Dream Interpretation for Beginners

by Glenda Finnegan
 
     I’m running as quickly as I can up a set of rickety old wooden stairs. As I turn a corner I see the shadow on the rough wooden wall of something chasing me. As it gets closer, I hear my own breathing and I know it's about to catch me. I try to scream but no sound comes out…I wake up.

     Dreams have puzzled and fascinated me for years, which is why, when I had the opportunity, I enrolled in a dream class. The book we were told to get for decoding dream symbols was The Dreamer's Dictionary by Barbara Condron. Currently Condron teaches at the School of Metaphysics and online.


     The interpretation of the above dream according to the book is as follows. The stairs represented the link between my conscious and my subconscious. The shadow was my shadow self, the unexplored part of my psyche. In my dream my shadow obviously wants my attention.

     This dream had been recurring on a regular basis until I began my dream work. All my shadow wanted was for me to pay attention to what my subconscious was trying to tell me. One of the ways I did this was by remembering and interpreting my dreams. I learned so much about myself by doing this that I decided to contact Condron and learn more about how she came to write her book.

     Barbara Condron has been teaching at the School of Metaphysics, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational institute headquartered in Missouri, since 1976. While working with dreams and the language of mind, she saw a need for an accurate means of determining what the symbols in dreams mean. With that in mind, she put together the information in The Dreamer's Dictionary.
 
     "Dreams speak to us using the language of the mind," Condron said. "Instead of words, dreams communicate using images and symbols. Think about it, when you see a picture of a house, you know it’s a house no matter what word is used to describe it. That’s how dreams work. The meaning of symbols is derived from function. In dream language, a house represents the dreamer’s mind, be it a mansion, an igloo, or a teepee."

     Condron explains that your dreams relate to what is occurring in your life at that moment. It’s important, as you interpret your dreams that you consider it in relation to what’s happening currently in your waking life. She calls this process the "dream consciousness circuit". Our dreams are communications from our subconscious mind to our conscious mind. They give us input and feedback on the state of our conscious awareness. "Dreams can predict probable outcomes, resolve conflicts, and change how we see ourselves and others," Ms. Condron said.

     Here are the steps Ms. Condron suggests for using this ancient form of self counseling.

     1. Remember your dream—Keep a notebook and pen on your nightstand for handy access. Tell yourself "I will remember my dream." Record your dream as soon as you wake up, while it’s fresh in your memory. Remember and record as many details as possible.

     2. Decipher the symbols—refer to whatever dream dictionary you’ve chosen for help. Remember everyone in a dream is some aspect of you. For example, your spouse in a dream represents your commitment to wholeness. People of the same sex represent your conscious aspects, while the opposite sex represents your subconscious aspects.
 
     3. Once you have an interpretation you feel is accurate, determine how it relates to your daily life now. Dreams will show behaviors that aren't working for the dreamer. When the dreamer addresses the behaviors that need changing, the dreams reflect the changes.


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To learn more about what Ms. Condron and the School of Metaphysics, go to their website.

To get FREE help with your dreams, become a part of the National Dream Hotline® the last weekend in April for a 54-hour dream interpretation marathon. Just call 417-345-8411 to talk to an expert about your dreams.