{"id":8265,"date":"2017-07-21T09:41:42","date_gmt":"2017-07-21T16:41:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/?p=8265"},"modified":"2017-07-24T09:44:19","modified_gmt":"2017-07-24T16:44:19","slug":"an-introduction-to-dream-interpretation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/an-introduction-to-dream-interpretation\/","title":{"rendered":"An Introduction to Dream Interpretation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/dreamstime_s_35771145.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-8266\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-8266\" src=\"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/dreamstime_s_35771145-300x198.jpg\" alt=\"dream interpretation\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/dreamstime_s_35771145-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/dreamstime_s_35771145-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/dreamstime_s_35771145.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Have you ever been confused by a dream? You&#8217;re not alone.<\/p>\n<p>Everybody has dreams that give a glimpse into their psyche. Even if they don&#8217;t remember them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Experts believe that we dream <a href=\"https:\/\/sleep.org\/articles\/how-often-dreams\/\">four to six times\u00a0<\/a>per night. That means the average person has over 1,800 dreams per year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">While everybody dreams, few people actually take the time to decode their hidden messages.<\/p>\n<p>But maybe it&#8217;s time to start paying attention.<\/p>\n<p>They say a dream reveals your true desires. Avoid being overwhelmed with what your subconscious is saying with our guide to dream interpretation.<\/p>\n<p>Read on to learn more about how you can start to interpret your dreams.<\/p>\n<h2>What are dreams?<\/h2>\n<p>Dreams typically occur during the REM portion of sleep when the brain is most active.<\/p>\n<p>There is no limit to what the mind can surmise during dreams. Dreams can introduce new characters you&#8217;ve never met, summon your darkest fears, and let you live out your greatest fantasy.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the commonality of dreams, there is no clear cut definition as to the purpose of dreams.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists <a href=\"http:\/\/io9.gizmodo.com\/10-theories-that-explain-why-we-dream-897195110\">still disagree<\/a> about the reason we dream.<\/p>\n<p>Some say that dreams mean nothing and only exist to keep our brains stimulated.<\/p>\n<p>Many others say that we dream to communicate with our subconscious.<\/p>\n<p>Psychologists like Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung argued that dreams are a way of integrating our conscious and unconscious lives.<\/p>\n<p>Many believe that dreams give us a window into our deepest desires, fears, and emotions.<\/p>\n<h2>The History of Dream Interpretation<\/h2>\n<p>For as long as people have been around they&#8217;ve tried to decipher the meaning behind their dreams.<\/p>\n<p>Attempts to interpret dreams have been found in artifacts from ancient civilizations to influential empires.<\/p>\n<p>Ancient Greek and Roman&#8217;s found dreams to be messages from the gods and would even bring dream interpreters into battle.<\/p>\n<p>There are also numerous references to dreams in religious contexts including the Bible and ancient Egyptian artifacts.<\/p>\n<p>Dreams were long interpreted as prophecies or omens. In fact, there are many examples of dreams changing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/5-times-dreaming-changed-the-course-of-history\/\">course of history<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Dream interpretation changed in the late 19th century and early 20th century. That&#8217;s when Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung emerged as leaders in the field of dreams.<\/p>\n<p>Their work is still reflected in dream interpretation today. They were influential in changing the way we look at dreams through the lens of the unconscious.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Interpret Your Dreams<\/h2>\n<p>Have you ever woken up from a dream and immediately Googled the meaning behind it?<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, there&#8217;s no universally accepted interpretation of dreams. Despite what you may read online.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s because dreams are deeply personal. They reveal our innermost thoughts and can only be understood through the perspective of the dreamer.<\/p>\n<p>Your subconscious is trying to communicate with you when you dream. The meaning of a dream pertains only to the life of the dreamer.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, dreams can lead you to the path of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/7-spiritual-awakening-symptoms-know\/\">spiritual awakening<\/a>. But that doesn&#8217;t mean every one of your dreams will have a profound impact on your life.