Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Core Keys to Dream Interpretation

People wonder why understanding dreams has to be so difficult and strange. But Images and Visions are God's First language. 

Think of it. God sculpts Movies for us in our sleep to communicate deep often inexpressible truths. He will speak to us simply when he needs to but as you learn to understand the language of dreams you will come to understand God better. Just as you would spending time with any person. 

If you want a kid to learn a language you speak the language to the kid and expect the kid to learn. So God speaks to us in his language and it's hard work to learn it but it get's easier and faster as you practice, just like with any other language. 

Also as you honor and pay attention to your dreams you will be surprised to find you remembering more of them. 

KEYS
Always start by asking the Spirit of Wisdom to guide you. 

Always remember that 95% of the time all the symbols are personal. Ie about you and not about other people or things UNLESS you regularly intercede for or pour into the person or thing the symbol is about.

Dream symbols are almost entirely metaphorical yet it always makes sense. Like how a movie has symbols that reflect the theme or moral. Sometimes they represent what they actually are but in general really work to think of them as metaphorical representations, as analogies not literal. 

The right dream symbol will work on multiple levels when you think about it. Example. My cat in my dreams represents "creature comforts" because all she does is lie around and when I pet her I'm usually just comfortable too. So she as a symbol works on multiple levels. 

A quick way to get at the meaning of symbols is describe the object or person in 3-4 top of your head uninhibited adjectives. You'll quickly see what that represents to you.

If it's not a personal symbol ask the spirit of wisdom to help and look it up in an online dictionary or bible gateway (amplified Bible or other translations) and quickly scan through the results. The spirit of wisdom will highlight meanings to you.

The correct meaning often reflects other meanings and symbols in the dream. 

What were you trying to accomplish in the dream will help you know very quickly what the dream was about. Even if the dream is just you watching "you are trying to understand."

Describe the dream using all the meanings in place of the symbols and what your goal was in the dream and you will quickly have it's core meaning. 

And a last vital question is what has been on your heart this week, particularly when you where falling asleep. Dreams answer current questions so context is everything.

Despite the length of the dream try to come up with the most basic simple interpretation possible. One or three sentences to describe the core. What it's trying to tell you. That will guide you to the meaning in the fastest route and keep you from being overwhelmed by all the symbols.

My Dream Questionnaire helps even more.

Basic Dream Symbol Categories

All symbols can be personal or objective. If you can't quickly think of a personal meaning figure out the objective meaning. 

Locations and landmasses either represent the location itself or a situation, area, or time in your life. The Setting. What do you do in that setting? What metaphorical analogies? Kitchen - eat - nourish yourself.

People represent a sentient being. They either represent the person themselves (as they relate to you) OR a conscious or unconscious parts of yourself. Good or dark or wounded parts of yourself. OR a spiritual being, God, angels/ministering spirits(often they are just a good spirit with a specific task and are sometimes named by their purpose like speed), dark spirits, the enemy etc.

Any kind of Role, Relationship, Sex, Intimacy - could be literal or metaphorical. It's about your role and goal and relation to the other person. What is other other persons intention towards you? What's your intention towards that person? Could be towards yourself or someone else.

Animals often represent pure emotions or drives. Semi-sentient and active. Finite forces of nature. Like say the desire to find food or be comfortable. OR if they are a personal animal they can represent whatever that animal represents to you. OR sometimes they can represent dark spirits or influences or dark animalistic parts of yourself that are influencing you.

Vehicles represent what they do and how they do it. Think of how many people can be in it. How fast etc. Walking, flying and running are in this category, Its all about how you get around. If it;s just you or say a bike it could just be about you but vehicles that can move others could be pointing to a situation involving more than just yourself.

Body parts - think of what that part does and what they represents. Like teeth chew and break nutrients down so they could represent your ability to do that. Or to smile etc.

Objects - think of the technical and raw purpose of the object and how it can be metaphorical.

Plants - like objects but they are alive and non-sentient. They just exist but have purpose and grow.

Colors - what do those colors associate with you? Look up the meanings. What objects have that color. - Light illuminates so colors often modify or expand on a symbol.

Light/ color quality of the dream - It's source. Grays or real life colors often represent the Soul. Bring Vibrant colors from God, life source. Dark moody colors, from the enemy, darkness outside or from within.

Numbers - Look up number metaphor dictionaries that you relate to. Say you are a math junkie and math history means something to you. You could start there.

Motivations or Actions in the dream show you what it's all about.

