Dream symbolism. Dreams have symbolic meaning

Ladies and gentlemen! We have become convinced that the distortion that prevents us from understanding a dream is a consequence of the activity of censorship directed against unacceptable, unconscious desires. But we do not, of course, claim that censorship is the only factor causing dream distortion, and in the future we can indeed establish that other factors are involved in this distortion. By this we mean that if dream censorship could be eliminated, we would still not be able to understand dreams; the manifest dream would not be identical to its hidden thoughts.

We will discover this other moment that obscures the dream, this new factor of its distortion, if we pay attention to the flaw in our technique. I have already admitted to you that sometimes nothing really occurs to the analysand about individual elements of the dream. True, this does not happen as often as they claim; in many cases, with persistence, a thought can still be made to appear. There are, however, cases in which the association does not work out or, if forced, does not produce what we expect from it. If this happens during psychoanalytic treatment, it takes on a special significance, which we will not discuss here. But this also happens when interpreting dreams of normal people or when interpreting your own dreams. When you see that no amount of persistence helps, you eventually become convinced that an unwanted accident is regularly repeated with certain elements of the dream, and then you begin to see a new pattern where at first you only assumed the failure of the technique.

In such cases, the temptation arises to interpret these “silent” elements of the dream yourself, and you undertake their translation (Übersetzung) using your own means. It goes without saying that if you trust in such a substitution, you will find a completely satisfying meaning for the dream every time; and until you decide on this technique, the dream remains meaningless and its coherence is disrupted. The repetition of many extremely similar cases gives our initially timid attempt the necessary confidence.

I present everything somewhat schematically, but this is quite acceptable for didactic purposes, and my presentation is not falsification, but some kind of simplification.

Thus, for a whole series of dream elements you receive the same translations, similar to those that can be found in our popular dream books for all kinds of dreamed things. However, do not forget that with our associative technique constant substitutions of dream elements have never been encountered.

You will immediately object that this way of interpretation seems to you even more unreliable and controversial than the previous one through free association. But something should be added here. When enough such constant substitutions have accumulated through experience, one begins to understand that this partial interpretation is indeed possible from one's own knowledge, that the elements of the dream can indeed be understood without [using] the association of the dreamer. How you can find out their meaning will be discussed in the second part of our presentation.

This constant relationship between the dream element and its translation we call symbolic(symbolische), the dream element itself is a symbol (Symbol) of the unconscious dream thought. You remember that earlier, when studying the relations between the elements of a dream and its own [content], I identified three types of such relations: parts of the whole, allusion and figurative representation. I mentioned the fourth one then, but did not name it. The symbolic relation introduced here is this fourth. There are very interesting considerations about it, which we will turn to before we begin to present our special observations on symbolism. Symbolism is perhaps the most remarkable part in the theory of dreams.

First of all: due to the fact that the symbols have established translations, they to a certain extent realize the ideal of the ancient and popular interpretation of dreams, from which we have gone so far with our technology. They sometimes allow us to interpret dreams without questioning the dreamer, because he still won’t be able to say anything about the symbol. If we know the accepted symbols of dreams and, moreover, the personality of the dreamer, the conditions in which he lives, and the impressions he received before the dream, then we are often able to interpret the dream without difficulty and translate it immediately. Such a trick flatters the interpreter and appeals to the dreamer; this compares favorably with the tedious work of questioning the dreamer. But don't let this fool you. We do not set ourselves the task of showing tricks. Interpretation based on knowledge of symbols is not a technique that can replace or equal the associative one. Symbolic interpretation is only an addition to it and gives valuable results only in combination with the associative technique. As for knowing the mental situation of the person who had the dream, I ask you to take into account that you will have to interpret the dreams of not only well-known people, that usually you will not know the events of the day that are the motivators of the dreams, and that the thoughts that come to the head of the person being analyzed, like times and will give you knowledge of what is called the mental situation.

In connection with the circumstances that will be discussed below, it is worthy of special attention that the recognition of the existence of a symbolic relationship between the dream and the unconscious again aroused the most energetic objections. Even people who have the courage of judgment and enjoy recognition, who have come a long way with psychoanalysis, refused to follow him in this. This attitude is all the more surprising since, firstly, symbolism is inherent and characteristic not only of dreams, and secondly, symbolism in dreams, no matter how rich it is in stunning discoveries, was not discovered by psychoanalysis. If we are to attribute the discovery of dream symbolism to our contemporaries, we should name the philosopher K. A. Scherner (Scherner, 1861). Psychoanalysis only confirmed Scherner's discoveries, although it fundamentally modified them.

Now you want to hear something about the essence of dream symbolism and get acquainted with its examples. I will gladly tell you what I know, but I confess that our knowledge does not correspond to what we would like.

The essence of a symbolic relationship is comparison, although not just any comparison. It is assumed that this comparison is conditioned in a special way, although this conditioning is not entirely clear to us. Not everything with which we can compare an object or process appears as a symbol in a dream. On the other hand, a dream does not express everything in symbols, but only certain elements of the hidden thoughts of the dream. So, there are restrictions on both sides. One should also agree that while the concept of a symbol cannot be strictly defined, it merges with substitution, image, etc., and approaches a hint. The underlying comparison in a number of symbols is meaningful. Along with these symbols, there are others in which the question arises where to look for the common, Tertium comparisonis <Note ed. translation.>> of this supposed comparison. Upon closer inspection we will either find it, or indeed it will remain hidden from us. What is surprising, further, is that even if the symbol is a comparison, it is not revealed through association; the one who saw the dream also does not know the comparison and uses it without knowing about it. Even more than that, the dreamer does not want to acknowledge this comparison when it is pointed out to him. So, you see that the symbolic relation is a comparison of a very special kind, the conditionality of which is not yet entirely clear to us. Perhaps instructions for clarifying it will appear in the future.

It is striking that, in comparison with the listed objects, objects from another area are represented by extremely rich symbolism. This is the area of ​​sexual life, genitals, sexual processes, sexual intercourse. An extremely large number of symbols in dreams are sexual symbols. This reveals a surprising discrepancy. There are few designated contents, but the symbols for them are extremely numerous, so that each of these contents can be expressed by a large number of almost equivalent symbols. When interpreted, a picture is obtained that causes general indignation. Interpretations of symbols, in contrast to the variety of dream images, are very monotonous. Everyone who finds out about it doesn’t like this, but what can you do?

Since in this lecture we are talking for the first time about questions of sexuality, I consider it my duty to tell you how I intend to present this topic. Psychoanalysis sees no reason for concealment and hints, does not consider it necessary to be ashamed of discussing this important material, believes that it is correct and decent to call everything by its real name, and hopes in this way to most likely eliminate interfering extraneous thoughts. The fact that I have to speak to a mixed audience of both sexes cannot change anything. How there is no science in usum delphini,<<Для дофина.>> it doesn’t exist for teenage girls either, but ladies, by their appearance in this audience, make it clear that they want to put themselves on an equal footing with men.

