaming as a means of communing with their spiritual guides, other astral members, past lives, and various other dream-induced activities.

But just because you might be having a recurring dream about owls pecking your eyes out, or your crush suddenly whisking you off your feet and turning into a river, doesn't mean that you have to analyze your dreams to death to uncover some hidden meaning. More often than not, your dreams are probably just your subconscious coming out to play, and doing its thing of encoding info in your brain while you sleep. Read up on different dream interpreting resources; don't rely on others to tell you what your dream "means", because everyone will undoubtedly have some different meaning. If you dream a lot about animals and feel like it has more significance than just you're an animal lover, learn about animal symbolism. Learn about dreams and their importance throughout different practices, cultures, and religions. Learn about the effects that different herbs/stones/food/materials/etc. can have on your dreams. Keep a dream journal, where you document your dream experiences, and keep notes on what you think the dream means. This is a good method for becoming an intuitive dream reader, if you're into that sort of thing. Study up on the further psychological studies of dreams, and get familiar with things like manifest and latent content.

If dream interpretation is a skill you want to add to your arsenal, then you have to practice practice practice, and study study study. Discern credible and reliable resources and materials from fluffy/weird/and otherwise super unhelpful stuff. Keep record of your sources, give credit where credit is due, and do so until you are comfortable and experienced enough to start giving your own intuitive readings. Seek out other active and knowledgable dream interpretators, but don't just go to them for quick shot readings, fast answers, or anything else like that. Their time is precious, their knowledge is vast, and don't waste it on trying to squeeze them for info you can probably just pick out of a quick google search.

And don't forget: while sharing your dreams and asking for second opinions and advice is not a bad thing, you still need to make sure you put a little self initiative effort into the journey as well. Like I said...google can be your best friend, or at least let you know what resources to steer clear of. If you live near a library, there are probably tons of resources available on dreams and dream interpretations. Get familiar with the process behind discerning meanings before fixating primarily on just getting the meanings out of dreams...and don't spend too much time agonizing over them. Like Albus Dumbledore said, "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."
Login or Signup to reply to this post.

Reply to this post oldest 1 newest Start a new thread

Pages: oldest 1 newest