Dreams.

[jonathan123 2365]

How many keep a dream diary? Dreams can help us understand more about our psyche, our inner selves and often what is at the bottom of our anxiety. When we sleep the conscious part of the brain is suspended and the unconscious comes into play. All inhibitions fall away and the true picture emerges.  The unconscious does not lie. It presents to you, in the form of dreams, how your life is going; what needs adjustment or even in some dreams what might happen if we go on with the course we are on. Have you ever awakened from a dream in a state of panic? I have. So what goes on? The unconscious tells you something that your conscious mind finds unacceptable about yourself. You wake up and the dream is remembered vivdly and you panic beacuse fear arises. We all know dreams can be frightening in the form of nightmares. Most dreams that come to those with anxiety are the " I am being chased by something. I don't know what but whatever it is it is out to get me" type. There are ordinary dreams, soon forgotten, and what Jung called,' big dreams'. Ones that have a depth of meaning. They need interpretation by someone who has experience of this kind of psychotherapy.  Some schools of psychotherapy regard the interpretation of dreams as being an essential part of recovery. I agree having worked with a Jungian psychologist. When I was beginning to recover I had recurring dreams about 'The New World'. Visits to the USA where I have never been. This had nothing to do with America but the unconscuious, in it's own way, was telling me that a new world was possible. The idea of a new awakening. People went to the USA looking for a new life; a new beginning. Away from the prejudice and suffering that was evident in Europe in those days. My life was having a new beginning, which indeed it was. This is all symbolic but it helped me understand more about myself and why I felt as I did. Another was the recurring dream of fishes. My star sign is Pisces and fish can represent all kinds of thoughts and patterns of behaviuor. Books on dream interpretation are not a lot of use. It depends so much on how YOU see things. An elephant, for instance to some can be a big dangerous beast, best avoided. To others a gentle hard working animal. So the interpretation of your dream would depend of your feelings about elephants! If you keep a dream diary you need to keep a notepad by your bed and write down the dream as soon as you awake. Then look at it in the light of day and see what it is telling you about your life. You may be surprised.     J.

[Gilly 1086]

I have some bizarre messed up dreams. Not nightmares, never had one of those thankfully but just crazy dreams. Vivid too. I agree they are relevant, it's funny but I often have dreams about going to america. In the dream I'm there and excited but astounded because that meant I got on a plane, then realisation sets in that to get home I will need to get on another plane, the rest of the dream is then like an action movie, and it's always in NY. I even had one last night, I was in NY but it was 9/11 and I was running from falling debris.

 

So, that means my life is a disaster movie, always knew it!!

[ArrowHawk11 30]

That is a scary dream. Ive had a few disaster dreams my self. I read somewhere that they are symbolic and represent change in your life. I had a dream once similar to yours but it happend before 9/11. I remember being in a room on a very tall building. There were other people in this room too as well as an impressive view of a city. The next thing i knew chaos errupted when there was a huge explosion and the room ignited into flames.

[ArrowHawk11 30]

That is a scary dream. Ive had a few disaster dreams my self. I read somewhere that they are symbolic and represent change in your life. I had a dream once similar to yours but it happend before 9/11. I remember being in a room on a very tall building. There were other people in this room too as well as an impressive view of a city. The next thing i knew chaos errupted when there was a huge explosion and the room ignited into flames.

[Elf 7]

Gilly, you've never had a nightmare? Oh, you're lucky on that.

I have many vivid, crazy nightmares and not-so-pleasamt dreams that leave me anxious and moody.