Dreams are a source of inspiration and creativity that can lead us to a deeper understanding of who we are. They are a way for us to connect with hidden parts of ourselves that may not be easily accessible to us in our conscious, awakened states. Dreams may be explored on many levels, usually with more than one interpretation or meaning. The interplay of symbols within dream images are often metaphors reflecting the dynamic that exists between the various aspects of our psyche. Dream narratives can also provide us with a unique perspective on the dynamics of our interpersonal relationships that we may not have considered, and show us where we have become stuck or one-sided. Dreams can be foretelling, giving us information about future events that have yet to occur. Sometimes dreams show us parts of ourselves that we have attempted to hide that we must learn to understand and integrate for us to become whole.
In psychotherapy, an opening dream which occurs in the beginning stage of treatment can be used as a map that outlines the course of our healing process. Working with dreams can offer an opportunity to heal deep wounds that have been carried for years as they provide a means to work through past traumas. Sometimes we will have the same dream repeatedly about an ongoing dilemma in our life that we have ignored and have yet to understand. Frequently these dreams will not disappear until we look at the underlying issue being presented and move toward resolving it. Staying open and receptive to the content of our dreams can engage us in a process that allows us to heal if we are willing.
For many of us dreams are an essential way for us to connect to our spirituality and discover our personal myths or life-meaning. The feelings we experience associated with our dream symbols illuminate and help us to identify inner sources of strengths that we may have become cut off from and didn’t know existed. For many artists, dreams can be a vision of future work they have yet to create before they have begun the outward expression of their idea in the physical world.
