In This Issue
Feature Article:
Dream Management
Dreams in Mythology:
Morpheus, God of Dreams
Famous Dreams:
Mark Twain's Dream
Reader's Dream Analysis:
The Game
Reader Comments:
From The Editor:
Feature Article:
Dream Management
Dreams in Mythology:
Morpheus, God of Dreams
Famous Dreams:
Mark Twain's Dream
Reader's Dream Analysis:
The Game
Reader Comments:
From The Editor:
Happy New Year, Upcoming Issues
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This Month's Quote
Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake
—H.D.Thoreau 1849
—H.D.Thoreau 1849
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H A P P Y N E W Y E A R
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Feature Article
This is a rather long article, so I've split it into two parts. The second part will be continued in next month's issue.
To understand the usefulness of creative dreaming and dream management fully, we must have a basic comprehension of the meaning and function of all types of dreams. We need to have some kind of idea as to what their purpose is for us, from both a psychological and spiritual point of view. How can we use our dreams to help us manage our everyday lives? Can we make a radical shift in our lives and change them for the better and not make use of dreams? Certainly we can ascertain that dreams will often highlight our innermost fears or will warn of impending sickness. Surely we can use them in other ways to learn about ourselves and to maximize the potential within. It isn't enough to remark on the fact that something is happening in a dream –we also need to know why. What was the rationale behind the dream? To do this we must be able to remember our dreams.
To be able to control dreams, we first have to define what ‘control’ actually means on an individual level. You may decide that you wish to stop having bad dreams. You may wish to use dreams to make something happen in ordinary everyday life. You may wish to have your dreams solve a problem, such as a personal or business decision that needs to be made.
For the purpose of this article, the definition of control is simply “the potential to be able to influence, either voluntarily or involuntarily, what happens.” This suggests first of all, that you can influence your dreams through lucid dreaming and through dream incubation (pre-sleep request). Secondly, this suggests that you can have an influence on your everyday life through the management of your dreams. Your actions will have an effect on what occurs. However, you do need to differentiate between voluntary and involuntary control. Voluntary control means that you decide you want something in particular to happen and take steps to cause it. Involuntary control refers to unintended consequences of your actions. An example of voluntary control in a dream is to confront a figure within a nightmare and to bring it into submission. Involuntary control is to wake up from the nightmare, not dealing with the issue at hand.
It’s possible to begin to control dreams even before you enter into the dream state. The simplest way to learn control is to try to choose the topic of the dream. This is a form of dream incubation. Often, initial attempts at dream incubation are unsuccessful, or inconclusive. With practice, however, you will begin to see that it's what the unconscious has understood the topic to be. For example, if you request a dream to show you the way forward, you may have a dream in which the image is of you playing ball with a dictionary. The dreaming self (or unconscious) has interpreted your request for the way “forward” as “for word.”
Another aspect of dream control is to try to influence the setting of the dream. Normally such attempts have had little success –it’s almost as though the dreaming self needs to choose its own scenario to get its message across to the conscious mind. It’s a total mystery as to what determines the original setting and situation where one finds oneself in a dream, unless it's the search for information and psychological balance. Some dream workers contend that dream control can only occur within the framework of the original dream setting. That is, any inappropriate action we may attempt to force upon the setting is blocked.
This line of thought doesn’t allow for the inexplicable and sudden changes which may occur in the ordinary dream scenario. Often these spontaneous changes alert the dreamer to the fact that he or she is dreaming and opens up the possibility of dream manipulation. We do have the ability to exercise what has been called concurrent control –the ability to decide on, or change, the course of a dream as it happens. We can choose to change a dream setting at will.
Being successful in creating a dream scenario doesn’t necessarily mean that one has the ability to control the developing story of events in a dream. It’s only with fairly comprehensive training that we’re able to make adjustments to more than one component of the dream. It’s the observer part of the dreamer, the self-awareness, which experiences and assesses the events happening. There’s some evidence, however, that highly motivated people can consciously choose to dream about their chosen subjects. Post-hypnotic suggestions have also been used to bring about particular dream goals. In controlling dreams there are inevitably certain questions which arise:
- Do we have more control over our experiences in dreaming than in waking?
- Can we program or control our dreams?
- Does controlling dreams affect our waking life?
