about dream analysis and interpretation
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It is quite likely that dreams have existed for as long as their have been humans to dream them. Dreams are an integral part of the human experience, and every person dreams at least four times, and as many as seven times, each and every night for their entire lives. It is even thought that unborn babies dream while they are still in the womb.
With such an important place in human history, it is no wonder that dream interpretation has such a long and storied history. Everyone wants to know what his or her dreams mean, and dream interpretation and analysis is likely as old as dreams themselves.
People in primitive societies were often thought to make no distinction between the world of dreams and the waking world. Indeed, many people thought of the dream world as more real than the physical one, and thought that the world encountered in dreams was merely an extension of the physical world.
Many ancient peoples thought of the dream world as the time when the soul left the body to commune with the world of the spirits. It was thought that the soul departed the body each night, and visited the world of the ancestors. During this time the dreamer’s soul was gathering knowledge and wisdom from departed ancestors, both recent and ancient.
In other societies, those who could interpret and analyze dreams were held in very high regard, and given a special place in their societies. The Romans and Greeks in particular paid much attention to the analysis of dreams, and they used the analysis of dreams to determine the best course of action in matters ranging from politics to warfare.
The ancient Egyptians as well saw knowledge, power and spirituality in dreams, and gave those who could analyze and interpret them an honored place in the world. The ancient Egyptians often saw dreams as a way for the gods to communicate with the mortal world, and those dream messages were taken very seriously.
Many societies placed special emphasis on dreams that were seen to be prophecies. The dreams of generals on the eve of battle were given special analysis, and those interpretations often figured into the decisions made on the battlefield.
The ancient and modern world are both full of dreams seen to be prophetic. The Bible in particular is a rich source of information on all kinds of dreams and prophecies, and there are many dreams and interpretations of dreams contained within the pages of the Bible. The prophets of the Old Testament often consulted with dream interpreters for advice on politics, warfare and other relationships.
During the early part of the 19th century, the interpretation of dreams fell out of favor, and dreams were given little significance during that time. During this period of time, dreams were thought to be the result of bad food, indigestion, anxiety or even noises in the night.
Later in the 19th century, however, Sigmund Freud would start his psychiatric practice and revolutionize the interpretation of dreams. Freud’s work on dreams is still considered a seminal work even today, and many of Freud’s theories of dream interpretation are still studied and followed over a century later.
Dreams and their interpretation
Related : About Dream Analysis and Interpretation |
Many scientists and anthropologists believe that ancient peoples were unable to distinguish the difference between the real, or physical world, and the dream world, or the world of the unconscious. For many of these people, there was no distinction, and the dream world was simply an extension of the physical world.
In fact, many of these ancient cultures, and some modern ones as well, felt that the dream world is more powerful and real than the physical universe, and that dreams are the soul’s way of commune with the infinite, and gathering knowledge and wisdom from the past.
Dream interpretation as an actual profession goes back at least as far as ancient Greek and Roman society, but informal dream interpretation is likely as old as dreaming itself. There is good reason to believe that people have been experiencing dreams as long as their have been people, and we know that dreams and their interpretation date back at least as far as 3000-4000 B.C. We know that because the interpretations of various dreams were recorded on stone tablets and found later by archeologists.
While science knows a great deal about dreams and their meaning, in many ways dreams remain as much a mystery today as when the first cavemen dreamed about the thrill of the hunt or the fear of running from faster predators.
For instance, scientists still do not know why we dream, or what the purpose of dream sleep is, but they do know that people need to dream. Volunteers deprived of dream sleep experienced all manner of psychological problems, ranging from problems concentrating to visual and auditory hallucinations.
Dream interpretation has a long and storied history, and dream interpreters have been in high demand throughout history. The interpretation of dreams was so important to the ancient Greek and Roman societies that they rode along with soldiers in battle, and advised rulers on the best course of action. Dreams were taken quiet seriously in these societies, and a dream thought to be an ill omen was enough to derail a piece of legislation or even put off a long planned battle.
The culture of ancient Egypt also gave dreams great importance, as well as religious significance. The Egyptians believed that dreams contained messages from the gods, and these messages were to be heeded. We know about the importance the ancient Egyptians placed on dreams, because dreams and their interpretations were recorded in hieroglyphs.
People who had particularly vivid dreams were given a special place in society, and thought to be blessed by the gods. Those who had special abilities to interpret those dreams also enjoyed a blessed status and a special place in Egyptian society. Egypt was not alone in the Middle East as a source of dreams and dream interpretation. The Bible contains over 700 mentions of dreams, and many dream interpretations as well. The dreams of prophets, and the interpretations of those dreams, played a large role in Biblical history.
Dream interpretation was often looked upon as a form of prophecy, and dreams were often analyzed to provide clues to future events. Dreams were seen to be messages from gods, spirits or from departed relatives.