There are two main schools of thought surrounding dream interpretation. One of them believes that dreams can be identified by universal elements. Sort of like Jung's collective consciousness. the other believes that every person's dream elements are totally relative to the person who dreams them, so that the meaning of dream elements is different for everyone. I believe in the latter, and that collective consciousness is merely a result of common cultural, spiritual, or personal values which give similar meaning to elements which can be found in dreams. for example, going to school or work and realising youre naked is very common, but i think this is only because in pretty much every society, being nude in public is a pretty bad thing, not because being nude has some universal and fundamental link to human-kind
Different symbols would probably have to mean different things to different dreamers. Some people might interpret a dream with a large dog as a nightmare, while other people with better experiences with large dogs would interpret such a dream differently. I've read books about dreams and dream symbols, and much of what they say makes some sense, but I believe they are best as only a very general guide. IMHO, the best method is to talk about your dreams with someone who knows you pretty well, someone you trust and love.
what you see in dreams.. are just imagery that are projected onto the astral plane by your subconscious... so pretty much everything youve learned with your soul... (not just the physical body you have right now... but all of your past lives two) So .. of course their meanings are only valid to the ''dreamer''..
You should have had an option that says both. I believe the universal archetypes and themes are a guide and very relevant, but only the dreamer can interpret what those factors mean to them and how they are relevant to their life. "Dreams are answers to the questions our mind hasn't yet worked out how to ask." - Fox Mulder An irrelevant but beautiful quote.
there is no both. if yo ubelieve both are equally important (thus that the actual meaning of dreams can come from absolutely anywhere, concieved, or inconcieved) then this poll wont take you seriously.
It makes sense (the 2nd option). Like, if flowers (first thing I saw when I looked around for an example ) for instance, meant "happiness" in dreams as a universal meaning, how the hell would that symbolise happiness if you get really bad hayfever?
In the late 70s, I checked a book out of the library. I was researching heraldry. I found that I had been dreaming all my life in symbols historically common to several cultural lines.
Mabye if you had the intelligence to read my post properly, being someone who has done both spritual and academic study of dreams, anyone with a slightly more open mind might be able to take you seriously. All I'm saying is that there are universal forces, that influence all of human subconsciousness, so it is pretty obvious that these themes would appear in dreams. But as I said, if you had read or even slightly understood my post, only the individual can truly interpret what these mean as the dreams came from THEIR MIND. I hope that was a little less complicated for you.
actually i interpreted exactly what you meant, it doesnt change the fact that this poll dont take it seriously. the poll asks for a 'tend', not an absolute. therefor if you cant chose which is more fundamental or influential on dream meaning, youre saying there is an equal split in influence, and in my oppinion youre being smartass. since the poll is counted as my post, this poll does not take you seriously
Well twice now I have written that only the dreamer knows and can interpret what universal symbols mean to them. So if I haven't made that clear enough, I apologise. And perhaps instead of saying you wont take someone seriously because of an idea expressed, you could ask why? Mabye then you wont get a smartass reply. Your subtitle says learn, but if you truly want to learn anything, dropping the "its my post" ego response, will help you learn alot. I am truly sorry for my negative response, but I was looking for an interesting discussion, not being shot down by someone who wont even ask me to expand on my ideas. Peace
You may have to see the hubris of the above statement, and then contemplate why that might get a negative reaction. This means that your research is subjective and you only want to hear your own ideas, shutting out the possibility there are others (true or not, it doesn't matter) that have not yet entered your consciousness, as I'm sure some of your ideas haven't entered mine. There are different truths for everyone, and no one likes being told by a fellow learner, that THEIR truth alone applies to the entire universe. If you are willing to let go of this idea that you hold the only answer to this question, I will willingly exchange ideas and expand on why my studies and experience has led me to say both. But if not, I am once again sorry for my previous negativity :& and I hope that you take other ideas a little more seriously in the future, in the interest of learning. Peace again, friend...
you still dont get it. im not closing off any truth. this is a poll. you can write your oppinion, go for it, it just wont be included in the poll if you cant chose. I want to hear other people's oppinion, people who have a stance either way though. considering how much business there is in dream interpretation, i expected more to chose option 1
i don't entirely buy that symbolism and interpretation are neccessarily what dreams are all about. i don't believe that all dreams are neccessarily the same sort of thing, even those dreamed by the same person. i've 'spoken' at length about that here myself too. i know most of my dreams are like a vacation in a calm place where i don't have to worry about anything. although things sometimes happen in them. when things that would be frightning in real life happen in them i'm much more able to remain calm then in waking life. the flip side of that is once or twice being immobilized for no appearant reason, but even that wasn't so much frightning as annoying. i don't know man. most of my dreams are geography in a parallel universe. no big deal portents, just cool places to explore and enjoy, usualy by myself. occasionaly meeting people but never being personaly threatened or annoyed by them. lots of trees, mountains, villages, roads, busses, trains, occasionaly cities, almost never cars. few fences, no locks, keep out signs or building codes. occasionaly hungry but there's always something. i guess i'm rambling but my point is the're less like portents and more like real alternative places. i even know which transit routes go where in some of towns i find myself in in them, and which to catch to go to different towns and all that sort of thing. some one of these days i'm gonna sit down and draw a bunch of maps with all that stuff on them. =^^= .../\...
Both The collective unconsciousnes has less afect in the dream state of mind and the indidiual mind has more affect. How ever I have herd that it is possible to share dreams with other people like your own private consciousness line or smothing like that. as for the meaning that is mostly individual. Like "Your stressed" or "Your paranoid the FBI is coming to get you."