The answer to the first question is ‘No, not consciously.’ It’s only when we choose to work consciously with our dreams and to impose an element of control on them, that we can allow ourselves to make comparisons between our waking and sleeping selves. In the waking state, we’re often consciously imposing controls and inhibitions, which means that we make decisions in the light of what we “know” to be real; in the dreaming state, the subconscious rationalizes its decisions only in the light of the unfolding events of the dream story.
To the question of programming, the answer is “yes, with practice and belief in the ability.” As noted above, it’s possible to choose, in our waking state, the topic of the dream, although not necessarily the course of dream events or the actual dream scenario. Because dreams are entirely created by the inner self, it should be possible to experience anything imaginable. However, it may be that we fail because we aren't able to summon up enough creativity. We may not have enough emotional investment in the process to enable us to create suitable images or energy patterns. Some dream workers also argue that there are physiological limitations on the ability to control dream imagery.
In answer to the third question, there’s an interrelationship between the dream state and waking life. It is, in fact, two-way traffic. Just as our waking life affects our dream time (day residue), so also we can use the information and images we receive from our dreams in various creative ways in our waking time.
There are many dream workers who disagree with the principle that dreams should be controlled in any way whatsoever. However, because you, as a dreamer, are not in a laboratory setting, you may want to experiment and to try out various ways of controlling and managing aspects of your dream life. It’s worth remembering that even now opinions vary as to why we dream, so it’s more than probable that your own beliefs will play a significant part in how much control or what sort of control you will impose.
If you believe that dreaming helps to balance your psychological makeup in some way, you’ll not wish to impose too much control on the dreaming process. On the other hand, if you believe that the lucidity reached in dreams can help you gain a measure of peace and tranquility and even bliss (as believed by Tibetan Buddhists), then you may choose to experiment with more control. Equally, if you believe that the dreaming self holds within itself answers which are not consciously available (as I believe), then you will wish to access this material through dreams.
The rich imagery which is available to us in dreams, both lucid and otherwise, means that we must learn to make use of two states of awareness. These are of prime importance in the management and understanding of dreams. Many people feel that the state of alertness which occur just before (hypnogogic) and just after (hypnopompic) sleep are akin to, or maybe even be, creative (lucid) dreaming.
To some extent this is true, in that they are both times in which the material available to the dreaming self is presented for review. In the state of lucidity, one is aware that one is dreaming, while in the hypnogogic state one is aware that one is not. Some dream interpreters tend to feel that the hypnogogic state is very similar to the creative dreaming state.
The hypnopompic state occurs just as we are waking up from sleep and is one in which we are often able to retain the images of the dream state, to remember the ‘great’ dreams or anything which we consider to be important. In this state, the images are not necessarily connected with one another but pop up at random, and very quickly disappear. Only if we train ourselves to remember and work with the images do we make use of this state. It's often in this condition that the dreamer hears their name being called –the voice is often accepted as that of a relative who has passed over, or by some as that of their Spirit Guide or Higher Self. If someone cannot accept that this is feasible, they will often disregard this highly creative time and lose a great deal of information. With practice, it can be a time when wishes and desires can be given substance and brought into reality.
The hypnogogic state is one which occurs just as we are drifting off to sleep. As the untrained dreamer settles into the sleep state, images occur apparently without any particular order. Such images might be of tranquil scenes or beautiful landscapes, archetypal images representing such things as the four elements, shamanistic animals and spirit faces –familiar or otherwise can also occur. This is akin to the random scanning which goes on when a graphic artist selects pictures to illustrate a particular theme. It’s doubtful if the dreamer necessarily knows or recognizes any of the images. I, more often than not, have a parade of faces flash in my mind, one after the other. I haven't yet recognized any of them. If I were any kind of artist, I would try to sketch them. It would be very, very interesting to see if I notice or recognize any of the faces during my waking life during the following day/s.
As the dreamer begins to accept more responsibility for his/her dreams, perhaps incubating some, the images become more pertinent. The more the dreamer becomes “open” to such images, the quicker the mind responds to the inner images which are “the stuff of which dreams are made.” The images become more meaningful and detailed, tending to appear more rapidly when their validity is accepted. When the dreamer accepts the images as part of the subconscious, lucidity becomes attainable.