So the dream represents the male genitals with several symbols, in which for the most part the common ground of comparison is quite obvious. First of all, for the male genitals in general, the sacred number 3 is symbolically important. The part of the genitals that attracts more attention and is interesting for both sexes, the male penis, is symbolically replaced, firstly, by objects similar to it in shape, that is, long and protruding objects, such , for example, like sticks, umbrellas, poles, trees etc. Then, with objects that have similarities with the designated object, penetrate inside and injure, i.e., with all kinds of sharp weapons, knives, daggers, spears, sabers, as well as firearms: guns, pistols and very similar in shape revolver. In girls' nightmares, being chased by a man with a knife or firearm plays a big role. This is perhaps the most common case of dream symbolism, which you can now easily understand. It is also quite understandable to replace the male member with objects from which water flows: water taps, watering cans, fountains and other objects that have the ability to stretch in length, for example, hanging lamps, retractable pencils etc. A completely understandable idea of ​​this organ determines in the same way that pencils, pens, nail files, hammers and others tools are undeniably male gender symbols.

Due to the remarkable property of the penis to rise in the direction opposite to the force of gravity (one of the manifestations of an erection), it is depicted symbolically as hot air balloon, airplanes, and recently in the form Zeppelin airship. But a dream can symbolically depict an erection in another, much more expressive way. It makes the sexual organ the very essence of the personality and makes it fly. Do not be upset that often such wonderful dreams of flying, which we all know, must be interpreted as dreams of general sexual arousal, as erection dreams. Among psychoanalytic researchers, P. Federn (1914) proved that such an interpretation is beyond any doubt, but Mourly Wold, revered for his pedantry, experimented on dreams, giving an artificial position to the arms and legs, and stood aloof from psychoanalysis, perhaps even who knew nothing about him, came to the same conclusion in his research (1910-1912, vol. 2, 791). Don't mind that women can also dream that they fly. Remember better that our dreams want to fulfill our desires and that very often women have a conscious or unconscious desire to be a man. And anyone who knows anatomy understands that a woman can realize this desire with the same sensations as a man. In her genitals, a woman also has a small organ similar to a man’s, and this small organ, the clitoris, plays the same role in childhood and at the age before the onset of sexual activity as the large male penis.

Less understood male sexual symbols include certain reptiles And fish, most notably the well-known symbol of the snake. Why hat And coat acquired the same symbolic meaning, of course, is not easy to recognize, but it is undeniable. Finally, the question also arises whether the replacement of a male organ with some other one, a leg or an arm, can be considered symbolic. I think that the general course of dreams and the corresponding analogies in women force us to do this.

The female genital organs are depicted symbolically with the help of all objects that have the property of limiting a hollow space, of taking something into themselves. That is, using mines, mines and caves, with help vessels And bottles, boxes, snuff boxes, suitcases, cans, boxes, pockets etc. Vessel also belongs to their category. Many symbols have more to do with the womb than with the woman's genitals, such as cabinets, stoves and above all room. The symbolism of the room comes into contact here with the symbolism of the house, doors And gates become symbols of the genital opening. Materials can also be symbols of a woman, wood, paper and items made from these materials, e.g. table And book. Of the animals, the undoubted female symbols are snail And sink; from body parts mouth as an image of a genital opening, from buildings church And chapel. As you can see, not all symbols are equally understandable.

The genitals should also include breasts, which, like the buttocks of the female body, are depicted using apples, peaches, at all fruit. The dream describes hair on the genitals of both sexes as forest And bush. The complexity of the topography of the female genital organs explains why they are often depicted landscape, with rocks, forest and water, while the impressive mechanism of the male reproductive apparatus leads to the fact that its symbols become difficult to describe in the form of complex cars

As a symbol of female genitalia, it should also be mentioned jewelry box, jewelry And treasure Favorite faces are also named in dreams; sweets often depict sexual pleasure. Self-satisfaction is often referred to as all kinds of a game, as well as playing the piano. A typical image of masturbation is slip And rolling, and tearing off a branch. Particularly noteworthy is the symbol loss or tooth extraction. First of all, it means castration as punishment for masturbation. The specific symbols for depicting sexual intercourse in a dream are less numerous than might be expected based on the above. Mention should be made here of rhythmic activities, e.g. dancing, horse riding, lifting, as well as experiences related to violence, such as to be crushed. This also includes certain craft work and of course, threat with weapons.

You should not imagine the use and translation of these symbols as something very simple. At the same time, all sorts of accidents are possible that contradict our expectations. Thus, for example, it seems unlikely that sex differences in these symbolic representations are not strikingly apparent. Some symbols mean genitals in general, whether male or female, e.g. small child, small son or small daughter. Sometimes a predominantly male symbol can be used for female genitalia or vice versa. This cannot be understood without a closer acquaintance with the development of human sexual ideas. In some cases this duality is only apparent; the most striking of the symbols, such as weapon, pocket, box, cannot be used in a bisexual meaning.

I will now proceed not from the depicted, but from the symbol, consider those areas from which sexual symbols are mostly taken, and add some additions, taking into account symbols in which the general basis is unclear. Such a dark symbol is a hat, perhaps a headdress in general, usually with a masculine meaning, but sometimes with a feminine one. Similar coat means a man, but not always in a sexual sense. You can ask why as much as you like. Hanging tie, which a woman does not wear is clearly a masculine symbol. White linen, at all canvas symbolizes the feminine; dress, uniform, as we already know, are substitutes for nudity, body shapes, and shoe, slipper - female genitalia; table And tree as mysterious but definitely feminine symbols have already been mentioned. All kinds of stairs, stepladders and climbing them is an undoubted symbol of sexual intercourse. Having thought about it, we will pay attention to the rhythm of this ascent, which, like, possibly, an increase in excitement, shortness of breath as we ascend, is a common basis.

We have already mentioned landscape as a depiction of female genitalia. Mountain And rock - male penis symbols; garden - a frequently encountered symbol of female genitalia. Fetus It is not the child that matters, but the breasts. Wild animals mean sensually excited people, in addition, other gross desires and passions. Blooms and flowers represent the genitals of women or, in a more special case, virginity. Don't forget that flowers really are the genitals of plants.

Room we already know as a symbol. Here you can continue to detail: windows, entrances and exits of the room receive the value of body openings. This symbolism also includes: open room or closed, A key, which opens is an undoubted male symbol.

This is the stuff of dream symbolism. It is not complete yet and could be deepened and expanded. But I think this is more than enough for you, and maybe you’re already tired of it. You may ask: Do I really live among sexual symbols? Are all the objects that surround me, the dresses that I put on, the things that I pick up, always sexual symbols and nothing else? There really is a reason for puzzling questions, and the first of them is: how do we actually know the meanings of these dream symbols, about which the dreamer himself does not tell us anything or tells us very little?

I will answer: from very different sources, from fairy tales and myths, jokes and witticisms, from folklore, that is, from information about morals, customs, sayings and folk songs, from poetic and everyday language. The same symbolism is found everywhere here, and in some cases we understand it without any indication. If we begin to study these sources in detail, we will find so many parallels to the dream symbolism that we will be confident in the correctness of our interpretations.

The human body, as we said, according to Scherner, is often depicted in dreams as a symbol of a house. When looking at this image in detail, windows, doors and gates are entrances to the internal cavities of the body, the facades are smooth or have balconies and ledges to hold on. But the same symbolism is found in our speech, when we familiarly greet a well-known “Altes Haus”[old man] when we say to give someone a good hard time aufs Dachl[on the dome] or about something else, that not everything is all right with him in Oberstübchen[the attic is not in order]. In anatomy, the openings of the body are directly called Leibespforten[body gate].

