Dream FAQs

✧ Why are my dreams so bizarre?

Dreams have a language all it own. When we sleep, parts of our brain are actually still awake and functioning, while others are asleep. The executive function, or the part that allows us to make rational decisions is not available, meanwhile the amygdala or primitive part of our brain is still working. The part that helps us see visual is also still functioning. What happens is a creation of images that speak to us in symbols and metaphors, as well as us not being able to think clearly about what to do in situations. That’s why we dream of things like scary people chasing us or your cat driving the car. With dreamwork, you can uncover the game of scraids your mind is playing and find messages and meaning for your life. Sometimes food or medications can also cause strange or vivid dreams.

✧ Why do I keep having the same dream over and over?

It’s likely that there is something in your waking life that is triggering this dream to recur. This trigger suggests that something is unresolved in your mind and body, and that you are still working through this past experience. Dreamwork can help you uncover exactly what the trigger(s) may be and help you resolve the issue.

✧ How can I know what my dream means?

Some dreams come through more clearly and literally than others. Often, your dreams will show up in outrageous visuals that may seem silly or ridiculous, but are actually designed to get our attention in a game of “scraids” trying to communicate a message to you. Your dream is often elusive and mysterious in that way, which is why it’s very helpful to work with a dreamworker and/or dream group to learn its lesson.

A dreamworker can help you explore your dream, and find the deeper meaning your dreams have for you. Your dreams come to you to serve you in health and wholeness of self.

As a last resort, turn to a dream dictionary and see if any of the symbols resonate with you

✧ Some of my dreams are scary. I just want them to go away.

Yes, some dreams are so intense, vivid and realistic, they are more like nightmares. You just want them to go away. Yet, the very reason you may be having nightmares is because your deeper mind is trying to communicate something urgent – even dire – that your conscious mind needs to attend to. Very often, these nightmares are health-related, but may also be connected to the relationships in your life.

✧ Should I pay attention to my dreams?

Yes, and yes! Think about it. You spend 1/3 of your life asleep. Imagine if you had access to what’s going on in your deeper mind…you could discover your next big idea, diagnose your own mysterious illness, figure out why you can never please your boss, or even finally bring closure to a relationship. The possibilities are ever-present and endless.

✧ I don't usually remember my dreams. How can I improve my recall?

Upon waking, it’s so easy to let a dream slip away from our mind. The minute we sit up, it can be lost. There are many simple ways to improve your recall. Keep a dream journal or recorder by your bed so you can jot a few notes down, even in a groggy state. You will be much more likely to recall the entire dream with detail if you record it.

✧ Will I lose sleep if I start paying attention to my dreams?

No! Although it might sometimes feel like paying attention to your dreams (especially scary ones) makes you lose sleep, the reality is that dreams don’t actually affect your sleep structure. You’ll continue to follow your normal sleeping patterns, such as the different stages of sleep.

However you might notice that if you feel stress or anxiety during your waking hours, it usually translates into restless sleeping and dreaming patterns. So working on your dreams is a great way to improve the quality of your sleep!

✧ How can I tell if a dream I had will predict the future?

There are indeed several cases where prophetic dreams have come true! Because your dreaming mind can gather, collate and formulate your thoughts and information much more effectively than your conscious mind, it’s possible that your dreams show you a future that’s in the forming.

Prophetic dreams, or precognitive dreams are dreams where you can see the future. However, it’s difficult to confirm that your dreams will come true, since we only hear about the success stories. Keeping a record of your dreams, especially those that seem important, can be a great way to start working with your dreams.

✧ I have sleep apnea. Is that why I don’t remember my dreams?

Sleeping and dreaming are always intertwined, and so if you’re suffering from sleep apnea, it could be affecting your dreams in a few different ways. For one thing, your sleeping patterns are fragmented or disturbed, so you’re dreaming less. You probably still have dreams, but fewer than if you had normal sleeping patterns.

A second impact is that sleep apnea patients remember fewer of their dreams, compared to those who don’t suffer from it. If your condition is affecting your REM cycle, then it’s also affecting your dreams, because dreaming occurs during REM sleep, or Rapid Eye Movement sleep.

A third consequence of sleep apnea is that your dreams can be more disturbing than normal sleepers. One reason is that the suffering you experience because of sleep apnea is transposed into your dreams, causing your dreams to feel more disturbing.

If you are suffering from sleep apnea, consider getting treatment for it before you start working with your dreams.

✧ Are lucid dreams real?

Lucid dreaming is an experience where you’re consciously aware of being in a dream as it is occurring! Many lucid dreamers also develop the skill of controlling their dreams consciously.

Whether you think the skill of lucid dreaming is real or not, the fact remains that it has been used for thousands of years by ancient shamans and seers, as well as many modern lucid dreamers in the present day. Many lucid dreams and experiments have been historically and scientifically recorded.

If you have had out-of-body or time-travelling experiences where you maybe visiting other dimensions or astral realms, then you may be having lucid dreams!

✧ Can I control my dreams?

Complete control of your dreams is not known to be possible, however many lucid dreamers are aware of being in a dream and can affect the experiences of their dreams as they unfold.

You can influence your own dreams by giving yourself pre-sleep suggestions before going to sleep. Whether you can control your dreams or not, you can learn to enjoy your dreams, learn to interpret them, and work with them.

✧ How can I dream more?

Not everyone dreams equally. There are many factors that affect your dreams, including how long you sleep, the quality of your sleep, your stress and anxiety levels, any sleeping disorders, the food you eat, the amount of alcohol you drink, etc.

Therefore, improving your sleeping habits is the first best thing you can do to dream more and better! Try to get at least 8 or 9 hours of sleep every night. Eating well, and eating foods that can enhance your serotonin and melatonin levels, will influence your sleep-wake cycles in a positive way. Exercising regularly can also help you sleep better, and therefore dream more!

✧ What is Deja Vu? Is that the same as a dream?

Deja Vu refers to a feeling of been-there-before, even though it’s the first time you’re visiting a place. Or a feeling of done-this-before, even if it’s something you’re experiencing for the first time. The words Deja Vu is French for “already seen.”

There is a possibility that this feeling of familiarity occurs because you’ve already visited that place, or experienced that event, in a dream before. When we dream of people, places or events, but forget them in the morning, our subconscious mind stores up those bits of memories. When we re-encounter them in real life, we tend to have a feeling of recognition toward them.

✧ If I die in a dream, what does it mean?

As scary as dying in a dream can be, it’s actually more indicative of your own big life changes that may be happening in your life. Whether you’re dreaming of your own death, or of a loved one, dying in a dream symbolizes an inner transformation, or a significant change or discovery. Dying in a dream is a metaphorical equivalent of the death of an old belief or behavior, or even an old phase of life, because you’re awakening to a new wisdom within yourself. Sometimes death in a dream can also be symbolic of a wake-up call for you to make changes that you’ve been putting off.

✧ What are the benefits of sharing my dream with others?

Dreams are highly meaningful and informational for the person who’s dreaming them. When you speak about them in waking life, sometimes they don’t make sense to other people because the emotions, events and information are all garbled up together in a dream, leading to confusion or even anxiety when you try to interpret them or parse them out.

However, when you share your dreams with people who can help you make sense of them, and find meaning to help you in your waking life, it can be an enormously valuable experience.

If you have a powerful or recurring dream that you’re struggling to make sense of, reach out to me, and I can help you break through it!