It’s sometimes worthwhile to use straightforward dream symbolism to make sense of the figures and shapes which can appear in the hypnogogic state. During the semi-dream state and the fluctuation of awareness of the hypnogogic period, images may be transient by nevertheless offer food for thought and a way of getting rid of remaining traces of everyday existence (known as day residue). This leaves the mind free to deal with the more meaningful images which can then be released through either creative or conventional dreaming. It seems that the mind is more receptive to “programming” in both the hypnopompic and hypnogogic states.
The faculties of clairvoyance, clairaudience and precognition can all begin to become apparent during the hypnogogic period. During this time, images often become very well defined, auditory fragments are heard and the individual “knows” something which was previously unknown.
Dreams and altered states of consciousness (ASC) seem to open up channels of communication with the supernatural. Hallowell, working specifically with the Saulteaux tribe, has shown that their dreams enhance everyday life, confirming or verifying the belief system by which they live. This helps them to make various adjustments to their day-to-day experiences.
Where ASCs are accepted as normal (generally in “primitive” cultures), dreams and creative dreams form an integral part of the development of the individual. Bourguignon, Hallowell and Wallace, in their various researches have discovered the point that lucid dreams are used to expand experiences and enhance the development of the self. By studying “primitive” peoples and their use of dreams and/or drugs, we gain fresh insight into the workings of our own subconscious minds. This is backed up by research into hallucinogenic drugs by people such as Timothy Leary and La Bere in the late 1960s.
Lucid dreams, hallucinations and spirit visitation represent only three aspects of a whole series of altered states of consciousness where certain steps and changes can be acknowledged. In most human societies, the handling of these three aspects has been culturally accepted. It’s only in “advanced or sophisticated” Western society that widespread acceptance of the requirements of the inner self has not been manifested.
To the question of programming, the answer is “yes, with practice and belief in the ability.” As noted above, it’s possible to choose, in our waking state, the topic of the dream, although not necessarily the course of dream events or the actual dream scenario. Because dreams are entirely created by the inner self, it should be possible to experience anything imaginable. However, it may be that we fail because we aren't able to summon up enough creativity. We may not have enough emotional investment in the process to enable us to create suitable images or energy patterns. Some dream workers also argue that there are physiological limitations on the ability to control dream imagery.
In answer to the third question, there’s an interrelationship between the dream state and waking life. It is, in fact, two-way traffic. Just as our waking life affects our dream time (day residue), so also we can use the information and images we receive from our dreams in various creative ways in our waking time.
There are many dream workers who disagree with the principle that dreams should be controlled in any way whatsoever. However, because you, as a dreamer, are not in a laboratory setting, you may want to experiment and to try out various ways of controlling and managing aspects of your dream life. It’s worth remembering that even now opinions vary as to why we dream, so it’s more than probable that your own beliefs will play a significant part in how much control or what sort of control you will impose.
If you believe that dreaming helps to balance your psychological makeup in some way, you’ll not wish to impose too much control on the dreaming process. On the other hand, if you believe that the lucidity reached in dreams can help you gain a measure of peace and tranquility and even bliss (as believed by Tibetan Buddhists), then you may choose to experiment with more control. Equally, if you believe that the dreaming self holds within itself answers which are not consciously available (as I believe), then you will wish to access this material through dreams.
The rich imagery which is available to us in dreams, both lucid and otherwise, means that we must learn to make use of two states of awareness. These are of prime importance in the management and understanding of dreams. Many people feel that the state of alertness which occur just before (hypnogogic) and just after (hypnopompic) sleep are akin to, or maybe even be, creative (lucid) dreaming.
To some extent this is true, in that they are both times in which the material available to the dreaming self is presented for review. In the state of lucidity, one is aware that one is dreaming, while in the hypnogogic state one is aware that one is not. Some dream interpreters tend to feel that the hypnogogic state is very similar to the creative dreaming state.
The hypnopompic state occurs just as we are waking up from sleep and is one in which we are often able to retain the images of the dream state, to remember the ‘great’ dreams or anything which we consider to be important. In this state, the images are not necessarily connected with one another but pop up at random, and very quickly disappear. Only if we train ourselves to remember and work with the images do we make use of this state. It's often in this condition that the dreamer hears their name being called –the voice is often accepted as that of a relative who has passed over, or by some as that of their Spirit Guide or Higher Self. If someone cannot accept that this is feasible, they will often disregard this highly creative time and lose a great deal of information. With practice, it can be a time when wishes and desires can be given substance and brought into reality.