<\/p>\n<p>But be wary of disregarding a dream because it&#8217;s seemingly random.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s not always easy to know which dreams are significant. Experts suggest that you try to decipher dreams that are recurring or illicit an emotional response.<\/p>\n<h2>Be Analytical and Creative<\/h2>\n<p>Some people claim that dream interpretation should be analytical, while others argue that it should be creative.<\/p>\n<p>In reality, it&#8217;s a combination of the two.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t be afraid to use your imagination when interpreting your dream. Dreams are an extension of your imagination, so it makes sense to be creative with your interpretation.<\/p>\n<p>You should also be analytical in your approach. That means you should look at the facts and have a scientific approach.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself questions like &#8220;what was in the dream,&#8221; &#8220;what is that thing associated with,&#8221; and &#8220;how does this relate to me?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For example, say that you went skydiving in your dream. A scientific approach would say that there is an element of danger to your dream.<\/p>\n<p>But you might also be a risk-taker that finds sky-diving to be a highly enjoyable experience. Tap into your creative side to determine what emotions you associate with skydiving.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe you associate it with fun and adventure or maybe it&#8217;s fear and danger.<\/p>\n<p>Dreams are subjective. There&#8217;s no right answer when interpreting them.<\/p>\n<p>But use the evidence and your imaginative side to give yourself the best chance of understanding the dream.<\/p>\n<h2>Using Others<\/h2>\n<p>Dream interpretation is deeply personal. But there doesn&#8217;t mean you have to interpret them all on your own.<\/p>\n<p>Dream analysis is a practice where experts can help lead you to a conclusion about your dreams.<\/p>\n<p>The symbols found in dreams have a specific meaning only to the dreamer. Therefore, it&#8217;s not the expert&#8217;s job to tell you what a symbol means.<\/p>\n<p>Rather, the expert can assist you in finding a meaning that taps into your subconscious.<\/p>\n<p>When analyzing a dream, it&#8217;s important to take into account your own experiences and feelings.<\/p>\n<p>However, experts can help lead you to personal conclusions you might not otherwise be able to tap into.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Engage With Dreams<\/h2>\n<p>We&#8217;ve all been there. You wake up from a particularly vivid dream, only to completely forget about the details minutes later.<\/p>\n<p>The first step in analyzing a dream is to remember a dream.<\/p>\n<p>One tried and true method to help you remember your dreams is to keep a dream journal.<\/p>\n<p>Keep a notepad by your bed so that you can jot down your dream as soon as you wake up. It&#8217;s important to put details on paper immediately to save you from forgetting crucial details.<\/p>\n<p>Write down the content of your dream carefully. Pay close attention to anything that stands out as bizarre or confusing.<\/p>\n<p>You can also draw the contents of your dream if any vivid images stand out.<\/p>\n<p>Another method is to tell yourself that you want to remember your dream before you fall asleep. This trains your brain to improve dream memory.<\/p>\n<p>All of these methods will help you not only remember your dreams but also have more reliable interpretations in the future.<\/p>\n<h2>What You Can Do<\/h2>\n<p>Finding meaning behind dreams can be incredibly rewarding. You can better understand yourself, your emotions, and your subconscious through dream interpretation.<\/p>\n<p>Are you trying to better understand your dreams? We can help. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/dream-chat.html\">Contact<\/a> our dream team today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever been confused by a dream? You&#8217;re not alone. Everybody has dreams that give a glimpse into their psyche. Even if they don&#8217;t remember them. Experts believe that we dream four to six times\u00a0per night. That means the average person has over 1,800 dreams per year. While everybody dreams, few people actually take&#8230;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/an-introduction-to-dream-interpretation\/\">[Read&nbsp;More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":927,"featured_media":8266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spirituality-religion","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/927"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8265"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8269,"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8265\/revisions\/8269"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.psychicsdirectory.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}