Dream Interpretation Re-defined

White heart-shaped cloud, as a symbol for the spirituality.
Working with symbols is one of many keys to dream interpretation.

Dream interpretation works best when we know and understand the dreamer. However, since most dreams benefit us and those close to us, we must begin by understanding our dreams. With daily practice, we may also become proficient at dreaming for the welfare of others and the world. Committing to dream work and spiritual practices, we become skilled at determining whether our dreams are symbolic, telepathic, or pre-cognitive. Over time, dream expertise will steadily improve. Dream interpretation is a skill that anyone can learn.

If you are serious about working with your dreams, I recommend you read Services, Dreamwork and Intuition, which will teach you the steps necessary for clear dream recall. Also, see my Blog, Dreamwork: a Path to Wisdom, for an expanded introduction to dreamwork.

Please also contact me below if you want to join my online dream classes. Thanks.

The 3 Main Types of Dreams

A Boy feeding a huge giraffe. Dream interpretation requires understanding creative dreams such as this.
Dreams can be delightful.

Understanding and interpreting dreams correctly is crucial to unlocking their potential and harnessing their power for personal growth. In this context, I will provide a concise overview of the three major dream categories. For a more in-depth understanding, you can refer to the detailed descriptions in my other posts and service page.

Dreams come from the physical, mental (psychological), and spiritual levels. Most are psychological in nature and come from the subconscious. We also obtain dream guidance related to physical health and practical daily life. Since every cell in our body has consciousness, physical dreams relate to the conscious mind.

Spiritual dreams come from the superconscious.  One of the gifts of dream work is accessing the spiritual realm directly. Spiritual dreams are often vivid, powerful, and profoundly transformative. Unlike many dreams that fade from memory quickly upon awakening, spiritual dreams usually remain with us for a long time.

As conscious beings, we have the privilege of accessing all these realms when we recall, record, and strive to understand our dreams. The more adept we become at this, the more we can conquer our fears. Our dreams serve as a compass, guiding us in all aspects of our lives, offering insights into our soul’s higher purpose and the alignment of our spiritual ideals with our daily actions. 

“It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it” –John Steinbeck

12 Steps to Dream Interpretation

Girl asleep on tree branch with book over her face.
Dreaming makes us whole.

1. Prepare for sleep with a spiritual practice, such as meditation, prayer, inspirational music, or literature.

2. Write in your dream journal. Review the day’s events and process your thoughts and feelings. Release emotions if needed. Clear your psyche for guidance from your Higher Self or the Divine.

3. Make an intention to remember and record your dreams upon awakening or ask for a dream related to a specific life issue. Please see my dream page regarding the 12 steps to remembering dreams HERE.

4. Record your dreams. Quietly reflect upon the dream.

5. Ask yourself what emotions you felt in the dream and what you felt upon awakening. Re-experience any emotions. What do they relate to in your waking life? This is an essential key to dream interpretation and understanding the dream.

6. Identify the type of dream. Is it related to the physical, mental, psychological, or spiritual dimension?

Boy taking photo of huge white dog, another creative dream image.
Dream symbols can be very creative.

7. Use intuition to explore the meaning of the dream. This is an important step in dream interpretation, and it often occurs naturally upon awakening or during reflection.

8. Identify the setting. The setting offers clues to what part of your life is being addressed.

9. State the basic theme. Each dream section may have a theme. For example, someone may be afraid but still confronts danger with courage. Working with themes often triggers an intuitive understanding of the dream message.

10.  Review the symbols. There are many available dream dictionaries. For the best online one, see The Edgar Cayce Dream Dictionary. For excellent dream dictionary books, see  Resources, Dreams and Intuition. Dream dictionaries are meant to trigger your intuition. However, learning about universal or archetypal symbols is very useful. For example, dreaming of the ocean (an archetypal symbol) could relate to your unconscious or spiritual life. But if you are a sailor, it may sometimes represent a personal symbol for you.

11. Share your dream with someone you trust. Rather than expecting someone to do a dream interpretation, a respectful response to a shared dream would be: “If it were my dream…”

12. Apply the dream guidance in your life. This step will bring the most spiritual growth. Be grateful for the counsel and the courage to act on it.

Dream Interpretation: the Importance of Reviewing Our Dream Journals

Glass vase with pink flowers and dream journal. Writing our dreams in a journal is the first step of dream interpretation.
A dream jounal is your best friend.

When you are skilled in remembering and recording your dreams regularly, reviewing your dream journals and reflecting upon the guidance given is essential. You can then consider the recurring dream symbols and the dream changes that reflect your growth.

Additionally, many of our dreams are pre-cognitive. Practicing gratitude and applying guidance in our daily lives is very important for our psycho-spiritual development. The more we do this, the clearer the messages are given to us.

We also enhance our innate intuition by exercising it in this way daily. We can access all wisdom from within because of our spiritual nature. This is why it is said that we are all naturally born psychics.

I would feel honored to hear your dreams and help you with dream interpretation and processing. I look forward to supporting you on your path.  Remember, this is only one of my services, and may not be your chief concern. However, I am here to support you in any way that I can. To contact me, see below. Thanks!

Ready to book a consult? I’d love to hear from you. Contact me HERE for your free consultation. Thanks.

Iris Healing Arts
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