Analyzing And Interpreting Your Dreams

The meanings of dreams are as personal and unique as the people

who dream them. No one interpretation, no matter how universal, will

apply to every dream, dream symbol or dream situation. When

analyzing or interpreting a dream, it is always important to pay

attention to the details of the dreams, your feelings within the dream

world, and of course, what is going on in your own life.

If you do wish to interpret your dreams, either purely for fun or to

pursue personal and spiritual growth, there are a few pointers that will

help you get the most from your dream world.

? As you awaken, immediately replay the dream scenario in your

head. It is important to do this immediately, preferably before

you even open your eyes. The dream world slips away quickly,

and as much as 50% of it can be gone in a mere five minutes.

By the time ten minutes has passed, more than 90% of the

dream's contents may be lost. Replaying the dream in your

head will help you remember more of those tantalizing details.

? Immediately write down a description of the dream, focusing on

key objects, symbols or feelings. Write a few words about each

key element in the dream quickly, before they are forgotten,

they go back later and fill in the gaps. Again, it is important to

write your dream down as quickly as possible. Keeping a

notebook by the bed will be a big help.

? Choose a quiet place in your home to begin your interpretation

process. Cutting yourself of from sources of distraction will be

very important. The space you choose should be as quiet and

peaceful as possible. If no such space is available, review your

notes a final time, fill in any details you can remember, and

come back to them later.

? Use your intuition as you review your dream notes and try to

make sense of your dream. You may already know on an

instinctual level what your dreams are trying to tell you.

Connecting with your intuition can help you connect with your

unconscious mind. If you meditate, a short meditation session

can often be a big help. Connecting with your inner self is

always a huge help when it comes to interpreting and analyzing

dreams.

? As you review your dream notes, pay close attention to the

emotions they stir in you. Paying close attention to your

emotional state, both at this moment and during the dream, can

help you to understand what your dream really meant.

? Think very carefully about any vivid details, situations, locations,

sensations or symbols that make the dream memorable. Open

your heart as well as your mind and carefully explore the

possible meaning of each symbol, situation and event. It may

be helpful to jot down the impressions in your dream journal or

notebook. As you search for meaning, don't limit yourself to

obvious interpretations. For instance, dreaming about a missed

appointment could simply mean you are worried about being late

for work, but that missed appointment could also symbolize a

feeling of missed opportunity in your life.

? Running an inner dialog with the people or objects you dreamed

about is often helpful as well. This inner dialog is especially

useful when trying to determine why you dreamed about certain

people. Try asking them in your head "why am I dreaming

about you?", "what are you doing in my dream?". It is also

helpful to know that often people in our dreams are symbols of

aspects of our own personality instead of literal people.

? If you are stuck for an interpretation, it is a good idea to leave

your dream notebook and come back to it later. It may also be

helpful to discuss the dream with others, or to consult an expert

on dream interpretation.