Spo-fans have asked about dream analysis, so I thought I would write on this.
The interpretation of dreams goes back to ancient times. Dreams have always been thought to hold meaning or herald the future. Whatever dream analysis approach is used, the common principle is dreams get us into contact with material the conscious either can’t or won’t address.
There are many ways to interpret dreams. One hypothesis is dreams do NOT have any meaning. Dreaming is a sort of neurological necessity of cleansing the mind (and why this is necessary for the mind to do, we do not know). I don’t agree with the approach all dreams are meaningless, but this is more true when people take antidepressants that effect serotonin levels (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and Effexor and Cymbalta, to name a few). These medications play havoc on dream work – patients who take them often report ‘vivid and weird dreams’. I assure them it is a side effect of meds and the contents are not worth analyzing the majority of the time.
While I believe dreams hold meaning, there are a lot of dreams that are not important or ‘numinous’. Analyzing dreams is like panning for gold; most dream contents are sand; but a few nuggets are golden.
Sorting through the bits to separate the messages from the random typewriting is a challenge.
Before I get to Jung, let me tell you about the Freudian approach. Based on the Freudian axiom the unconscious is trying to work through repressed conflicts, dream work displays repressed and conflict matters in disguised and symbolic form. The goal of Freudian dream analysis is reductive; distill all these mysterious elements down to ‘the point’. The dream work is personal, about your own psyche.
Jung took an a different approach; the Freudian approach is applied to only some dreams. In Jungian dream work, the dream components are expanded rather than ‘shrunk’. The elements in a dream are developed to learn more about them. And a crucial difference – some dreams are about the Collective Unconscious. The numinous dreams coming from the Collective are about your relationship to the Archetypes, not to personal past events. Jung thought these dreams more relevant towards the growth of the Self.
The main influences in a dream:
What medications, drugs or alcohol you are taking.
What you did and ate in the past 24 hours.
What is coming up in your life
What is on your conscious mind.
The elements of the Personal unconscious
And (for Jung) the elements of the Collective Unconscious.
In Jungian analysis of dream work, everybody in the dream more or less represents an element of yourself; they are complexes in your Psyche. So the people you recognize are not really just about ‘you mother’ or ‘your partner’. These everyday characters play roles for things ineffable. Like a director in a play, your mind borrows every day people to be actors to play out complexes and archetypes. After expansion, the elements are examined to see the present structure and strengths of your Ego to the complexes. Once in a while an image seems to pack a punch or seems ‘raw’; these are usually coming from the collective; they need more careful attention.
No therapist relies solely on one way to analyze dreams. Sometimes a dream is ‘nonsense’; some times the Freudian approach feels apt. Sometimes dreams are more superficial and simple; they don’t need much analysis. Once in while they are ‘numinous’ they are directly connecting you to something more than yourself.
Patient fret if they can only recall a bit of a dream that felt important. Not to worry – you will remember the important bits, or the important items will return.
Psyche keeps knocking until you get it.
12 comments
January 18, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Lemuel
My Ex was so spooked by the dreams supposedly triggered by his “stop smoking drug” that he dropped it.
Urspo – that is rather common; the vivid dreams on some psychotropic medications are so intense and so bizarre it is enough to stop the Rx “gee doc, it is like going to the horror movies every night!”
January 18, 2008 at 2:25 PM
Will
For as long as I can remember I have had dreams about being in a huge and complex building, walking through miles of corridors, with episodes happening in rooms or open areas off the corridor. My goal is always to get out of the building (although being in it isn’t actually unpleasant) but I always wake up or the dream stops before I get out of the maze-like place. It’s rarely the same building twice.
January 18, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Merri
I love dreams and trying to figure them out.
I have read a bit about Jung,found it fascinating,
and think I prefer his approach rather than Freud’s..
But I know next to nothing about Freud so should keep quiet..
I have found it VERY true that one will keep having the same dream until one “gets” it…and either comes to terms with the issue in one way or another.
January 18, 2008 at 6:41 PM
derekveal
I love dreams, I have kept a dream journal for years, I enjoy analyzing my dreams, lately I’ve been having a lot of sex dreams, does this mean I’ve been watching too much porn?
January 18, 2008 at 6:42 PM
derekveal
oh this is Derek at http://deveil.wordpress.com
January 18, 2008 at 8:31 PM
johnmichael42003
I usually forget my dreams by the time I take a shower.
January 18, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Coco
Hi…
I’m here via TigerYogi : )
I’ve not only enjoyed your writings, but also learned from them : )
And yes, I can relate to a few postings…
depression (mine) & dementia (aunt)
As for my dreams, sometimes I find myself analyzing them right there while dreaming!
I will definitely be back…
Have a wonderful weekend : )
Take Care!
January 18, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Maddog
Once I started taking one of the meds I’m on now, my dreams were like dropping acid before I went to sleep. They were bizarre and weird and just plain out there. Never scary or upsetting, just extremes of one sort or another. The one consistent though, is that I dream about amusement parks a lot. Sometimes I’m riding the rollercoaster, or watching a game, or walking among the people. But rarely a week or two goes by that an amusement park doesn’t show up in my dreams.
January 19, 2008 at 2:25 AM
zephyraardvark
Well, it sounds a little more plausible than astrology. Not greatly. Got any studies that affirm any relevance to dream analysis, or is this more an adventure into interesting ideas with unknowable conclusions?
January 19, 2008 at 7:55 AM
BentonQuest
I have had some weird Zolft dreams. The worst was one where I was dead in the dream and all I could experience was nothing: no sound, no light. And then it dawned on me; I was going to spend all eternity in the midst of nothing. Very frightening.
January 19, 2008 at 8:28 AM
Pink
Funny you should have this up today.
I went last night to the start of a 3 day intensive with a sufi teacher who is big on Jung and on dream analysis. I couldn’t go today because I’m absolutely exhausted from this week of extreme overwork.
The crucial bit of my dream last night was when my dead mother said to me: You need to set boundaries. I’ve been waiting for you to set boundaries with Michael.
There is no Michael is in my real life…but funny the name should be so clear…and then a few hours later, I find myself here reading about taking your dreams as serious messages from the self or the collective unconscious.
I am resting today at home. Tomorrow I will go to the day 3 of the intensive. I am certain that even at home today, I am getting exactly what I need and learning what I need to learn.
Thanks for this.
xx
pinks
January 23, 2008 at 7:22 PM
LLB
When I read Jungian books (my favorite has been Marie Louise Von Franz), I dream like crazy. Also when I read fairy tales. Otherwise my dreams can drop off. But when I’m reading mythic material I dream alot. I’m not trained formally but reading lots of Von Franz has started to help me slowly understand some of my dreams.