An Original Approach To Dream Interpretation

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Freud vs. Jung: what are the key differences in their respective views of dreams?

Disclaimer: I didn't write this. It was written back in 2008 on a blog maintained by Patti Colston. I thought it answers the question very succinctly. It's rather simplistic, but I wanted to avoid pretense.


What's the difference? Simply put, Sigmund Freud believed that all dreams had sexual connotations. He believed that that all of the worlds problems were caused by a repressed libido. He thought everything about dreams and the subconscious was all related to our mothers and the different stages of life that related to her in our infancy.

His now famous term "penis envy" came from his theory that womens' psychological problems stem from lack of having one. Pssssh whatever..

This theory was later proven incorrect.

Carl Jung speculated that the brain held forgotten memories and things we have learned. He suggested that in order for us to function properly in this world, that the conscious and subconscious minds have to work together. He believed our dreams helped us to grow , to learn more about, and to make ourselves better.


I follow Jung. I believe his theories make a lot more sense than do Freud's.

I read somewhere that it's impossible to create new things in dreams, it's all things we have seen or experienced before that our mind has put a new twist on.

Originally posted by Trev33
I read somewhere that it's impossible to create new things in dreams, it's all things we have seen or experienced before that our mind has put a new twist on.

I wonder if that is true for lucid dreams, also.

Originally posted by Suzianne
I wonder if that is true for lucid dreams, also.

The first time I had one of those I tried to change what I was dreaming about. It worked for a few seconds but then I woke up. The next time it happened I decided to just go with the flow and not try to control it, but I think it was the conscious knowing I was dreaming that messed it up... the flow got interrupted even when I wasn't trying to change anything.

The lucid dreams only happened when I was much younger, about the same time I got myself to dream in color. It's easier to take your brain out and play with it when you're only 14 or 15 years old, but now I'm afraid I'll drop it or misplace it, or forget to put it back.

Do you have (or have had) lucid dreams?

Originally posted by lemon lime
The lucid dreams only happened when I was much younger, about the same time I got myself to dream in color. It's easier to take your brain out and play with it when you're only 14 or 15 years old, but now I'm afraid I'll drop it or misplace it, or forget to put it back.

Apparently you put it back after you dropped it.

Originally posted by Trev33
I read somewhere that it's impossible to create new things in dreams, it's all things we have seen or experienced before that our mind has put a new twist on.

Yes and no. Dreams are based on your experiences and observations, but your subconscious mind will come up with new things you would never consciously imagine. I think this may be what you meant by our minds putting a new twist on it, but it goes further than a simple rearraignment of those memories.

The subconscious mind does a much better job of "connecting the dots" than the conscious mind, because it isn't trying to disbelieve what is true or believe what isn't true. Dreams are often your subconscious mind telling you something your consciously aware mind is not aware of. And even when you are fully awake, your subconscious mind will occasionally try telling you something you are not consciously aware of. This is why experts will tell people who are in vulnerable situations that if they sense danger, they should probably trust their instincts.

Originally posted by lemon lime
The first time I had one of those I tried to change what I was dreaming about. It worked for a few seconds but then I woke up. The next time it happened I decided to just go with the flow and not try to control it, but I think it was the conscious knowing I was dreaming that messed it up... the flow got interrupted even when I wasn't trying to chan ...[text shortened]... 'll drop it or misplace it, or forget to put it back.

Do you have (or have had) lucid dreams?

Nope, never. I know all about them, though, I've just never done any of the training they say will make it easy. Most of my dreams are not nice dreams. I used to wake up screaming every day from bad dreams, but I've managed to dial it back to just waking up yelling about once every couple of weeks. At least my dreams are not so detailed any more, I can usually not remember my dreams now.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Nope, never. I know all about them, though, I've just never done any of the training they say will make it easy. Most of my dreams are not nice dreams. I used to wake up screaming every day from bad dreams, but I've managed to dial it back to just waking up yelling about once every couple of weeks. At least my dreams are not so detailed any more, I can usually not remember my dreams now.

