Perchance To Dream

Whether or not you remember your dreams, you have them. Everyone dreams, though not everyone will be able to recall their dreams upon waking. Did you ever wish you could recall your dreams? Did you ever wonder what they were saying to you?

Dreams are an important part of the mysticism of many cultures. The Australians have legends of the world being created in the Dream time; Native Americans have stories in which their hero sees the way forward in dreams sent by the spirits, the Bible has tales of life changing events happening because of what someone saw in a dream. Even our modern day psychologists such as Sigmund Freud devoted considerable research to the meanings behind what we dream.

Of course, to put any weight at all on what we dream, we have to learn to remember them!  There are many different ways to teach ourselves to remember our dreams. The simplest one of which I know – and one I myself use – is to keep a dream diary. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; just keep a pen or pencil and some paper on which you can write under your pillow or on your bedside table. The very moment that you awaken, start to write. Don’t wait until you’ve got out of bed, don’t wait until you’ve stretched and started making breakfast, do it immediately. I’ve forgotten many a good dream, because I was ‘sure’ I would remember it later!

What you write in your dream diary doesn’t have to be a work of journalism, either. It doesn’t matter if you get some of the events out of order, it doesn’t matter if you don’t remember everything, and it doesn’t matter if you write in complete sentences or whether those sentences make sense. What matters is you jot down enough to trigger the memory.

There are many recurring themes that most of us have experienced at sometime in our dreams: flying, falling, being naked in a public place, forgetting something, being chased, and being unable to move are just the tip of the iceberg for common dream themes. The more details we remember about our dreams, the more of a personal message they become.

One of the main things to remember when interpreting dreams is what they mean to us. We are all diverse and unique individuals, and the language our subconscious speaks to us is as unique as we are. One person might dream of a duck and interpret it as a good time to go duck hunting; another might dream of a duck and wonder what issue they are avoiding, or ducking. One person might consider a dream of a tornado frightening in its destruction; another might consider dreaming of a tornado a good omen of everything being swept clean in preparation for new beginnings.

Its human nature to want to understand ourselves more and examining our dreams is an excellent way to do this. Don’t just pick up a book on dream analysis, though. While they are good places to start, the symbols are going to be what they mean to the author; they may have a very different meaning for you! Remember, we’re all individuals, and learning to speak the language of our own dreams is like learning any other new language. It takes time.

Dreams will also try to get our attention. Ever have a dream that just keeps repeating and repeating and repeating itself? A recurring dream like this is doing its best to get you to notice it! I feel very blessed to have recurring dreams of flying. I feel so free and invigorated! The landscape slips easily away from me, and I dip and turn and glide with the breeze.

Of course, not everyone will find flying dreams pleasant. Some might find that they struggle to stay airborne, or that there are obstacles in their way. This could indicate some obstacles that they are having in their waking life; an issue they can’t seem to ‘get over’. It could also indicate a lack of confidence. You have to believe you can do something before you can do it. Being afraid of flying in dreams is another indication of lack of confidence; a fear of letting go, of experiencing newness.

I’m sure there are as many interpretations for flying dreams as there are people that are dreaming them. What are some of the experiences that you’ve had with flying dreams? Do you find them exciting and invigorating, or do they fill you with apprehension and dread? Your answers can reveal much about how to approach the challenges in your life.