Dreaming is a universal experience. It has happens every night regardless of whether we remember them or not. Carl Jung had an unique perspective about the place that dreams have in our psyches. For Jung, the purpose of dreams is to reveal the larger reality of the psyche i.e. the inner truth of the individual.

Dreams are a natural product of the psyche and they are characteristic of a certain objectivity that goes beyond our ego wishes. Dreams come from the unconscious and reflect something that we don’t know, They are part of the natural regulation of the body psyche. Like the

body that constantly regulates itself to ensure that it is in a state of balance, dreams provide a compensatory function – that is, they provide another picture or compensate for the limited view or perspective of the ego.

Dreams are about the dreamer primarily. Every aspect of the dream – the characters, the action, the symbols and the relationship among the elements of the dream are aspects of the dreamer. It is too easy to treat the images in a dream literally, relating specifically to some outer event or person in a concrete way.

Symbols – The Language of Dreams

The language of dreams is metaphors, symbols and images. Dreams take the events and the experiences of daily life to create images that need to be understood and deciphered. The story and concepts of the dream are embedded in the imagery. Thus they reflect an allegory that must be translated into rational concepts and verbal language.

A way to understand this language we can look to idioms in language or terms of phrases which are symbolic in nature. Abstract thoughts will be portrayed by a concrete image for example – – – embarking on a journey might be the metaphor for starting a new relationship or job, crossing a bridge would be an image a psychological transition, flying in the air might reflect feelings of elation or inflation, dreams of animals symbolic of the instinctual life of the psyche. This example was reported by Jung when his client a business man dreamt that his hands were covered in dirt. He had “dirty hands” arising from a fraudulent business deal that he was involved in. This particular individual had a guilty conscience and at some level knew that what he was involved in was suspect.

Jungian Dreamwork ~ Story of the Dream

Jung wrote “ a dream is a theatre in which the dreamer is himself, the scene, the player, the prompter, the producer, the author, the public and the critic”

The psyche naturally reveals itself an an unfolding drama and every dream has an unfolding action, a development. Predictability, most dreams have a 4 act dramatic structure

Exposition – setting of the theme is revealed in the opening lines of the dream. This unlocks the context, the situation about which the dream is talking and reveals how the dreamer is being – attitude, behaviour and actions – in this particular context.

Development – The next part of the drama reveals the movement, the trends and the dynamics that arise out of the initial situation or issue.

Crisis – this is the culmination of the drama. In this part of the narrative, something decisive occurs or there is a significant change that reveals an opening. This event could be favourable or not.

Lysis or the conclusion – In most dreams, psyche gives a hint as to how to resolve the initial situation. In the most positive aspect, the lysis will reveal potentiality or an overall direction that are inherent in the psyche. It could also the outcome if the dreamer continues on his or her present course and in this case, the dream will present a warning serving to wake up the dream to the place that he or she is currently in.

Media Interviews with Christina on Dreams

Featured appearance on Global’s The Morning Show analyzing the hosts dreams

Nightmares and Work-Related Dreams

Pay Attention to Your Dreams – City Centre The Moment

Good Use of Bad Dreams – Now Magazine

Find out more how Christina can help you understand your dreams through psychotherapy, and Jungian Analysis. To set up an initial consultation, click here.