The fact that parents appear in a dream in the form of an imperial or royal couple seems surprising at first. But this finds its parallel in fairy tales. Doesn’t the thought arise in our minds that at the beginning of many fairy tales, instead of: “once upon a time king and queen" should it be: “once upon a time there lived a father and mother”? In the family, children are jokingly called princes, and the eldest is heir (Kronprinz). The king calls himself father of the country. We jokingly call little children worms[in Russian - bedbugs] and compassionately say: poor worm .

Let's return to the symbolism of the house. When in a dream we use the ledges of houses to grab hold of, doesn’t this remind us of the well-known folk expression for a highly developed bust: this one has something for it hold on? The people express themselves differently in such cases, they say: Sie hat viel Holz vor dem Haus [this one has a lot firewood in front of the house], as if wanting to come to our aid in our interpretation of the tree as a feminine, maternal symbol.

And one more thing about the tree. It is unclear to us how this material came to symbolically represent the maternal, the feminine. Let us turn to comparative philology for help. Our German word Holz [tree] has the same root as the Greek "υλη , which means “material”, “raw material”. Here we are dealing with a fairly common case when the general name of the material was ultimately retained by one particular one. There is an island in the ocean called Madeira. Since it was entirely covered with forest, the Portuguese gave it this name when they discovered it. Madeira means "forest" in Portuguese. But it's easy to know that madeira nothing more than a slightly modified Latin word materia, which again denotes matter in general. A materia comes from the word mater - mother. The material from which something consists is, as it were, the mother part. Thus, this ancient understanding continues to exist in symbolic use.

Birth in dreams is constantly expressed in relation to water; to throw oneself into or out of water means to give birth or be born. It should not be forgotten that this symbol is doubly justified by reference to the history of development. Not only because all land mammals, including human ancestors, descended from aquatic animals - this is a very distant analogy - but also because every mammal, every person goes through the first phase of its existence in water, namely as an embryo in the amniotic fluid in in the mother's womb, and at birth comes out of the water. I do not want to claim that the dreamer knows this; on the contrary, I believe that he does not need to know this. He probably knows something else that he was told in childhood, but here I will argue that this knowledge did not contribute to the formation of the symbol. In the nursery they told him that the stork brings children, but where does he get them from? From a pond, from a well, that is, again from water. One of my patients, who was told this when he was small, disappeared after that for the entire afternoon. Finally they found him on the shore of a pond near the castle, he lay with his face pressed to the surface of the water and diligently searched for small children at the bottom.

In the myths about the birth of the hero, subjected to a comparative study by O. Rank (1909), the oldest of which is about King Sargon of Agade, about 2800 BC, the predominant role is played by being thrown into the water and rescued from the water. Rank discovered that these are birth images similar to those in dreams. If one rescues a person from water in a dream, one considers oneself to be his mother or simply his mother; in the myth, the person who rescues the child from the water is considered to be his real mother. In a famous joke, a smart Jewish boy is asked who the mother of Moses was. He answers without hesitation: princess. But how, they object to him, she only pulled him out of the water. That's what she says, the boy answers, showing that he interpreted the myth correctly.

Departure means death, dying in a dream. It is also customary for children to answer the question of where the deceased person went, the absence of which they feel is left. I would again like to object to those who believe that the dream symbol comes from this way of getting rid of the child. The poet uses the same symbolism, speaking of the afterlife as an undiscovered country from which no one has returned traveler (by traveler). In everyday life, we also often talk about the last path. Any connoisseur of ancient ritual knows how seriously the idea of ​​traveling to the land of the dead was taken, for example, in the ancient Egyptian religion. The Book of the Dead has reached us in many copies, which, like a Baedeker, was supplied to the mummy on this journey. Since cemeteries were separated from homes, the final journey of the deceased became a reality.

The symbolism of the genitals is also not something unique to dreams. Each of you happens to be impolite and call a woman “Alte Schachtel”[old deck], not knowing that you are using the genital symbol. The New Testament says: woman - vessel meager. The Holy Scriptures of the Jews, so close in style to the poetic, are full of sexually symbolic expressions, which were not always correctly understood and the interpretation of which, for example, the Song of Songs, led to some misunderstandings. In later Jewish literature, it is very common to depict a woman as a house, in which the door is considered to be the genital opening. The husband complains, for example, in the case of lack of virginity, that he found the door is open. The symbol of a table for a woman is also known in this literature. A woman says about her husband: I prepared a table for him, but he turned it over. Lame children appear because the husband turned the table over. I take these facts from the article by L. Levi from Brunn: “Sexual symbolism of the Bible and Talmud” (1914).

The fact that ships in dreams also mean women is explained to us by etymologists who claim that originally a ship (Schiff) was a clay vessel and it was the same word as a sheep (Schaff). The Greek tale of Periander of Corinth and his wife Melissa confirms that the oven signifies woman and the womb. When, according to Herodotus, the tyrant summoned the shadow of his beloved wife, but killed out of jealousy, in order to obtain some information from her, the deceased assured herself with a reminder that he, Periander, put my bread in a cold oven, hinting at an event that no one else could have known about. Published by F. S. Krauss Anthropophyteia an indispensable source of everything related to the sexual life of peoples, we read that in one German locality they say about a woman who has delivered her child that her stove collapsed. Cooking fire, everything connected with it, is deeply imbued with sexual symbolism. The flame is always the male genitals, and the place of the fire, the hearth, is the female womb.

If, perhaps, you were surprised at how often landscapes in dreams are used to depict female genitalia, then from mythologists you can learn what role mother Earth played in the ideas and cults of antiquity and how the understanding of agriculture was determined by this symbolism. That in a dream a room (Zimmer) represents a woman (Frauenzimmer), you will be inclined to explain by the use in our language of the word Frauenzimmer [woman] instead of Frau, that is, the replacement of a human person with a room intended for her. In like manner we speak of the Sublime Porte, and by this we mean the Sultan and his government; name of ancient Egyptian ruler pharaoh also meant nothing more than “large courtyard.” (In the Ancient East, the courtyards between the double gates of the city are places of gathering, like market squares in the classical world.) I really think this explanation is too superficial. It seems more likely to me that the room, as a space that includes a person, became a symbol of woman. We already know that the word “house” is used in this meaning; from mythology and poetic expressions we can add women as other symbols city, castle, palace, fortress. The question would be easier to solve using the dreams of persons who do not know or understand the German language. In recent years I have treated mainly foreigners and, as far as I remember, there was no similar usage in their languages. There is other evidence that a symbolic relation can cross linguistic boundaries, which, however, was already argued by the old dream researcher Schubert (1814). However, not one of my patients was completely ignorant of the German language, so I leave this question to those psychoanalysts who can gather experience in other countries by studying persons who speak the same language.

