Dream Theories - Part 1

Dreams… Why do we dream? Why do we dream? What is a dream that you vividly remember from your past? What is a dream that you vividly remember from your past?

Have you ever heard someone say, 'Denial is not a river in Egypt'? Have you ever heard someone say, 'Denial is not a river in Egypt'? Did you ever hear someone say that Jake or Jane or someone else is 'anal'? Did you ever hear someone say that Jake or Jane or someone else is 'anal'? Have you ever heard someone accused of making a 'Freudian slip'? Or a “slip of the tongue”? Have you ever heard someone accused of making a 'Freudian slip'? Or a “slip of the tongue”? If you have, you are hearing echoes from the ideas of an Austrian physician by the name of Sigmund Freud If you have, you are hearing echoes from the ideas of an Austrian physician by the name of Sigmund Freud

Theory #1: Sigmund Freud ( ) First and foremost in dream theory is Sigmund Freud. First and foremost in dream theory is Sigmund Freud. Considered the father of psychoanalysis Revolutionized the study of dreams with his book The Interpretation Of Dreams He called dreams “the royal road to the unconscious.” He called dreams “the royal road to the unconscious.”

We all have desires and urges that are not considered acceptable by society We hold these back – repress them BUT they get released in different ways by our unconscious One way is through our dreams

Freud’s Dream Theory: Wish Fulfillment Dreams function to virtually fulfill: Your unexpressed wishes Your ungratified needs Dreams are combinations of early and recent experiences involve childhood memories and early parental relationships

Freud’s View on How Our Minds Work: be.com/watch?v= Mkin1FhojCo&fea ture=related be.com/watch?v= Mkin1FhojCo&fea ture=related d-Freud-s-Id--Ego--and-Superego- Theory.htm

ID - unconscious part of the mind ID - unconscious part of the mind (this part of the mind seeks to bring us pleasure) (this part of the mind seeks to bring us pleasure) primitive parts of our personality including primitive parts of our personality including aggression and sexual drives EGO -conscious part of the mind EGO -conscious part of the mind Decides what to do Decides what to do Aware of reality Aware of reality SUPEREGO- unconscious part of the mind SUPEREGO- unconscious part of the mind Acts as our conscience Acts as our conscience Reminds us of what we should do Reminds us of what we should do Stops us from acting out our desires Stops us from acting out our desires The ID and the SUPEREGO are in constant conflict. Your DESIRES tell you to do one thing, while SOCIETY tells you to do something else.

So…What do Our Dreams Tell Us about Ourselves??? ID Dreams reveal what is going on in your ID Your unconscious can act out your hidden desires because you are asleep BUT – your desires can be so odd and disturbing that your mind might still “ censor ” them This results in your dreams being symbolic Your sleep isn’t disturbed and you don’t wake up as a result of being shocked about the images in your dreams It results in cryptic and confusing dreams, though

SUPEREGO EGO You struggle to remember your dreams because your SUPEREGO is protecting your EGO from these strange desires and images Your dreams, therefore, have 2 levels: MANIFEST – what you actually dream about LATENT – what your dream really means

umbrellas, sticks, poles, trees, (things that penetrate) knives, daggers, lances, sabers, guns, pistols, revolvers, (things form which water flow) taps, water cans, springs (objects that get longer) balloons, slide rulers, (things that defy gravity) airplanes, and snakes, etc. umbrellas, sticks, poles, trees, (things that penetrate) knives, daggers, lances, sabers, guns, pistols, revolvers, (things form which water flow) taps, water cans, springs (objects that get longer) balloons, slide rulers, (things that defy gravity) airplanes, and snakes, etc. Represent: the male sex organs Represent: the male sex organs pits, hallows, caves (things that hold things) jars, bottles, boxes, chests, coffers, pockets, cupboards, stoves, rooms, (things that hold other things) mouths, doors, gates, (things that represent breasts) apples, peaches fruits, and (others) woods, shrubs, bushes, etc. pits, hallows, caves (things that hold things) jars, bottles, boxes, chests, coffers, pockets, cupboards, stoves, rooms, (things that hold other things) mouths, doors, gates, (things that represent breasts) apples, peaches fruits, and (others) woods, shrubs, bushes, etc. Represent: the female sex organs Represent: the female sex organs dancing, riding, climbing, or experiencing some violent act dancing, riding, climbing, or experiencing some violent act Represents: Intercourse Represents: Intercourse Objects in our dreams: Objects in our dreams: every long slender or elongated object (i.e. knife, cigar, gun, etc) represents the phallus, any cavity or receptacle (bowl, cave, tunnel, etc) denotes the female genitalia Latent Aspect of Dreams:

For centuries, we've tried to figure out just why our brains play these nightly shows for us. Early civilizations thought dream worlds were real, physical worlds that they could enter only from their dream state. Researchers continue to toss around many theories about dreaming. Those theories essentially fall into two categories: For centuries, we've tried to figure out just why our brains play these nightly shows for us. Early civilizations thought dream worlds were real, physical worlds that they could enter only from their dream state. Researchers continue to toss around many theories about dreaming. Those theories essentially fall into two categories:

Freud’s Dream “Generalities” What would Freud say about the symbolism in your dreams? What would Freud say about the symbolism in your dreams?

Dream Recall Techniques You have to want to remember You have to want to remember Reread over past dreams Reread over past dreams Be patient and do not force a memory Be patient and do not force a memory Keep a journal Keep a journal

Homework! Keep a dream journal for the next 4 days in which you write down every dream that you remember from the night before and what you think it means. Keep a dream journal for the next 4 days in which you write down every dream that you remember from the night before and what you think it means.