How To Interprete Your Dreams

Years ago in the 1970's, my mother, my brother and his wife, several close friends plus myself, all belonged to a dream group that met once a week.

Consequently, we all discussed our dreams not only at the group, but during the week on the telephone, as well.

What I noticed then was a feeling that would come over me at different times of the day and I knew I was getting what I called a dream bleed through. If I stopped everything I was doing, maybe a dream snippet would reveal itself to me.

I also recorded what I could remember after waking up in the morning.

The important thing is to stop, grab your dream notebook, and record whatever comes to mind.

I loved my dream group. Over the years, I have not always kept up with my dream logs. But even so, I felt inspired to write a lens on this subject, and to share the fabulous PBS special on Carl Gustav Jung, the one who spearheaded the modern day interest in and interpretation of dreams.

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This is what I do: Get yourself a dream notebook. Date each dream And don't forget to include the year.

Draw a line down the page, but not down the center of the page.

Leave the larger part to the dream itself and the smaller part to recording how you felt as you were having the dream, and any feelings about the dream you are having now.

That's it. Keep it simple,

The more you complicate this, the more likely you are to discard the practice entirely.

Be playful, enjoy the process, and get someone else who you can partner with to discuss the dreams you both are having.

There are naturally occurring universal symbols and archetypes that do tie in to an overall dream interpretation schema, but what is most important is how you feel about the symbols in your dream, and what they mean to you. A person or psychologist may shed light on the meaning of your dream, but the ultimate meaning must come from YOU.

Dreams are meant to help us develop our inner life. They are meant to strengthen an inner reliance on self- identity and self-love.

Allow this practice to evolve over time. And slow your life down, allowing more time for solitude and contemplation.

Then your dreams will reward you by showing themselves to you.