Full disclosure: I am of the belief that the meaning of dream symbols is subjective. I don’t think that there’s a cut and paste definition of anything we see in our sleep that can be applied to everyone across the board. After all, we all have individualized associations and feelings about images, places and occurrences in our lives and thereby two people with the exact same dream could (and likely would) have completely unique reactions. Yes, psychics or psychologists can explain archetypes and symbology and even help us make connections between our dreams and our daily lives. However, in my humble opinion, each of us is our own best dream interpreter… though naturally, it takes a little training and skill. On that note, if you’re looking for a jumping off point for getting to know your subconscious that includes everything from getting Botox and going through IVF to driving a hybrid while sipping a Starbucks, then I Had the Strangest Dream by Kelly Sullivan Walden is the book for you.
While no one can teach you exactly what it means when you find yourself exchanging e-mails with Oprah when your iPhone freezes because it’s clogged with spam e-mails, Walden comes close. With a solid understanding of human psychology and a breadth of knowledge regarding what different things, people and places represent in the collective subconscious, she guides readers through almost anything you could think to dream about. From your laptop to reality TV, a lot of what she covers didn’t exist when more traditional dream books (say the compilation of Jung’s works known as The Red Book) came out – which in and of itself makes the book worth a spot in your library (or Kindle)!
Plus, it’s an easy read. Walden’s style is fun and breezy, so straightforward to understand that a total dream novice who never kept a journal by the bed in their life could walk away from it with a basic understanding of how to approach their nighttime journeys. Beyond just a reference format (wherein you look up what you’re curious about – and there’s over 3,000 terms), Walden provides a six-step guide to analyzing your dreams, complete with eight classic dream categories and characters, thus, mixing tradition with her of-the-moment approach. Master what you’re taught, and there’s no question that you’ll be better equipped to harness the messages of your dreams and use them to help you manifest your desires!
Of course, no book is a replacement for personal attention, so you may still want to consult someone – your favorite psychic, your closest friends – for guidance along the way. Unless, of course, that person is part of the dream in question. In that case (say you were posting naked pics on their Facebook page, and want to know what that means) conversation might just turn awkward!
So what are you waiting for, dream enthusiast? Grab a copy and get on the path to subconscious understanding. Good night… and good luck!
One thought on “I Had the Strangest Dream”
My roommate is an old friend of Kelly Sullivan Walden and when her book was published he bought them by the case load and gave them away to anyone who told him, “I had this really weird dream last night”. Naturally we have a copy handy on the bookshelf by the kitchen table. It is a wonderful general guide that also reminds the dreamer consistantly that they need to explore what that defination means on a deeper level to them and their personal experience. Once in a while I cannot find a symbol exactly like the one in my dream but I look up something similar and their it is, making perfect sense! I highly recommend Kelly’s book and also encourage all, as she does, to keep a dream journal that includes what the symbols meant to you and how you relate them and to the overall feeling of the dream. This book will help guide you to creating your own dictionary of meaning from experience. and you’ll likely use it for the rest of your life. Blessed Be.