Photography Blog Level 6: 2011

Dreams

A dream is defined in Webster's Dictionary as a "sequence of sensations, images, thoughts, etc., passing through a sleeping person's mind". Dreams have been a topic of study dating as far back as 4000 B.C. Dreams have been around for as long as the first civilization came to be and have been a normal part of human existence.

In our dreams, we can go anywhere, we can be anybody, and we can do anything. When we dream, we are like passengers on a moving train, unable to control our actions and choose our surroundings. We let our mind take over. Sometimes, dreams can be understood in the context of repressed thoughts. Dreaming serves as an outlet for those thoughts and impulses we repress during the day. When we go to sleep at night and slip into our dream state, we feel liberated and behave in a manner that we do not allow ourselves to in our waking life.

Visions and ideas can come from your dreams. Authors, screenwriters and poets turn to their dreams for stories. Artists and musicians explore dreams for their inspiration. Dreams can help us find solutions to our daily problems and see things from a different perspective.

Remembering Your Dreams

Before you start interpreting or even recording your dreams, a skill you must learn is dream recall. Once and awhile something that we do during the day will trigger a dream that we had the previous night, but if you are serious about working with your dreams this will not be good enough. The first step that we need to take is to find a way to help yourself remember these dreams at least long enough to get them down on paper.

Why is it that the contents of dreams, something that we actually see for ourselves, are so hard to remember? You would think that it should be as easy as remembering what we ate for breakfast, or a movie that we saw last week. Perhaps it's because our conscious mind is reluctant to allow us full understanding of our dreams. Most think it's because the events in dreams are usually entirely irrational to our waking minds and finds it difficult to grasp.

After reading through the following information and working with it, you will find that after a few weeks you should be able to remember at least three to four dreams a week. If you can already do that then these exercises should benefit you even more. Some people, if fact, give up trying to work with their dreams, because they find themselves having too many dream memories and are satisfied. After you get to this point, and enjoy dreaming but not writing what they are about, then just stop and have fun with your dreams. However, no time that you spend working on your dreams will be wasted, since you will find yourself suffering from less stress.

Hypnagogic Images

Between being awake and falling asleep, your mind enters the hypnagogic phase. In this stage you begin to lose touch with the world around you without showing the physiological stages of sleep. Pictures form inside our heads like still photographs and although you may have never noticed them, they are there.

If you think you have never experienced this phenomenon, you will probably recall a time when you were listening to a song. Not a song from the radio, but on playing inside your head. You can actually hear the song playing, but once you become aware of this, it escapes you.

Becoming aware of these images is extremely difficult, mostly because once we can see we are becoming aware we get excited and drop out of it. So the skill we need to try and develop is to remain relaxed and stay under control while you enjoy these images. The main element to gaining control over these images is to watch the process as it unfolds. Let yourself drift off to sleep while allowing a part of your mind to watch the process unfold. This tends to lead to prolonged periods of wakefulness in the beginner, so you shouldn't try this every night unless you can afford to lose some sleep.

A lot of people put too much energy into watching these images, so keep your eyes relaxed. Sometimes in the beginning stages we mistake pictures from our own imagination for hypnagogic imagery. But this is a conscious effort, just like we would imagine something during the day. The point that has to be made about a hypnagogic image is that it just suddenly appears, and there is no mistaking between it and something you put there consciously.

When you realize that something has appeared, don't get too excited, and don't try to hold onto it or prolong it. Just let it appear and go away. This process usually takes a bit of practice. As in most lucid dreams, if you don't remain calm it will probably disappear. Do not think that by observing the hypnagogic images that you are somehow creating this state. It happens every night to every one of us, the only thing is that most of us don't pay attention or aren't aware of them. After a few of these images, you will probably drift off to sleep.

Jung’s Theory

Jung, disagreeing with Freud's theory, quickly developed his own which contradicted Freud's. Jung believed the most effective method for dream interpretation was the use of series correlation. Freud didn't even believe interpretation was possible by the dreamer and that dreams could only be interpreted by a trained psychologist. Jung was the one who gave hope to all dreamers who were looking for the meaning in our dreams without having to hire a "professional."

Series correlation is a process involving the analysis of dreams over time. Jung suggested taking similar dreams from you dream journal and merging the dream images together forming a larger dream. Try and gather these images into your head, he suggested, and from these images determined if there are any waking situations that might be related. From this information write out a physical action that could be taken based off of the information learned through using this technique.