Among the symbols depicting male genitalia, there is hardly a single one that is not used in humorous, popular or poetic expressions, especially by the classical poets of antiquity. These include not only symbols found in dreams, but also new ones, for example, various tools, primarily a plow. However, touching on the symbolic representation of the masculine, we are touching on a very broad and hotly contested area, from going deeper into which, for reasons of economy, we want to refrain. Only about one symbol, “three”, which seems to fall out of the series, I would like to make a few comments. It is not yet clear whether the holiness of this number is partly due to this symbolic relationship. But it seems certain that, as a result of this symbolic relationship, some tripartite objects found in nature, such as the trefoil, are used as coats of arms and emblems. The so-called French lily, also tripartite, and the strange coat of arms of two islands so far apart from each other, like Sicily and the Isle of Men, Triskeles(three half-bent legs emanating from one center) is apparently only a stylization of male genitalia. In ancient times, the likeness of a man's penis was considered the most powerful protective means (Apotropaea) against bad influences, and this is connected with the fact that in the lucky amulets of our time it is always easy to recognize genital or sexual symbols. Consider this set, worn in the form of small silver charms: four-leaf clover, pig, mushroom, horseshoe, ladder and chimney sweep. The four-leaf clover, strictly speaking, replaces the three-leaf clover; the pig is an ancient symbol of fertility; a mushroom is undoubtedly a symbol of the penis; there are mushrooms that, due to their undoubted resemblance to the male penis, received the name Phallus impudicas; the horseshoe repeats the outline of the female genital opening, and the chimney sweep carrying the ladder is related to this company because he makes such movements with which sexual intercourse is compared in common people (see. Anthropophyteia). WITH we were introduced to his ladder as a sexual symbol in a dream; We are helped by the use of the German word “steigen” [to rise], used in a specifically sexual sense. They say: “Den Frauen nachsteigen”[molest women] and “ ein alter Steiger"[old red tape]. In French a step is called la marche, we find a completely analogous expression for the old bon vivant “ un vieux marcheur". This is probably due to the fact that during sexual intercourse of many large animals the male climbs, rises(steigen, besteigen) per female.

Plucking a branch as a symbolic image of onanism not only coincides with the popular image of the onanistic act, but also has far-reaching mythological parallels. But the depiction of onanism, or, better said, the punishment for it, castration, through the loss and pulling out of teeth, is especially remarkable, because there is an analogy to this in folklore, which must be known to very few people who see them in dreams. It seems to me beyond doubt that circumcision, which is common among so many nations, is the equivalent and replacement of castration. And now we are told that in Australia, certain primitive tribes introduce circumcision as a ritual at the onset of puberty (during coming-of-age festivities), while others living very close by knock out one tooth instead of this act.

I will end my presentation with these examples. These are just examples; we know more about this, and you can imagine how much more meaningful and interesting such a collection of examples would have been if it had been compiled not by amateurs, like us, but by real specialists in the field of mythology, anthropology, linguistics, and folklore. Some conclusions emerge that cannot be exhaustive, but give us food for thought.

First, we are confronted with the fact that the dreamer has at his disposal a symbolic mode of expression that he does not know and does not recognize in the waking state. It is as surprising as if you discovered that your servant understands Sanskrit, although you know that she was born in a Bohemian village and has never studied it. Given our psychological views, it is not easy to explain this fact. We can only say that the knowledge of symbolism is not realized by the dreamer, it relates to his unconscious spiritual life. But even with this assumption we achieve nothing. Until now we have only had to assume unconscious aspirations, those about which we are temporarily or permanently unaware. Now we are talking about unconscious knowledge, about logical relations, relations of comparison between various objects, as a result of which one can constantly be replaced by another. These comparisons do not arise anew every time, they are already laid down ready-made, completed once and for all; this follows from their similarity in different individuals, similarity even, apparently, despite the difference in languages.

Where does knowledge of these symbolic relationships come from? Only a small part of them is explained by word usage. The various parallels from other areas are mostly unknown to the dreamer; and we only had difficulty finding them.

Secondly, these symbolic relations are not something that would be characteristic only of the dreamer or of the dream work through which they are expressed. After all, we learned that the same symbolism is used in myths and fairy tales, in folk sayings and songs, in generally accepted word usage and poetic fantasy. The field of symbolism is extremely vast, the symbolism of dreams is a small part of it, and it is not even advisable to begin to consider this entire problem based on a dream. Many symbols used in other areas are not found in dreams or are found only very rarely; some of the dream symbols are not found in all other areas, but only in one or another. One gets the impression that we have before us some ancient but lost way of expression, of which different things have been preserved in different areas, one only here, another only there, a third in a slightly modified form in several areas. I want to recall here the fantasy of one interesting mental patient, who imagined some kind of "main language", of which there seemed to be remnants in all these symbolic relations.

Thirdly, it must have struck you that the symbolism in the other areas mentioned is not only sexual, while in dreams symbols are used almost exclusively to express sexual objects and relationships. And it's not easy to explain. Didn't the originally sexually significant symbols later find another use, and isn't the well-known transition from a symbolic image to another type connected with this? This question obviously cannot be answered if one deals only with dream symbolism. One can only assume that there is a particularly close relationship between true symbols and sexuality.

In recent years, we have been given one important instruction on this matter. Philologist G. Sperber (Uppsala), working independently of psychoanalysis, put forward (1912) the assertion that sexual needs were directly involved in the emergence and further development of language. The initial sounds of speech served as a message and invited a sexual partner; further development of the roots of words accompanied the labor operations of primitive man. These works were collaborative and were accompanied by rhythmically repeated linguistic expressions. At the same time, sexual interest was transferred to work. At the same time, primitive man made work pleasant for himself, taking it as an equivalent and replacement for sexual activity. Thus, the word spoken during general work had two meanings, denoting both sexual intercourse and work activity equivalent to it. Over time, the word was freed from sexual meaning and became fixed in this work. Subsequent generations did the same with a new word that had a sexual connotation and was applied to a new type of work. In this way, a certain number of word roots arose, which were all of sexual origin, and then lost their sexual meaning. If the above point of view is correct, then, in any case, the possibility of understanding the symbolism of dreams opens up before us. We could understand why in a dream, which preserves something of these most ancient relationships, there is such a huge variety of symbols for the sexual, why, in general, weapons and tools symbolize the masculine, materials and what is processed - the feminine. The symbolic relation would be a remnant of the ancient belonging of the word; things which had once been called the same as the genitals could now act as symbols for the same in the dream.

But thanks to these parallels to dream symbolism, you can also appreciate the characteristic feature of psychoanalysis that makes it a subject of general interest, which neither psychology nor psychiatry can achieve. During psychoanalytic work, relationships are established with many other humanities, with mythology, as well as with linguistics, folklore, psychology of peoples and religious studies, the study of which promises the most valuable results. You will understand why the magazine grew out of psychoanalysis Imago, founded in 1912 under the editorship of Hans Sachs and Otto Rank, with the exclusive task of maintaining these relations. In all these respects, psychoanalysis initially gave more than it received. Although it also benefits from the fact that its peculiar results are confirmed in other areas and thereby become more reliable, but on the whole it is psychoanalysis that has proposed those techniques and approaches whose application has proven fruitful in these other areas. The mental life of an individual human being provides, during psychoanalytic research, information with the help of which we can resolve, or at least correctly illuminate, certain mysteries in the life of the human masses.

However, I have not yet told you under what circumstances we can look most deeply into that supposed “basic language”, from which area we can learn the most about it. Until you know this, you cannot appreciate the full meaning of an object. This area is neuroticism, the material is symptoms and other neurotic manifestations, for the explanation and treatment of which psychoanalysis was created.