The hypnogogic state is one which occurs just as we are drifting off to sleep. As the untrained dreamer settles into the sleep state, images occur apparently without any particular order. Such images might be of tranquil scenes or beautiful landscapes, archetypal images representing such things as the four elements, shamanistic animals and spirit faces –familiar or otherwise can also occur. This is akin to the random scanning which goes on when a graphic artist selects pictures to illustrate a particular theme. It’s doubtful if the dreamer necessarily knows or recognizes any of the images. I, more often than not, have a parade of faces flash in my mind, one after the other. I haven't yet recognized any of them. If I were any kind of artist, I would try to sketch them. It would be very, very interesting to see if I notice or recognize any of the faces during my waking life during the following day/s.
As the dreamer begins to accept more responsibility for his/her dreams, perhaps incubating some, the images become more pertinent. The more the dreamer becomes “open” to such images, the quicker the mind responds to the inner images which are “the stuff of which dreams are made.” The images become more meaningful and detailed, tending to appear more rapidly when their validity is accepted. When the dreamer accepts the images as part of the subconscious, lucidity becomes attainable.
It’s sometimes worthwhile to use straightforward dream symbolism to make sense of the figures and shapes which can appear in the hypnogogic state. During the semi-dream state and the fluctuation of awareness of the hypnogogic period, images may be transient by nevertheless offer food for thought and a way of getting rid of remaining traces of everyday existence (known as day residue). This leaves the mind free to deal with the more meaningful images which can then be released through either creative or conventional dreaming. It seems that the mind is more receptive to “programming” in both the hypnopompic and hypnogogic states.
The faculties of clairvoyance, clairaudience and precognition can all begin to become apparent during the hypnogogic period. During this time, images often become very well defined, auditory fragments are heard and the individual “knows” something which was previously unknown.
Dreams and altered states of consciousness (ASC) seem to open up channels of communication with the supernatural. Hallowell, working specifically with the Saulteaux tribe, has shown that their dreams enhance everyday life, confirming or verifying the belief system by which they live. This helps them to make various adjustments to their day-to-day experiences.
Where ASCs are accepted as normal (generally in “primitive” cultures), dreams and creative dreams form an integral part of the development of the individual. Bourguignon, Hallowell and Wallace, in their various researches have discovered the point that lucid dreams are used to expand experiences and enhance the development of the self. By studying “primitive” peoples and their use of dreams and/or drugs, we gain fresh insight into the workings of our own subconscious minds. This is backed up by research into hallucinogenic drugs by people such as Timothy Leary and La Bere in the late 1960s.
Lucid dreams, hallucinations and spirit visitation represent only three aspects of a whole series of altered states of consciousness where certain steps and changes can be acknowledged. In most human societies, the handling of these three aspects has been culturally accepted. It’s only in “advanced or sophisticated” Western society that widespread acceptance of the requirements of the inner self has not been manifested.
The second half of this article will continue in next month's issue.
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Dreams in Mythology
Morpheus, God of Dreams
MORPHEUS (Morpheus), the son of Sleep, and the god of dreams. The name signifies the fashioner or moulder, because he shaped or formed the dreams which appeared to the sleeper. (Ov. Met. xi. 635.)
Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
MORPHEUS was the leader of the Oneiroi, the gods or spirits (daimones) of dreams. He manifested himself in the dreams of kings and rulers in the likeness of men as a messenger of the gods.
Morpheus was probably equated with the Dream-Spirit which Zeus sent to visit Agamemnon in the Iliad.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 11. 585 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.):
"[Hera commands Iris to summon a Dream :] `Iris, my voice's trustiest messenger, hie quickly to the drowsy hall of Somnus [Hypnos], and bid him send a Dream of Ceyx drowned to break the tidings to [his wife] Alcyone.' Then Iris, in her thousand hues enrobed traced through the sky her arching bow and reached the cloud-hid palace of the drowsy king [Hypnos god of Sleep] . . . Around him everywhere in various guise lie empty Somnia [Oneiroi or Dreams], countless as ears of corn at harvest time or sands cast on the shore or leaves that fall upon the forest floor.
