Norman Dream Meanings

What is unknown; not defined by the intellect or conscious self; unconscious; depression; confusing, terrifying; secrets we hide from self or others; things we do under cover of dark­ness’; age; the womb, death.

The following dream depicts particular aspects of darkness. Example: ‘It was a festival in this strange world, in which everything had a rather dark, dilapidated look’ (Tom). Dark here is ancient, things dating from times past. This may refer to our sense of our own child­hood which feels like the ancient past, or to our unconscious knowledge of family and cultural attitudes and experience. In general the ‘strange’ world of the unconscious or sleep.

Example: ‘I was overwhelmed by terror, as if the very dark­ness of the tunnel was a living force of fear which entered and consumed me. I screamed and screamed, writhing in uncon­trollable fit-like contractions. Nevertheless a part of me was observing what was happening and was amazed, realising I had found something of great importance’ (Andrew P). Be­cause the dreamer explored this dream with me, I know the darkness was depicting fear Andrew experienced while a nine year old in hospital. He was given a rectal anaesthetic because he was about to have a nose operation. He fought and begged for the nurses to stop, but to no avail. This led to a very real feeling that humans were terrifyingly dangerous animals who would not respond even if you were on your knees begging. So trauma was the fear in the darkness. Darkness here is the unconscious area of experience.

Example: ‘I am back in time looking at an old cottage. I see the windows, walls and doors, everything about the place.

It is dark and old and warm. I see the curtains and bedrooms, all the ornaments and I feel safe and comfortable’ (Mrs R). Here dark is comfortable, perhaps because it is undemanding, one is not in any glare of attention or activity.

It is the relaxed quiet of evening. This woman has a relaxed relationship with her unconscious.

Example: ‘I met a woman I know in a long, dark under­ground tunnel. She was waiting for me. We had sexual inter­course. She had a very formed vagina mouth, and a very large clitoris, like a small penis. I masturbated this’ (Norman). Nor­man has no fear of the tunnel.

It is his secret desire and pleasure which he admits to no one, often not even to himself. Dark here is one’s secret self.

Dark water: emotions which are felt and powerful but have not been defined or their source understood. Dark colours: feelings emanating from unconscious sources; depressed or unhappy feelings. Idioms: a dark horse; in the dark; keep it dark.

See night under day and night. ... dark dream meaning

We all dream several dreams a night and it’s been suggested that we each have 100,000 dreams over the course of our lives. So you might be wondering why you can’t remember a single one. Medications, alcohol, too little sleep and anxiety about the content of our dreams can all block dream recall.

We’re most likely to remember the dreams closest to awakening, but with a little effort you can boost your dream recall. In fact the more attention you pay to your dreams, by thinking about them, writing them down, working with them, the more likely you are to remember them. Keeping a note pad and a pen beside your bed and recording your dreams immediately on waking is one of the best ways to help your dream recall.

Some dreams fade quickly from memory, so it is crucial you capture them as soon as you can. Immediately on waking, write down your dream or dreams —even if this is in the middle of the night; don’t brush your teeth first or leave it until your alarm clock goes off. If you do that, you’ll probably forget all about it and will lose a valuable dream. If you record your dreams in words, you create permanent reminders that you can use to help you figure out what they are trying to tell you.

Later in the day, transfer the information to a dream diary, specifically set aside for your dreams. In this diary include: the date of your dream, any people involved, the moods and feelings expressed, prominent colors, numbers, or shapes, the problems and conflicts encountered, prominent symbols or stories, information about the dream landscape, whether it was past, present or future and, finally, how the dream ended.

With practice, you will soon get the hang of remembering and writing down your dreams. Use this encyclopedia to help you unlock the meaning of your dream themes and symbols, but never forget that the best book you will ever read about dreams is the one you write yourself: your dream journal.

Programing your mind for dream recall

Some dreams are so vivid you can’t forget them but many are so fleeting they can vanish without a trace. One way to make sure you remember them is to talk to yourself in a positive way. Before going to sleep tell yourself that you will remember your dreams on waking. Try this visualization technique.

When you feel sleepy, turn off the lights and settle down in your favorite sleeping position. In a relaxed way, think about your dreams. Breathe in for a count of five, and out for a count of ten. Repeat this, and then breathe normally. Now imagine you have just woken in the morning and, as you slowly move back into consciousness, you reach for your pen and write down your dream. Bring your attention to the present again, and feel comfortable, warm and sleepy. Tell yourself that in the morning you will remember your dreams.... capturing your dreams: how to recall and record dream meaning