Like Freud, Jung categorized the mind into three parts: the collective unconscious, the personal unconscious, and the conscious. The collective unconscious consists of imbedded deposits of world processes. It does not depend on personal experience, only the images which are prefigured by evolution. The personal unconscious is a receptacle or storage mechanism for that which is not contained within the consciousness. It holds forgotten association, unnoticed experiences, observations, moral questioning, repressed and discarded thoughts, half-thoughts, seemingly irrelevant details, and incongruities. Finally comes the consciousness, wich develops through sensing, thinking, and intuition.

When Jung interpreted dreams he found that the most important thing to do was ask yourself questions about the images in your dreams and from these questions, write down all of the associations you can think of. Here are the questions he would ask himself:

What is the shape of the image?
What is the function of the image?
What alterations does the image go through?
What does the image do?
What do you like and dislike about the image?
What does the image remind you of?

Freud's Theory

Out of all theories before his, and all of those today, this is the one that stands out the most. He believed that a dream represented an ongoing wish along with the previous day’s activities. They may even portray wishes that have been inside us since early childhood. In fact, he believed, every dream is partially motivated by a childhood wish. Another interesting idea was that nothing is made up during a dream and that they are biologically determined, derived completely from instinctual needs and personal experiences.

Probably one of the most interesting ideas among these theories is his theory of dream occurrence. Dreams occur in a state of "ego collapse" when the demands of the Id (imperative bodily needs) and Superego (conscience ego ideals) converge upon the Ego (personal desires and mediator between the Id and Superego). In easier terms, a dream will occur when the unconscious wish is bound to the preconscious instead of just being discharged.

Many of Freud's theories still stand true today, but most of all in the area of defense mechanisms our body uses while we dream. If our minds have been dealing with too much denial, regression, or repression, it causes an internal conflict, a dream in this case, to take place. This prevents us from building up intolerable states of psychological tension in waking life. This is why, if you become too emotional, it actually works to "sleep it off."

Cayce's Theory

When it came to the idea of dreams having purpose, Cayce's theory was a bit different then the others. He believed dreaming to be the body’s way of "self edification," which is the building up of the mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. It was a way of quickening the dreamer to his/her own human potential. By getting a good nights sleep, any person could develop more mature values, stretch their thinking, and right one's self.

According to Cayce, there are five different levels that dream's stem from. These different levels are the body level, subconscious level, level of consciousness, level of super-conscious, and the level of the soul. What they can do for you is anything from presenting messages of your body calling for aid during sickness to stating problems which must be solved within the conscious.

Cayce believed that if you were to interpret your dreams correctly you must thoroughly study yourself. Once you know how you feel about dreams and what they can do for you can you begin to study your dreams. If you have a dream, according to Cayce, it's primary focus is to either solve problems and adapt to external affairs or awakening and alerting the dreamer to new potential within the self. The first step to Cayce's method of interpretation is to determine which of the two major functions of dreams is the primary focus of the dream.

The second step is the process of taking inventory. You need to know your conscious and subconscious mind inside out. Know future plans, goals, interests, stances, and decisions. Know your hidden fears, longings, dependencies, and defenses. Know the cycles, needs, habits, and stresses of the body. Once you finish with these two steps you can begin to interpret your dreams and decide how they can help you better yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Evans' Organization

According to Evans, every time we go to sleep our brain disengages from the external world and uses this time to sort through and organize all the information that was taken in throughout the day. Sleep, especially during REM sleep, is when the brain becomes isolated for the sensory and motor neural pathways. During this time our data banks and program files are opened and become available for modification on re-organization, based on what happened during the day.

In this theory, we are not aware of the full array of processing that occurs during REM sleep. While we dream the brain comes back on-line for a short period of time and the conscious mind is allowed to observe a small sample of the programs that are being run. The brain attempts to interpret this information in the same way it would during the wakeful state, what is created from these samples of information is a dream. In a nutshell, dreams are nothing more than a minute amount of the information that is being scanned and sorted during REM sleep.

Crick and Mitchinson's Cleanup

Crick and Mitchinson base their theory on the fact that the cortex, unlike other parts of the brain, is made up of richly interconnected neuronal networks in which each cell has the capacity to excite it's neighbors. It is believed that memories are encoded in these networks and when one point of the web is excited a pulse travels through the network prompting recall. The problem with such network systems is that they malfunction when there is an over load of incoming information. Too many memories in one network may produce either bizarre associations to a stimulus, which creates our fantasies, the same response whatever the stimulus, creating obsessions, or associations triggered without any stimulus, which creates hallucinations.

To deal with information overload, the brain needs a mechanism to debug and tune the network. This debugging mechanism would work best when the system was isolated from external inputs and it would have to have a way of randomly activating the network in order to eliminate spurious connections. This method, they say, is REM sleep and that the hallucinatory quality of dreams is nothing more than the random neural firing needed for the daily cleanup of the network.

