Dreams And Their Meaning: Tips On Interpreting Your Dreams

Do you ever think about dreams and their meaning? Do you think your dreams are gibberish? Are they impossible to remember? Hard to understand? Do your dreams consist of random images?

Well, by reading this article, you'll learn how dreams can help you solve your problems, enjoy more fulfilling relationships and lead a more successful life . . . without breaking a sweat. Research has provided plenty of fascinating information on dreams and their meaning, and their application to our daily lives.

Among other things, dreams have been shown to be helpful in clarifying our thoughts and emotions, problem solving, and unlocking our innermost secrets. Those who do not dismiss their dreams as ridiculous or impossible to comprehend, may derive extraordinary guidance from their dreams.

Dreams can help you to reach your goals and lead the life of your dreams, pun intended!

I sometimes hear the objection, “But I can’t make any sense of my dreams!”

OK, but there are tried-and-true ways you decipher your dreams and their meanings, and ways you can use your dreams to help you accomplish anything your heart desires . . . such as living a truly satisfying life. Let me give you a few tips.

Ways To Tap Into Your Dreams

1. Form a habit of recalling your dreams as soon as you wake up. Write them down before you do anything else each morning. With a little practice you can become quite good at recalling your dreams and their meaning.

Sadly, many people let valuable dream content slip away each and every day, and give their dreams no thought. But there is so much to gain from our dreams it only makes sense to learn how to use it to your best advantage. And it isn't difficult!

Write down as much as you can recall because your dreams may contain hidden messages or guidance, which you can discover later. And it is usually best to analyze the dream when you can find time to sit down and think it through. I recommend buying a journal or notebook just for recording your dreams.

If you choose to try it, it’s best to keep the journal near your bed, along with a pen, and don’t forget to date every dream. After several months or years, you can go back through the journal and identify interesting or compelling dreams and their themes. What a good tool for increasing self-understanding.

2. In the quest of capturing your dreams and their meaning, your journal will come in handy. And it is always a joy to read your journal and discover important aspects of your dreams that you didn’t see before, or refresh your memory about the things that have been important to you, based on the topics of your dreams. You may find a few surprises in your journal, and use it to become more aware of your emotional life. I know I always do. And, I must say, reading my journal tends to be an experience of self-discovery . . . one that helps me to make good decisions about my life!

In dreams we often attempt to solve the problems of waking life, or to understand them better. Dreams sometimes allow us to gain access to private thoughts and realities to which we might not have access in other ways, unless we meditate on a regular basis.

3. Use your dreams to enhance your creative powers. Dreams can really boost creativity and imagination. One of my artist friends dreamed about an unusual idea for a painting. She painted the idea, and that painting became one of her very best. She now calls upon her dream life for regular inspiration. I know writers who have gotten great ideas for stories in their dreams. Once baffled by her dreams and their meaning, my artist friend now relies on her dream life to help her achieve greater success in her work.

4. You never know when information in your dreams which may lead to an important achievement, or help you make a new discovery . . . or possibly find the missing link to an interpersonal puzzle or successful business venture.

An engineer friend spent months trying to find the solution to a technical problem associated with a new product for his business. The answer came to him in the form of a dream, after he had exhausted every other avenue for a solution. That product became very profitable. He now applies his dreams to his work regularly.

5. Use your dreams to understand personal problems or difficulties in your life. Dreams tend to be a mirror to what you are dealing with in your life, helping you to reflect on your attempts at problem solving and clarifying your inner wishes and concerns.

6. Cultivate the art of listening to and respecting your dreams and their meaning. Dreams are a gateway to secrets held within.

Dreams may give you a warning about a potential problem or mistake you are about to make. This has happened to me on several occasions. Once I dreamed that my car was in a wreck and sustained lots of damage. The dream wouldn't leave me alone - I kept thinking about it, so I decided to have the car checked by a mechanic. He found a malfunction in the brakes which probably would have gone out on me within the next few miles.

The more you work with your dreams, the more comfortable you will become in recognizing important material and learning from your dreams.

Don't let fear or an old stubborn belief that dreams are nothing but old wives' tales stop you from exploring your dreams and their meaning. Modern research reveals that dreams are truly valuable tools, if we learn to respect and tap into this often misunderstood mental resource.

Tips For Interpreting Your Dreams

1. Read scientific articles and books on dreams, and keep your eye on the latest research.

2. Talk to people who have an open mind about dreams, and avoid sharing your dreams with those who have a negative attitude and fail to grasp the potential of dream work. . . they will only discourage or disappoint you.

3. You can start a dream group where you and others meet to talk about your dreams and get constructive feedback. Or you could join an on-line forum devoted to the topic of understanding dreams and their meaning. Talking about dreams can be a fulfilling and meaningful way to explore their possible implications, but don’t let others tell you what your dreams mean. Once you get a little experience, you will be in the best position to figure that out.

4. Think about how you can use your dreams as a powerful self-help tool and cultivate the lifelong habit of consulting your dreams. Even if you've never paid attention to your dreams, you can always start now. Listening to your dreams is like having a trusted ally and guide on your side.

5. You can work with a counselor or coach to obtain support and additional perspectives in unraveling the beauty of your dreams and their meaning. A dream consultant can help you stay motivated, make lasting changes and get you started in the right direction.

6. Listen to and trust your gut in attempting to decipher the objective of a dream. Look for what dream events or sequences may mean, and do not interpret them literally. Everything in a dream represents something. Look for the underlying meaning of an object, symbol or dream sequence.

For example, if you dreamed about an accident, it doesn't usually mean that someone you know is about to get in a car accident. Instead, it may indicate you’re on the wrong path or you’re about to make a mistake in some critical aspect of your personal or professional life. It could indicate the onset of an illness or problem that needs your attention.

Always think about dreams symbols in light of the context in which they are presented. Context is so critical!

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Dreams and Their Meaning:
An Inner Guide

In Sum

Dreams give us a unique way of peering inside ourselves. They can show us all kinds of interesting insights about ourselves and others. Dreams can lead to a deeper understanding of our problems and needs, and offer tremendous potential for growth, change and renewal. Dreams may reveal our true wishes and uncover hidden conflicts. Talking about our dreams with a close friend or spouse can be a good way of sharing our inner lives.

We are wiser when we dream, which is why dreams can be a powerful inner guide.

Those who work with dreams and their meaning on a consistent basis will get more out of them than those who only pay attention to their dreams once in a while. Keeping a dream journal will help anyone to develop greater skill and confidence in working with dreams.

Be sure to take advantage of your dreams and open your ears to the tiny whisperings of the inner self. You won't regret it! Remember to keep a journal, review it often and think about your dreams in a way that helps you to uncover their symbolic meaning.

I hope you’ll keep me posted on your progress.