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Dream Analysis. Dream Facts. Most dreams last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes People don’t only dream in black and white, as was once believed Even thought hey may not remember them, everyone dreams several times a night.
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Dream Facts • Most dreams last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes • People don’t only dream in black and white, as was once believed • Even thought hey may not remember them, everyone dreams several times a night. • During a typical lifetime, we spend about 6 years dreaming and have 131,400 dreams • People who have been blind from birth have dreams that are formed from their other senses (ex touch, smell, sound) • When people are snoring, they’re not dreaming • Elephants (and some other animals) sleep standing up during non-REM sleep, but lie down for REM sleep. • Most of us dream 5 times each night. • We only remember a dream if we’ve been women in the middle • When you dream your brain is as active as it is when you are awake • During the Roman Era, some dreams were submitted to the senate for analysis and interpretation • 5 minutes after the end of a dream we can only remember 50%, ten minutes later only 10%
Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung’s Theories on Dreams: • Jung felt that dreams allowed us to reflect on our waking selves and solve our problems or think through issues.
Freud claims that dreams originated from our primal needs and repressed wishes • Based on the idea of REPRESSED LONGING- the desires that we aren’t able to express in a social setting. Dreams allow the unconscious mind to act out those unacceptable thoughts and desires • His theory about dreams focuses primarily on sexual desires and symbolism (influenced by the sexually repressed Victorian Era) • Examples of symbolism: cylindrical objects represents the penis, cave or an enclosed object with an opening represents that vagina… a dream of a train entering a tunnel is really about suppressed longing for sexual intercourse • The mind divided into the conscious and unconscious mind • Conscious: contains memories that we can recall • Unconscious: harbours the memories we can not recall and influences human behaviour. It is more powerful and speaks to us while we dream
Interpreting dreams help us understand not only our personality, but also helps patients discover important occurrences from the past that assist psychologists with diagnosis • Psychologists use Dream Therapy, Hypnosis (reliability questioned) and Free Association techniques (ex first word that comes to mind) to understand problems
SLEEP CYCLE- Five Stages: • 1. 4-5% Light sleep, muscle activity slows down • 2. 45-55% Breathing pattern and heart rate slows, slight decrease in body temperature • 3. 4-6% Deep sleep begins, brain begins to generate slow delta waves • 4. 12-15% Very deep sleep, rhythmic breathing, limited muscle activity, brain produces delta waves • 5. 20-25% REM Rapid Eye Movement, brain waves speed up and dreaming occurs, muscles relax ad heart rate increases, breathing is rapid and shallow. If you wake frequently during REM sleep person is irritable, anxious, has difficulty concentrating. Body feels paralyzed during REM sleep.
Dream Incubation • Is learning to plant a seed for a specific dream topic to occur • Those who believe in problem solving through dreams use this technique to direct their dreams to the specific topic • Dr. Barret had students focus on a problem prior to sleep. It is certainly possible to come up with novel solutions. In her study 2/3 of participants had dreams that addressed their chosen problem • Examples of Dream Incubations (Creativity and inventions that came from dreams): • Kekule- German chemist who discovered structure of benzene molecule • Elias Howe- inventor of the sewing machine • Authors- Mary Shelly (Frankenstein), Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven) • Musicians- Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Beethoven • Golfer Jack Nicklaus (new way to hold club)
Lucid Dreaming • Is a learned skill and occurs when you are dreaming, you realize you are dreaming and you are able to then control what happens in your dream—all while you are still asleep. Unique ability in dreaming, studies show that fewer than 100,000 Americans have this ability. Discovered in 1959 • Can help with personal development (ex. Handicapped people can walk, simulator to fly) Can help with nightmares (ex. Dreamer can confront the attacker)
Nightmares-Having same or similar dreams, Common in children-Usually cause strong feelings of fears, sadness, or anxiety -Traumatic events cause nightmares-Occur during REM sleepNight Terrors-Non-REM sleep-Last 5-20 mins-Asleep but appear awake (ex sitting up in bed)
Common dreams and their interpretations: Being naked in public- Most of us have had the dream at some point that we’re at school, work or some social event, and we suddenly realize we forgot to put on clothes! Experts say this means: We’re trying to hide something (and without clothes wehave a hard time doing that) or we’re not prepared for something, like a presentation or test (and now everyone is going to know- we’re exposed!) If we’re naked but no one notices, then the interpretation is that whatever we’re afraid of is unfounded. If we don’t care that we’re naked the interpretation is that we’re comfortable with who we are. Falling- You’re falling, falling, falling… and then you wake up. This is a very common dream and is said to symbolize insecurities and anxiety. Something in your life is essentially out of control and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Another interpretation is that you have a sense of failure about something. Maybe you’re not doing well in school or at work and are afraid you’re going to be fired or expelled. Again, you feel that you can’t control the situation. Being chased- The ever popular chase dream can be extremely frightening. What usually symbolizes is that your problems. What that problem is depends on who is chasing you. It may be a problem at work, or it may be something about yourself that you know is destructive. For example, you may be drinking too much, and your dream may be telling you that your drinking is becoming a real problem
