Step 5. Understanding Dream Symbols

(i) Dream Theme

Once you have your descriptions done, you can focus on understanding dream symbols and identifying the theme of your dream.

Every dream has a theme, and without understanding the theme you will be at a loss to understand the individual elements within.

Theme examples are:
• being chased
• losing something
• being naked in public

The theme of the dream example is being chased.

Write down briefly what you feel the theme of your dream is.

(ii) Dream Feeling

Once you have your theme, you need to focus on how you felt the whole time this theme was playing out.

What was the overall feeling of the dream?

Was there desperation as you were searching for something you couldn’t find?

Were you exhilarated at the new ability of flying you had just discovered?

Were you scared because a vampire was chasing you?

Write down briefly what the overall feeling of the dream was.

(iii) Finding the Dream/Waking Life Connection

Now turn over your dream interpretation so far…no cheating!
This is important because you are drawing on your memory and not just copying what is written in front of you so something new has the opportunity of floating to the surface.

Ask yourself this question:

In what waking life scenario do I (insert dream theme description here) and makes me feel (insert dream feelings here).

In the PDF example I would be asking myself this question:
“Who or what do I feel has a power over me where I feel helpless/ powerless and scared around?
Who or what situation has control over me where I feel like my life is in their hands and I cannot escape?
Who or what situation do I feel like distant forms of communication are involved and that I cannot protect myself from?”

If nothing comes to mind here, read back over the life description you entered prior to your dream record to see if that sparks any connections to pop into your mind.

Once you have composed an answer in your head write it down.

Now read over what you just wrote and then ask yourself, how this dream can shed light on what you are thinking and feeling about the situation you have described in the previous section?

Remember that to become proficient at understanding dream symbols you need to practice.
Don't expect for it to be obvious from the start. The more you analyse the more obvious your dream symbols will be.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful. If you have any questions or find the information difficult to understand in any way, please contact us via the tab in the navigation bar.

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