tried and tested method is to have a notebook and (working) pen or pencil beside the bed, but you might prefer to have a recording device. Remember, after all, that Keith Richards recorded “Satisfaction” in his sleep. Whatever means you decide to use, make sure they’re easily accessible and that you’re familiar with any technology. Dreams can be extraordinarily elusive and could easily escape by the time you’ve jabbed away at the paper with a succession of useless pens, or worked out which button to push.
REMIND YOURSELF OF WHAT YOU’RE DOING
It’s easy, befuddled with sleep, to forget what your aim is, especially if you’re trying the 90-minute alarm clock method. It’s all too simple to simply throw the clock across the room and continue snoozing. You might try placing a piece of card with the words “REMEMBER DREAM!” somewhere that you’ll see as soon as you wake up.
DON’T TRY TO ANALYZE ANYTHING
It’s more important that you get the details down without immediately worrying about the meaning of them. Let the dreams “be.” Let them breathe, live with them a little while before deconstructing them.
While you’re at it, you might want to consider using your dreams to solve problems.
You’ll see several examples dotted through this book about ingenious solutions that have been found in a dream, delivered to the dreamer as though on a silver platter. If you have any sort of conundrum, think of it several times during the day and then concentrate on it before you go beddy-byes. See what happens. By the way, you’re more likely to have pleasant dreams if you’re close to a pleasant scent, and vice versa.
A DISCLAIMER
Although the bulk of this book is an analysis of some of the features that might appear in your dreams, some of the freakiest dreams are simply beyond explanation, pure and simple. Don’t worry if this is the case with one of your dreams. Enjoy it, revel in it, have a laugh about it.
IN CONCLUSION
If you take all this into consideration and start to apply it, you’ll find that the more you remember your dreams, the easier it will get. It’s almost as though your subconscious mind, knowing that you’re extending the hand of friendship, starts to come out to play and communicate with you.
YOU MIGHT SEE PATTERNS EMERGING. YOU MIGHT DREAM OF AN INVENTION THAT MAKES YOU A MILLIONAIRE.
YOU MIGHT INVENT A PLOT THAT TURNS INTO A BEST-SELLING BOOK.
WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU’LL DEFINITELY HAVE FUN.
ENJOY YOUR FREAKY DREAMS!
“Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction.”
The Doorknob, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
There are many wonderful books full of dream symbols. Then there are also some real doozies. In general, a symbol represents itself. For example, let’s say that you dream about a lion. Then you have to ask yourself—what is a lion? A big shaggy animal with golden hair, pointy teeth, and sharp claws that comes from Africa? Is it the symbol for one of the astrological signs? Or is it an animal that represents courage, strength, fortitude, and ferocity? Then again, you might immediately think of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. The lion is, of course, all of these things and more. If you dream of a lion, then the meaning of the dream is dictated by what the lion means to you, personally, as well as the archetypal meaning of the symbol and the context in which it actually appears in the dream. It’s not always easy, but here at Freaky Dreams Central we like to apply the principle of Ockham’s Razor to just about everything. What is Ockham’s Razor? Aside from being a fabulous phrase to throw in at fancy dinner parties, Ockham’s Razor means that of all the possible explanations for everything under the sun, the simplest and most obvious one is generally the best.
A
ABBREVIATIONS
Inspect your dreams carefully. They are full of hidden messages. When you spot an abbreviation, see if there’s a possibility that it might stand for something. For example, the abbreviation could be the initials of a person. Roman numerals might constitute a date. XL could translate as the word “excel.” You get the idea.
ABYSS
This can indicate the depths of your subconscious mind—maybe you’re afraid of facing up to something that you know you have to deal with sooner rather than later. It could also mean that there’s a “plunge” to be taken, like some kind of a cosmic bungee jump. Bear in mind that scary stuff can also be incredibly exciting, so an abyss in a dream isn’t necessarily a bad omen.
ACCIDENT
If you dream that you’re involved in an accident, it’s likely that there is a situation in your life that you’re not happy with; perhaps a metaphorical “accident waiting to happen.” To dream that you’re the cause of an accident is a good example of the common anxiety dream. Look to see what you’re worried about in your waking life and make moves to change things. If you dream that someone in your life has been in an accident, it could mean that you are genuinely worried for that person or it could mean that it’s time for your relationship with them to come to an end. Only you can know which answer is likely to be correct.
ACORN
A new beginning, the germ of an idea, something that’s going to be BIG. Stick with it. You’re inspired!
ADULATION
It’s likely that you’ve done something that you’re very pleased with—a project at work, perhaps or a new idea or invention you’ve devised. Your dream of adulation confirms this. However, it’s also possible that the world is not giving you the encouragement you need and that your subconscious mind needs to make up for it while you’re asleep.
ADULTERY
If you dream about adultery, it’s all down to the context. If you’re committing adultery in your dream, it’s possible that your marriage is in need of some close scrutiny. Perhaps you’re bored and need to spice things up. If your partner is committing adultery in your dream, again your marriage could be in need of some close scrutiny because of boredom factors. Or perhaps you’re afraid that they might be hiding something—a lover, perhaps, but not necessarily.
ALARM CLOCK
Most of our dreams are, unfortunately, related to anxiety, and a dream about an alarm clock falls into this category. We set alarms when we want to be woken up; this could be physically or metaphorically. Clocks also indicate an obsession with time; maybe you feel you’re running out of the stuff or you’re trying to meet a deadline.
ALBATROSS
The definitive interpretation of the albatross’s symbolism is best summed up in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In this epic poem, he writes: “Instead of the cross, the albatross About my neck was hung.” Because of the mythology of the albatross as something that hinders you, this dream symbol is more than the sum of its realistic parts. Not just any old sea
