Copyright © Mr. Cejay Macqueen
http://www.Gold-Mint.com
Our dreams are powerful messages that our subconscious sends us while we sleep. Our dreams can tell us a lot if we let them - our dreams can tell us about things that have happened in our past, things we may not yet be able to let go of, things that may happen in the future or dreams can even help guide you when it comes to making important decisions. However, in order to gain any understanding of what they might mean to us, it is important that we are able to understand them and clarify just what our dreams are trying to tell us.
Everyone’s dreams are unique, they come from your mind, your life, from your emotions and your experiences in life, and therefore they can tell you a lot. Dreams can tell you a lot about yourself and how your life is going or what needs changing and as such you are able to draw from them and lead a much more fulfilling and happy life.
What is dreaming?
Although we don’t realize it, when we are asleep and dreaming our body goes through many changes, depending on the type of dream you are having then your adrenaline may rise, your heart may beat faster and you could have a raise in blood pressure. Yet we are for the most part totally unaware of these things happening as we sleep peacefully. Dreaming takes place when we are in what is called REM sleep. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement due to the fact that our eyelids flutter rapidly.
This sleep pattern accounts for around 20% of the time we are asleep and usually occurs between 30 to 90 minutes after we have fallen asleep. It is during this time that our bodies and minds are totally at peace and this is when our true feelings begin to show in our dreams. It is the time when we totally let go and let our worries, thoughts and feelings surface, which then come out in dreams.
The different types of dreams
Daydreaming
Daydreaming often occurs when we are in a totally relaxed state of mind and is closely linked to dreams that you have whilst asleep. Daydreams most often occur when we are in a semi-conscious state and can tell us a lot; it is more than just drifting off into “another world” as some people say. They are so much more than just fleeting thoughts and feelings and should be taken into account and used to your advantage just as you interpret your dreams at night. Your daydreams can give you valuable insight into problems that are in your life and can very often show you the solution to problems. When you daydream you access the right side of your brain, which is the creative side and you can utilize them, turn negative aspects into more positive ones. With a little practice you can turn daydreams into visualizations for what you want to happen out of life. Positive daydreaming is a totally normal and wonderful thing which you can use to your advantage and relives pressure, eases stress and helps you to focus on certain areas in your life that need some attention.
Making the most of lucid dreams
When we are in a lucid state we have the opportunity to deal with all the issues we would otherwise put to one side and shy away from, therefore lucid dreams can be used to your advantage. Some of the ways which you can use the lucid state to your advantage is to overcome phobias and fears, build up confidence to face any situation and prepare ourselves for just about anything which we would normally shy away from.
Nightmares
When we dream and have nightmares these are the problems showing through from your daily life, your fears and worries about something that is happening in your life now or what may happen in the future. Nightmares are your minds way of bringing those thoughts and feelings out and getting us to take notice of things we are avoiding, so they shouldn’t be shied away from but you should take notice of what your mind is telling you.
Instead of pushing a nightmare to the back of your head, especially a recurring nightmare, the best thing you can do is to tell someone about your dream and talk about it. Chances are, it relates to a real life fear or anxiety that needs to be dealt with. Nightmares are not something to be ashamed of; they are simply a way for our subconscious to alert us to the fact that there is something awry in our day-to-day life.
Recurring dreams
Each and every single dream that we have has a meaning, the mind is trying to tell us something. If we don’t take notice of our dreams then if the matter is important we can have recurring dreams. When this occurs the mind is insisting that you take notice and do something about the matter at hand, the majority of dreams that reoccur can be classed as nightmares. The large part of dreams that reoccur are linked to what is happening in your life and only dissipate when you eventually realize what it is they are trying to tell you and do something to rectify the situation. If you have recurring dreams then it is imperative that you learn to interpret what they are trying to tell you, this can be done by looking within yourself and tackling the situation no matter how hard it might be to confront. Very often the dream can be so upsetting that it wakes you up in a cold sweat before you have actually grasped the meaning and what it is that the dream is trying to tell you. If this is the case then just be patient and allow it to happen time and time again, eventually you will grasp what it is your mind is trying to tell you and the outcome and the re-occurrence will then stop.
Not all recurring dreams are nightmares, but they should be looked at just as carefully. Often times they will be confusing to the dreamer and there will be a clear message if you just look closely enough. An outsider’s perspective is often the best way to interpret your recurring dream to determine what it is trying to tell you.
Predictive dreams
We all have the ability to know the outcome of something which will happen in the future and this is shown in what are called predictive dreams. Very often we will get fleeting thoughts and feelings as we are just about to fall asleep, these can give us an indication of what the outcome will be for future events. For example if you have been worrying about an upcoming exam and have been thinking about it constantly and suddenly you get a feeling of accomplishment, a good feeling, just as your are dropping off then this could be your sub conscious telling you everything will go alright and work out OK for you.
The importance of understanding your dreams and tips for interpreting them
Understanding your dreams and what they are telling you are imperative if you want to get rid of all the pent up feelings and anguish that is happening in your life. Your dreams are your true feelings and thoughts, you cannot do anything to prevent your true thoughts and feelings coming out while you sleep as you can in life and this is the time when you can take notice and put things right. You can use them to your advantage and begin the process of self-healing and begin taking charge over your life. By learning how to remember your dreams and interpret their meanings you are able to become a much more confident and assertive person who is able to deal with anything and everything that comes your way in life.
