Dreams have been an important part of our living lives, for as far back as history has been recorded. During these multi-part articles, we'll take a look at how meaningful dreams are to the human spirit and body.
"Dreams are a conversation with oneself, a dialogue of symbols and images that takes place between the unconscious and conscious levels of the mind - Taken From: The Secret Language of Dreams
This will be Part 1, in a series of dream related articles- be sure to tune in for future articles.
We're going to travel back through history and see how the dream world has always been a key part of civilization. How history has actually been affected by significant dreams, by legend's kings and heroes. In ancient civilization, many lives were lived according to the interpretation of their dreams. Lives were saved and lost, by the visions of the night. Dreams were the way that the God's communicated with mere mortals. Demons terrorized mortals in the dream world, sometimes even going as far as stealing their souls.
Some of the most popular stories in the Bible revolve around interpretation of dreams. Dreams give men, women and children a way to actually live out their imaginations- only we can't always control the thoughts and visions our imaginations and unconscious brings to life in the sleeping world.
We actually live in two worlds - the waking world of everyday life and the magical world of sleep. Anything is possible in the dream world: swim deep in the oceans without an oxygen mask, fly up into the universe to visit the angels - if your mind can imagine it- then you can go there. Nothing is impossible in the mystical veil of REM sleep.
Travel back through time and you'll learn that dreams have always been known to be communication from the Gods, in most cultures. The Egyptians believed dreams carried messages from good and bad spirits. The Greek built shrines to serve as dream oracles. Even as late as the last century, people have interpreted the horrifying apparitions in nightmares as demons intent on seducing the innocent.
Sigmund Freud, (1856-1939), located dreams in the unconscious, where repressed instincts and desires dwell.
We energetically search our dreams for hidden meanings and messages to apply to our waken lives.
In Mesopotamian, the great tale of a hero-king, written in the Akkadiar Language during the 1st Millennium BC, is full of dream accounts, many replete with divine omens of danger or victory; in one nightmare, a creature leads the hero Enkidu to the "Land of Dust" where the souls of the dead live in perpetual darkness.
Ancient Jewish tradition anticipated modern dream theory by recognizing that the life-circumstances of the dreamer are as important in interpretation as revered the Jews as dream interpreters. In 6th century BC, they summoned the Israelite prophet Daniel to interpret one of King Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, where he correctly predicted the King's imminent seven years of madness. (Daniel 4:5-35)
Joseph, who was sold into slavery in Egypt, by his brothers, was able to rise from poverty to a position of considerable power by correctly interpreting the Pharaoh's dream that foretold seven plentiful and seven lean years in the ancient kingdom. (Genesis 42:138).
Information taken from: The Secret Language of Dreams, By: David Fontana
A Waking Dream, Through History - Part 4
A continuation of an in-depth look into dreams and their meaning.
A Waking Dream, Through History - Part 3
A look into the study of dreaming throughout history.
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