DIY Dream Interpretation

I'll be posting a series of articles on how to interpret your own dreams.

The first tip I give everyone is to keep a dream journal, and to write every dream in it as soon as possible. This can be a physical notebook kept next to the bed, an online journal (keep it private), or a combination of the two. I keep an online dream journal, but also use a notebook for times I'm not near a computer.

When writing in the journal, first write the date and time, any background info or circumstances surrounding the dream. Then go into as much detail as you can about the dream itself. You may be thinking "how important can it possibly be that the desk was cracked along one edge?" Well, if you remember it after waking up, it's probably important.

The purpose of your effort will pay off after a few weeks. You'll begin to notice some patterns in your dreams (such as colors, dialog, pace, mood, or lack of any of these).

Finally, you'll begin to appreciate the difference between your significant and meaningful dreams, and the dreams that are just your brain doing some house cleaning. It will be different for each person, so it's hard to tell you how to do this.

Good luck, and happy dreaming!