Dare to Dream

​Every night while we sleep we dream. Some good, some bad, some strange, or even scary. Why we dream is a matter for debate. Some say that dreaming is our brains way of processing our day, or our stressors. Some say it is our subconscious or even our guides/the universe sending us messages. Perhaps it is even a mix of both. While some may believe they have no real significance at all, I have a hard time believing that. Our subconscious is a miraculous and mysterious thing, and we, perhaps through it, are connected to the universe and each other.
Regardless if our dreams process our stress and emotions, or they are messages sent to us, both theories suggest that they have meaning that many of us try finding ways to interpret. There are many books available on dream interpretation. Many of them give symbolic meanings to everyday things, creatures, and places. While these generic symbolic meanings can be helpful, I believe, as many do, that interpretation is much more personal. After all, what has one meaning for me may have a very different meaning for someone else. For example, being on a boat may have happy memories for me, but someone who had a frightening experience on a boat may feel very different about it. It stands to reason that one’s feelings and experiences would shape how and why our subconscious would use something to convey a particular message to us. With that in mind, when trying to interpret one’s own dreams, one should take into account their emotional response to each aspect of the dream, dissecting it bit by bit.
Keeping a dream journal is a good way to keep track of one’s dreams. Information such as the date, time, moon phase, any significant events happening at the time, and, of course, as much detail from the dream as you can remember, would all be important details to write down. Once you have written down the details of your dream, then you can begin dissecting it. I like to start with the bigger picture. What kind of landscape or environment did the dream take place in? How did it make you feel at the time? Where there any prominent colours (were they warm or cool, bright or dull, etc..)? Next you would move on to the smaller details in the dream. Were there people, animals, or objects? What were they? Do any of these things/people/creatures have special meaning for you? How did they make you feel in the dream. Were any words or numbers said, or were they written on something you could read?* Write all these things down piece by piece so you can determine if there are any patterns within the details of your dream. If certain parts of your dream seem to  have no particular meaning to you, that would be a good time to turn to a dream dictionary for some inspiration.
One should keep in mind that people in your dreams may not represent that person specifically. They can also represent things like aspects of personality (either our own or of someone else’s) or ideas/concepts. Dreams are often not literal in nature. Even messages from our guides/the universe may not be as direct and obvious as we would like. Reoccurring dreams or dream themes can also be important to note, which is why writing them down can be important. Also, one should question whether a dream is a message or their subconscious working something out. When going to sleep, one can always set the intention to remember their dreams, and remember to keep your dream journal and a writing implement close at hand for when you wake.
While dream interpretation in not an exact science (not yet anyway), it is interesting to try and interpret one’s dreams to see what they show us. Everything is always up for interpretation. Sometimes we may not realize a meaning or see a message until after something happens, and then we remember a dream we had about it. That is why it is such a personal thing. Only you know what things mean to you and how they make you feel.
Do you often remember your dreams? Have you ever tried to interpret your dreams? How did you fair? Do you keep a dream journal? Would you?
 
*On a side note, I heard long ago that you cannot read inside a dream, however, I have always been able to read in my dreams. I wonder if that is something everyone can do, or if only some people can. Have you ever tried or been able to read in your dreams?