Dream InterpretationEllen Krajcir
Penn State University
About Dreams- Dreams are successions of images, ideas,
emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily
- REM sleep- Forget 95% within 10 minutes- Oneirology: Study of dreams
"Why Do We Dream?"
- Dream interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to dreams.
- In many ancient societies, such as those of Egypt and Greece, dreaming was considered a supernatural communication
- In modern times, various schools of psychology have offered theories about the meaning of dreams
Introduction
"Dream Interpretation."
Ancient Dream Interpretation
Egyptians: Chester Beatty Papyrus, first dream dictionary
- If you dreamt about something good happening, it meant something bad would happen to you in waking life.
- Gods only spoke to people through dreams
Assyrians: Believed that you could enter the spiritual world in your dreams
Romans: Examined the meanings of the symbols in dreamsBabylonians:
- Good dreams were caused by harmless spirits - Bad dreams were caused by demons
Greeks: - Plato: secret desires. - Aristotle:metaphorical- Hippocrates: contained symbols that represented the dreamer's physical condition
- dreams could be used to diagnose illness. - ex: a patient who dreamt of a fire would be suffering from indigestion.
"Ancient Dream Interpretation."
Modern Dream Interpretation
Modern dream interpretation was first represented by Sigmund Freud:
-The Interpretation of Dreams
- Understand dreams
- Analysis of dreams
- Comprised of repressed psychological material
Dreams are modernly studied because they are believed to represent the most prominent feelings, interests and concerns of the individual.
"Modern Dream Interpretations."
3 dream events with meanings:- Falling- Losing Teeth- Being Chased
Falling- Most common dream theme - May be caused by drop blood pressure or
movement of fluid in ear- Indication of insecurities, instabilities, and
anxieties.- Fear of letting go, dealing with these feelings
- Connected to the evolutionary idea of coming from monkeys
- Innate fear
.
"Dreams about Falling - Meaning of Dream - Dream Interpretation."
Losing Teeth- Represents important life
change- Anxieties- Often symbolizes challenging
emotions that come up during significant times of transition
- Connected to time of transition in childhood when we lose teeth
"Dreams About Teeth Falling Out."
Being Chased- Insecurity - Stemming from feelings of anxiety in
your waking life- Flee and flight is an instinctive
response to a physical threat in the environment.
- What are you running from?
"Dreams About Being Chased."
Conclusion- Analyzing falling, losing teeth, and
being chased in our dreams is a modern way that we can interpret our own dreams.
- What do your dreams say about you?
Questions?Ellen Krajcir,[email protected]
References"Ancient Dream Interpretation." Meaning of Dreams Is a User Oriented Resource Backed up by Expert Research . N.p., n.d. Web.
09 Nov. 2012. <http://www.meaningofdreams.org/dream_theory/ancientdreaminterpretation.htm>.
"An Online Guide To Dream Interpretation." An Online Guide To Dream Interpretation. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2012. <http://dreammoods.com/>.
"Dream Interpretation." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Oct. 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_interpretation>.
Hamilton-Parker, Craig. "Dreams about Falling - Meaning of Dream - Dream Interpretation." YouTube. YouTube, 03 July 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY8InzzULVk>.
Hamilton-Parker, Craig. "Dreams About Teeth Falling Out." YouTube. YouTube, 01 July 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTWJj1Z9Zgw>.
Hamilton-Parker, Craig. "Dreams About Being Chased." YouTube. YouTube, 06 July 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g2DTd3xFb0>.
"Interpret Your Dream About Teeth Falling Out." THamilton-Parker, Craig. "Dreams About Being Chased." YouTube. YouTube, 06 July 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g2DTd3xFb0>.eeth Falling Out Dream â Dream Interpretation & Symbols� � . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2012. <http://www.teethfallingoutdream.org/>.
"Modern Dream Interpretations." Modern Dream Interpretations. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://dream-books.net/modern-dream-interpretations.html>.
Vsauce. "Why Do We Dream?" YouTube. YouTube, 18 Oct. 2011. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GGzc3x9WJU>.