Deciphering Dreams And Their Occurrence

We use the word loosely to describe plans, hopes and aspirations. But technically the word connotes the subconscious experience of a sequence of images, sounds, ideas, emotions, or other sensations that occurs during sleep. Sleep is a repeated cycle of a five stage process. The first four stages are called Non REM (Non Rapid eye Movement Sleep) when the brain is typically in a resting stage. The Non REM sleep cycle constitutes about 80 % of our sleep. After the first four stages, we go through the fifth stage called REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement), when many parts of our bodies are the most active. REM sleep in adults typically occupies 20-25% of total sleep, lasting about 90-120 minutes. During a normal night of sleep, we usually experience about 4 or 5 periods of REM sleep. During REM, the activity of the brain's neurons is quite similar to that during waking hours; for this reason, the phenomenon is often called paradoxical sleep. Most of our vividly recalled dreams occur during REM sleep. REM sleep and dreams have a strong connection, because most dreams take place during the REM cycle. A part of the brain known as the 'limbic system' which is strongly associated with emotions, is the most active area of the brain during REM sleep whereas another part known as the 'prefrontal cortex' which is responsible for logical thinking is the least active area. This is the reason why dreams sometimes lack clarity in content and seem very random. Yet they almost always carry some meaning which just needs to be deciphered.

There is a place in our mind that we cannot directly access. It remembers everything and feels intensely. It registers our deepest experiences. This is our subconscious. Because we cannot access or openly express these deeper feelings, they often get acted out by us. This can occur in the form of a behavior (such as addiction or procrastination) or a symptom (such as anxiety, angry outbursts or poor self esteem) or a DREAM.

Any form of healing that extensively records the mental and emotional patterns of patients, can be enhanced by better understanding the psyche. Dreams are the doorway to the symbolic realm of the psyche, a powerful force underlying human consciousness. Working with dreams requires that we momentarily leave behind dearly held ideas of reality and immerse ourselves into a realm pregnant with new ideas. It is a creative experience that opens the mind to new possibilities and solutions to various problems.When dreams are used as a part of a treatment, it stimulates the inherent healing capacity of the individual and guides him or her into greater wholeness of mind, body, and spirit. Since its inception, many doctors have used dreams as part of the valuable information that leads to the appropriate remedy. These clues from the subconscious mind can cure you of your most severe health problems.

Here are some examples of how dreams reveal what is really going on in life.

A 12 year old girl studying in a boarding school was asthmatic. Her asthma attacks occurred particularly at boarding school. At home, she remained hale and hearty. She said that she had a recurring dream in which she saw herself running alone in the forest. This dream revealed her inner feeling of being isolated and forsaken away from home and family. On the basis of her dream, she was treated. Her asthma disappeared, she learnt to cope with boarding school life and she never dreamt that particular dream again.

Another case was of a 23 year old young lady who came to us complaining of frequent attacks of cold. She said that she caught cold whenever she was mentally stressed and exhausted. She was asked whether she was going through any stress at present and she revealed that she had certain problems in her personal life regarding a secret liaison, marriage and family. Her case history revealed that she continuously dreamt of her teeth falling off. Dreaming of teeth falling signifies that you are lagging control or authority over a particular situation. She was experiencing just such a situation in her life.

A middle aged man dreamt of falling from a height after facing huge business losses. He was a well established businessman who had carried the responsibility of the entire business on his shoulders. He had taken a loan from several financial firms to expand his business. Unexpectedly, his business collapsed and he fell heavily in debt. He started feeling that he had lost the battle and developed severe depression believing that he had failed to fulfill his responsibilities. A person who feels defeated from within feels as if he has fallen from his set standard of power, pride, dignity and esteem. His dream of falling from a height reflected his mental state of defeat.

A 28 year old man dreamt of floods causing danger, and dead friends long deceased. His detailed case history showed that he had lost his beloved five years ago and even after so long was not yet able to come to terms with the loss. The incident was still so fresh in his mind that it seemed as if it had just occurred. After the incident, he had isolated himself from his surroundings and continued to brood and grieve over his beloved's death. This chaotic mental state showed up in his dream in the form of floods and dead friends which signifies grief and pain.

Dreams driven by the subconscious mind usually reveal our underlying issues, often symbolically. For example, being held back or frustrated can be telling you to set some life goals and develop a strategy for achieving them. Our dreams support this endeavor by showing the causes and effects of our subconscious conditioning. Every thought nourished regularly by the mind activates the subconscious mind to generate those thoughts and energy whether good or bad into your life. So,any attempt to understand dreams or what is really going on in your life and mind , as well as in the lives and minds of others, cannot fully succeed unless it takes into account the study of subconscious mind.

Unlock the potentials of your subconscious mind and feel the magic!