There Iris entered, brushing the Somnia (Dreams) aside, and the bright sudden radiance of her robe lit up the hallowed place; slowly the god his heavy eyelids raised, and sinking back time after time, his languid drooping head nodding upon his chest, at last he shook himself out of himself, and leaning up he recognized her and asked why she came, and she replied : `Somnus, quietest of the gods, Somnus, peace of all the world, balm of the soul, who drives care away, who gives ease to weary limbs after the hard day's toil and strength renewed to meet the morrow's tasks, bid now thy Dreams, whose perfect mimicry matches the truth, in Ceyx's likeness formed appear in Trachis to Alcyone and feign the shipwreck and her dear love drowned. So Juno [Hera] orders.'
Then, her task performed, Iris departed, for she could no more endure the power of Somnus, as drowsiness stole seeping through her frame, and fled away back o'er the arching rainbow as she came. The father Somnus chose from among his sons, his thronging thousand sons, one who in skill excelled to imitate the human form; Morpheus his name, than whom none can present more cunningly the features, gait and speech of men, their wonted clothes and turn of phrase. He mirrors only men; another forms the beasts and birds and the long sliding snakes. The gods have named him Icelos; here below the tribe of mortals call him Phobetor. A third, excelling in an art diverse, is Phantasos; he wears the cheating shapes of earth, rocks, water, trees--inanimate things.
To kings and chieftains these at night display their phantom features; other dreams will roam among the people, haunting common folk. All these dream -brothers the old god passed by and chose Morpheus alone to undertake Thaumantias' [Iris’] commands; then in sweet drowsiness on his high couch he sank his head to sleep. Soon through the dewy dark on noiseless wings flew Morpheus and with brief delay arrived at Trachis town and, laying his wings aside, took Ceyx‘s [ghostly] form and face and, deathly pale and naked, stood beside the poor wife‘s bed. His beard was wet and from his sodden hair the sea-drips flowed; then leaning over her, weeping, he said : `Poor, poor Alcyone! Do you know me, your Ceyx? Am I changed in death? Look! Now you see, you recognize - ah! Not your husband but your husband‘s ghost. Your prayers availed me nothing. I am dead. Feed not your heart with hope, hope false and vain. A wild sou‘wester in the Aegaeum sea, striking my ship, in its huge hurricane destroyed her. Over my lips, calling your name--calling in vain--the waters washed. These tidings no dubious courier brings, no vague report: myself, here, shipwrecked, my own fate reveal. Come, rise and weep! Put on your mourning! Weep! Nor unlamented suffer me to join the shadowy spirits of Tartara (the Underworld).’ So Morpheus spoke, spoke too in such a voice as she must think her husband‘s (and his tears she took for true), and used her Ceyx‘ gestures. Asleep, she moaned and wept and stretched her arms to hold him, but embraced the empty air. `Oh wait for me!’ she cried, `Why haste away? I will come too.’ Roused by her voice‘s sound and by her husband‘s ghost, now wide awake, she looked . . . but found him nowhere . . . She cried, `. . . He is dead, shipwrecked and drowned. I saw him, knew him, tried to hold him--as he vanished--in my arms. He was a ghost, but yet distinct and clear, truly my husband‘s ghost, though to be sure his face was changed, his shining grace was gone. Naked and deathly pale, with dripping hair, I saw him--woe is me!" - Ovid, Metamorphoses 11.585
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Famous Dreams
Mark Twain
At age 23, before he became famous as Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens dreamed he saw a metal coffin resting on two chairs in his sister's sitting room. As he approached the coffin, he saw the body of his brother Henry. One detail in particular caught his attention: a bouquet of white flowers, with one crimson flower in the centre, lying on Henry's chest. A few days later, a Mississippi riverboat blew up and many of the passengers and crew were killed. Henry had been one of the crew members.
When Clemens rushed to the scene, in Memphis, he found his brother lying unconscious on a mattress in an improvised hospital. There was some hope that his brother would pull through, but six days later, he died. When Clemens arrived at the room which was being used as a temporary morgue, he found that most of the dead were lying in plain wooden coffins, but there was one metal coffin lying on two chairs. Henry's struggle to survive had inspired such interest among the Memphis ladies that they had taken up a collection and bought a metal coffin for him. As Clemens approached his brother's casket, an elderly lady entered the room carrying a large bouquet of white flowers with one crimson red rose in their centre, and laid them on Henry's chest.
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A Reader's Dream
Title: The Game
Date: Feb. 26, 2001
Time: ?
Category: School
Series:
Day: ?
Sleep Cycle: ?