I had no idea you could train yourself to have lucid dreams, I assumed they just happened or they didn't happen. When I was in my late twenties I learned how to take a really good power nap. It always lasted about twenty minutes and when I came out of it I felt great. Turns out I was doing what the transcendental meditation people do. When I described what I do to get into this restful state of mind someone asked me about my mantra. lol Apparently I was doing it wrong, I didn't know I was supposed to have a mantra. 😛😕

I've had the occasional panic dream where I wake up because of the intensity of it. If I try going right back to sleep it happens again, so I know I have to just sit there and wait for awhile, until the real waking reality feels more real than the dream. What you've experienced, and apparently still are experiencing, is something I'm not familiar with. Sounds as though you've gotten a better handle on it though. What ever is triggering those dreams will probably never go away, but I can almost guarantee it will continue to subside as long as you don't let whatever triggers those dreams haunt you again. But from what I've seen of your posts I think you already know that, and have pretty much taken control of it.

I'm mostly a self help person. I don't put much faith and trust in medication or psychiatry, or even well established psychology. I suffered for years with sinus headaches, and as a kid I would be taken in to have my sinuses drained with a tube up my nose. My mom put me on diets and tried all sorts of things, but nothing ever worked. I was in my early thirties when I discovered what was actually causing those headaches. I was causing them. I was walking down the street and mulling over something that bothered me, and I felt another one of those headaches coming on. That's when I connected the dots... the intensity and focus on a problem that bothered me was triggering the headache. So I learned to lighten up (not as easy as it sounds) and became less serious about things, and not let anything bother me. I have had very few sinus headaches after that.

You said something a while back about how people used to believe thoughts could cause headaches, and that it was just a myth. For me this was true, my thoughts were causing those headaches. 🙂

Originally posted by HandyAndy
Apparently you put it back after you dropped it.

Moo00OO00oo...

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but most of the time it's something WAY different. 😕

Originally posted by ChessPraxis
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but most of the time it's something WAY different. 😕

Most of the time? 😲😲😲😲😲😲

Originally posted by lemon lime
[b]Most of the time? 😲😲😲😲😲😲[/b]

I had a dream one time there was a beautiful naked lady smoking a huge cigar while she was reclining on a sofa that was on fire. I was trying to put the fire out with a gigantic fire hose.
Not sure what all that means though. 😕

Originally posted by Suzianne
Disclaimer: I didn't write this. It was written back in 2008 on a blog maintained by Patti Colston. I thought it answers the question very succinctly. It's rather simplistic, but I wanted to avoid pretense.


What's the difference? Simply put, Sigmund Freud believed that all dreams had sexual connotations. He believed that that all of the worlds prob ...[text shortened]... selves better.


I follow Jung. I believe his theories make a lot more sense than do Freud's.

Makes sense to me, too. Do you dream frequently?

Originally posted by ChessPraxis
I had a dream one time there was a beautiful naked lady smoking a huge cigar while she was reclining on a sofa that was on fire. I was trying to put the fire out with a gigantic fire hose.
Not sure what all that means though. 😕

It means an ember from the cigar fell down between the cushions. That's what started the fire. 😀

Originally posted by Suzianne
Disclaimer: I didn't write this. It was written back in 2008 on a blog maintained by Patti Colston. I thought it answers the question very succinctly. It's rather simplistic, but I wanted to avoid pretense.


What's the difference? Simply put, Sigmund Freud believed that all dreams had sexual connotations. He believed that that all of the worlds prob ...[text shortened]... selves better.


I follow Jung. I believe his theories make a lot more sense than do Freud's.

If Freud was alive today, I think he would be very popular with the outer fringes of pop pyschology. He might be a celebrity and maybe even have his own reality show. He and Dr Ruth would have a lot to talk about. They'd either be best buds or hate each others guts, or maybe both. Did Freud ever talk about love/hate relationships? 😛😕🙂