We Dream: A Guide To Interpreting The Dreams You Have When You’re Sleeping
I love interpreting dreams.
Dreams are powerful tools! They are spiritual technology that can resist easy commodification. I’m excited to share part of my personal dream interpretation process in this post. I hope what you read can aid in introspection, self-reflection, and personal growth.
Recently, I reshared a personal essay, Slow Down: My Queer Spiritual Salvation. In it, I referred to a dream that I interpreted for myself a few years back. In this post, I want to share ways that you can start to find value and meaning in the dreams that you experience.
Though I got my start in esoteric arts as a tarot reader, I distinctly recall browsing new and used bookstores’ occult sections and thumbing through the dream dictionaries they had on hand when I was a child. A word would appear, and next to it, a potential meaning. This always fascinated me, how we could pull meaning from seemingly meaningless symbols and figures that appear when our eyes are closed and our conscious mind turned off.
I usually tell people, “Our waking dreams (think goals and aspirations) affect our sleeping ones. The dreams we have while sleeping may affect our waking experiences.”
An example of this might be having a nightmare involving people you know. This could cause you to be wary of individuals you experience in the physical world. Or you may be going to a place far away in your dreams, thus inspiring you to want to travel and explore more outside of what you usually experience. These are just a couple of examples.
I completed a poll on my social media, and much of the audience that seems tuned to my work already have dreams when they sleep. So, for this post, I’ll discuss starting to interpret our dreams. In future posts, I will share how you might invite or induce dreams if you don’t experience them frequently.
Before moving on, I want to stress that your dreams are deeply personal. Nobody should tell you definitively what your dreams mean. It’s always a conversation. Take what feels right and leave what doesn't. An interpreter like myself or any website or app you come across is a tool or guide. The most true-to-you answers come from yourself. Sometimes, you need time and perspective to truly understand the meaning.
Additionally, I want to share that I believe there are a variety of different dreams. I don’t interpret every dream as having some deep or insightful meaning. Some dreams I brush off as silly or mundane. Some do end up being personally prophetic. With practice and intention, I think we can positively use our dreams, and I hope this helps you get started.
Let’s Begin!
You’ve Just Woken Up From A Dream
If you’ve just woken up from a dream, my number one suggestion is to record it.
I don’t have any prescribed methods that are better than any other for this simple task.
You might do any of the following:
Keep a physical dream journal with pen and paper
Use a voice or video recorder to share what you experienced verbally, or do what I do;
Open up your phone notes app, write “dream” across the top, and then dive into typing everything you remember.
With any of these methods, record the time and date. If you want to go a step further, some notes on the phase of the moon or any other personal significance information you might track.
I usually record the moon's phase and the Vedic astrological sign that the moon is in. I’ve shifted to Vedic or Joytish astrological preferences as this system of astrology is aligned with how the sky currently sits astronomically in the sky. This could be its own blog post. I digress. You might have different preferences, and I’m not here to impose any specific practice.
Some people may be deterred from using their phones or having them near their bed for many reasons. Do what feels best for you at the time. I wouldn’t push for anything that seems uncomfortable or unnatural for you if you don’t have the capacity. I’ve done all three of the methods I’ve shared here, but I enjoy having a digital log for personal reasons.
You’ve Recorded Your Dream
Now that you have recorded your dream, we get to the fun part: analysis and the subsequent interpretation.
This phase has several parts. I’ll divide them into subsections: Questions, Symbols, and Alignments.
I should note that once you complete one subsection, it might prompt you to revisit another. You can do these in any order that makes sense. Revisit each section as needed to explore your dream's meaning further.
Questions
Here are a few questions I usually ask to make sure we have full clarity of the dream situation
After having the dream, how do you feel?
Consider what thoughts and emotions the dream brings up from the symbols, people, and places you’ve encountered and recorded.From the symbols, people, or places you’ve experienced in your dreams, what do they mean to you?
At this point, you might reflect on something you missed in your initial recording. This might be specifics such as the location of your dream, the people who showed up, or even the color of an item. This is a time for some deep reflection.What’s happening in your life right now that might be reflective of or triggering dreams you are experiencing?
Even if it’s not a 1:1 scenario from the dream world to the waking world, you might notice how something you’ve recorded reflects some experiences you’ve had in the physical world.
Symbols
Often, dreams' reoccurring symbols or strong imagery may have personal or collective meaning. After recording your dream and reflecting on the above questions, you can start to understand the symbols and see if there’s anything significant.
If you’re having trouble pinpointing a specific symbol's meaning, I suggest consulting online or physical resources that explain what that symbol may mean.
For me, that means a simple internet search. Usually, sites or books have a list of different potential meanings. You can pick the one that might make the most sense in your context based on your discernment, what feels right for you, and your dream experience.
Alignments
If you have any spiritual practices, ancestral relationships, or personal rituals you follow, consider how the dream might align with them. For example, I place a strong emphasis on the moon. I look to see what Vedic sign the moon might have been in while I was dreaming and what associations come with that.
Ex: The waning versus the waxing moor or an Aquarius moon versus a Leo moon. Other planetary alignments might come into play. I’ve been looking more at the Mayan calendar, which might have influenced the interpretations.
Each individual has different personal and cultural practices that may affect the interpretation.
Interpreting Your Dream
After reviewing the questions, analyzing the symbols, and reflecting on any alignment, I hope you will better understand what the dream you recorded means to you.
Sometimes, but not always, the outcome is that you need to take action in your waking life. Other times, the dream helps you reflect on and refine your thinking about specific experiences or situations that arise in your life. There are many potential outcomes, each specific to your context and dream.
If you’re still having trouble, I suggest speaking with another (I provide services under Dream Tarot), Discussing your dreams with friends you trust, saving them for further reflection, or trying out a website/app that assists with interpretations. I sometimes refer to Moonly.
You may record your interpretations alongside your initial dream recording or keep it tucked away mentally.
Other Dream Considerations
There is much to discuss regarding dreams—astral projection, lucid dreams, sleep paralysis, nightmares, prophetic dreams!
This post scratches the surface. I hope it gives a glimpse into how I interpret dreams and how you might start to interpret your dreams.
Interested In Receiving a Personal Dream Interpretation or Tarot Reading?
I provide 1:1 virtual services, pop up at markets, and offer services at events. My primary offering is Dream Tarot, a unique blend of tarot card reading and my dream interpretation process that helps you understand your sleeping dreams and get closer to the dreams you aspire to while awake.
You can follow my Instagram account to share your experiences or you may comment below.
Thank you for reading my post this far! When scheduling with me, you can use the code “dreamer2024” for a special 60% off discount.
Until then, Sweet dreams!
Peace,
Vic ✷ they/them