According to this theory, these signals somehow erase the spurious memory associations formed during the previous day and we wake up with the network cleaned up. They believe that people remembering their dreams could help retain patterns of thought which are better forgotten, the same patterns that your system has attempted to clean out. This is why, they say, if you don't write down your dreams they will be forgotten because your brain is still working to clear these memories out.

DREAM INTERPRETATION

Boyfriend
To see your boyfriend in your dream, represents your waking relationship with him and how you feel about him.

Boy
If you are female and dream that you see or are a boy, then it indicates that you are developing the masculine aspects of character. Alternatively, it may represent your feelings about a real-life boy who is important and significant to you. You may have a crush on this boy and your waking thoughts of him has carried over into the dream world. Your motherly instincts may be taking over.

Dog

To see a dog in your dream, symbolizes intuition, loyalty, generosity, protection, and fidelity. The dream suggests that your strong values and good intentions will enable you to go forward in the world and bring you success. The dream dog may also represent someone in your life who exhibits these qualities. Alternatively, to see a dog in your dream, indicates a skill that you may have ignored or forgotten. If the dog is vicious and/or growling, then it indicates some inner conflict within yourself. It may also indicate betrayal and untrustworthiness. If the dog is dead or dying, then it means a loss of a good friend or a deterioration of your instincts.

To dream that you are buying a dog, indicates your tendency to buy your friends or buy compliments and favors. Alternatively, it suggest a need for you to find companionship. If you are being guided by a dog, then it suggests that you are having difficulties in navigating out of a situation or problem.

House

An old house signifies a reunion or renewal of an old association. A new house predicts financial security. Building a house or seeing one under construction forecasts unexpected gain, possibly through a legacy;

Houses in your dream can have different meanings. If you dream of a house from your childhood, your parents' house, or the house you knew in the past, you may have nostalgia about childhood and people you grew up with. It embodies a nostalgic reminder of your innocent childhood. If you have this dream, ask yourself, if you still run the same patterns from your family of origin in a current relationship. A house in general can symbolize your inner self and the house structure is also symbolic. Consciousness about a particular house part can provide you with some clue to the meaning of the dream. Your reaction to the house and feelings about it are crucial. If you are leaving the house in your dream, you are ready to move on in your waking life. Pay attention to the furniture, room decoration, windows, hallways, doors and windows, all of these house attributes play essential role for interpretation of a house dream.

Driving
To dream that you are driving a vehicle, signifies your life's journey and your path in life. The dream is telling of how you are moving and navigating through life. If you are driving and cannot see the road ahead of you, then it indicates that you do not know where you are headed in life and what you really want to do with yourself. You are lacking direction and goals.Similarly, to dream that you are driving at night, suggests that you are unsure of where you are headed in life. You are experiencing obstacles toward your goals. Perhaps you do not want to see what is ahead for you or you are afraid to confront certain issues. You may be feeling apprehensive about the future. If your view is blocked or obstructed while you are driving, then it symbolizes your lacking awareness of something in your life. You are overlooking certain aspects in your life. Alternatively, the dream indicates dangers or problems that are not yet made known to you. If you are driving on a curvy road, then it indicates that you are having difficulties in achieving your goals and accepting the changes associated with it. Metaphorically, driving a car in your dream, is analogous to your sex life and sexual performance. Consider how you are driving and what kind of car you are driving and how it relates to your waking sex life. Or the dream may be a pun on your "drive" or ambition.

To dream that someone else is driving you, denotes fortune and that you will profit from your superior knowledge and ingenuity. If you are driving from the passenger side of a car, then it suggests that you are trying to gain control of the path that your life is taking. You are beginning to make your own decisions.

To dream that you are driving a cab or bus, suggests that menial tasks are providing little opportunities for advancement. I

To dream that you are driving a car in reverse, suggests that you are experiencing major setbacks in your goals. In particular, if you drive in reverse into a pool of water, then it means that you emotions are literally holding you back.

Lesbian

If you are not a lesbian in your waking life, but dream that you are a lesbian, then it signifies a union with aspects of yourself. It is symbolic of self-love, self-acceptance, and passion. You are comfortable with your sexuality and femininity. If, in your dream you abhor the notion of lesbianism, then it represents your fears and rejection of aspects of your own sexuality.

Orgy
To see an orgy in your dream, signifies repressed desires of your own sexuality and passion.Perhaps you are too conservative in your sex life and need to experiment. It may also mean that there is some sort of confusion in how and where you distribute your energies. You may be going into too many directions and as a result, are spread too thin.

