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Dream interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to dreams. In many ancient societies, such as those of Egypt and Greece , dreaming was considered a supernatural communication or a means of divine intervention , whose message could be interpreted by people with these associated spiritual powers.
Marie Louise von Franz has studied dream symbols, while James Hillman is more interested in what this other world represents for the dreamer. As a nocturnal theater of symbols, dreams are for Jung a natural production of the unconscious, [D 2] as well as the locus of personality transformation and the path to what Jung calls "individuation ...
According to Freud dream interpretation was supposed to be guided by patients through free associations to various aspects of the dream, thus leaving room for the interpretation to be tailored to individuals. Freud noted and warned readers that the psychological meaning of objects, people, or events in dreams were not meant to be universal.
This is where the dream may direct feelings or desires onto an unrelated subject. This is similar to the practice of transference, which is a common technique used in psychoanalysis. Another step in the formation of dreams is symbolism. Objects or situations in a dream may represent something else, commonly an unconscious thought or desire.
The psychic counterpart of instinct, archetypes are thought to be the basis of many of the common themes and symbols that appear in stories, myths, and dreams across different cultures and societies. Some examples of archetypes include those of the mother , the child, the trickster , and the flood , among others.
Then, the true emotional meaning of the dream loses its significance in an element of displacement. This is followed by symbolism representing our latent thoughts in visual form. A special focus on symbolism was emphasized in the interpretation of dreams. [14] Our dreams are highly symbolic with an underlying principle meaning.
The second book treats objects and events in the natural world, such as weather, animals, the gods and flying. The section on animals includes mammals (domestic and wild), sea creatures, reptiles, and those that fly. So in chapter 12 we find: "There is an affinity between all wild animals and our enemies. A wolf signifies a violent enemy ...
Some modern pagan groups, including Eco-pagans, describe themselves as animists, meaning that they respect the diverse community of living beings and spirits with whom humans share the world and cosmos. [120] The New Age movement commonly demonstrates animistic traits in asserting the existence of nature spirits. [121]