Learning to Interpret Your Dreams

[keithleycreek]

Hello, 

Existing forum posts on dream interpretation on this site seem to be mostly populated with questions about how the process works, and concerned questions about the sanity of those who dream or try to interpret. However, the scriptures are full of instances of people receiving instruction from the Lord through dreams. I am finalizing a manuscript on the subject, and am interested in your take, your experiences, and ideas. I dream regularly, usually vividly, colorfully, and with a high degree of spiritual import and impact. Over the years I have developed an understanding of the process of interpreting that I want to share. I am looking for ways to share my work and experiences without being relegated to the "Professor Trelawney" category. I wonder what kind of interest there is  on the subject here, particularly as my manuscript is directed to a thoughtful, serious LDS market. 

I look forward to hearing from you! 
Cindy

Edited September 20, 2016 by keithleycreek

[Guest]

@keithleycreek,

You've posted on the "introduce yourself" forum.  That's a heck of a way to introduce yourself.  But welcome.

You asked a question, or series of questions regarding dream interpretation.

10 hours ago, keithleycreek said:

I ...am interested in your take, your experiences, and ideas.

...without being relegated to the "Professor Trelawney" category. I wonder what kind of interest there is  on the subject here,

What kind of interest here?  You'll find quite a variety of opinions here on the topic.  

I tend towards the Trelawney category.  While I admit that God does sometimes speak with man through dreams, I personally believe it to be quite rare and most dreams are just dreams.  Or ... usually a tree is just a tree.  Most of the time, we tend to dream about things that are on both our conscious and unconscious minds, not on the mind of God.

Vivid dreaming or lucid dreaming or anything similar is not evidence of any special meaning.  It was simply more vivid or lucid.  That's all.  Nothing else.

If you believe that dreams in general are more divine or spiritual in nature, I'd like to see statements from apostles and prophets or scriptural references that EXPLICITLY state that.  Not just examples of divine dreams (which I admitted do happen).  But statements telling us to consider most of our dreams as coming from God.

Those dreams that are inspired of God will be interpreted either through the Spirit directly to you, or by some people with the gift to interpret as Daniel and Joseph did.  There really is no "method".  It is a gift of the Spirit.

[NeuroTypical]

Some of the most vivid, powerful, clear experiences of my life have been experienced in dreams.  The untainted emotion!  The crystal clarity!  The overwhelming sense of truth!  I've learned that the powerful emotions and clarity and insights I experience in dreams, rarely make sense by the time my shower is done.  I call it the 'shower test' - basically, no matter how urgent or important the dream seemed, I won't give it any serious thought until after my shower.  90% of my dreams don't really keep their importance past the shower.  The other 10% contain some various wisdom or understanding that I find useful.  

My latest fun dream involved my wife getting us involved with the Sicilian Mafia.  We had helped put a bad guy into prison, and he was getting out and would want revenge.  My wife knew someone who owed her a favor, who who knew someone who could 'handle things'.  The deal was, we asked for their help, and they would make sure this guy would never want to bother us, or even be in the same state as us, ever again.  

It went well - dood got out of prison and immediately hopped a bus out of state, basically ran to the bus, nervously looking over his shoulder.  All was good, until I drove home from work and saw the semi-trailer parked on our land.  Apparently the mob liked our out-of-the-way location, and they let us know we should just pretend the thing wasn't even there.  It would disappear after 3-4 months.  We'd be paid very well for our trouble - in fact, they were taking our unfinished basement and turning it into separate living arrangements for the couple of guys who would be living there.  We should just pretend they didn't exist either - we'd never see them, they were only there to keep an eye on the trailer.  Well, trailers - we should expect maybe to see two or three of them on our land across a year.  But again, it would be totally easy to ignore, nothing would get in our way.  And we were getting a $50 grand basement upgrade for free so what's not to like?

Edited September 20, 2016 by NeuroTypical

[keithleycreek]

Thanks for your posts, Carborendum and NeuroTypical! Very different responses, naturally, from two very different people. 

You are right, Carborendum, that was a heck of a way to introduce myself - but then I am new to mormonhub and didn't know any better.  It is easy to forget in an online venue that readers don't know you personally and might be inclined to assume the worst.   LOL  

You might be interested in what LDS Topics says about dreams as a type of revelation: https://www.lds.org/topics/revelation?lang=eng. In my book I reference Elder Sterling W Sill, who discussed the potential profitability of dreams and learning from them in one of his books. There is less said in more recent years, but IMO it is not because dreams are invalid themselves, but because people have largely lost the ability to understand them. Dreams are like music - a language all their own, and a highly symbolic one at that. Not all people dream. That's a fact. Those who do may or may not receive inspired dreams. There is nothing wrong with NOT receiving dreams, either. The Lord gives different gifts to each person. But it's also OK if people do dream and interpret. I dream, but I have also had gifts of music, art and language, which, along with some heavy trials and the scriptures, have helped me to figure some things out. I also have a soundly-based testimony of the Gospel and revelation in general, and am comfortable with who I am.
Dreams have kind of a bad reputation because they are affected by any kind of physical, mental, emotional or spiritual illness. They are not an entry-level approach to receiving revelation. Far from it. There are also issues of agency. Many people don't need much of an excuse to lord authority over others, and for unstable people, dreams might provoke such actions. Also, as you said, dreams are influenced by the things that have been on your mind, but that doesn't negate potential for instruction in and of itself - in fact, it is evidence that the Lord is using what you know to teach you something you may not understand fully .  Perhaps dreams were a more commonly understood or reliable source of revelation in another day and age, when there were no electronic distractions. I am continually amazed at the Lord's ability to cobble different symbols together to teach me something that otherwise would never have entered my head. 

 

 

Edited September 20, 2016 by keithleycreek

[keithleycreek]

NeuroTypical, I really like your first-level discernment technique. You are right, an inspired dream will be more memorable, even momentous, so your method will filter out all but the most useful information. I think there is learning to be had in most dreams, however. It just may or may not be something you want to pursue. Also, memory is a flexible characteristic - there are things you can do to extend memory, like writing something down. Writing down a dream helps in a lot of ways.

Your dream is very interesting. I wonder if there is something in your life or the life of your family that you don't want there. Maybe it is promising you benefits and that it will only be there a short time - but you know in your heart that it cannot be trusted and could potentially harm you or your family. Some kind of less-than-ideal compromise. It could be a warning of something coming down the pike or something already in your life. I don't pretend to know.The dream came to you, so only you can really interpret it. But consider that each of the components of the dream carries symbolic meaning that could be generally understood OR unique to you. 

 

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I think some dreams are random nonsense, some have practical helpful meaning if we can interpret them, some maybe spiritual, and some are related to memories of trauma, which is the case with a lot of mine.  I have nightmares that would give you nightmares.  But would I read a book about dreams, sorry no.  I just talk to my therapist about them.    Sorry I can't be of more help, 

[keithleycreek]

Thanks, LiterateParakeet. I'm glad the Lord knows the full effects of trauma, the years of nightmares and suffering that no one sees. I know from experience that it does get better. Sometimes professional help is needed, and there is certainly no shame in that. 

Honestly, I wouldn't read most of what is available on dreams and dream interpretation right now either (my book excepted of course)  It's a little strange walking into such a minefield of weirdness as the topic of dreams with my book, but I know it is the right thing to do. It will help and comfort a lot of people.

 

[Sunday21]

Glad you are here!