Airplanes
To see an airplane in your dream, indicates that you will overcome your obstacles and rise to a new level of prominence and status. You may experience a higher consciousness, new-found freedom and greater awareness. Perhaps you need to gain a better perspective or wider view on something. If the airplane is taking off, then it suggests that an idea or plan is about to "take off" and be put into action. It may also represent you need to get away and escape from your daily life.

Holidays
To dream that you are on holiday, represents a need for a break or time for rest. You are expressing a wish to escape from your responsibilities. Depending on the activities related to the holiday, the dream may also indicate family issues, personal attitudes or some difficulty.

Shower

To dream that you are showering with someone, suggests that there is something that you need to "come clean" or confess to this person. It is time to be honest. Perhaps the dream is telling you that you need to let down your guard. If you are showering with a group of people, then it means that you are feeling exposed. You feel that your sense of privacy is being invaded.

Boat
To dream that you are in or see a boat, signifies your ability to cope with and express your emotions. Pay particular attention to the condition and state of the waters, whether it is calm or violent, clear or murky, etc. Are you "smooth sailing"? Alternatively, you may be ready to confront your unconscious and unknown aspects of yourself. The dream could be telling you not to rock the boat and to stay out of harm's way.

Crocodile
To see a crocodile in your dream, symbolizes freedom, hidden strength and power. It also forewarns of hidden danger. Someone near you is giving you bad advice and is trying to sway you into poor decisions. Because crocodiles can live in water and on land, they also represent your conscious and unconscious and the emotional and rational. Perhaps something is coming to the surface and you are on the verge of some new awareness.

Alternatively, the crocodile may be an aspect of yourself and your aggressive and "snappy" attitude. Or it may reveal that are being insincere, displaying false emotions and shedding "crocodile tears".

To dream that you are chased or bitten by a crocodile, denotes disappointments in love and in business.

Mechanic
To see a mechanic in your dream, suggests that you need to work on healing your past hurts and trauma.

Werewolf
To see a werewolf in your dream, indicates that something in your life is not what it seems.It is symbolic of fear, repressed anger, and uncontrollable violence.

To dream that you are a werewolf, suggests that some aspects of your personality are hurtful and even dangerous to your own well-being. You are headed down an undesirable path. Alternatively, a werewolf refers to your repressed instincts.

Meat
To see raw meat in your dream, represents obstacles and discouragements that you will come across as you move toward achieving your goals. Alternatively, it may reflect your untamed, animalistic nature and raw emotions.

How To Lucid Dream

A lucid dream is one in which you become aware that you are dreaming, but don't wake up. Although some people naturally have the ability to lucid dream, most have to learn and develop the technique. Here's some advice on how to improve your chances of having lucid dreams.

1. Step 1: Prepare

The first step is to improve your ability to remember dreams, and just generally make yourself more aware of your dreams. Start by telling yourself each night before you go to bed, that you will have lucid dreams and that you will remember them in the morning. Repeating this over and over to yourself will make it more likely to happen. Keep a dream journal in which you record the details of all the dreams you remember, to help keep track of recurring images and themes. Also, use an alarm clock to start waking yourself earlier than your usual time, as this will help you remember dreams more clearly. As soon as you wake up, lie still for a few moments and try to recall all the details of your dream before you get up. Remember, there's not much point having lucid dreams if you can't recall them when you're awake. Taking supplements such as vitamin B-6, melatonin and 5-HTP can also increase the vividness of your dreams.

2. Step 2: Knowing that you're dreaming

Sometimes when you are dreaming you won't be sure whether you are dreaming or awake. You can train yourself to look out for signs that you are dreaming. These are things which would be impossible in real life, such as being able to breathe under water or fly. You can also train yourself to know that you're dreaming by using reality checks. This can be done in the form of actions like pinching yourself or looking at your hands, or simply asking yourself the question ”am I awake?”. Start performing reality checks during the day when you know you are awake, to get your mind into the habit of asking the question. This will make you more likely to ask the question while dreaming. Sometimes the realisation that you are in a dream world can be such a shock that you suddenly wake up, but in time you will learn to keep dreaming and even take control of your dreams.

3. Step 3: Controlling your dreams

Once you have developed the ability to recognise that you are in a dreaming state, you might then be able to actually take control of your dreams. For example, if you have recurring dreams of being chased, you may be able to control the dreams so that you turn around and confront your chaser and ask them what they want. Many people report that they can not only control their own actions in a dream, but control other characters in the dream as well. It's also possible to take control of scary dreams and nightmares and turn them into something much more pleasant. Don't worry if you can't induce a lucid dream on your first attempts. With patience and regular practice most people can develop the ability to have the lucid dream experience.
Sweet dreams!

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