We can all remember a memorable dream or two in our lives. Do you have recurring dreams, do you take a new adventure every night, or do you rarely remember what happened during your sleeping hours?
I dream a lot. Many dreams every night. Vivid, rich, and potent.
Did you know that dreams can offer fresh insight about our inner world and what next steps to take on our journey? To unearth those insights, I use a dream interpretation process originally defined by Carl Jung and later modified by Martha Beck.
When I quit my job four months ago, my dream time became hyperactive, as it usually does for me during times of change. I hadn’t been taking the time to interpret them regularly. Since they weren’t stopping, I knew I needed to listen to what they were trying to tell me. This past Saturday I finally dove into the depths of my dreams to uncover their messages. I had been reluctant because the process is time-consuming and occasionally challenging, especially because I have so many detailed dreams each night.
When I awoke on Saturday, I lay very still in bed, pulling the dream memories from my slumbering mind into my conscious mind. I pictured all of the scenes and heard all of the conversations from the night. Once I gathered as much as I could remember, I rolled toward my notebook on the bedside table and started writing. My dreams were captured and ready to be tamed.
I got out of bed, shuffled to the kitchen, brewed a fresh cup of coffee, grabbed my notebook and pen, and settled in my favorite chair.
Slowly and methodically, I deciphered the meaning of the green car, the yoga pose, the baby boy who ate beans and rice, the huge shower stall, Paul’s swim trunks, and many other symbols that appeared during my midnight adventures. I uncovered some relevant messages from my sleeping self:
- Stable and balanced energy is what will grow my business.
- I am supported.
- Working too hard will hinder my progress.
To you, those may sound like nonsense. To me, they are clear messages from my wise inner self who knows exactly what I need to do.
Where clear messages failed to come through, I was left with questions to ponder:
- Where in my life am I being shy and hidden, afraid to be exposed?
- Where am I not accepting what is given to me, exactly what I need, for fear of being embarrassed?
I will take those questions to my journal when the time feels right, and I will allow free writing to guide me to the answers.
I find dream interpretation rich and rewarding. It provides me with wisdom from my nocturnal chaos.
I use dream interpretation with clients, when they are interested and willing. They, too, if their minds are open to it, find the process rewarding and exciting. We have so much inner wisdom available to us if we take the time to listen.
Are you ready to find the wisdom in your dreams?
P.S. Only you can interpret your dreams. To me, a snake could represent my neighbor, but to you, a snake could mean … well, something a little more Freudian.