Considering the question from the fourth point of view, we again return to the beginning and are directed along the intended path. We said that even if there were no dream censorship, we would still have difficulty understanding dreams, because we would be faced with the task of translating the language of symbols into the language of our waking thoughts. Thus, symbolism is a second and independent factor in dream distortion, along with censorship. This suggests that it is convenient for censorship to use symbolism, since it also strives for the same goal - to make the dream strange and incomprehensible.

It will soon become clear whether, in further study of dreams, we will not encounter a new factor contributing to the distortion of the dream. I would not like to leave the subject of dream symbolism without touching once again on the mysterious fact that it can meet with very energetic resistance from educated people, while the spread of symbolism in myth, religion, art and language is absolutely certain. Isn't this again determined by the attitude towards sexuality?

Good afternoon friends!

In this article I would like to tell you about another method of dream interpretation, and at the same time explain my position on dream books.

I have already published one, in which I gave a step-by-step method for interpreting dreams. It focuses on deciphering symbols and then “assembling” the plot of a dream, taking into account associations.

In this article we will continue the topic, and at the end I will give a small dictionary of universal symbols for interpretation. However, first I’ll tell you in more detail about why in my work with dreams I prefer to do without dream books.

Why don't I turn to dream books

I believe that all the images that come to us in a dream are very individual, and are interpreted differently for each person. It happens that some items or objects have a positive meaning for one person, while for another they have a negative meaning.

Once, I remember, I was conducting a survey among my friends. She gave everyone a small list of several words, asking them to write their associations to these words. I received very different interpretations!

For example, the word lock (door) was associated by some with perseverance, by others with an insurmountable obstacle, and by others...with creativity. I received many different interpretations, and once again I was convinced that each person’s perception of the same words is different.

This is an individual experience, and we see and feel the same phenomena, events, words differently.

Let me give you another example. Imagine summer. You are walking along the sandy bank of the river. What do you associate this with? What emotions arise?

Once upon a time, when I was 3 years old, my parents and I were at a camp site, I was walking barefoot in the sand and accidentally stepped on a bee. This was the first time I was stung by a bee, it was very painful and I was very scared. I remember that over the next few years I was afraid to walk barefoot on the sand.

Therefore, when I dream about the bank of a river, I always take it as a warning about some danger or trouble: “you shouldn’t go there.” I listen to this message, and as time passes, I know that I did the right thing.

Now try typing the words “Dream Interpretation River Bank” in Yandex. In most cases, the interpretation is as follows: “Joy, peace, reconciliation, goal achievement.” Also, some sources advise paying off debts, while others say that such a dream means loneliness, melancholy and nostalgia.

The fact is that the subconscious speaks to us in a language that we understand. It puts the message to everyone in those images that are closest to them, using the peculiarities of perception and human experience in their formation.

If you want, do a little experiment too. Ask a few people you know to imagine a tree and describe what they imagined. You will see for yourself how different their trees will be.

What about the differences in the perceptions of people of different cultures and nationalities? Seeing, for example, a cow in a dream for a resident of Russia and a resident of India will obviously carry completely different meanings. In India, the cow is a sacred animal. For us, these are just livestock that do not enjoy any special reverence.

Of course, there are symbols that carry more or less similar meanings for many people. For example, the sun. What is it usually associated with? Warm, summer, good mood. For many this is true, but again, not for everyone. However, we can still, to some extent, classify the sun as a universal symbol.

At the end of this article I will provide a short list of some of these interpretations. I will do this so that you can give an approximate direction to your thoughts when interpreting.

However, I immediately want to set you up for the fact that you will have to unravel your own symbols, find out what exactly this or that object in a dream means to you.

Should you keep a dream diary?

When I just started working with dreams (primarily, of course, with my own), in the literature on this topic that I came across, I always came across the same advice: “Start writing down all your dreams.”

In my opinion, I already wrote about this partially in my article about the OS. Those who practice them also often recommend doing this on the grounds that it can increase the number of dreams and help you understand them better.

I don’t want to challenge anyone’s experience and opinion, because I think that this is also an individual moment, but I don’t keep a dream diary as recommended: write down everything that I dream. Sometimes it is even advised to put a voice recorder or notebook with a pen next to your pillow so that when you wake up, you can immediately record what you see.

For me personally, this is very difficult and energy-consuming. If I wake up and start writing, I’m unlikely to fall asleep later. In addition, I see a large number of dreams. I know that there are people who practically do not see them or see them, but very rarely, but this is not about me. I can have seven or eight dreams a night, but usually at least three.

And they are quite long, plot-driven, full of various details and nuances. If, upon waking up, you start writing all this down, then half a day will be spent just describing your dreams, which, of course, is labor-intensive.

Therefore, I chose a different method for myself, and I want to offer it to you too. It involves writing down only those dreams that have a strong emotional impact on you.

If a person keeps a diary of events in everyday life, he is unlikely to write down absolutely all the events that happened to him during the day. No, he will write down one or two of the most important, key ones, those that affected him. It's the same with dreams.

The importance of a dream is determined by the intensity of the emotions associated with it. The more emotionally we reacted to it, the more valuable the message it carries for us, no matter in a positive or negative aspect.

Therefore, I suggest you start by writing down your dreams, but only those that carry an important meaning for you, determining this by your emotions.

Key points in dream analysis

What is the main thing in dream timing? Of course, objects as symbols. Usually there are several main objects that have special meaning for us, that is, they carry the main semantic load. They are the ones that symbolize something very significant, and it is they that we must decipher if we want to understand what our vision means.

On the road through the world of dreams, these symbols are like road signs that warn and inform about important things.

How to identify the main ones? Just as we identify the most vivid dream from several - by the intensity of emotions. The more emotions associated with a particular object in a dream, the more important it is.

An intuitive method for solving dreams

I called this method intuitive because it involves turning to your subconscious without any logical analysis. It is convenient because it allows you to unravel the meaning of a dream that does not have a specific plot. For example, you did not remember the entire dream, but at the same time you still remember one moment from it - an event, an image.

Usually what is remembered is the most vivid, and, most likely, the most important. And here we can also get quite a lot of information.

So, the essence is that we simply enter into a dialogue with the objects of the dream. To do this, you need to retire, sit comfortably, close your eyes, remember and imagine the object or creature from the dream. And then ask him: “What do you symbolize? What do you want to tell me?

Next, you just need to wait and the object will answer you. Answers come to me in the form of a thought that arises after the question. Sometimes this can be in the form of a picture. It may not work right away, but if you practice this method, you will soon be able to get answers to your questions within a few seconds.

Sometimes talking with symbolic objects is enough to understand what the dream is about and how it relates to our life. By the way, this method is especially useful if you have a nightmare. Usually it contains people or creatures that haunt and frighten. It’s good to talk to them and ask them questions.

In most cases, they are our subpersonalities, i.e. parts of our psyche that we do not accept in ourselves for one reason or another.

These could be, for example, negative emotions such as anger or fear. We suppress these into the subconscious, but they don’t go away. We simply cease to be aware of them, and because of this it becomes impossible to control them. In a dream, the protective reactions of the psyche weaken, and the hidden breaks out in the form of such frightening creatures.

However, in the process of talking with them, it often turns out that they just... want to help us. The monsters we were afraid of appear to be completely harmless and even cute creatures.

Conversing with them allows you to find contact with a lost or suppressed part of yourself, realize it, and re-accept it, thus restoring your integrity.