Keeping a dream journal
One of the best ways that you can remember and interrupt your dreams is to keep a dream journal. This can either be in the form of a notebook or some people find it easier to keep a hand held tape recorder or dictator beside their bed. As soon as you wake from your dream write down or record all you can remember about the dream, write in as much detail as you can, no matter how silly you think it might be or how little importance you might think the detail is. When you look back on what you recorded later you will find that even the smallest of details relates to a big problem that has been bothering you in life and here is where you can find answers to those problems. Write down any colors, emotions you felt while dreaming such as sadness, happiness or joy, write or record any locations or places that you saw in your dream and any objects, signs or symbols that you saw. All of these can go a long way to help you interrupt them later, above all be consistent with your record keeping no matter how small the dream was or how unimportant the dream might have felt at the time, dreams all add up and a lot of information can be gained through consistency.
Using affirmations to remember dreams
When you get into bed and have settled down to go to sleep keep repeating to your self “I will remember my dreams” over and over again. By doing this your mind is preparing you to listen into yourself. This has proven to be a very effective way to help people remember what they dream, as it settles the mind and takes it off the problems off the day.
Avoid stimulants
Always avoid any stimulants such as coffee, tea or alcohol before going to bed. These have been known to hinder the thought and memory and keep you awake or at the very least make dreaming impossible. Also avoid eating a heavy meal before retiring as this is also known to hinder dream recollection.
Rise slowly from your dreams
When you wake from a night of dreaming don’t jump immediately out of bed and go about your morning routine. Instead lie there and let yourself come slowly awake. Bring to mind the thoughts and feelings you had during sleep and while you were dreaming, recollect any thoughts, feelings, ideas and just let your mind wander freely and openly. Don’t try to push away any thoughts or feelings that you think were bad, just let them wash over you and listen to them.
Tips to help you interpret your dreams
While we now understand that our dreams can tell us a lot and help in our day-to-day life, this information is useless unless you are able to interpret what your dreams are telling you. Here are some tips to help you do just that.
If you see people in your dreams then ask how they could relate to your life and the problems you are having in your life. For example if you are regularly dreaming of a mother type person then this could be in relation to your own mothering instincts. It could also mean that you are feeling unsecure and want the safety of your mother as when you were a child, alternatively it could be in relation to illness or fear that something could happen to your close family members.
Ask yourself what about your dream could be linked to particular aspects of your life or problems that are in your life at present. Sometimes dreams are quite clear in their meaning while others can be more obscure.
Very often our dreams don’t present themselves clearly and are linked to aspects of your life by metephors, these you should look into, for example if you are standing in a large open space looking around you and undecided about which way to go then this could be interpreted as not knowing which way to go in life if you have choices to make in life. If you were to dream about passing someone on a road then this could relate to your worries about passing a driving test or exam, so take note what, if anything the person says, are they smiling, feeling sad? All this could tell you what the outcome could be of your worry.
If you regularly see symbols, signs or images in your dreams then keep a symbol list and make a note of what these symbols could mean in relation to what is happening in your life right now. For example a danger sign could clearly mean that you should avoid a certain situation in your life or to change the way you were going to go about a certain situation. A rainbow could mean happiness or luck in life or it could mean that while you are going through a bad period right now the outcome will change for the good (raining and then sun).
Common dreams and their meanings
There are a great many dreams that are common to a lot of people; here we take a look at some of them and their meanings.
Dreams of falling
This dream is common when there is some form of anxiety of unsure in your life, they can also occur if you are feeling a failure or think you might fail such as an exam. They occur because you feel totally out of control over any situation in your life and are there to tell you to take a deeper look at your life and what you can do to change things such as being more self-positive.
Dreaming of being chased
Dreams of running away from someone or being chased by someone or something are common and often mean that you are running away from nothing more than yourself and your own problems. You should always focus on the person who is chasing you and this can very often tell you what it is you are running away from, in the majority of these dreams you are never caught, simply because you always eventually deal with what it is you are running away from or avoiding in your life. Only very occasionally are these type of dreams actually associated with the fear of violence but they can occur if you have had some form of problem associated with being attacked in your past. If this is the case then it means that you have to deal with letting go of the past and moving into the future by accepting what happened and letting it go.
Losing your teeth
Having dreams about your teeth falling out is one of the most common of all dreams. Usually the teeth just fall and crumble from the mouth and this is usually when it related to how you feel about yourself and your appearance. They also occur when a person has a great fear of getting old, it has also been associated with fear of making a fool of yourself, for example if you are going to be giving a speech or have to make a public appearance then the worst thing that could happen in front of people would be if your teeth fell out. The reason why it is thought to be the teeth that appear and is focused on in dreams is simply because our teeth play an important role in how we look, without them our total appearance changes.
Being naked
Sometimes in our dreams we are totally naked and of course this would cause great embarrassment. This type of dream usually means that you are unsure of yourself and lack self-confidence. It can also mean that you are afraid to let people see the real you and you often hide your real thoughts and feelings from others and put up a front instead. Very often you start out in the dream as clothed and then suddenly they start to fall off you, this shows your fear of allowing yourself to trust others and that others will get too close to the real you.
Whatever it is that you dream about, it important to take a close look at the dream and its details. These clues from your subconscious may lead you to straight to answers you have been searching for.
About the Author: Cejay Macqueen
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