Dream Interpretation
By
James Harvey Stout (deceased). This material is now in the public
domain. The complete collection of Mr. Stout's writing is now at
http://stout.mybravenet.com/public_html/h/
>
Jump to the following topics:
- Perhaps
dreams do not need to be interpreted.
- Perhaps
we can teach the unconscious mind to communicate in our
language.
- Dreams represent
our inner state.
- Symbolism
is the natural language of the unconscious mind.
- Symbols
have a personalized meaning to us.
- We
can expand our possibilities in interpretation.
- Rely on the
"aha" factor.
- Use
associations to interpret your dreams.
Perhaps
dreams do not need to be interpreted. We can explore various reasons
for this idea.
- Some people think that dreams have no meaning. From their
viewpoint, dreams are hallucinations. Even some researchers agree;
Hobson and others have theorized that the brain merely fabricates
a story in an effort to make sense of the random firing of nerve
cells in the brain stem during REM sleep. The dream is like a
Rorschach test, with no significance in itself.
- Dreams produce results without interpretation. Many animals
(including nearly all mammals) exhibit the same REM cycles which
characterize the human dream state -- and plants, too, show cycles
of activity during sleep. If dreams have value only if
interpreted, there would be no reason for these other species to
have dream-like states. Dreams are not merely communications which
the conscious mind is meant to interpret; they exist in their own
world of emotion and symbolic reality where our wakeful conflicts
and problems can be resolved without either our recall or
interpretation. Awareness of our dreams (much less an
interpretation of them) can actually be a hindrance to the
unconscious processes; Freud said that a dream "failed" if we
became aware of its intentionally concealed information.
Occasionally in our sleep, our mind conducts business of which we
are not meant to be informed; when I tried to recall one dream, I
backtracked as far as possible, until I reached a point where I
picked up a thought from another part of my mind: "We're through;
he can see the rest of it."
- Certain dreams might not need to be interpreted. Some
activities during our wakeful life are "important," but at other
times, we are indulging in recreation, frivolous play, and
apparently irrelevant digressions. During sleep, the unconscious
mind probably follows similar patterns; certain dreams are
probably nothing more than sheer creativity and indulgence, and
they are not "symbolic" of anything. Other dreams which might not
be intended for interpretation are "high dreams" (lucid or
non-lucid) in which we experience a "spiritual" light or a contact
with a being whose presence alone is significant -- just as a
painting or musical composition is significant in its own right,
without being "interpreted." Also, some dreams are "literal"; we
dream about a car accident, and then one occurs on the following
day. Nor do we need to interpret dreams which impart information
of which we are already aware; at the end of most of my
interpretations, I say, "I already knew that" -- although I
frequently add the statement, "... but the dream gave this message
because, even though I knew the information, I have not acted on
it." Also, I consider the possibility that the dream might allow a
different interpretation which does disclose previously
unknown data.
- Certain elements are not meant to be interpreted. Within a
given dream, the elements might be symbolic or literal; the
literal elements would not need to be interpreted. (As Freud said,
"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.") In one of my dreams, a
character was singing Neil Diamond's song, "September Morn." What
was the significance of the song? Probably none; when I awoke,
that song was playing on my radio, and it had been incorporated
into my dream. We often add external stimuli to our dreams; in
another dream, I complained about the heat. Was this a dream about
a fear of hellfire? No, I had left my heater on, so the bedroom's
temperature was about 90 degrees. If our physical body is thirsty,
we are likely to dream about water; if we have a disease (of which
we may not be aware), we might dream that the afflicted body part
is distressed; if we hear our physical-world alarm ringing, we
could dream that a doorbell is sounding; if we dream about our
daughter, this character might be representative of the girl
herself or what she symbolizes to us. Other characters in dreams
might be literal visitors (not symbolic dream characters); many
people have experienced mutual dreams (in which another person
entered the dream), or encounters with angels or "spirits" or
religious teachers. Some of the other elements in dreams are mere
"props" with no symbolic meaning; during a wakeful
active-imagination exercise with a dream, I asked a character in a
hospital bed to tell me about himself, and he did so. Then I asked
the bed, "What do you represent?" The bed responded (and
I swear I heard sarcasm in the "voice"), "I'm a bed. The
man is in a hospital, so he needs a bed to lie on. I'm the bed."
- Logical interpretation has limitations. Logic is a limited
tool within the wakeful, left-hemisphere human world; dreams,
however, exist in a world which might be considered
right-hemisphere. When we translate dreams from one realm to the
other, we might be betraying the nature of the dream through the
imposition of human reasoning, wakeful-world physics, and our
narrow understanding of psychology, spirituality, and the
dreamworld itself. Our logic is a further hindrance when we deal
with dream-experiences which are beyond description (as is often
the case of spiritual or archetypal occurrences), or dreams of
which we have only a partial memory (and for which we tend to fill
the gaps with whatever would seem sensible), or dreams which have
elements that are disregarded because they don't fit into the
interpretation which we are concocting, or dreams which are
distorted by the imperfections of memory or by repressions or
other psychological obstructions, or dreams which are
multi-layered, multi-dimensional, or otherwise non-linear.
