Understanding your dreams can be far easier when you know how to approach them. After interpreting dreams over that last 15 years, I've found it important to keep in mind the importance of 3 main ingredients in making dreams more understandable and therefore, more useful to the dreamer. What the point of interpreting a dream if you do not relate it you to, the dreamer? That is what these three main aspects will aid you in accomplishing.
The first aspect is the universal dream symbology. It has been said that no one can interpret a dream except you. In many ways this is true. No one symbol will mean a specific thing for each and every dreamer. For example, in this universal dream symbology, animals represent habitual thought patterns. Again, keep in mind we are taking about dreams on a universal level. The reason you can interpret dreams on a universal level is because we view things in a universal way. You have probably heard the saying, "Bob is a creature of habit." Why do we say "creature of habit?" It is because we view creatures, or animals as acting in habitual ways. Your pet cat, for example, likes to eat at a certain times of day, likes to sleep at certain times of day, and may want to go outside at certain times of day. This is just one example. But it is a universal perception that creatures act out their lives in an habitual way. Our inner subconscious mind is wiser than we know. It uses this universal symbology to communicate how we are creating our lives, through our dreams. The universal dream language is a language of function. Look at how we view the working of things in our society and this will give you a clue as to the workings of this language.
Once you have identified the meaning of the symbol, it is important to identity what the action of the dream is in relation to the symbol. For example, if you dream of a cat, we know that this represents some type of habitual thought pattern in the dreamer. But, if you are petting a cat versus killing a cat in your dream will mean two entirely different things to the dreamer. If you are petting a cat in your dream, this means you are very much indentifying with this habitual thought pattern in your waking life. It could be over eating, smoking, or how you relate to other people on an habitual level. On the other hand, if you kill a cat in a dream, this means you have caused a change in yourself in regard to this habit. Death, or the act of the killing, represents change in this universal dream symbology. So, as you can see, it is important to recognize the action taking place in regard to the universal dream symbology. The dreamer will ultimately need to make the connection between the symbol and his or her waking consciousness. Our dreams are a reflection of our consciousness. The more aware we are of this, the easier it will be to identify what your dream is trying to communicate to you.
The third and last ingredient in making your dreams more understandable is the emotion in the dream. Take note of how you felt while your dream was happening. Were you happy or sad? Calm or excited? The emotion you experience in your dreams will reflect how you were expressing your emotions in your waking state. Take note the next time you are excited or sad during your day and whether or not this shows up in your dream as well.
To review, recognize that our subconscious mind does communicate to us using universal dream symbology. Look at the function of the symbol. How does it function in your waking state? This will clue you in at to what the dream is telling you. Determine what the action is in the dream as it relates to the symbol. As you do this, you will come closer to accurately identifying what the dream is saying. And thirdly, identify what your emotion is in the dream. as it relates to the symbol and the action. As you feel in your dreams, you feel in your waking state. There is an intimate connection between the inner and outer self as they will always mirror each other.
The subconscious mind really does make it simple to understand your dreams. Use these three aspects to dream interpretation and you'll be a dream master before you know it.
