Last Updated on February 20, 2016
If you’re wondering what certain dreams mean, you’re not alone. There are many dream dictionaries and Web sites devoted to explaining dreams and telling you what your dreams are trying to reveal to you. But dream dictionaries and general dream interpretations are not the best way to interpret your dreams. Why? Because your dreams are messages from your subconscious and from your Spirit Guides. Your subconscious and your Spirit Guides are going to communicate with you in a way that you can understand, and they are going to use symbols and meanings that have significance to you. While one symbol may mean the same thing to you as it does to the population at large, chances are your dreams are also going to include symbolism and meanings that only you can identify. Those symbols and meanings might not be in a dream dictionary.
So if you’re not going to use a dream dictionary, how can you interpret a dream? You can interpret your dreams for free by taking on the task yourself. There are a number of steps you can take to figure out the messages within your dreams.
1. First you need to record your dreams. Often we forget very quickly many of the details in our dreams, and it’s important to note that no dream details are minor. Every word spoken, action taken and feeling conveyed in a dream has a purpose and is trying to tell you something. While you can simply record the dreams that stand out to you, it’s a good idea to keep track of your dreams regularly. You might notice that there are certain themes or patterns within your dreams or that certain symbols become repetitive.
2. Note the storyline or plot of the dream. Identify whether you are in the dream, yourself, and if so, what you are doing. Identify who else is in the dream and what they are doing. Did you or the other characters in the dream have a goal? Did you have a problem? Were you trying to accomplish something?
3. Consider the feelings or emotions conveyed in the dream. Many dreams exist simply to help you to resolve feelings. By noticing whether you feel happy, sad, anxious, fear or any other emotion in the dream, you can get a big clue into what feeling or emotion the dream is designed to help you with.
4. Look for similarities in your real life. Now that you have a handle on the plot and emotion of the dream, you want to see how the dream applies to your current life. Look for correlations between the plot and your life. For example, if you dream that you’re afraid you’re going to fail a test, think about where in your real life you feel unprepared for something. If you dream that someone has stolen your car, think about whether in your real life someone has taken control of the direction your life is going.
5. Consider your gut. Don’t ignore your first reaction to a dream. If you instantly believe your dream is telling you a certain thing, don’t discount that. Especially if your interpretation is not logical. Remember, dreams are not logical so the intuitive part of your brain is likely to have an easier time discerning the symbols and meanings than your logical mind ever could.
