Dream Interpretation

How to Figure Out What Your Subconscious is Telling You

Whether its simply a replay of the day's events or a bizarre and unexplainable storyline, the fact is we all dream. Many dreams are fairly insignificant and we don't even recall them when we wake up. Others grip us so tightly that we awake in a cold sweat. And whether they featured unknown faces, a childhood home or a pickle jar that seemed to have everyone in a fuss, we woke up with the sensation that there must have been a message in there somewhere.

But do dreams really have meaning?

The truth is, we don't really know that much about dreams.  Different scientists have different theories, ranging from a connection to a higher power to our subconscious mind's way of solving problems, thus the phrase "sleep on it". Some people speculate that dreams are nothing more than "garbage" that your mind has picked up throughout the day (thus explaining the randomness and bizarre sequence of events that many dreams contain) while still others believe that dreams are prophetic and can be a window into your future (deja' vu) or even a past life.

So what do your dreams mean?

There are many people who believe that dreams are full of symbols - learn to decipher them and you'll understand the message in your dream. Animals have special meanings, often thought to represent certain aspects of our psyche - a bear for example represents your intuition and instinct while a frog symbolizes healing and self-discovery.

Other symbols are somewhat more random - a dream about saddles is said to indicate that good news is on the way while a dream that features asparagus denotes prosperity in your future. But perhaps the best way to interpret your dreams is to look at the contents of the dream itself and your responses and feelings during the dream.

For example, what emotions did you notice during your dream? Were you anxious? Afraid? Excited? Often, dreams are a way of releasing emotions and thoughts that we may be suppressing in our waking life, whether because of a specific situation or a more general self-image.

Also try to get past the randomness and bizarre and look for the basic story. What were you doing in the dream? What were you trying to accomplish? Were you hiding from someone? Running away? Fighting for something or perhaps enjoying a new experience for the first time? For example, a dream where everyone is calling you by the wrong name might indicate that you're not truly being yourself. Likewise, a dream where you feel forced to accept things you don't want such as grocery items or a wrong order at a restaurant might indicate that you feel others are making decisions for you.

Were there significant aspects of the dream? If for example, you need to scream but can't, then you're probably feeling some resentment about not speaking your mind. Similarly, if you're unable to run (those legs just turn to jello don't they?) then maybe you feel powerless about a certain situation.

The whole point of dream interpretation is to determine if there are emotions and thoughts that your conscious mind perhaps isn't willing to deal with, thus leading to some important self-discovery and growth.

But what if the dream is so bizarre that you just can't figure it out? What about that pickle jar that was causing such a fuss? Rest assured, there's almost always an explanation. If the dream focuses more around an object instead of you, then consider the other parameters of the dream. The pickle jar example could be your way of expressing frustration over others making a big deal out of nothing.

Want to learn more about your dreams? Keep a dream journal beside your bed and write down as much of your dream as you can when you first wake up, because dreams tend to fade quickly and we can forget some important pieces to the puzzle.  Note any smells, sounds or other sensations you might remember.  How did you feel?  Who else was involved? Where did it take place? The more detail you can give your dream, the better chance you'll have of successfully interpreting its meaning.

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