“I had the strangest dream last night”….

Have you ever had the feeling that a dream was trying to tell you something, but you’re not quite sure what? Often times your dreams can seem like meaningless visions all thrown together in a random, nonsensical form, but a dream is actually an extraordinary and invaluable window into your subconscious.

If understood correctly, your dreams can help you discover hidden thoughts, feelings, fears, desires, and needs that can all be used to understand your deeper self and to help you decide what direction to take next. Your dreams can guide you through difficult problems and praise you for a job well done.

Sound good so far? Well then, the big question is: How do you go about making sense of your dreams?

There are no hard and fast rules and there are no wrong answers to understanding your dreams. The beauty of dream interpretation is that both the dream and the interpretation are unique to you. There are, however, some steps I can share with you to help you make sense of it all:

Step 1: Write down your dreams as soon as you wake up and remember. Memories of dreams can be fleeting, so grab them while you can!

When writing your dreams, it is very helpful to place yourself. Where are you? Who are you with? Write in the style that you are still in the dream (i.e. I am in a large apartment with my best friend). Include any details that you can remember, no matter how insignificant they may seem.

You may find it helpful to keep a journal by your bed.

Step 2: Brainstorm. If you have an initial reaction to the dream, write it down. Is it reminiscent of a situation or problem in your life? What were you thinking about before you went to sleep? Also, list any issues you are currently dealing with that might be on your mind.

Again, there are no wrong answers - write down anything that comes up.

Step 3: Review the dream. Read it over once, twice, or as many times as you need. Pick the components that stand out the most, whether they are incidents, reactions, objects, feelings… anything that made an impression.

*Note that sometimes it’s the small details that stay with you, and these are often more important than they initially seem. If you remember that you passed a doorway on you way somewhere important, it may be significant. Maybe you are passing opportunities by?

Step 4: Figure out what the stand-out components mean to you. Focus on the unique meaning that these things have for you specifically. A ring might traditionally symbolize marriage, but to you it conjures memories of a ring you lost when you were a child. Perhaps there is something else that is missing in your life?

Although you may find your own unique meanings, here are some concepts that are widely recognized:

Death – often symbolizes change, readiness for change, a new beginning
Sex – often symbolizes a union, particularly with two aspects of your character Cheating – often symbolizes guilt or self-betrayal

Step 5: If there were other people in your dream, describe them. Write down 3 adjectives for each person. Every person that appears in your dream reflects qualities and characteristics of your own character. Dreaming about someone who is honest, intelligent, and kind represents the part of you that is honest, intelligent, and kind. Similarly, a dream involving someone who is devious, forgetful, and silly represents that side of you as well.

Step 6: Put it all together. This part is a little tricky and may take some time to master, but it’s where all the magic happens. By now you should have some major components, some meanings attached to each one, some character traits, and some present and relevant issues all swimming around in your head. Look for connections. Something should spark, and when it does – go with it.

Again, use your own judgment to understand what your dreams are telling you. No one else can interpret your dreams. Just trust your instincts and practice, practice, practice. When you can understand your dreams, you can learn a lot about yourself - and that is a beautiful thing.

~Kristen

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