Hello Everyone, I'm Daniel Love; The Lucid Guide.
Today we're going to explore the meaning of dreams.
Whenever I mention that I'm a dream researcher, the very first question I'm almost always
asked is, "Can you tell me the meaning of my dream?"
It seems there is something deeply profound and puzzling about our dreams, they hold a
sense of mystery, as if they are riddle waiting to be unwoven - or a key to some hidden knowledge.
And, this is true wherever I've travelled and whatever the background of the individual I'm talking
with, this belief in a hidden meaning behind dreams seems universal.
So, do our dreams hold some kind of innate, hidden meaning?
Well, the answer to this is far more subtle than you may expect.
Firstly, let's make one thing clear - don't waste your money on dream dictionaries,
they're simply not worth the paper they are written on.
If one thing is certain, we humans are far more complicated, unique and diverse than
we imagine - and our dreams reflect this.
There is absolutely no "dictionary of dreams" that could ever account for all the unique
associations and experiences of your life.
Indeed, it seems rather small-minded to assume of the 7.5 billion people currently on this
planet, that we all share the exact same mental associations.
Equally, regardless of what others would like you to believe - there is little to no evidence
that anyone else can extract hidden knowledge from your dreams.
They may be able to help YOU to do so, but the only expert qualified to decipher the
uniquely personal language of your dreams, is you.
So why do dreams feel so meaningful and is there any meaning to be found?
To be absolutely frank - we simply still don't know if dreams contain any kind of important
messages or if they're simply a jumble of mental processes such as memory consolidation-
the truth is likely somewhere in between.
However, your dreams are a journey through the landscape of your mind, they are a unique
state in which your thoughts, emotions, wishes and memories become imbued with the spark
of life - transforming them into a vast inner universe.
Rather than considering your dreams as a letter containing an important message, written in
a secret language that needs to be decoded.
Instead, it is better to think of them as a form of freestyle hallucinatory poetry - you
are free to analyse this poem if you wish, and you'll likely be able to assign meaning
to it, but equally, you can simply enjoy the creative artwork that it is.
I'd recommend doing both.
From a psychological and biological perspective, when we are dreaming our minds enter a very
different state.
Our prefrontal cortex, responsible for rational thinking, is mostly shut down, allowing free
reign to the more primal systems, such as the amygdala, one of the areas of the brain
responsible for emotion.
This heightened emotional state is one of the reasons our dreams feel so profound, as
they are inherently an unbound creative process focused on emotions.
They are the untamed wilderness of your mind.
It's important to remember that every aspect of a dream is a dream.
So while none of us would wake from a dream of winning the lottery to expect that our
bank balance has changed, many of us forget that the exact same mentality should also
be applied to the emotions and revelations of our dreams.
They too are the stuff of dreams.
That said, our dreams are, indeed, a deep well of inspiration, insight and knowledge.
Only we must remain aware that sometimes the profound experiences of our dreams are simply
illusions.
Dreams are a mixed bag - some are truly profound while others only seem that way.
The exciting truth is that dreams are the ultimate magical mirror, perfectly reflecting
your personality and psychology.
In reality, your dreams are as deep and profound as you, and as mysterious as the universe
itself.
If you wish to find meaning in your dreams you can, but it is a deeply personal journey,
an exploration of the core of who you are.
There are no maps and no experts to guide you, it is a lone journey of self-discovery.
The best place to start is to pay attention, keep a dream journal and observe patterns.
Even better, as a lucid dreamer you can interact directly with your dream, to ask it, or the
characters within it, to explain what it all means.
After all, who could be better equipped to analyse a dream than the very artist responsible?
One of the most wonderful aspects of dreaming is that so much is still to be explored and
understood.
So, forget looking for the anwers to your dreams in this world, instead - find the answers
within - become your own expert.
So, that's it for today.
If you've enjoyed this video, please don't forget to like, share and leave your comments
below.
It always makes my day and it really helps keep this channel alive.
don't forget you can also support this channel by becoming a patron, the link is on the screen
now, and can also be found in the video description.
If you're new here, hit the subscribe button for regular free content.
As always, thanks for watching.
I'm Daniel Love, The Lucid Guide.
And until next time, sweet dreams.