Interpretations continued: Taking an exam (or forgetting that you have one) This is another very common dream. You suddenly realize you are supposed to be taking an exam at that very moment. You might be running through the hallways and can’t find the classroom. This type of dream can have several variations that have similar meanings. (Maybe your pen won’t write, so you can’t finish writing your answers). What experts say this may mean is that you’re being scrutinized about something or feel your being tested– maybe you’re facing a challenge you don’t think your up to. You don’t feel prepared or able to hold up to the scrutiny. It may also mean there is something you’ve neglected that you know needs your attention. Flying Many flying dreams are the result of lucid dreaming. Not all flying dreams are, however. Typically dreaming that you are flying means you are on top of things. You are in control of the things that matter to you. Or, maybe you’ve just gained a new perspective on things. It may also mean you are strong willed and feel like no one and nothing can defeat you. If you are having problems maintaining your flight, someone or something may be standing in the say of you having control. If you are afraid while flying, you may have challenges that you don’t feel up to. Running, but going nowhere This theme can also be part of the chasing dream. Your trying to run, but wither your legs won’t move or you simply aren’t going anywhere- as if you were on a treadmill. According to some, this dream means you have too much on your plate. You’re trying to do too many things at once and can’t catch up or ever get ahead. Your teeth falling out Many people have dreams that they lose all of their teeth. In this dream, they may feel something strange in their mouth and then spit teeth into their hand, eventually losing all their teeth. According to some, our teeth are related to our sense of power and our ability to communicate. Losing teeth can indicated lose of power. Some experts interpret these dreams as sexual repression.
Common Dream Symbols • Animals- nature, survival, parents, aggression • Baby- vulnerability, need for love, pure innocent, your true self • Clothes- persona, how others see you, anxiety about your outer appearance • Cross- perfect balance, crossroads in your life, burden, something coming to an end- death • Death- Something ending, new beginning, spiritual reflection, past relationships • Falling- fear of letting go, loss of control • Food- knowledge, nourishment of the body or mind, learning contemplating • Devil- repressed emotions, need for change in behaviour • Hair- knowledge, sexuality, feeling unwanted (cutting) • Hands- ability, inability to succeed (if tied), guilt (if washing) • House- yourself, rooms or different floors represent emotions, complexes, ideas • Killing- repression of an aspect of yourself, envy of a person, end of an event in one’s life • Marriage- blending of different parts of yourself- conscious/unconscious self • Money- value in life, self worth, changes in life • Mountain- achievements, review of life, obstacles • Naked- truth, innocence and freedom, desire for sex or recognition • People- different aspects of oneself- emotions, attitudes, desires, fears • Radio- communication between conscious and unconscious • Roads- direction in life, patterns in your life, goals in life • School- lessons in life, self understanding, life experiences • Sex- unification of unconscious and conscious recognition, repression, desire for sex • Teacher- your higher self, spiritual and creative, insights that show your way/ path • Teeth- understanding, loosing teeth- change, fear of getting old • Vehicles- yourself, in control (driving), someone else has too much control (other person driving) • Water- unconscious, deeper awareness, spirituality
Dream Interpretation Numbers • To dream of numbers, could denote that unsettled conditions in business will cause you uneasiness and dissatisfaction. 1- One is the number of unity and leadership2- Two represents partnership and balance3- Three represents the past, the present and the future an inspiration to creativeness4 - Four represents the four corners of the earth and therefore possible travel5- Five represents the number of senses - sight, sound, taste, smell and touch and indicates the gift of perception in the dreamer6- Six represents balance, harmony and domestic bliss7- Seven represents healing abilities8- Eight indicates a strong sense of intuition and the number associated with wealth and success9- Nine is associated with reformation and rebirth10- Ten represents the closing of an episode in your life 13- Thirteen is associated with ill luck and obstacles
Colours and their meanings • http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamthemes/colors.htm • http://www.whats-your-sign.com/color-meanings-in-dreams.html
Question • Think of a dream… write down as many details as you can • Discuss with partner • Using images studied, try to analyze your dream… what does it say about you?
