As I have told you, from time to time you will find here a short lesson in dream interpretation.

Let us begin today, and first:

Remember :

Most of the time the people in our dreams represent facets of ourselves (We will see later that it is not always the case).

We all, men and women, have two opposite and complementary aspects in our psyche, a masculine and a feminine one.

Thus a man in dreams speaks of masculine aspects of the male dreamer himself or of masculine aspects of the woman herself.

Some general features characterizing a man

Most of people will agree with the following description:

Because of his sexual morphology, the man represents a dynamism of affirmation in the outside, concrete, material world.

 This force manifests itself primarily through creativity.

The man corresponds to the ability to think, to live in the world of thoughts and ideas.

He is at ease with logical thinking, reflections and analysis.

It corresponds to the ability to organize and build projects.

This force manifests itself in action

It represents the capacity to act, to persevere, to defend a project in order to bring it to its realization.

So, generally speaking, the man represents the conscious world.

These general assertions are useful, when the man in the dream is unknown.

However when the man is somebody that the dreamer knows, then it is necessary to also take into consideration the personal features of the man appearing in the dream.

Personal features

 How to understand the image of a particular man in a dream ?

 Following the successive steps of the Interview Technique will help you :

Step 1

 Ask questions

When you have a man in a dream, you always must ask two questions about him :

The first question is: “Who is he ?”

Note down 3 or 4 answers describing him.

The second question is : “How is this man ?” 

Again note 3 or 4 traits describing him.

That way you have gathered the necessary information.

Step 2

Now recapitulate

Reword this information in one or two sentences, using the dreamer’s own words, and then invite the dreamer to think about it.

Note : Give preference to the use of the abstract attributes and explanations :

Example : in Miki’s particular case  I have chosen to say : “someone who has a problem making choices”, rather than an “old buddy”.

Careful ! To recapitulate does not mean to summarize :

Doing the recapitulation, you must use the dreamer’s exact expressions. You must use his words and never add your own.

Step 3

Establish a link between the image of the dream and the dreamer’s life

The appropriate question is :

- At the time, when you had this dream, does this attitude “ problem with making a choice" remind you of a similar situation in your own life, in your external or internal world ?

After a time of reflection the dreamer becomes aware of the link existing between the man in the dream and his own way of being in his everyday life. In this way the dreamer finds the meaning of his image and bridges the unconscious and the conscious

Step 4

Verifications

To verify that the meaning found is exact, you have to ask the dreamer for additional explanations.

For example, Miki must explain in what way she has acted like her buddy. What she ‘s said about him must also correspond to her in detail.Only then can you be sure that the image has been correctly understood.

This verification step is indispensable. Perform it being rigorous and honest.

I wish you much fun. Take time, and enjoy the surprises !

Bibliography:

The interview method used above was developed by the American psychologist Gayle Delaney in her book: All About Dreams (1998).

You can also find explanations on her website: How to conduct a dream interview

On my blog you will find the link and some of her books.

Illustrations

I thank all the artists and photographers whose works permit me to illustrate my blog.

Chris Noth, Big in “ Sex and the City”.

Painting on a hill near Dorchester in England, dated probably before the middle age.

Newton by the English artist William Blake :

Pasteur, a famous scientific French researcher in the 19th century, inventor of pasteurization

George Clooney

Recapitulate : http://thetoltecpath.files. wordpress.com

Summarize : http://www.corporatelandingsms.vbschools.com

The 2000 years old bridge constructed by the Romans in Gard, Southern France, recognized by the UNESCO as World heritage of Humanity Site. http://fr.academic.ru

Dream       An old buddy

Lately, life provided me with the opportunity to interpret a very simple dream and I’ll let you discover what came out of it. Some time ago I was invited to my nephew John’s wedding in the South of France.  John works in Hong Kong and that’s where he met his wife, a Chinese girl who had been brought up in Paris. The wedding provided both families the occasion to get together and meet the in-laws and numerous grandchildren.  It was also an opportunity to meet many foreigners as the gathering was quite cosmopolitan.

The cocktail party was held in a superb park and we were all happy to chat with one another.

I went to hear the latest from Paul, an American friend living in France, whom I hadn’t  seen for a long time.  He was speaking with other guests, there was a Chinese man who was the brother of the bride, an Irishman with a pretty French woman and two charming Japanese girls.

Paul greets me nicely:

- Hello Christiane, I saw you last year on the Morning Program on French television.  You did well.

- You were on TV, the Irishman politely asks. And what was the topic ?

- Christiane’s passion is understanding the meaning of dreams, explains Paul, she does dream interpretation.

- Oh ! really ? How interesting, says Miki one of the Japanese girls !

And naturally the conversation starts on the subject of dreams and I am soon bombarded with questions.

- Do you believe that premonitory dreams exist ?

- Can you interpret all the dreams ?

- How do you go about interpreting dreams, asks Miki ?

By now, I am a bit embarrassed, how can I answer such a question ?

- Listen, I said, let us see one of your dreams ! It is the easiest way to explain it to you. Have you had a dream lately ?

- I rarely dream but a few days ago I had a short dream, replied Miki.

- Would you like to tell us, Paul enquires with interest.

- Oh ! it was just one image : I saw an old buddy of mine.

I try to get a bit more detailed information, so I ask : 

 - That’s all ? There was nothing else in the dream

 - No, that’s all. He was just there.

 The little group waits, curious as to what I would do next.

 I think to myself : “This is the ideal dream. I have little time for a full explanation but it will be easy to briefly explain the interview technique”.  So I say :

 - You see, when you have a person in your dream, you must always ask two questions about the person.