- We might be able to "understand" intellectually without
interpreting. If the dream's symbolism is a "language" which we
usually interpret, perhaps we can learn to comprehend this
language without a translation. This skill is displayed among
people who are fluent in two languages, such as English and
Spanish. If we know the Spanish language, we don't need to
translate abre la puerta into the English words, "open
the door"; instead, we hear the Spanish words and then we open the
door, without thinking of the corresponding English words.
Similarly, we can understand "body language" and familiar verbal
metaphors without recontextualizing them into rational concepts.
In a similar way, we might master the "dream language"
sufficiently to comprehend the meaning without paraphrasing the
story-line into "what the symbols mean"; the symbols would make
sense in their own context, on their own terms.
- Interpretation might not be the best means of appreciating our
dreams. Throughout this book, other approaches are presented. They
include dreamwork, active imagination, and other methods in which
we don't need to know the intellectual "meaning" (as it would be
expressed in interpretation) in order to benefit from our dreams.
Perhaps
we can teach the unconscious mind to communicate in our language. If
we can learn its language, why could it not learn ours? Sometimes the
unconscious mind seems to be trying to communicate when it presents
the same message in different symbolism; this often occurs in the
consecutive dreams of a single sleep-period, as if to say, "Let me
rephrase that ..." (We can create this effect by incubating a
"clarification dream" for a dream which we were unable to interpret;
before the next sleep period, we ask the unconscious mind to deliver
the same message in simpler symbolism.) Some psychotherapists have
found that their patients start to report dream symbolism which
conforms to the school of therapy which is being used: we begin to
use more sexual symbolism if our therapist is Freudian, and more
mandalas and archetypes for a Jungian. If the unconscious mind can
accommodate us in those ways, perhaps it would respond to further
attempts to create a common language for these two parts of our mind.
Maybe we could encourage it to be more literal than symbolic; some
dreams are literal, in their imagery and in the words which
are spoken by the characters. (One person reported dreams in which
the regular dream-drama would be verbally narrated by someone who
explained the symbolism as it progressed; also, a minister had a
dream in which he simply saw the number of the chapter and verse --
such as Matthew 3:4 -- which he was being encouraged to read.) We can
enhance this literality by incubating the specific nonsymbolic images
which are to be used in a dream which we wish to experience. Imagine
the rewards we would gain from our dreamlife if we could replace
obscure symbolism with a simple conversation between conscious and
unconscious, particularly if this occurred during lucid dreaming (and
eventually, perhaps, even during wakefulness) when we could
consciously ask questions and receive replies in a common language.
We can attain a commonality during lucid dreams simply by asking a
character or any other element, "What do you represent?"; it replies
in our native tongue, such as English.
Dreams represent
our inner state. Our unconscious processes (including emotions and
thoughts) are invisible; dreaming makes those processes visible. To
our waking consciousness, the processes are abstract; dreaming makes
them tangible with characters, action, colors, and other sensory
elements. Many of the processes are too subtle for us to notice, but
dreaming can make them discernable and bold. There is an old saying:
"A dream is a picture of a feeling." Except in certain instances
(e.g., mutual dreams, spirit visitors, dream "props" like the
hospital bed mentioned earlier, "extras" who serve the same purpose
as the background characters in a movie, etc.), everything could
represent a part of us. I believe that this idea is stretched ad
absurdum by some theorists (as in the case of a friend who
insisted that the hospital bed did symbolize something); to
analyze every detail in a dream is to become bogged in trivia.
However, we benefit from viewing pertinent elements as our
psychological components which we have projected into the dreamscape:
the main character, the characters with whom we interact, and the
objects which attract our attention (e.g., an exploding bomb, a tree
which we are climbing, etc.). With qualifications, we might agree
with Carl Jung, who said, "The dream is a theater in which the
dreamer is the scene, the player, the prompter, the producer, the
author, the public, and the critic. ... all the figures in the dream
are personified features of the dreamer's own personality." Dreams
reveal parts of ourselves which have been slighted. Those parts have
been disowned, ignored, inadvertently bypassed, or inadequately
expressed by the wakeful, conscious mind. Dreaming presents these
aspects of us specifically because they need to be re-integrated. (In
one sense, the dream is our "conscience").