The situation in your sleep is also of great importance. Is this a street or a room? What is the weather like - snowstorm, rain or sunshine?

Symbols

I will give a small list of interpretations. They will give you a general idea and points to pay attention to. However, you should still rely more on your intuition.

• A house, a room - reflect the inner world and values ​​of a person. If your home is cluttered and chaotic, your thoughts may also be in turmoil right now.
• The bathroom symbolizes cleansing.
• Hall, living room - heart and soul.
• Weather - mood. Sunny weather - positive attitude, joy, happiness. Rain - sadness, sadness. Cold, frost, snow - emotional blocks, “frozen” feelings.
• Nature is harmony. If you dream that you are close to nature, relaxing in nature, then this means inner balance.
• Transport reflects your unconscious tendencies. If you dream that you are traveling on public transport, then this may mean that you are in a dependent position. If this is personal transport, for example, a bicycle, then this means control over your life.

• The animal world is often our unconscious, instinctive aspirations. Seeing birds in a dream means higher aspirations, spirituality. Land animals have lower needs and desires, often suppressed. Pisces is the unconscious, mysticism, the sensual sphere.
• Elements. I have written several posts on this topic, you can read the article in more detail - this will help you better understand their role in your dream.
• Fire represents creativity, emotions, as well as lack of control, aggression, and revenge.
• Water - feelings, imagination, purification. If something holds back the water, does not allow it to flow - emotional clamps.
• Earth - support, stability, instincts, fertility.
• Air is the very breath of life, Spirit. If something restricts the flow of air (for example, when you dream of suffocation), then this means a severe lack of vital energy, an attack on your space, psychological territory.
• People usually symbolize certain qualities. The people you know may reflect qualities that you like and admire. They can also be used to judge your relationship with this person. Strangers are often your subpersonalities, qualities unknown to you, sometimes suppressed or hidden aspects of your personality.

• A person’s gender reflects either the feminine energy of yin (gentleness, tolerance), or the male energy of yang (activity, creativity)
• People from the past can indicate forgotten dreams and desires, and by the age at which you communicated with this person, you can determine the moment the problem arose.

Conclusion

Well, this is where I will end my story. I wish you a fascinating and educational walk through the Land of Dreams)

With warmth to you,
Natalie

Dreams have symbolic meaning

“When you understand your own dreams... You will be surprised at how quickly you can make LASTING, POSITIVE CHANGES into your life!

Exactly! Your subconscious mind is trying its best to TELL you something in your dreams. You just have to understand his SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE."

Laurie Quinn Loewenberg wrote this speech on a website to promote her book on dream interpretation, which contains "seven sec.

rets understanding of your dreams." Her site is one of many promoting the value of deciphering the symbolic meaning of dreams. So-called dream books on the Internet and in computer "dream programs" that users can download to their computers contain databases of thousands of dream symbols that promise to help readers decipher the hidden meanings of their dreams (Ackroyd, 1993). Cinema and television also exploit popular ideas about the symbolic meaning of dreams. In one episode of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano's friend appeared to him in a dream in the form of a talking fish, leading Tony to suspect him as an FBI informant ("fish" is slang for an informant) (Sepinwall, 2006).

And should we be surprised by the results of a recent Newsweek magazine poll: 43% of Americans believe

that dreams reflect unconscious desires (Adler, 2006). And researchers who conducted surveys in India, South Korea and the United States found that between 56 and 74% of people in these countries believe that dreams can reveal some hidden truths (Morewedge & Norton, 2009). In the second study, these researchers found that people were more likely to say that they would not fly on a plane if they had a dream about the plane crashing than when they consciously thought about the plane crash or received a government warning about the high risk of a terrorist attack. during air travel. These results demonstrate that many people believe that dreams contain precious nuggets of meaning that are more valuable than conscious thoughts.

Since many of us believe that symbols from dreams can predict the future, as well as give us personal insights, dream books offer a lot of all sorts of predictions and advice. According to one dream book: “If you leave something bad in your dream, then it is quite possible that you will be able to receive some favorable financial news.” On the contrary, eating pasta in a dream “may mean that you will experience small losses.” One hypersomniac warns that a dream about an anteater "indicates that you may encounter new elements, people or events,

that will threaten your business discipline and work ethic." It is clear that dreamers better not have dreams in which anteaters eat pasta, otherwise they will get into financial trouble.

More seriously, many doctors trained in the Freudian tradition have long held the idea that the ever-changing and sometimes bizarre dreamscape is replete with symbols that, when properly interpreted, can reveal the deepest secrets of the soul. According to Freud, dreams are the via regia - the royal road to understanding the subconscious - and contain "a brief psychology of neurosis." Freud argued that the ego's defenses decrease during sleep, and the repressed impulses of the subconscious knock at the gates of consciousness (for Freud, the "ego" was the part of the individuality that connects with reality, and the "subconscious" is the part of the personality that contains our sexual and aggressive desires). However, these violent impulses rarely, if ever, reach the threshold of consciousness. Instead, they are transformed by what Freud called "dream work" into symbols that mask forbidden hidden desires and allow the sleeper to sleep peacefully. If it were not for this censorship, sleepers would be awakened by disturbing eruptions of repressed material, often sexually

According to Freud, dreams are the via regia - the royal road to understanding the subconscious - and contain "a brief psychology of neurosis."

Noah and aggressive nature.

Dream interpretation is one of the pillars of the psychoanalytic method. However, according to Freudians, dreams do not give up their secrets without a fight. The analyst's task is to go beyond the superficial details of the dream, called the "explicit" dream.

the deeper, hidden, symbolic meaning of a dream. For example, the appearance of a scary monster in a dream (manifest content) could symbolize a threat posed by a feared boss (latent content). We take dream symbols from our repository of life events, including the events we experience in the day before the dream, what Freud called the “remains of the day” (here, of course, Freud was almost right), as well as the events of our childhood.

According to Freud, dream interpretation should be guided by the patient's free associations with various aspects of the dream, in order to leave room for individual interpretation of the content. Although Freud warned that dream symbolism does not have a universal, precise relationship to psychologically significant objects, people, or events, he often came close to violating this rule by interpreting the symbolic meaning of dreams with little or no help from his patients. For example, in his landmark book The Interpretation of Dreams, he wrote that even though women did not have any associations with the image in a dream of a straw hat with the middle part raised up and with the brim curved down, such a hat symbolizes male genitals . Freud also noted that entering tight places and opening locked doors often symbolizes sexual activity, while cutting hair, losing teeth and execution often symbolize castration. Therefore, despite his warnings, Freud viewed many dream symbols as essentially universal.

Freud's work paved the way for a burgeoning cottage industry of dream interpretation that does not seem to be loosening its stranglehold on the imagination of audiences. However, most modern scientists reject the idea that certain dream images have any universal symbolic meaning. Indeed, a closer look at dream reports reveals that many dreams are not disguised by any symbols. In fact, in the early stages of sleep, most of our dreams reflect everyday activities and problems that occupy our minds, such as studying for a test, going to the store, or doing taxes (Dorus, Dorus, & Rechtschaffen, 1971).

During sleep in the rapid eye movement phase, the emotional centers of the brain are excited and the centers of logic, memory and attention are muted.