Dreamer: 39 year old female
I was in school (university)and we were all in the Wenjack Theatre [large lecture hall]. It was New Years. Everyone stood up and yelled "happy new year."
There was a reception desk out in the hall. It was dark.
We had to play a hide-and-seek game where we had to hide in parts of the brain. The professor was looking for someone to begin. I wanted him to chose Kate, but he chose me to be the one to hide with this guy in a Scream costume.
I was writing about places we could hide that were involved in the attention regions of the brain --the hippocampus, parietal lobe. I was upset that I was picked. I felt embarrassed. I was writing in yellow highlighter.
We chose finally to hide in the Superior Colliculus and the small section of the temporal lobe. I clearly remember the shape of the region.
NOTE: I had been studying the attention chapter of my neuro text before going to bed.
Analysis
The opening scene or setting of the dream is a school (university = higher learning) and the dreamer is in a large lecture hall will other students. Schools generally represent lessons learned or to be learned, or knew information to be received or assimilated.
Note: I know this dreamer, and I know that at the time of this dream, she was attending university to upgrade her degree, so it wasn't a past school days type of dream.
There is a time reference in that she notes that it is New Years. This may represent that she is embarking upon a new life cycle or a new phase of her life. Something new is obviously being referred to.
She finds the reception desk, hall and darkness important enough to note, which suggests that these elements are very relevant to the overall interpretation of this dream. As well, there is a double emphasis on the "hall" symbol. Darkness often times represents the unconscious or the hidden or unknown in dreams...so this may be the message the dream is trying to get across... new, as yet unknown or unconscious information is to be received, learned or processed.
The dreamer is instructed by the professor (usually a representation of a spiritual guide, Higher Self or authority figure) to start a game where she must hide. She doesn't want to be picked (to begin the game). Perhaps she was feeling singled-out or out-of-place at this point in her life or education. The partner she is paired with is costumed, this person is hiding behind a mask, and is unrecognizable or unknown. And he is in a scream costume from the movie Scream. There is a double emphasis on hiding, or something hidden here as well.
She then chooses to write about her options for a place to hide rather than take action. The dreamer is embarrassed about being chosen, or singled-out. Perhaps she is uncomfortable with praise, acknowledgement or success. She highlights this emotion (feeling) in yellow. Again, an action that draws attention to, or emphasized something is being carried out. Yellow, of course, can represent cowardice or it can represent happiness, brightness, or joy. However, the overall feeling of this dream does not bode well for the happy, sunny meaning of the colour yellow.
The dreamer writes about the attention regions of the brain. Combine this imagery with the scream costume symbol and the lecture hall and it's relatively clear that her subconscious (or Higher Self) wants her attention. It's trying very hard to get a message across. But what is the message?
Perhaps the message of this dream is that she must find what she seeks within herself, that she must build up the courage to take action. Or perhaps the dream is trying to help build up her self-confidence. And, of course, it could also just be a way for her to learn and integrate the new neurology material. Only the dreamer can say which one, or all, of the interpretations are correct.
Again, I only provide a brief example of how I go about analyzing a dream. It would take several pages to do a full analysis, and I always require the dreamer's input. But this little sampling might help with your own interpretations.
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Reader Comments
No comments this issue.
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From The Editor
Hello friends and fellow dreamers.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for being a part of The Nocturnal Times and Dream Lady family. I appreciate your time and support.
Wow, 2008 already! Hard to believe isn't it. Well in this section, I'm just going to give you a brief outline of some of what's planned for future issues. Now this isn't written in stone because you never know what's going to happen or what new info we may find.
- Dreams as Oracles
- Paranormal Dreaming
- Dream Sharing
- Interpreting Waking Life
- Dream Incubation
We are planning to add interviews with leading dream authors and experts. And beginning next month, we're adding a new feature: Symbol of the Month. In this new section, we'll analyze one or two of the more common symbols/images found in our dreams.
If there is anything you would like us to address, or write about, please let us know.
Have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
Blessed Be and Dream Well!
Terry
When Clemens rushed to the scene, in Memphis, he found his brother lying unconscious on a mattress in an improvised hospital. There was some hope that his brother would pull through, but six days later, he died. When Clemens arrived at the room which was being used as a temporary morgue, he found that most of the dead were lying in plain wooden coffins, but there was one metal coffin lying on two chairs. Henry's struggle to survive had inspired such interest among the Memphis ladies that they had taken up a collection and bought a metal coffin for him. As Clemens approached his brother's casket, an elderly lady entered the room carrying a large bouquet of white flowers with one crimson red rose in their centre, and laid them on Henry's chest.
