dreams and their meanings-all about ONEIROLOGY

dreaming takes off about 336 hours of our lives if we all live for 97 years.Every single sleep of our's, even for babies of 1 or 2, take at least 1 minute of dreaming- let's learn at least something about them...

1. Dreams and Dreams and
dreamingdreaming
Parts of OneirologyParts of Oneirology

2. DreamsDreams
basicsbasics
We all dream, at least if we are healthy, We all dream, at least if we are healthy,
though some never rememberthough some never remember
And even they can be taughtAnd even they can be taught
The The amygdala amygdala (emotion) often active (emotion) often active
REM can take place without dreamingREM can take place without dreaming
We don’t need REM to dream, but such We don’t need REM to dream, but such
dreams are usually much more mundanedreams are usually much more mundane

3. Rem dreamsRem dreams
Often quite bizarreOften quite bizarre
Full of visual imagery, sounds and intense Full of visual imagery, sounds and intense
emotionemotion
Prompted by brain structures associated Prompted by brain structures associated
with motivation, emotion, and reward and with motivation, emotion, and reward and
then spun through our potent visual then spun through our potent visual
association areasassociation areas
No access to reflective thought or realityNo access to reflective thought or reality

4. What, if anything, do What, if anything, do
they mean?they mean?
Do they foretell the future?Do they foretell the future?
Do they reflect wishes unfulfilled? Do they reflect wishes unfulfilled?
Can they diagnose illnesses? Can they diagnose illnesses?
Do they have any adaptive value?Do they have any adaptive value?
Should we ever be ashamed of our Should we ever be ashamed of our
dreams?dreams?

5. Common dreamsCommon dreams
They often relate to current concernsThey often relate to current concerns
They often involve things that could go They often involve things that could go
wrongwrong
Frequent themes:Frequent themes:
fallingfalling
being chasedbeing chased
naked in publicnaked in public
sexsex

6. Perspectives on Perspectives on
dreamingdreaming
Sigmund Freud, Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of The Interpretation of
Dreams Dreams (1900)(1900)
Struck by how often clients described themStruck by how often clients described them
Viewed them as indispensable to Viewed them as indispensable to
understanding personality – “The royal road understanding personality – “The royal road
to the unconscious.”to the unconscious.”

7. More FreudMore Freud
Analyzed his ownAnalyzed his own
Viewed them as symbolic, with two levels of Viewed them as symbolic, with two levels of
meaningmeaning
Manifest contentManifest content – their apparent meaning – their apparent meaning
Latent meaningLatent meaning – their hidden, real meaning – their hidden, real meaning
We censor our real desiresWe censor our real desires
Carl Jung viewed as a progressionCarl Jung viewed as a progression

8. Carlos castenadaCarlos castenada
70’s sensation70’s sensation
A shaman’s apprentice?A shaman’s apprentice?
His best selling books focused attention on His best selling books focused attention on
the conscious manipulation of the dream the conscious manipulation of the dream
state, done to gain personal powerstate, done to gain personal power
Better known as Better known as lucid dreaminglucid dreaming
Fact or fiction?Fact or fiction?
As for Carlos,…..As for Carlos,…..

9. Dreams and Dreams and
creativitycreativity
Some believe that dreams can help us solve Some believe that dreams can help us solve
difficult problemsdifficult problems
Focus on this puzzle before you fall asleep:Focus on this puzzle before you fall asleep:
The letters The letters o t t f f o t t f f form the start of an infinite form the start of an infinite
series. Find a simple rule for determining all series. Find a simple rule for determining all
successive letters. According to this rule what successive letters. According to this rule what
would the next two letters be?would the next two letters be?

10. Activation- Activation-
synthesis theorysynthesis theory
Dreams arise when the Dreams arise when the pons pons sends random sends random
signals to the cerebral cortex during REM signals to the cerebral cortex during REM
sleepsleep
The cerebral cortex than tries to tie these The cerebral cortex than tries to tie these
together into some sort of a coherent tale by together into some sort of a coherent tale by
comparing these neuronal firings with stored comparing these neuronal firings with stored
memories memories

11. Neurocognitive Neurocognitive
theorytheory
Dreams are Dreams are a type of thinking that happens a type of thinking that happens
under special conditionsunder special conditions
Three factors:Three factors:
cortical activitycortical activity
little sensory stimulationlittle sensory stimulation
loss of control over thinkingloss of control over thinking
This combination leads to a situation where This combination leads to a situation where
emotions and imagination run wild emotions and imagination run wild

12. Neurocog iiNeurocog ii
Systematic studies reveal that people Systematic studies reveal that people
usually dream about things they are usually dream about things they are
concerned aboutconcerned about
Cognitive maturity facilitates dreamingCognitive maturity facilitates dreaming
Finally, this theory claims that dreams lack Finally, this theory claims that dreams lack
any any adaptive adaptive value, they are just a curious value, they are just a curious
by-product of our cognitive capabilitiesby-product of our cognitive capabilities

13. Dream diariesDream diaries
To best remember dreams:To best remember dreams:
Every night tell yourself that you will Every night tell yourself that you will
remember your dreamsremember your dreams
Keep your diary right by your bedKeep your diary right by your bed
Write them down immediatelyWrite them down immediately
Tell someone elseTell someone else
Keep track of life eventsKeep track of life events
Record your interpretationsRecord your interpretations

14. A dream before A dream before
dyingdying
Many have noted the profound dreams Many have noted the profound dreams
people often experience shortly before people often experience shortly before
deathdeath
Rev. Patricia Bulkey, a chaplain for a Rev. Patricia Bulkey, a chaplain for a
hospice, has collected a number of thesehospice, has collected a number of these
Her work has noted common themes: Her work has noted common themes:
going on journeysgoing on journeys
reunions with deceased loved onesreunions with deceased loved ones

15. Before dying iiBefore dying ii
Strangely, although the dreams often point Strangely, although the dreams often point
to the inevitability and finality of death, they to the inevitability and finality of death, they
usually sootheusually soothe
Part of family lorePart of family lore
Sometimes they warn of unfinished Sometimes they warn of unfinished
businessbusiness
Lincoln, YungLincoln, Yung