Symbolism
is the natural language of the unconscious mind. Although Freud said
that the unconscious mind uses symbols in order to deceive the
conscious mind, perhaps the unconscious mind is communicating as
clearly as it can, with its natural "language"; this language is no
more of a subterfuge than is the French language to an American who
travels to France and then is bewildered by the incomprehensible
conversations there. As Jung said, "The dream does not conceal; we
simply do not understand the language." The unconscious mind's
vocabulary includes visual images (static or active), other sensory
impressions, feelings, and dramatic experiences. Symbolism is also a
part of our language during wakefulness. Symbolism, simile, and
metaphor exist not only in the self-conscious creations of the poet,
painter, dancer, or other artist, but in our common conversations:
for example, "That car is a lemon" or "He is a bear before he drinks
his morning coffee." Our thoughts themselves are symbols of the
objects which are being pondered. Entire discussions can be symbolic;
e.g., an argument about household duties might represent a conflict
regarding the people's commitment to the family unit. (To learn more
about symbolism, we can read poetry, mythology, and books about the
writing of poetry.) Our human life is symbolic. We view our
entire lives symbolically; e.g., a job promotion symbolizes
"success," and home ownership represents "security." When we see a
church, we think of God; in that sense, it is a symbol. A certain
perfume might symbolize "love" if it was previously worn by someone
we adore. Merchants use logos as symbols of their business. Certain
traffic signs use symbols instead of words. The human body is also a
symbol -- of our Self. If we look at the symbols in every element of
our wakeful life, we might be more adept at interpreting the symbols
of our dreams.
Symbols
have a personalized meaning to us. Dreams might be considered a
universal language because they often use the same symbols which
exist in the dreams and mythologies of every culture; however, dreams
are also a personal language in which our unconscious mind generates
symbols which eloquently and elegantly portray our individual state,
particularly our unique emotional reactions to a given aspect of
life. An example of this individualized meaning is in a dream about a
plane crash; this could represent a warning to a high-flying
stock-market speculator, or an encouraging sign that a foe is going
to "crash and burn" -- or it might be a literal precognitive message
for a pilot who needs to be more careful in maintaining his aircraft.
Because our symbolism is personalized, we should never yield to
anyone who insists that our dreams have a particular meaning; we are
the experts on our dreams. Dream dictionaries have limited value.
Because symbols are personal, we cannot rely on dream dictionaries,
which present a list of dream elements and the meanings which are
traditionally assigned to each one. Our unconscious mind is so
creative in assigning symbols to our psychological processes that the
interpretation cannot be reduced to the simplistic formulas which are
offered in dream dictionaries. However, these books are not
worthless; certain symbols might tend to have the same meanings among
dreamers, particularly within a given culture where we share the same
symbols of wakeful life. (Also, archetypal symbols are common to all
of humanity.) Dream dictionaries can suggest the possible
meaning of a symbol -- but this should be only a starting-point, from
which we must seek a personal meaning. We can make our own dream
dictionary. As we interpret our dreams, we might make a list of the
symbols and their meaning in each dream. Those symbols might include
the people, activities, settings, and other elements of a dream. In
this way, we create a dictionary which is derived from our own
unconscious mind's symbolism. This will be particularly useful when
we encounter recurring elements; e.g., the blonde woman who has
appeared in several dreams. However, even a homemade dictionary is
not infallible; the unconscious mind might use the same symbol to
represent different things in different dreams. Conversely, the same
psychological component might be represented by different symbols; if
we alter our attitude about a dreamed topic, we will require a new
image to express the new underlying dynamic. (That is called "symbol
evolution.")
We
can expand our possibilities in interpretation.
- Don't limit yourself to one school of interpretation. Because
of the many types of dreams, and messages within dreams, we should
feel free to use ideas and techniques from every school --
Jungian, Freudian, Gestalt, etc., as well as the various types of
dreamwork. Each dream might require a different approach in order
to reap its value. Jung said that every dream should invite us to
create a "totally new theory of dreams."
- Don't limit yourself to one interpretation. If we interpret a
dream more than once, we are likely to find different meanings.
This probably occurs because the same psychological tendencies are
likely to manifest in various ways; for example, if one
interpretation says that we need to be more patient with our
children, another interpretation might suggest that we should be
patient with our projects at work, or that we need to "stop and
smell the roses" with regard to our life in general, or that our
body is being damaged by the stress. We can learn more from our
dreams if we seek multiple meanings. Jung said that the "correct"
interpretation is one which seems reasonable and usable. During
one interpretation, my inner child said, "This whole dream could
be interpreted on a deeper level, but this interpretation is
valid. Don't worry about getting things on the deepest level; just
accept things at whatever level is comfortable for you. Your life
can work on any one of a number of levels. All levels are good."
