One of the most common things I run across in interpreting dreams for someone is the dreamer being unable to relate the interpreted dream to their life. I think that it's as frustrating for me as it is for the dreamer. I know from years of doing dream interpretation how accurately the subconscious relates what is going on with us on a day to day basis. When you make the effort to understand your dreams, it can transform the way you view your life.

When it comes to understanding your dreams, it is best to start with baby steps. Trying to tackle the whole dream may seem rather daunting. Instead, take one symbol from the dream and work with that. When you understand the simplicity of the universal dream language inwhich dreams speak to us, then you can use the one symbol as a starting point.

If you dream of a car, for example, in the universal dream language, it represents the physical body. But that one symbol can speak volumes as to what is going on with the physical body. Take note of the condition of your dream vehicle. If it is need of repair, then this indicates a need to give more attention to causing better physical health. Instead, if you have a nice shiny sports car in your dream, it means you are already giving attention to causing good physical health.

Remember that what we think, on a continual basis, can manifest in our lives. Your thoughts DO create your reality Our dreams are merely letting us know what we are manifesting in our lives. It's like your daily status report that tells you exactly how it is. One thing to keep in mind is to remain neutral as to what the dream is telling your. In other words, don't bother getting upset if the dream is not something that you like. If it is not something that you like and you understand what the dream is telling you, then you can change your thoughts and change your reality.

Without fail, when I focus my thoughts on things of a higher spiritual nature, I always have harmonious dreams. For me,this may involve either singing and or kissing or hugging someone in my dreams. When I focus on being habitual in my waking life, I always have dreams with animals (which represent habitual thinking) in them. When I focus on ridding myself of unproductive thoughts, I will either have a dream of going to the bathroom (releasing things that are no longer productive to the physical body) or I'll have a dream of taking a bath or a shower (cleansing my mind, in other words).

So, once you fully understand the relationship between the one dream symbol and your waking life you can then focus on a second symbol and then a third and so forth. The more AWARE you are of your thoughts and attitudes, the easier it is to understand your dreams.

Occasionally I'll have a dream that is not so obvious, so I'll be with it for a while. Many times the answer will come to me in a flash. "Oh, THAT'S what the dream was talking about in my life." If you don't get what the dream is talking about right away, be easy on yourself. It just takes practice, but you CAN do it!

I am very grateful for learning how to interpret dreams as they are a road map for my own life. Hey, who doesn't need a road map for life? While life doesn't necessarily come with an instruction manual, it does come with a road map in the form of your dreams.

Just recently I came across a saying by Moses Maimonides who said, "An unexamined dream is like an unopened letter." I couldn't agree more. Use your dreams for all they're worth, you'll be glad your did!

© 2006 Dave Lappin