Psychology of dreams. Symbols and analysis of dreams

People spend the third part of their lives in a dream. Most of them have dreams, some even for a few overnight. As the process of falling asleep occurs, science has long explained, but scientists do not like talking about the psychology of dreams, referring to the fact that this is not their diocese. Investigators of dreams and psychologists have not yet come to a common opinion about the causes of the emergence of images of sleep and their interpretation. Moreover, in cultures of different countries superstitions and signs related to dreams are quite different, which makes it even more difficult to understand the origins of dreams and the psychology of the images that they transmit.

What is a dream?

The concepts of sleep among people of different mindsets, beliefs and lifestyles vary considerably:

• Science explains sleep as a lowered response to external influences, when the body and consciousness "turn off" and rest, are restored, and the brain passes through four different stages during the dream, and during the BDG (rapid eye movement) phase, the person sees images that are the consequence of The past day, experiences and all sorts 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 events that happened to him during these journeys.

• Ancient Egyptians believed that in a dream God transmits his will to people (they created the first interpreter of dreams), which then the priest-interpreters reported to the rest.

Dreams in terms of psychology

According to psychologists, sleep is the mind's reaction to life events, inner experiences, stresses and hidden desires. In a dream, the subconscious through the images of sleep indicates a problem and a possible way of eliminating it. No wonder all the powerful techniques of 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, and in a dream, on the contrary, completely free.

Some scientists attribute the effect of "deja vu" also to dreams: once seen in a dream, but a forgotten event or place in a period of time does take place in a person's life and seems repetitive.

Author of "Psychology of Dreams"

Interpretation of dreams was studied extensively by Sigmund Freud, considering dreams a suppressed desire and a depressed libido, manifesting in the form of images. This concept was described in detail by the Austrian psychotherapist in his book The Psychology of Dreams, carefully describing the various cases of using sleep psychoanalysis, what could be the connections between the images and real life of a person, his past and hidden. The theory of explaining the essence of the dreams of Sigmund Freud divides all kinds of dreams into two types:

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

- Attraction to death (striving for harmony in life, correct way of life, cyclicity).

At the same time, the author emphasizes that the main image of sleep is not necessarily something important, it happens that a small, insignificant detail has a much greater effect on the unconscious than the key moment. The peculiarity of Freud's method is that to comprehend images, to associate with another object or situation and to draw a conclusion can only the patient himself, starting from deep emotions and emotions, and the psychologist only directs it.

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

Archetypes of Jung

Carl Gustav Jung (a disciple of Freud) is his main opponent in the science of studying the nature of sleep. His position in interpreting the psychology of dreams is more extensive, not being categorically tied to sex and its manifestations. Jung believed that the images of sleep - this is something really important and experienced in the process of life, and mixing the dreams of a schizophrenic with the dreams of a person with the Oedipus complex is just silly.

In his theory of interpretation of dreams, Carl Gustav adhered to the connection of images with archetypes (the psychological image inherent in the collective unconscious), he used seven of the main constantly. Animus and Anima (male and female), Self (integral personality), Sage (symbol of absolute knowledge) and Shadow (chaos, vices and demerits). The interrelationship of such images and their influence on human consciousness can be clearly seen during all of Jung's research and gives an understanding of human essence from a broader side.

This conclusion makes it clear that Freud used low instincts, while Jung relied on spirituality.

How to interpret images from sleep?

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

- Record a dream immediately on waking, so that small details are not forgotten. Describe as clearly as possible and in more detail.

- Emerging spontaneous associations with images immediately prescribe, without analyzing. Sometimes the active work of the brain and attempts at logical inferences nullify important deep images. Over time, the ability to explain the dream will be improved, and it will be possible to easily manage the events of life and internal states.

- If there are no associations, use an authoritative interpreter of dreams.

For a deeper analysis of dreams, psychologists recommend keeping a diary in which dreams are recorded, their interpretations and if dreams are prophetic, then the period of time through which sleep has come true.

Prophetic dreams are messengers of fate?

It is generally believed that a prophetic dream foresees the future, gives a clue to forthcoming events, while actually coming true in the near future. Usually such dreams are dreamed of people with heightened sensitivity and a special psychological mood (on the eve of an important examination, a wedding), although it happens for no reason. By the signs of old-timers, prophetic dreams can often dream on the day of the Name Day, on the Holy Week (between Christmas and Epiphany) and on the night from Thursday to Friday (the most fateful dreams are dreamed on this day, but they are harder to remember).

What is a dream book?

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

For the convenience of searching, often in an interpreter, the symbols of dreams are written in alphabetical order. To understand the psychology of sleep and what it wants to convey to the mind, remember the images from the dream, then it is necessary to find in the interpreter and read the explanations of the images and from all to try to create the overall picture. This will be the interpretation.

If the same dream is dreamed several times

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

From the point of view of psychology, recurrent dreams are attempts by the unconscious to point to 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, turns to the expert on the interpretation of dreams and dreams and draws concomitant conclusions.

Also sometimes in a dream a person sees the 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 through dreams periodically reminds oneself, forcing the eyewitness to suffer again. In such cases, it is also recommended that you seek help from a psychotherapist.

Superstitions associated with dreams

In every culture of the world, in almost every nation, there are superstitions connected with what they saw in a dream.

- The Slavs believed that you can not tell a terrible dream before dawn, otherwise it will come true. It is necessary, looking at the window, to repeat three times: "Wherever night, there and dream" (some advised the same words to say running water, replacing "night" with the word "water").

- If the dream was a holiday (church day), then it was to be fulfilled no later than the next day's lunch, so it was considered a very good sign.

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

- In a dream to step on or get smeared into excrement was considered a huge success, to money and luck.

On the dead people who come in a dream, there is a whole system of interpretations. If the deceased was just seen in a dream - it foreshadowed the bad weather, and if he called for himself, then foreshadowed the imminent death of the one who would follow him. In such cases, the old people recommended going to church and putting a candle for the rest. It was believed that it was generally better not to respond in a dream to a "call", even if the dreamed person was alive - it was unfortunately, to failures and illnesses.