 The first question is: “ Who is this person ?”

 - So tell us, who is this old buddy ?

 - It’s a guy I had met but I haven’t seen him in a long time. I don’t know what became of him.

 I continue asking :

 The second question to ask is : “How is this person?” 

 So I ask Miki :

 - What was this friend like, what characterized him when you were in contact with him ?

 - There was one thing that really annoyed me about him, answered the young lady immediately, he was unable to make a decision, he didn’t know what he wanted.

 I go on with my questions :

 - And in the end, how did he make his choices ?

 - He irritated me because he always did the things that would make him look good, even if he didn’t feel like doing them.

Now that I’ve gathered the information, it’s up to me to recapitulate the description and invite the dreamer to think about it.

I don’t know what will come of this but I’m not worried, knowing how helpful dreams can be.

Then I explain to the young woman :

- Miki, most of the time the people in our dreams represent facets of ourselves.

In general, because of his morphology, the man in a dream represents a masculine side, a force of affirmation in the outside world.

So this old friend represents your way of manifesting yourself in the outside world : for example in your job or your day-to-day life, when you are thinking, organizing, creating or building.

How interesting says the irish man ! But excuse me for interrupting you ! Can you tell me,  what does a woman represent  in a dream ?

Oh ! A woman, because of her morphology, corresponds to a receptive attitude, welcoming the inner world, what happens inside of you, what you fell, emotions, sensations, intuitions, dreams and spiritual perceptions.

Now I must go on with my investigations and  establish a link between this inner image and what it corresponds to in Miki’s daily life.

Getting back to the image of the friend, I recapitulate briefly its description :

- Miki, from what you’ve been saying, this old friend has a problem making choices.

Now, tell us : when you had this dream a few days ago, does this attitude remind you of a same situation in your daily life ?

At that time did you have difficulties in knowing what you wanted ?  Were you in a state of hesitation ? Did you have a decision to take that you could not reach ?

Miki is startled and looks at me.  She is pale.

- But how do you know…?

The young Japanese woman looks thunderstruck. She mumbles:

- That’s exactly it !

Intrigued we wait for her explanations.

- I work in a bank and lately I’ve been sent to another department under a different boss.  I’m having problems with this new boss, and I don’t like my new position, I’d like to do something else.  My boss doesn’t understand my desire to change and I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m unable to decide.

I comment :

- Oh! You are going through quite a common experience : the difficulty of choosing.  It is even a universal, crucial experience.  But look at what you’ve said about your old friend, look at your feelings : : what annoys you is that he bases his choices on what people are going to say about him, he wants to look good. He doesn’t do what he wants, he gives priority to other people’s judgment. He’s not true to himself.

- He’s not free says the Irishman.

- Exactly.

- So what does the dream mean, asks the other Japanese girl with a lovely smile ?

 I try to be as clear as possible:

- Miki, if your old friend appears in your dream at this time, it is because you are adopting the same behavior, you’re hesitating and you are tempted to act like him, to choose a solution based on other people’s viewpoint.

According to your description your friend appears negative.  He annoys you, what he does doesn’t please you. Through this your dream is showing you that it is not in your interest to adopt the same behavior. You are being told to be true to yourself, to make your choices for yourself, to do what pleases you, even if the people in your life have a different point of view.

- But it’s very difficult says the pretty French girl !

- You’re right ! You don’t conquer this overnight.

Miki looks at me, she seems quite moved.

- Christiane, I’m deeply touched by what you have said. Thanks to this dream, thanks to your explanations, I’ve just realized something : with this new job, this new boss, isn’t life putting me in this situation simply so that I can become aware that this job is not what I want to do?  So the question is : what do I really want to do?

That’s what I have to think about now.

Miki, looking at me, takes my hand between hers and adds :

- You know, Christiane, I will remember our conversation.  I would have never thought a dream could have such a dimension, I never imagined that a dream could be so precious. Now I know what I have to do when I get back.  Thank you, thank you very much. 

I felt very happy, I had just seen that my way of interpreting dreams made it possible for me to understand the dream of a woman about whom I knew nothing. And more than that, this method of working with the dream appears obviously to be an universal one, since it has been easily understood by several people of different continents : Japanese women, French women, an Irish man, an American man, and a Chinese man.

And once again I realized how helpful dreams are for anybody under any circumstances.

Night was falling, it was beginning to feel chilly, the head waiter invited us to go in and take our place at the table.

 You will find the French essay on the French blog :

Click on the link  : le blog des rêves de Christiane Riedel

In Archives click on «  toutes les archives » and on the date 2009 07.

Illustrations

I thank all the artists whose works permit me to illustrate my blog.

Cocktail : http://château-aventuriers.com

Champagne : cocktail à la  La Tour Vaucros

Banquet : http://www.mariage-wallonie.be

Paul Newman

Young Chinese man :http://photo-media.hanmail-net

Japanese buddy : Hayami Mocomichi, crunchyroll.com

Young man : http:/ :img15.imageshack.us

Young man : vera26.livejournal.com

A man : Pierce Brosman as James Bond

A woman : asiandramas.comblog.fr

Irish man : Acteur John Lucas : sondage-mecs.skyrock.com

Smiling Japanese woman : www. pbase.com

Chinese bank : http:/ :www.beijingdaily.com

Chinese banker : htp://www.blomberg.com

Japanese woman : lesmomotos.fr

Surprised : http://29img.v4.skyrock.net