Dream Dream Theories - Theories -

Part 1Part 1

Dreams…Dreams…

Why do we Why do we dream?dream?

What is a What is a dream that dream that you vividly you vividly remember remember from your from your past? past?

Have you ever heard someone say, Have you ever heard someone say, 'Denial is 'Denial is notnot a river in Egypt'? a river in Egypt'?

Did you ever hear someone say that Did you ever hear someone say that Jake or Jane or someone else is 'anal'? Jake or Jane or someone else is 'anal'?

Have you ever heard someone accused Have you ever heard someone accused of making a of making a 'Freudian slip'? 'Freudian slip'? Or a “Or a “slip slip of the tongue”of the tongue”??

If you have, you are hearing echoes If you have, you are hearing echoes from the ideas of an Austrian physician from the ideas of an Austrian physician by the name of by the name of Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud

Theory #1: Sigmund Freud Theory #1: Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)(1856-1939)

First and foremost in dream First and foremost in dream theory is theory is Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud. .

Considered the father of psychoanalysis

Revolutionized the study of dreams with his book The Interpretation Of Dreams

He called dreams He called dreams “the royal “the royal road to the unconscious.”road to the unconscious.”

We all have desires and urges that are not considered acceptable by society

We hold these back –

repress them

BUT they get released in different ways by our unconscious

One way is through our

dreams

Freud’s Dream Theory: Wish Fulfillment

Dreams function to virtually fulfill: Your unexpressed wishesYour ungratified needs

Dreams are combinations of early and recent experiences involve childhood memories and early parental

relationships

Freud’s View on Freud’s View on How Our Minds How Our Minds Work: Work:

http://http://www.youtube.cwww.youtube.com/watch?om/watch?v=Mkin1FhojCov=Mkin1FhojCo&feature=relat&feature=relateded

IDID- unconscious part of the mind - unconscious part of the mind (this part of the mind seeks to bring us (this part of the mind seeks to bring us

pleasure) pleasure) primitive parts of our personality including primitive parts of our personality including

aggression and sexual drives aggression and sexual drives

EGOEGO-conscious part of the mind-conscious part of the mind Decides what to doDecides what to do Aware of realityAware of reality

SUPEREGO-SUPEREGO- unconscious part of the mindunconscious part of the mind ActsActs as our conscienceas our conscience Reminds us of what we should doReminds us of what we should do Stops us from acting out our desiresStops us from acting out our desires

The ID and the The ID and the SUPEREGO are in SUPEREGO are in

constant constant conflict. conflict.

Your Your DESIRESDESIRES tell you to do one tell you to do one thing , while thing , while

SOCIETYSOCIETY tells tells you to do you to do something else.something else.

So…What do Our So…What do Our Dreams Tell Us Dreams Tell Us about Ourselves???about Ourselves???

Dreams reveal what is going on in

your IDID Your unconscious can act out your

hidden desires because you are asleep

BUT – your desires can be so odd and disturbing that your mind might

still “censor” them This results in your dreams being

symbolic Your sleep isn’t disturbed and you

don’t wake up as a result of being

shocked about the images in your dreams

It results in cryptic and

confusing dreams, though

You struggle to remember your dreams because your

SUPEREGO SUPEREGO is

protecting your EGOEGO from these strange desires and images

Your dreams, therefore, have 2 levels: MANIFEST – what you actually

dream about LATENT – what your dream really

means

umbrellas, sticks, poles, trees, (things that penetrate) umbrellas, sticks, poles, trees, (things that penetrate) knives, daggers, lances, sabers, guns, pistols, revolvers, knives, daggers, lances, sabers, guns, pistols, revolvers, (things form which water flow) taps, water cans, springs (things form which water flow) taps, water cans, springs (objects that get longer) balloons, slide rulers, (things (objects that get longer) balloons, slide rulers, (things that defy gravity) airplanes, and snakes, etc.that defy gravity) airplanes, and snakes, etc. Represent: the Represent: the male sex organsmale sex organs

pits, hallows, caves (things that hold things) jars, bottles, pits, hallows, caves (things that hold things) jars, bottles, boxes, chests, coffers, pockets, cupboards, stoves, boxes, chests, coffers, pockets, cupboards, stoves, rooms, (things that hold other things) mouths, doors, rooms, (things that hold other things) mouths, doors, gates, (things that represent breasts) apples, peaches gates, (things that represent breasts) apples, peaches fruits, and (others) woods, shrubs, bushes, etc.fruits, and (others) woods, shrubs, bushes, etc. Represent: the Represent: the female sex organs female sex organs

dancing, riding, climbing, or experiencing some violent dancing, riding, climbing, or experiencing some violent actact Represents: Represents: IntercourseIntercourse

Latent Aspect of Latent Aspect of Dreams: Dreams:

For centuries, we've tried to figure out For centuries, we've tried to figure out just why our brains play these nightly just why our brains play these nightly shows for us. Early civilizations thought shows for us. Early civilizations thought dream worlds were real, physical dream worlds were real, physical worlds that they could enter only from worlds that they could enter only from their dream state. Researchers their dream state. Researchers continue to toss around many theories continue to toss around many theories about dreaming. Those theories about dreaming. Those theories essentially fall into two categories:essentially fall into two categories:

Freud’s Dream Freud’s Dream “Generalities”“Generalities”

What would What would Freud say Freud say about the about the symbolism symbolism in your in your dreams?dreams?

Dream Recall Dream Recall TechniquesTechniques

You have to You have to want to want to remember remember

Reread over Reread over past dreamspast dreams

Be patient and Be patient and do not force a do not force a memorymemory

Keep a journalKeep a journal

Homework!Homework!

Keep a dream journal for the next 4 Keep a dream journal for the next 4 days in which you write down every days in which you write down every dream that you remember from the dream that you remember from the night before and what you think it night before and what you think it means.means.