There are two kinds of dreams – the kinds we have when are asleep, and the kinds we have when we are awake. Everybody dreams when they are asleep, but not everyone remembers their dreams. This is the reason some people claim that they don’t dream. They actually do dream, they just don’t remember it. The reason some people don’t remember their dreams is that they have been frightened by nightmares as children, so their subconscious chooses to suppress these memories in their waking life. If you don’t remember your dreams and want to change this, all you have to do is reprogram your subconscious by telling it several times a day, “I remember my dreams.” You will soon make it true.

 

            Some people dream in black and white, while others dream in colour. Some people’s coloured dreams are vivid and bright, while others are muted or altered in their colour range in some way. Some people alternate between coloured and black and white dreams – there are as many ways of dreaming as there are people.

 

            But all dreams have some things in common. The first and most important is that our dreams, even when they appear to be about other people, are generally about ourselves first and others next. The second is that most dreams are not precognitive or predictive – they are usually more about dealing with the present or the past than foreseeing the future. Having said that, however, there are some races of people, and some families, who do have dreams that come true – if you come from one of those groups, then you need to learn to recognize the characteristics of such dreams so you can differentiate between “ordinary” dreaming and psychic dreaming.

 

            It is also true that many psychic dreams are about death or disaster. For some reason these negative messages are transmitted very clearly. This is the reason some people become frightened of their dreams – who wants to dream if all you see is death and disaster! If this has been your experience of psychic dreaming, ask your subconscious to start noticing the positive messages that are there. You will see what you expect to see. Expect the worst and you will get it. Look for the positive and you will also find it. But remember that even unpleasant dreams serve a purpose – they are preparing you for something that would otherwise come as a nasty shock. Sometimes they even give you the opportunity to avoid a possible accident or catastrophe.

 

            Another reason that people are sometimes baffled by dreams is the confusion created by all the books on dreams that are available. They contain long lists of symbols and what they mean. The interpretations often don’t seem to make much sense, and can make a dream seem inaccessible without an “expert” to explain it. But if we remember that our dreams are first and foremost about ourselves, then we are the experts when it comes to our own lives. It is what the symbols mean to us that is significant, not what they might mean to someone else. For example, a cat hater might see a cat as a sign of duplicity and untrustworthiness. But for someone who keeps cats as pets, it might have an entirely different connotation. It might mean a companion in times of loneliness or a symbol of independence and resourcefulness.

 

            How you feel about something in a dream is also highly significant. For example, you might dream about a monster and not be frightened. Your dream is indicating that you are feeling in control of the potentially scary aspects of your life. But you might dream of a close friend and be wary of them – your subconscious is indicating that there is something wrong between you that needs attention.

 

            Dreams are like the brain itself – 90% of what happens in them is overlooked or ignored. If you want to raise your levels of awareness somewhat, try keeping a dream journal. Jot your dreams down before they fade – but you will have to work quickly. Sometimes a tape recorder can be helpful. The process of noticing and recording dreams seems to be helpful in itself – simply by paying attention we start to get more information from our dreams and the dreams themselves may become richer and more interesting.

 

            A good book on dreaming is “Teach Yourself to Dream” by David Fontana. He suggests techniques and exercises that will challenge and stimulate you, and get you thinking about the possibilities of using your dreams in ways that you probably haven’t thought of. As for daydreams … well, that’s a whole other story…