- Don't limit yourself to one dream. Dreams are not isolated
from one another; they repeat previous themes (perhaps in
different contexts and symbolism), and they present an update on a
changing situation (using symbols which have evolved to represent
the changes), and they continue a story-line from one dream to the
next (as if each dream were a chapter in a book). In our dream
journal, we can find correlations among dreams, particularly those
which occurred during the same sleep-period. (Some themes might
recur during a course of years.) As we study our previous dreams,
we can gain insight into a dream which we are currently trying to
interpret. Jung placed little value on the interpretation of
individual dreams; he felt that they could be understood only as
part of a series.
- Don't accept an interpretation at face value. Although this
book frequently ascribes wisdom to the unconscious mind, the
purpose of the conscious mind is to challenge that "wisdom" in the
context of the facts and proprieties of wakeful life. When we
receive a message from the unconscious mind, we need to accept it
as only a suggestion and then discern whether its application
would be sensible and productive. If a message seems ridiculous,
we should try to find a different interpretation which is useful.
- Don't assume that the dream is being straight-forward. Some
dreams are expressing the opposite of what they seem to be saying;
this could be because of our misinterpretation or because the
Freudian "censor" has been successful in masking the real meaning
of the dream. Other dreams are simply "not what they seem." In one
dream, I was on a stage, and I felt nervous because I was being
watched by a man in the audience. If I had accepted a superficial
interpretation of the dream, I might have assumed that I needed to
perform correctly for that important person. However, my inner
child said, "You are strong when you are no one's actor. That's
the secret: It's a phony situation set up to test you. You pass
the test if you throw the script into his face."Don't be confused
by "run-on dreams." Sometimes one dream leads directly into
another; the second dream might even retain certain elements from
the first. When an interpretation becomes too complicated,
consider the possibility that you are trying to understand two
separate dreams as if they were one.
- Don't give up on the attempt to interpret a dream. When the
meaning does not become apparent to us, we can set a dream aside.
More ideas about the possible meaning might occur to us later in
the day; both Jung and Freud said that some of their own dreams
were not understandable until years later. We might be able to
comprehend the dream after we have had time to ponder it, or after
we have interpreted other dreams which help us to decipher this
one, or after a wakeful event reveals that this was a precognitive
dream, or after we have gained enough insight into our wakeful
life and psychological dynamics that we can recognize the forces
which were expressing themselves in the dream.
Rely on the "aha" factor.
This is also called "the tingle test"; it is a confirmation that an
interpretation is probably correct. When we touch upon that
interpretation, there is a sudden feeling, or gut reaction, or surge
of energy, or a burst of joy, or an instinctive general sense of
rightness. However, this response does not indicate that this
interpretation is the only correct one; we might experience another
"aha" when we find a different meaning in the dream. And sometimes we
discover an accurate meaning without feeling a response; this could
occur because we are not monitoring our reactions, or because we are
in a dream group where we are too self-conscious to allow our
feelings to emerge, or because we simply don't recognize the
interpretation's validity at that particular moment. Use the right
hemisphere for interpretation. The "aha" response is more likely to
occur if we are in a relaxed, playful, right-hemisphere mode (which
can be encouraged by allowing the mind to wander, and the hand to
doodle). Primarily we use our intuition; the intellect plays a backup
role to keep our reverie aligned with wakeful "reality." Have a sense
of adventure and fun and passion, to keep the right hemisphere
engaged.
Use
associations to interpret your dreams. Freud used a specific
technique called "free association," but most dream interpreters use
an informal means of relating elements to meanings. While seeking
associations, we need to let our minds roam in an uncensored,
uncritical, unhurried, right-hemisphere reverie. We can ask ourselves
the following questions in regard to each element of the dream:
- What do I feel when I think about, or visualize, this element?
Have I felt that same way about anything in my wakeful life?
- How would I describe this element to another person? Does the
element exhibit traits which I possess?
- When I contemplate the characteristics of this element, do I
feel envy, dislike, admiration, another emotion? Could this
element be representing a feature which I disown or dispute in
myself?
- Does this element correspond to anything which happened during
wakefulness in the preceding day or week? (We can review a longer
period of time; one reason is that dreams sometimes happen on the
anniversaries of events.) Does it correspond to the topic I was
considering as I entered sleep?
- What wakeful memories are evoked by this element?
- What is the first thought that occurs to me when I ponder this
element?
- If I write a paragraph about this element, what do I write?
- If I imagine myself to be that element, what am I feeling or
thinking?
- If I say the dream-dialogue, or my description of an element,
what emotions are expressed in my voice?
- Do I recognize any puns in the dream? (For example, I had a
dream in which a stream of raw egg was pouring onto my head; a
friend suggested that I was being "egged on" by someone.)
- If I saw this symbol in my wakeful life, what would it mean to
me?