You have sent me many dream questions and I’ve been waiting for a rainy day to answer them. Well, it’s raining. So, I’ve shut off my cell phone and hung the Do Not Disturb sign I “permanently borrowed” from a hotel room on my door. In order to answer them all, I’ve created a dream series because I believe that by reading the answers to the dreams of others we enrich our waking-life. Each section in the series will focus on answering your dream questions.
Today, your wildest dream questions are my main priority.
Your Question: Are symbols and symbolism the same to everyone in every dream? Is there a trick to using a Dream Dictionary?
Although World renowned Psychiatrists Dr. Freud and Dr. Jung used Universal Archetypes present in dreams to see into the minds of their patients to better treat them, dream worlds are unique to the dreamer. In fact, your dream world is as unique to you as your fingerprints or DNA. What is frightening to one dreamer may be enlightening to another. Take the example of a large snake in a dream. It may be frightening to someone with a fear of snakes but may be the Kundalini to others more familiar with spiritual symbolism- the ultimate rising spiritual wisdom. If it is a rattle-snake it may mean there is a warning in the wisdom, “Don’t tread here,” just like the Texas state motto. Sometimes the symbolism can be a play on words.
Therefore, although dream dictionaries are usually based on universal archetypes and helpful, they can also be limiting. Learning your own dream language is the best way to interpret your dreams. I call it learning your Alice in Wonderland “Jabberwocky Talk.” Nonsense words (perhaps based on jabber) coined by Lewis Carroll, for the poem of the same name, which he published in “Through the Looking-Glass.” You hear the words and see the pictures but they don’t make sense until you learn your dream language.
Remember; just like any other foreign language, practice makes perfect.
If you still would like to check your personal definition of something in your dream against a dream dictionary do a search for “dream dictionary” using your favorite search engine, and pick one that appeals to you. You can also get one in print from your bookstore or order it online.
Dream dictionaries work just like regular dictionaries: you look up the symbol from your dream that you want to learn more about, and it gives you some background on what that symbol might mean for you.
As the dreamer becomes more in tune with their inner-guidance, they will learn their own dream language just as I learned mine. In my book SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Intuitive aspects of Healing, I take dreams from my dream journal and show the reader exactly how to underline important words, figure out their meaning according to their context in the dream in order to understand the dream message.
I hope this helps to answers your incredible dream questions. Ask me anything in the comment box.
Join us for Your Wildest Dreams Revealed Series: #10- “Mom! My Teeth Fell Out!”
ABOUT Dream Expert Kathleen (Kat) O’Keefe-Kanavos TV/Radio Host/Producer of Wicked Housewives On Cape Cod® believes your DREAMS can diagnose your life. Author/Lecturer of Award winning, International bestseller, Surviving Cancerland: Intuitive Aspects of Healing: which promotes patient advocacy & connecting with Inner-guidance through Dreams, Prayers & Meditations for success in Health, Wealth, & Love. Learn more @ www.AccessYourInnerGuide.com Download your free DREAM gift http://bit.ly/My-Free-Gift-to-You
(All pictures and quotes were used with permission from the guest or are owned by the author.)
