When we sleep, we do not rest and dream only. During sleep, our brain processes and reorganizes the information received during the day. Also, sleep improves memory, and its absence leads to severe impairment of cognitive functions. Even though scientists have been trying to unravel the dream meaning for a long time, there is still no consensus on this matter. However, all theories can be combined into two large groups, depending on their approach: scientific (psychological, neurological, etc.) and esoteric.
1. Scientific Approach
From a scientific point of view, dreams are considered our “return” to previous experiences. For example, if something happens to you in the morning, you will definitely mentally return to it during the day. Accordingly, it will affect your night’s sleep. In general, scientists have concluded that we see the following things at night more often:
- Exactly the events that happened during the day;
- The dream plot is largely related to what happened to you;
- The events of a dream remotely resemble what occurred in real life;
- The places you visited while you were awake;
- In a dream, you can experience the same emotions as during wakefulness, even if the plot does not repeat daytime events.
As you can see, most often, during sleep, our brain reproduces exactly or partially the experience we had during the day. Our dreams can perform several tasks. The brain removes unnecessary details that “take up space” in memory, fixing only the main essence. Dreams can also play a protective role. The experience thus experienced becomes less painful. It is also believed that we try to continue solving issues that bother us in real life in a dream. And this “unconscious” aspect esoteric approach supporters use.
2. Esoteric Approach
Dreams can be attributed to the mystical abilities of a person, considered part of life or mind games. While science studies the nature of sleep, and psychology looks for signs of mental diseases, magic and esotericism recommend listening to the prompts of dreams, as they allow you to look at yourself from a new angle. From this point of view, our brain goes into a particular state during sleep and begins to receive information that comes to us outside of consciousness and the actual physical world.
Those stories we see during sleep should be taken as insights that allow you to solve problems, know yourself deeper, and even predict future events. That is everything that is not available to our senses but is perceived exclusively at the level of intuition. Experienced esotericists practice the technology of lucid dreaming when you supposedly can “order” a plot for a dream and control what happens there. Although scientists question such technologies, they have no convincing refutations.
Interpretation of Dream Plots and Events
It is believed that behind certain images we see during sleep, there are very specific meanings that can be translated into real life. In practice, experts agree that each person is unique. When deciphering secret messages, you should consider the context of your life. No matter how you feel about dreams, you should not completely ignore the signals that your brain sends you, but rather try to do a little introspection.
