Analyzing Dreams and Uncovering the Subconscious Mind : Analyzing Dreams and Uncovering the Subconsc

[spiritofnow]

'Cleaned house'-Ha ha, Awakening!

Perhaps you are dreamimg about actual physical states? Your body is inducing you to awake to ensure that you fulfil these needs?
Not a very mystical answer but sometimes the most obvious is correct?

Spirit x

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

I will answer some questions on my experiences. I used to dream very vividly and remember all of the details but as I've healed and started understanding my dreams I don't recall my dreams as often (rarely) and detail is hard to remember. I have to write them down immediately upon waking or I forget things. It's important to remember every detail to get a good reading on the dream.

I have dreams that come back to me randomly (like a flash back and this baffles me)?

I don't usually dream that I've been crying but on the few occasions that I have dreamed I was crying, when I woke up I wasn't crying. It seems like if I'm screaming in a dream I might wake trying to scream.

I have dreamed of fighting and woke up tossing and turning. I dreamed I was vomiting and woke only to have a stomach ache and actually have vomited but that is just because my body and mind were in sync. Same way with being thirsty, going to the toilet or having a craving. These types of dreams are mind and body being in sync. IMO

Tammy

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

One thing to keep in mind is that most of the symbols in a dream represent the dreamer. Most people in our dreams are actually us. The people we know in our dreams are both us and them. For instance, if we dream about our mom we are seeing her characteristics and our characteristics that are in her as well. Some mothers and daughters, fathers and sons have the same mannerisms and vice versa.

So when ever you see something in a dream it represents the dreamer in some way and dreams usually have at least two meanings. I have had dreams that have had about 10 meanings in it.

Tammy

 

[spiritofnow]

Tlight,

Baby, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (pondering face)

Spirit x

 

[samsara]

Hi Tammy,

Hoping you may be able to shed some light.

My man has very vivid nightmares about murder, and killing.

He has only told me briefly and cannot get internet access at the moment, I looked up some symbols but would like to get your perspective.

He dreams he kills someone else with a knife.

He dreams he is killed by a man, the man is black. I don't know if he meant black as in he couldn't see or ethnicity.

He dreams he is being attacked by a dog. A black dog. Another time an Alsation dog - they are always very bloody dreams, but these are the main themes: murder, killing, blood and sometimes dogs. he says vicious dogs are the most reoccuring. But the dogs are usually different.

He wakes and is afraid to go back to sleep, because as soon as he does another horror beckons him.

Any insight?

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi samsara, As a general rule every symbol represents some of the dreamer's characteristics or feelings.

The Alsation dog is similar to the German Shepherd dog, and is a watch dog by nature. He has the ability to protect himself and his family. This dog is also part of the wolf family. Wolves are about living on instinct. Reckless abandonment and only the strong will survive.

Black symbols usually represent our shadow. The shadow is the thing that we repress in our subconscious mind. So the black dog (if vicious) is what he is trying to repress, because he doesn’t want to act out in this way.

A pet dog has good qualities because they are loyal and help heal emotional wounds in humans. Even if the dogs are fierce in his dreams, I still think the dogs have other qualities that still hold symbolism, which would represent qualities in him as well.

Killing someone is our subconscious mind trying to kill the fear that is in us, so we can be free of it. This is positive because he is trying to face his trauma and over come it, unless he has waking thoughts about killing people. That would be something that he would need to tell a doctor about.

Some one trying to kill him would be related to his trauma too. Also, it would represent inner conflict with himself.

Blood generally represents life. If he sees blood after he kills some one then he is facing the fear, but still has passion inside of him. Meaning he is not numb to the world. He has feelings of love and compassion as well as anger and fear.

All trauma related dreams will cause distress upon waking. There is no way around it. If one learns to understand what these dreams mean, then there is a good chance the fear will subside quicker after waking.

Keep these qualities in mind for the dog and wolf because some of these qualities hold true for the dreamer.

Wolf's Wisdom Includes:
· Facing the end of one's cycle with dignity and courage
· Death and rebirth
· Spirit teaching
· Guidance in dreams and meditations
· Instinct linked with intelligence
· Social and familial values
· Outwitting enemies
· Ability to pass unseen
· Steadfastness
· Skill in protection of self and family
· Taking advantage of change

Dog's Wisdom Includes:
· Heals emotional wounds in humans
· Understanding of the duality of doubt and faith
· Companionship
· Unquestioned loyalty
· Love
· Knowledge of all things sensual
· Protection
· Ability to smell trouble from a distance

Hope this was helpful

 

[tude]

Questions for my dream gang,

-Have you noticed the content/theme change in your dreams as you deal with your trauma?

I have read here about the frequency of bad dreams and nightmares increasing. However, I don't recall reading posts about how the content or themes change.

-Why do you think it sometimes takes hours to shake off a bad dream?

