The Dream Dictionary from A to Z [Revised edition]. Theresa Cheung
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Daily-processing Dreams
Also known as factual dreams, daily-processing dreams are dreams in which you go over and over things that happened during the day, especially those that were repetitive or forced you to concentrate for long periods – dreaming about a long trip or a tough work assignment, for example. These kinds of dreams don’t tend to be laden with meaning, and most dream theorists think of them as bits and pieces of information your brain is processing.
Daydreaming
There is a big difference between daydreaming and dreams when you are sleeping, even though the physical state we enter when we daydream has much in common with the relaxed state we assume during sleep. However, when you are daydreaming, you are not actually asleep. When you are asleep, your defense mechanisms are down and you are psychologically more vulnerable. In other words, we shed the masks we wear in public. Therefore, what is expressed in dreams (as opposed to daydreams) is probably a better representation of who we are, not just our waking hopes and fears. Those feelings and thoughts we might be unwilling to acknowledge in waking life often surface boldly in dreams. Dreams we have when we are fully asleep also speak to us in the powerful language of symbols, whereas the language of daydreams tends to be more tangible, reflecting events that have a clearer reality to them.
Epic, Cosmic, or Life-changing Dreams
These kinds of dreams are extremely vivid and rich in archetypal symbolism. They are likely to be the dreams that you can’t forget for many years after you have had them. When you wake up you feel that you have learned something profoundly important about yourself. See also 10 COMMON DREAMS YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE, here.
False Awakening
It is thought that many reported sightings of ghosts are caused by false awakenings, which occur when you are actually asleep but are convinced in your dream state that you are awake. This is the kind of vivid dream in which you wake up convinced that what happened in your dream really occurred.
Incubated Dreams
This is when you set your conscious mind on experiencing a particular kind of dream. For example, you may ‘incubate’ a dream of a loved one by concentrating on visualizing your loved one’s face before you sleep, or you may ask for a dream to answer your problems immediately before going to sleep. The theory is that your unconscious responds to the suggestion or request. See also Dream-maker, here.
Inspirational Dreams
Many great works of art, music, and literature have allegedly been inspired by dreams, when the unconscious brings a creative idea to the fore. For example, English poet and artist William Blake said that his work was inspired by the visions in his dreams.
Lucid Dreams
These occur when you become aware that you are dreaming while you are dreaming. It takes time and practice to stop yourself from waking up, but it is possible to learn how to become a lucid dreamer and control the course of your dreams. See also Dream Catcher, here.
Mutual Dreams
This is when two people dream the same dream. Such dreams can be spontaneous or incubated, for example when two people who are close decide on a dream location together and imagine themselves meeting up before going to sleep.
Nightmares
These are dreams that terrify us or cause us distress in some way by waking us up before the situation has resolved. Nightmares occur during REM sleep and typically arise when a person is feeling anxious or helpless in waking life. Once the dreamer has recognized what is triggering this kind of dream, and worked through any unresolved fears and anxieties, nightmares tend to cease.
Night Terrors
These are similar to nightmares, but because they occur in deep sleep (stage four of the sleep cycle) we rarely remember what terrified us, although we may be left with a lingering feeling of unexplained dread.
Out-of-body Experiences
Also known as astral travel or projection, out-of-body experiences are thought to occur at times of physical and emotional trauma. Researchers tend to dismiss the idea, but those who experience such dreams say that their mind, consciousness or spirit leaves their body and travels through time and space.
Past-life Dreams
If you dream of being in an historical setting, some believe this is evidence of past-life recall. Most dream theorists dismiss the existence of past-life or far-memory dreams, or genetic dreams (when you assume the identity of an ancestor) as evidence for past lives.
Physiological Dreams
These dreams reflect the state of your body, so, for example, if you have an upset stomach you may dream that you are being violently sick. These dreams may highlight the progress of serious physical conditions, or in some cases predict the onset of them. Alcohol consumption can also affect your dreams, increasing the likelihood of vivid but often disturbing dream images. (Sometimes these types of dreams are called ‘Healing Dreams’.)
Psychic Dreams
The great majority of dreams are symbolic and interpreted psychologically, but a tiny percentage of dreams may fall into an utterly unique category of psychic dreams or night visions. Psychic dreams include dreams of departed loved ones and dreams that are precognitive and offer glimpses of the future or warning signals. Other dreams which fall into this category are dreams that appear to be empathetic or even telepathic, in that the dreamer seems to be somehow sensing what is happening to someone else. Shared or mutual dreams – in which people describe dreaming the same dream – dreams of unborn children, and dreams where your spirit brings spiritual help or healing to others are other types of psychic dreams, or dreams that can bring healing and comfort but which experts struggle to explain rationally. Distinguishing features of psychic dreams is that they often feel real and have no plot or storyline. They also are the kind of dreams that bring great comfort and reassurance and you are likely to remember them for days, weeks, months, or even years after you have had them. See also Can You See the Future in Your Dreams?, here.
Psychological Dreams
These are dreams that bring things we would rather not think about to our attention. They make us face an aspect of ourselves or our lives that might be hindering our progress. They are often about our fears, anxieties, resentment, guilt, and insecurities. For example, if you dream you are running round and round on a hamster wheel in a cage, unable to stop, this could suggest that in your waking life you are taking on too much and not giving yourself enough time to relax.
Recurring Dreams
Dreams that recur typically happen when the dreamer is worried about a situation that isn’t resolving itself in waking life. When the trigger in waking life is dealt with, the dreams usually end. Recurring dreams can also occur when a person is suffering from some kind of phobia or trauma that has been repressed or not resolved. If this is the case, the unconscious is urging the dreamer to consciously acknowledge the issue and deal with it.
Sexual Dreams
In dreams, sex can reflect a desire for companionship or sexual frustration in waking life. But it is more likely to represent a hoped-for reunion with a part of ourselves that we are not yet expressing but need to integrate or acknowledge within ourselves to become whole.
Signal or Problem-solving Dreams
These occur when you have gone to bed mulling