During rapid eye movement sleep, our highly activated brain produces dreams that are sometimes illogical and charged with emotion (Foulkes, 1962;

Hobson, Pace-Schott & Stickgold, 2000). Does this happen because the repressed material in the subconscious somehow escapes censorship? Psychiatrist J. Allan Hobson doesn't think so. Hobson's dream theory, which has received considerable scientific support, is so radically different from Freud's that some have called him the “anti-Freud” (Rock, 2004). In the 1960s and 1970s at the Harvard Neuroscience Laboratory, Hobson, along with Robert McCarley, developed activation synthesis theory, which links dreams to brain activity rather than to the symbolic expression of subconscious desires (Hobson 8s McCarley, 1977).

According to this theory (Hobson et al., 2000), when we enter rapid eye movement every 90 minutes during sleep, various neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) orchestrate a dramatic symphony of changes that produce dreams. More specifically, waves of acetylcholine excite the emotional centers of the brain, while a decrease in the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine mutes the areas of the brain that control logic, memory and attention. According to Hobson, rapid eye movement dreaming is our brain's best, if imperfect, attempt to create some kind of meaningful story out of a jumble of dreams.

random information transmitted by the pons, a structure located at the base of the brain. Under these circumstances, the images that pop up have no symbolic meaning, so the interpretation of dreams will be arbitrary and similar to trying to extract pearls of wisdom from rambling speech.

But to give Freud his due, he may have been right on at least two important points: our daily thoughts and feelings can influence our dreams, and emotions play a big role in dreams. However, the fact that the emotional centers of the brain become overloaded during dreams and the forebrain responsible for logical thinking is closed (Solms, 1997, 2000) does not mean that dreams are attempts to fulfill the desires of the subconscious. Nor does this mean that dreams use symbols to disguise their true meaning.

Rather than relying on a dream book to predict the future or to help you make life decisions, it would probably be wiser to carefully weigh the pros and cons of different courses of action and consult with close friends or colleagues. And don't pay attention to the anteaters eating the pasta.

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People spend a third of their lives sleeping. Most of them have dreams, some even several in one night. Science has long explained how the process of falling asleep occurs, but scientists do not like to talk about the psychology of dreams, citing the fact that this is not their diocese. Dream researchers and psychologists have not yet come to a consensus on the causes of dream images and their interpretation.

Moreover, in the cultures of different countries, superstitions and signs associated with dreams are quite different, which makes it even more difficult to understand the origin of dreams and the psychology of the images they convey.

What is sleep?

The concept of sleep among people of different mindsets, beliefs and lifestyles differs significantly:

Science explains sleep as a reduced response to external influences, when the body and consciousness “switch off” and rest, recover, and the brain goes through four different stages during sleep, and during the REM (rapid eye movement) phase a person sees images that are a consequence of the past of the day, experiences and various kinds of impressions.

From the point of view of esotericism, during sleep a person leaves his physical shell and can travel with the help of the astral body, and dreams are the events that happened to him during these travels.

The ancient Egyptians believed that they conveyed their will to people (it was they who created the first interpreter of dreams), which the priest-interpreters then conveyed to others.

Dreams from a psychological point of view

According to psychologists, sleep is the reaction of the mind to life events, internal experiences, stress and hidden desires. In a dream, the subconscious, through dream images, indicates a problem and a possible way to eliminate it. It is not without reason that all powerful techniques for working with the subconscious (hypnosis, meditation) are close in their state to sleep. Only in the latter case is the state of mind completely controlled, while in sleep, on the contrary, it is completely free.

Some scientists attribute the “déjà vu” effect also to dreams: an event or place once seen in a dream, but forgotten, after a period of time actually takes place in a person’s life and seems to be repeated.

Author of "Psychology of Dreams"

The interpretation of dreams was studied quite extensively by Sigmund Freud, considering dreams to be repressed desires and suppressed libido, manifested in the form of images.

The Austrian psychotherapist described this concept in detail in his book “Psychology of Dreams,” carefully describing various cases of the use of dream psychoanalysis, what the connections between images and a person’s real life, his past and hidden may be. Sigmund Freud's theory of explaining the essence of dreams divides everything into two types:

Sexual attraction (love, instinct of self-preservation and reproduction);

The attraction to death (the desire for harmony in life, the correct way of life, cyclicality).

At the same time, the author emphasizes that the main image of a dream is not necessarily something extremely important; it happens that a small, insignificant detail has a much stronger influence on the unconscious than the key point. The peculiarity of Freud's method is that only the patient himself can comprehend the images, connect them with another object or situation and draw a conclusion, starting from deep experiences and emotions, and the psychologist only guides him.

Also, his theory is based on the fact that the very first association to the analyzed image is often the most accurate, therefore the first thing that came to mind upon awakening is often the most accurate interpretation.

Jung's Archetypes

Jung (Freud's student) is his main opponent in the science of studying the nature of sleep. His position in the interpretation of the psychology of dreams is more extensive, not being categorically tied to sex and its manifestations. Jung believed that dream images are something truly important and experienced in the process of life, and mixing the dreams of a schizophrenic with the dreams of a person with an Oedipus complex is simply stupid.

In his theory of dream interpretation, Carl Gustav adhered to the connection between images and archetypes (a psychological image inherent in the collective unconscious); he constantly used seven of the main ones. Animus and Anima (masculine and feminine), Sage Self (symbol of absolute knowledge) and Shadow (chaos, vices and shortcomings). The interconnection of such images and their influence on human consciousness is clearly visible throughout all of Jung’s studies and provides an understanding of human essence from a broader perspective.

The conclusion made makes it clear that Freud used base instincts, while Jung relied on spirituality.

How to interpret images from a dream?

To understand the signals of the subconscious, you need to do the following:

Write down your dream immediately upon waking so that small details are not forgotten. Describe as clearly and in detail as possible.

Immediately register spontaneous associations with images without analyzing them. Sometimes the active work of the brain and attempts at logical conclusions nullify important deep images. Over time, the ability to explain a dream will improve, and it will be possible to easily manage life events and internal states.

If you don’t have your own associations, use a reputable dream interpreter.

For a deeper analysis of dreams, psychologists recommend keeping a diary in which dreams, their interpretations and, if prophetic dreams, are recorded, then the period of time after which the dream came true.

Are prophetic dreams harbingers of fate?

It is generally accepted that a prophetic dream predicts the future, gives hints about upcoming events, while actually coming true in the near future. Usually such dreams occur to people with increased sensitivity and a special psychological mood (on the eve of an important exam, wedding), although it happens without reason. According to the signs of old-timers, prophetic dreams are more likely to occur on name day, during the Holy Week (between Christmas and Epiphany) and on the night from Thursday to Friday (the most fateful dreams occur on this day, but they are more difficult to remember).

What is a dream book?

A dream book is an interpreter of the images that a person sees in a dream. The most popular are the dream books of Gustavus Miller, Sigmund Freud and Vanga's dream book; young people also often resort to online interpretation services without delving into the subtleties of the interpretation. Among lovers of esotericism, the “Interpretation of Dreams and Dreams” by Nostradamus, as well as Meneghetti’s dream book, are in demand.

For ease of searching, dream symbols are often written in alphabetical order in the interpreter. To understand the psychology of a dream and what it wants to convey to consciousness, they remember images from the dream, then you need to find in the interpreter and read the explanations of the images and try to create a general picture from all of them. This will be the interpretation.

