Beyond the Veil of Sleep
Hello, again my friends. Today, we will discuss a topic I find very intriguing; dream work!
To begin with, obviously, sleep is especially important for our health. When we sleep, it gives our body time to heal. While you are sleeping your body ensures healthy brain function and helps to maintain your physical health. Sleep affects how you think, work, learn, and react to others and the world around you. For children and teens sleep plays a vital role in growth and development.
Two major parts play a role in the sleep cycle. REM sleep is when your brain is busy processing emotions and memories. It contrasts with non-REM sleep, which helps your body recover. Each night, you cycle between these two types of sleep, with REM taking up more time. REM sleep is important for brain health, mood, and memory. Lack of REM sleep can impact your brain's organization. So, get cozy and let yourself sleep well.
Dreaming happens in both REM and non-REM sleep. However, dreams in REM sleep are usually more vivid and emotional, while non-REM dreams are simpler and less memorable.
Why do we dream?
There are several theories scientists have on why we dream, though no one is actually certain. It is thought that dreaming may strengthen memories. Dreams may help process feelings. Scientists think that dreams might assist in finding solutions or give rehearsal time for real-life situations. Perhaps dreaming clears unnecessary or repetitive thoughts. Then maybe they have no meaning at all.
How can I interpret my dreams?
To begin interpreting dreams it is recommended to keep a journal. Not only will you be able to go back through the journal and maybe assign meaning to your dreams, it will also help you remember more of your dreams more often. First you want to date your journal. When writing in your journal write anything you can remember. You can underline important parts and write down any emotions evoked during the dream. Drawing if you enjoy it scenes from your dream as well would be a compliment to your written words.
As for identifying symbolism, this is something most people assume they could find in a book. For example, Blujays are often seen as tricksters or a sign of good communication. However, books cannot assign meaning to things for you. Perhaps you see bluejays as clever corvids who are good at mimicking and scaring away animals who would compete for the same food, so if that were true to you to see a bluejay in a dream may be understood as someone trying to push you away from an opportunity.
Another example might be a cat. What words come to mind when you hear the word ‘cat’? When I hear the word cat, I think of the fact that they are true carnivores(hunters) despite the fact that they also have the ability to be good companions and appear mysterious about where they seem to be going. So when I see a cat in dreams I could probably guess that if I see a cat I am seeing something or someone powerful in my life, something that could be difficult or someone who could hurt me. Something or someone I should give patience or space to.
