Later, you remember that when you graduated from college, you fantasized about reaching the top of the corporate ladder and driving a sports car. Like Hansel and Gretel leaving a trail of crumbs through the woods, that trail of your associations will lead you to what the dream symbol means.įor example, you see a red sports car in a dream and it makes you feel elated. This two-pronged approach to dream symbols-the feelings a symbol evokes and the memory it relates to-is called “exploring your associations.” You examine the related emotions and you examine where, when, and how that particular image or scene touched your life. First, see how the image makes you feel, and second, check out what past experiences the symbol relates to, in your life. That is why-when you explore a dream symbol such as a flower or a piece of jewelery-you examine it in two ways. Because a dream symbol has an emotional link to your past, a symbol leaves an emotional footprint on your heart and can speak volumes. Since the brain stores memories as images, it is no surprise that dreams-which are a by-product of the mind-also use pictures to communicate their message.ĭream symbols are pictures that relate to and are “linked to” memories and experiences such as graduating from school, receiving flowers, or a special exchange with a loved one.
As a result, most memories are “pictures linked to feelings,” which is important to note. The brain is hardwired to visually record and remember your memories, thoughts, and events. For example, in the above dream about the young man and the firefly, the dreamer might ask himself, “Am I frantic in some area of my life?” Or “What issue could be resolved if I stay quiet instead of pushing?” Once the story line matches an area of your life, the message often clicks. That can help you see where the arrow points. You can turn the story line into a question. Examine the story line gist you just put together as if it is an arrow pointing to a situation, a trait, or an attitude. By doing so, what is important comes into focus.ģ: Match the Story Line to an Area of Your Life.As always, the question is not “What does this dream mean?” The question is, “To what in my life (my actions, decisions, or relationships) or in me (my personality, attitudes, or emotions)-does the dream refer?” Like fitting a puzzle piece into the big picture of your life, determine what, in you, or in your life, may sound like the story line. Like a silhouette, the story line ignores the details and, instead focuses on the story generalizations and results. THE STORY LINE IS: “Frantic activity fails, but someone succeeds after becoming quiet.” Or “Someone gets what they want by staying calm and letting it come to them.” Each version of the story captures the gist of the dream, but there is no direct mention of the young man, a firefly, or sitting on the grass. As he relaxes, a firefly gets close and he gently catches it. Out of frustration he plunks down on the grass and sits quietly. He swats at the fireflies yet keeps missing he chases one, but it gets away. This step may take a smidgeon of practice, but since it is often a key turning point to finding the meaning of a dream, it is well worth the effort.įOR EXAMPLE, a young man dreams that he is trying to catch a firefly on a warm summer night. You replace the story’s original words with general terms like “someone” or “something.”Ĭlear as mud so far? The following examples will clarify what a story line sounds like. To get the story line, you extract the main action and the end result of the dream without using the actual words. A summary merely extracts the main ideas using the same terms as the original story. The story line is a generalized “restating” of the dream without repeating the actual details. For example, if you see yourself lying in a coffin but you wake up feeling happy, the dream is not likely a prediction of your demise. Your emotional reaction to a dream is the first clue to what it means, and on occasion, your reaction is the most important clue. Note your feelings (1) during the dream and (2) as you wake up. Once you get into the rhythm, you can begin to see the meaning of many dreams in five minutes. Use these five steps to get your balance on a dozen dreams and you will be on your way to a lifetime of dream insights. Further details about each step follow in Chapters 3 through 7.ĭiscovering what your dreams mean is as easy as learning to ride a bicycle. This is a first glance at a quick method to analyze your dreams in five easy steps, as summarized below. You Need Only Five Minutes to Analyze a Dream
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