If you have the same dream several times

It happens that people periodically dream the same dream for a long period of time: with the same images, situations and actions. Sometimes the plot changes slightly, but more often it coincides 100%.

From a psychological point of view, recurring dreams are attempts by the unconscious to point out the same mistakes in life or habits that a person does not change in himself. This will be repeated until the person decides to analyze the signals, contact a specialist in the interpretation of dreams and dreams and draw the accompanying conclusions.

Also, sometimes in a dream a person sees tragedies of the past in which he was an involuntary participant or spectator: car accidents, scenes of violence, war or suicide cases. From a strong emotional shock, what is seen is imprinted on the subconscious and periodically reminds itself through dreams, forcing the witness to experience suffering again. In such cases, it is also recommended to seek help from a psychotherapist.

Superstitions related to dreams

Every culture in the world, almost every nationality, has its own superstitions associated with what is seen in a dream.

The Slavs believed that you should not tell a bad dream before dawn, otherwise it will come true. It is necessary, while looking out the window, to repeat three times: “Where there is night, there comes sleep” (some advised saying the same words to running water, replacing “night” with the word “water”).

If on a holiday (church day), then it had to be fulfilled no later than lunch the next day, so it was considered a very good omen.

If a baby laughed in his sleep, it was forbidden to wake him up - it was believed that an angel was playing with him.

In a dream, stepping on or getting smeared in excrement was considered great luck, bringing money and luck.

There is a whole system of interpretations about dead people coming in dreams. If the deceased was simply seen in a dream, this foreshadowed bad weather, and if he called for him, it foreshadowed the imminent death of those who would follow him. In such cases, old people recommended going to church and lighting a candle for the repose. It was believed that it was generally better not to respond to a “call” in a dream, even if the person in the dream was alive - this was a sign of misfortune, failure and illness.

Dream analysis. For what?

Dreams and their competent analysis - great helpers on the path of self-discovery and increasing our awareness, obligatory companions not only our personal growth and our inner work, but also Beauty Awareness or Mindful Beauty, which inevitably lead:

• To increase energy levels. Gradually, it becomes easier for us to let go and forgive people who cause us trauma, to free ourselves from limiting beliefs about the world.
• Makes this process of self-knowledge and personal growth much more accessible (I couldn’t help but write “easy” :)). We all know that this process is always fraught with difficulties, but brings bonuses.

• To a deeper experience of the world around us and its Beauty, to an expansion of consciousness and a deeper understanding of the events that happen to us and our reactions to them.

• To change your environment in a positive way. As you become more aware, you begin to choose like-minded people and partners.

• You will quit your boring job and will definitely find your passion and purpose, in general, you will start doing something that will excite you in a way that is not childish :).

Dreams and their symbols in the interpretation of K.G. Jung (it’s somehow awkward to even imagine him, we already know everything about him, we love his works and respect him) are messengers and markers of personal transformation and internal work, in other words, they are synchronized with deep subconscious processes and can tell us what’s wrong with us is actually happening!

To improve the memory of dreams, it is recommended to create a special journal and keep it on your bedside table so that you can immediately record them upon waking up. Over time, this useful practice will lead to remembering more and more dreams and their details, they will become more colorful and interesting. Your subconscious will begin to talk to you with pleasure :), and according to the testimony of many enthusiasts, you will even be able to realize in a dream that you are dreaming and change the course of dreams at your discretion. If anyone is interested, write, I will be happy to share what I know about this and my experience in more detail.

Now again about symbolism: of course, dear K.G. Jung always emphasized that there is no single universal interpretation of dreams, and everything is purely individual. And yet…

12 dream symbols and their interpretation from the point of view of the Jungian approach:

1 . CHASE, you are being chased - something in your life needs your attention.

We easily remember such dreams, they make us worry and cause fear. Such events in dreams usually signal to us about what we are working with internally; the subconscious gives a hint that something requires closer attention, something that you are not paying attention to, but should be.

2.PEOPLE- in fact, these are characteristics of our personality.

People in dreams are symbols of self-image or characteristics of various aspects of yourself, helping us understand which ones need more attention and in which direction we should take our inner work. If you see specific people, this may indicate interpersonal issues and conflicts that you need to work through.

3. HOUSE- the dreamer's consciousness.

There are several levels of consciousness that make up our mind. And its different parts are different aspects of the psyche. For example, a basement may represent something that is not given due attention, or is not confidently recognized by the dreamer in real life; the bedroom can be translated into our language as intimate thoughts, feelings and memories. Activities in the house mean the dreamer's activities in interpreting information and ways of using the structure of consciousness.

4. FOOD- KNOWLEDGE.

In the physical world, food nourishes our bodies. In the world of dreams, food is a representation of feeding our minds, in other words, knowledge. Dreams about food can also be interpreted as the mind being “hungry” and seeking new ideas and knowledge.

5 SCHOOL- EDUCATION.

When a school or class appears in your dream, or you dream about typical school events, such as taking a test, this actually signifies an internal learning process, and can be interpreted as the need to understand something from a situation, past or present, or indicates that you have some need for introspection.

6.NUDITY- sincerity and openness, quite possibly excessive.

When one sees oneself or another naked in a dream, it means that a certain aspect or emotion of the dreamer is currently being expressed openly and without restrictions, to the point that the dreamer feels exposed.

7. SEX- sexual expression or unification and creation.

When you dream about sex, it can represent an acknowledgment, an acceptance by the dreamer of their unconscious desires and emotions, in other words, a kind of newfound wholeness. Dreams about sex can also symbolize creating new intimate relationships with others or with yourself. Although in many cases, sexual dreams are simply an outlet for energy.

8. CARS- give or receive EXPERIENCE.

Vehicles in a dream symbolize the means to overcome what is happening in our conscious life, how much control we have over life or what we encounter along the way, events and obstacles that occur. The type and size of the vehicle also plays a role: an ambulance will indicate the need for treatment, a police car will indicate the need for discipline.

9. CHILD- new.

Dreaming about a baby symbolizes a new idea or development, or potential for growth in a specific area of ​​your life.

10. DEATH- drastic changes.

In the language of the mind, death usually represents a transition from one state to another. Although many perceive death in a dream as a scary or negative event, it usually correlates with a drastic change or transition occurring in the dreamer's life.

11. ANIMALS- the dreamer's habits.

Considering that the function of animals is mainly based on instinct, the presence of animals in dreams is a representation of our habits. When we dream about animals, it can provide us with invaluable insight into our daily routines as well as our deepest desires. The type of animal, what it does, and its habitat can all be used to interpret what our unconscious is signaling to us.

12. A FALL- return to wakefulness.

Typically, if you fall during sleep, it symbolizes the process of returning to a state of lucidity or waking consciousness. Often indicates that you do not feel able to control a certain aspect of your real life or are afraid of letting something or someone go from your life.

Dream analysis and increasing awareness in dreams are one of the most effective practices for “breaking into another dimension” of our life and transforming situations, the basis for wonderful changes, but it is important to enjoy them and not allow yourself to fall into interpretation and endless analysis of events, replacing them with life itself, and most importantly, its incredible Beauty!

I express my deep respect and support to everyone who is on the difficult path of working with themselves! :)

And I wish us all a good mood! :)