=========================
A Reader's Dream
Title: The Game
Date: Feb. 26, 2001
Time: ?
Category: School
Series:
Day: ?
Sleep Cycle: ?
Dreamer: 39 year old female
I was in school (university)and we were all in the Wenjack Theatre [large lecture hall]. It was New Years. Everyone stood up and yelled "happy new year."
There was a reception desk out in the hall. It was dark.
We had to play a hide-and-seek game where we had to hide in parts of the brain. The professor was looking for someone to begin. I wanted him to chose Kate, but he chose me to be the one to hide with this guy in a Scream costume.
I was writing about places we could hide that were involved in the attention regions of the brain --the hippocampus, parietal lobe. I was upset that I was picked. I felt embarrassed. I was writing in yellow highlighter.
We chose finally to hide in the Superior Colliculus and the small section of the temporal lobe. I clearly remember the shape of the region.
NOTE: I had been studying the attention chapter of my neuro text before going to bed.
Analysis
The opening scene or setting of the dream is a school (university = higher learning) and the dreamer is in a large lecture hall will other students. Schools generally represent lessons learned or to be learned, or knew information to be received or assimilated.
Note: I know this dreamer, and I know that at the time of this dream, she was attending university to upgrade her degree, so it wasn't a past school days type of dream.
There is a time reference in that she notes that it is New Years. This may represent that she is embarking upon a new life cycle or a new phase of her life. Something new is obviously being referred to.
She finds the reception desk, hall and darkness important enough to note, which suggests that these elements are very relevant to the overall interpretation of this dream. As well, there is a double emphasis on the "hall" symbol. Darkness often times represents the unconscious or the hidden or unknown in dreams...so this may be the message the dream is trying to get across... new, as yet unknown or unconscious information is to be received, learned or processed.
The dreamer is instructed by the professor (usually a representation of a spiritual guide, Higher Self or authority figure) to start a game where she must hide. She doesn't want to be picked (to begin the game). Perhaps she was feeling singled-out or out-of-place at this point in her life or education. The partner she is paired with is costumed, this person is hiding behind a mask, and is unrecognizable or unknown. And he is in a scream costume from the movie Scream. There is a double emphasis on hiding, or something hidden here as well.
She then chooses to write about her options for a place to hide rather than take action. The dreamer is embarrassed about being chosen, or singled-out. Perhaps she is uncomfortable with praise, acknowledgement or success. She highlights this emotion (feeling) in yellow. Again, an action that draws attention to, or emphasized something is being carried out. Yellow, of course, can represent cowardice or it can represent happiness, brightness, or joy. However, the overall feeling of this dream does not bode well for the happy, sunny meaning of the colour yellow.
The dreamer writes about the attention regions of the brain. Combine this imagery with the scream costume symbol and the lecture hall and it's relatively clear that her subconscious (or Higher Self) wants her attention. It's trying very hard to get a message across. But what is the message?
Perhaps the message of this dream is that she must find what she seeks within herself, that she must build up the courage to take action. Or perhaps the dream is trying to help build up her self-confidence. And, of course, it could also just be a way for her to learn and integrate the new neurology material. Only the dreamer can say which one, or all, of the interpretations are correct.
Again, I only provide a brief example of how I go about analyzing a dream. It would take several pages to do a full analysis, and I always require the dreamer's input. But this little sampling might help with your own interpretations.
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From The Editor
Hello friends and fellow dreamers.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for being a part of The Nocturnal Times and Dream Lady family. I appreciate your time and support.
Wow, 2008 already! Hard to believe isn't it. Well in this section, I'm just going to give you a brief outline of some of what's planned for future issues. Now this isn't written in stone because you never know what's going to happen or what new info we may find.
- Dreams as Oracles
- Paranormal Dreaming
- Dream Sharing
- Interpreting Waking Life
- Dream Incubation
We are planning to add interviews with leading dream authors and experts. And beginning next month, we're adding a new feature: Symbol of the Month. In this new section, we'll analyze one or two of the more common symbols/images found in our dreams.
If there is anything you would like us to address, or write about, please let us know.
Have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
Blessed Be and Dream Well!
Terry
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