In the past I used to be able to wake up, realize it was a bad dream, and be relieved to be awake. Then I was fine. It's not so now. Now it sometimes takes a while to shake off the the feelings from the dream. I find it hard to believe that it is solely a feature of the anxiety, because it isn't just the varying degrees of fear that linger for hours.

-Lastly, have you ever had an intrusive recollection of a dream while you were awake?

I do hope this is the appropriate venue for these questions. If not, please let me know.

tude

 

[spiritofnow]

Hey lovely.

Nice to see you here :-)

I will answer your last Q 1st! Always happpens to me. I can remember dreams that I had years ago. Sometimes, the memories of them are akin to having a flashback, and yes it is mostly the disturbing parts of the dream.

I guess the logical reason that it may take hours to shake off a bad dream is because the dream taps into your anxiety so your fight/flight mode is switched on, which means the body is flooded with adrenalin.
You may also be afraid to go back to sleep without recognising this? I have experienced this! Now, i just seem to go through the motions. I am awoken as my body throws itself bolt up right in bed. Then there is the automatic deep inhale of breath. I lower my head now as near to my lap as I can. I tell myself, you are Okay it was just a dream. I usually have my angel lights on so I can see where I am too!

The themes of my dreams seem to repeat themselves. I had one dream for years. I can't say that I have noticed a dramatic change sice on the road to recovery apart from the fact that most of my dreams of late encompass water.

I hope that answers some of your Q's.

Spirit x

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi tude, yes I have noticed the content of my trauma dreams have changed. Over the years I would be chased or held hostage with fear and panic that the attackers were going to rape or kill me. I would wake up freaked out and take a Valium and go back to sleep.

As I began to analyze my dreams and started figuring out what they meant (and not just the dreams that relate to my trauma) I started noticing a change.

While being held hostage I would kill my abuser and call the police to turn myself in. (If I hadn't killed him he would have tormented me until I would have woke in panic, but I killed him and the dream played itself out without fear and panic, plus I didn't wake up after I had it).

In one dream I looked at my attacker and was going to hit him with an iron but realized it wouldn't hurt him so I decided to leave and go get a gun. I turned my back to him and walked away. If I had that dream 5 years ago he would have taken the iron from me and beat me with it. But now I face him and walk away. That dream was suppose to be a nightmare too, but it was a dream telling me I'm facing my fears as well as getting over them. That dream played itself out without fear and panic and I didn't wake up after it either. These are just a few examples, I have a lot more.

**I think the reason you can't shake them off as easy as you used to is because there are other things going on in your life that need to be dealt with. Dreams usually have more than one meaning. You probably have 4-5 additional issues in your trauma dreams now.

Another theory is that your not as good at dealing with fear as you once were. The reason I say this is because I used to just shake off my trauma dreams and then it got to the point where I couldn't do that any longer, and they would affect me for days at a time (Also I think it was an indicator that it was time to deal with the rape because I never spoke about it and tried to block it out of my mind). This is when I started reading about dreams and joined dream groups. In doing this it made me realize that I had to deal with my issues that I was repressing.

**Yes I have had tons of intrusive recollections of dreams while awake. Some I remembered having, and some I didn't remember immediately upon waking, but would remember days or weeks later when something would trigger a memory.

I hope this was helpful
Tammy

 

[WorkingThruIt]

I am waiting (impatiently) for my more frightening dreams to start to change. I think that trauma dreams are our mind's way of feeling the feelings that are there, but we are denying. I think that we keep revisiting the feelings until we can start to process them. Since I am not yet fully able/willing to handle the scariest feelings from my trauma, the dreams affect me for hours and sometimes even days. The dreams were easier to handle before I started therapy, which tells me that I am finding the fears that I had tried to leave behind.

I had a recurring dream dealing with my feelings of being a victim. In the dream, I was tricked by the same person over and over again. After a while, I began to see it coming and take action. Finally, I sat and talked with the person (in the dream) and we made peace and agreed to go our separate ways. The dream lasted for about 8 or 9 years, but I haven't had one since we sat and talked. I feel like this dream was part of resolving some of my feelings about the trauma. I hope I can find the same kind of resolution for the other dreams.

I have flashback-type memories of dreams. It is disturbing and I really wish it didn't happen.

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

You made some good points WorkingthruIt. It's nice when those recurring dreams end.

 

[tude]

Seeking Nirvana, WorkingThruIt, and Spirit, all of you shared some valid ideas. Thanks. It's good to know I am not alone regarding the unbidden dream recollection during wakefulness. Of all the bizarre experiences, that one in particular, had me thinking I was losing my mind.

As for feeling the feelings that are there...I had a dream in which I admitted that I too was sad and upset about what happened in the dream. Not in my dream, but upon awakening, I felt this harrowing sadness. It lingered for days. I felt it again recounting my dream to my T. Strangely, this was my first identifiable emotion.