Situations - think of the metaphorical representation. Does it relate to how you feel something that is going on this week?

Dream Questionnaire - Copy/Paste

Dream Questionnaire:
Basic Themes:

Full Description:

Couple sentence summary:



Source
What was the Source? (God, My Soul, Darkness or a combo):


What basic type of dream was it? (status of the soul, nightmare, cleansing etc):


What's happening in my life right now that may be connected to the dream?


What was I praying for or thinking about in the last day?


Have I been interceding for any of the people or subjects in the dream?


Dream through line
Main element or focus of the dream?


Was I a participant or observer? (Be Detailed)


What was my Goal? What was I doing or trying to do?


Have I had a dream with a similar theme? When? What are the differences this time?


Specific Symbols
What colors were in the dream? Was the dream monochromatic? Dark? Black and white? Bright? High Saturated, Colorful? Normal real life colors?


Where was the dream Located
What do those locations mean to me subjectively or objectively (in the bible or dictionaries)?


Who was in my dream
Describe each of those people in 3 or 4 adjectives. Or what does that person mean abstractly to me?


What vehicles or modes of transportation were in the dream? Walking? Riding? Flying?
What do those mean to me subjectively or objectively (in the bible or dictionaries)?


What other Major symbols were in my dream
What do they mean subjectively or objectively (in the bible or dictionaries)?


Do I have an intercessory burden for any of the people, places or elements in my dream? If so what is the burden?



Interpretation
What is the main basic message of the dream?


What is my response to this Dream? What should I do about it? (Focus on the theme in my next prayer time, obey a direction in the dream, let go of something, simply be grateful that I was cleansed of something etc)


Dream interpretation Example

Example: Say you had a rather emotional and long dream in which you where trying to find a guy friend of yours. You urgently kept trying to date the guy but you couldn't make it happen because you kept hanging with a specific female friend of yours. You hang with this girl in your childhood home. You are wearing heavy winter clothes for some reason.

You wake up wondering why you want to date that guy who in real life you admire but don't feel that way about. Also you hardly know that girl why is she in your dreams? And you didn't ever hang out with her in that place. Instead of just getting stuck on that you do the dream interpretation steps.

Interpretation Steps: 
First the guy represents to you hard work and doing the right thing because that's the impression he made on you in real life.

You look up words related to dating and the definition points out that at it's core it's basically just becoming intimate, getting to know, getting closer to someone.

So the dream shows that you want to get to know that part of yourself better, spend quality time working hard.

The girl is a person you knew briefly awhile ago. She only ever wanted to complain and blame others. She is overweight now.

People often represent parts of ourselves. You realize that this guy represents a part of yourself that has those hardworking qualities. And the girl represents the part of you who doesn't take responsibility. Also the girl ending up not going anywhere in life and her memory jogs an emotional response that makes you want to not end up with out purpose and bitter.

The Location is the situation and you realize that that particular childhood home was when you went through so much stress that you started checking out in life. When you lost motivation.

You remember that you have been going through stress this past week and that you have been spending too much time watching TV and saying hurtful things about other people. You have been feeling tired and weak as a result.

The winter clothes don't make sense until you remember the times in your past when you liked winter clothes because it made everyone look fat and you could cover up and not feel so self conscious about your body. So the winter clothes point out the fact that you are hiding in that old identity issue. Think of it clothes are so often and identity we put on that also physically shields us from our surroundings. It literally hide who we are. Or they can show who we are all depends.

Meaning:
So when you look at it the dream is a powerful and emotional reminder to workout and take care of yourself and not blame others for taking all your time. It shows you you are still dealing with the old body Identity issue. You recognize for the first time that this is a cycle you go through but now you are aware of it. Overall it is a very encouraging dream.

Dream Interpretation Resources

If you are very interested in understanding your dreams on a daily basis here are some powerful resources.
Read First 
Dream Language: The Prophetic Power of Dreams, Revelations, and the Spirit of Wisdom by James W. Goll 
- How to tap into the wisdom that allows you to understand dreams and visions and life in general.

Katie Souzas teachings called interpreting dreams and visions for your soul. 
- SO USEFUL and mind Blowing!!! The power of dreams and how normal people can interpret them. And how they can change your life practically.

Then Read
Dream Encounters: Seeing Your Destiny from God's Perspective by Barbie Breathitt 
- How to really understand dream language at it's core.

 Ira Milligan's Dream Books 
- Great for more complex or abstract symbols like numbers.

EveryDay Resources:

The Bible Gateway (amplified has the most words so yields the most results)