DREAM FAQ's: 12 Unique Questions & Answers [FAQ's] About Your Nightly Dreams

Top dream author Michaels answers important questions about nightly dreams that are not often asked.
NOW that anyone can interpret their nightly dreams after taking Michaels' Online Dream Course, she no longer analyzes personal dreams but is glad to answer General Questions.
ask a general dream question
Who is the best interpreter of your nightly dreams?
Because you know yourself best, YOU are the best person to analyze your nightly dreams which are about you, your feelings, goals, and daily life. The good news is that finding the meaning of nightly dreams is as easy as learning to drive a car. You look where the controls are, start the engine, steer and go as far and as fast as you choose. The same is true with dreams. As you use the basic, easy, free Dream Analysis HOW-TO's on my website, your confidence grows. The first dozen dreams you analyze may take a bit of thought and practice but as a blog post shows, you can do it on your own like I did for a handful of years OR check out an online Dream Interpretation Course in which I share everything I know. Be comfortable and confident as you analyze your nightly dreams at your own pace and in your own way. Like riding a bike or driving a car, there are a few rules of the road but it's easier than you think. ASK A QUESTION
Where do dream messages come from?
Messages in nightly dreams emerge from various sources such as the inner self, the mind, the unconscious, the soul, the superconscious, and even from the Great Beyond. THE PSYCHE. Most dream messages come from the part of the inner self that never sleeps which is the psyche, your inner manager, and is in touch with all your memories, thoughts and feelings. Like an inner best friend, the psyche gives feedback on what is on your mind. As the main bridge between sleep and awake states, the psyche sends visual emoji messages which pop up as nightly dreams in the in-box of the waking mind. Check out my Dream Interpretation Course Outline which covers the psyche in detail and explains how it creates dreams. THE SOUL. Many dream insights are initiated by the soul, especially when you actively seek truth. While awake, you may be the Captain of your ship of life but for those who believe in an eternity that is orchestrated by Divine Love, the soul is the ship's owner! As Captain, when you encounter a storm or lose your natural inner radar, the soul at times steps in with guidance transmitted through dreams. ANGELS AND SPIRIT GUIDES. For those of us who believe in guardian angels, at times an angel whispers in your ear as you sleep and may remember that whisper as dream inspiration or insight. Such dream-related connections to beings in higher realms tend to heal and inspire.THE DIVINE. On occasion, even the Divine Voice can pierce your sleeping awareness with a dream experience. At times the Almighty uses a dream to send you a special grace such as healing, guidance, or inspiration. Dreams that stem from Divine Love Itself is an amazing grace that can be an actual visit but which you remember as a dream. You know it is authentic because you experience an amazing grace beyond words, beyond explanation. You awake up filled and overpowered with grace, joy, and a peace that leaves you permanently changed. ASK A QUESTION
How does a dream reach the waking mind?
As a personal communication from your soul and inner self, a dream begins in the sleeping mind then jumps through several hoops to reach the awake mind. As you wake, the unconscious mind slowly edges closer to being awake… It takes several minutes and a few leaps to transport a dream to your waking self. As the dream hovers on the precipice, the waking you must accept and recognize that a dream is there, snatch it from the unconscious, then translate its visual emoji images into words. Most dreams arrive just as you are about to wake up [sleep stage on 1, which happens at the end of every ninety-minute sleep cycle]. To remember a dream, tread lightly as you wake up. Like a gentle deer that drinks peacefully at sunrise from a tranquil lake, a dream sits at the edge of your awareness. Watch quietly for a moment so it doesn't get startled and disappear then use free Interpret My Dream guide to see what it means. ASK A QUESTION
If I forget a dream, can I get it back?
A dream hovers precariously at the edge of your waking awareness and can be lost in a flash. If that happens, sometimes you can coax a dream back. Try the following. BE STILL. Sudden movements interfere with dream recall. Before you jump out of bed, take a minute to lie peacefully, get your bearings, and notice whether you remember a dream.WORK BACKWARDS. Even if you don’t remember a dream, as a recovery technique, notice how you feel and what's on your mind. A dream image or scene may pop up. If it does, savor what you remember in a relaxed way which you may let you remember more or bring back the entire dream. RECORD THE DREAM. Note the dream in a journal or electronic file then use free How To Interpret My Dream tool to find the meaning of your nightly dreams. ASK A QUESTION
What happens to the message if I don't remember a dream?
A forgotten dream often leaves leftovers that can hold all or part of the dream message. The 1-2 minute transition time from sleep to waking is called the Hypnopompic State [see blog post about pre-sleep hints] which holds creative ideas, thoughts, and solutions that rise up from your unconscious. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION. A dream is a direct communication from the inner self [my book, A Little Bit of Dreams explains how that works]. If you forget a dream, the unconscious can still leave the trail of a message such as a new idea, a fresh perspective, a solution to a problem, or a change in attitude. The dream disappears but its underlying flavor remains. FOR EXAMPLE, did you ever wake up with a song playing through your head? The melody or words may be a dream hangover that holds an indirect message. Think back to when you last heard the song and what was going on at the time. If you heard the song at a wedding and the tune made you happy, the message could relate to something good about a relationship. But if the song played when you broke up with an Ex, the melody or words can hint that a current relationship is in trouble [see Blog re: dreams of an Ex]. If you have no time for dreams or what they mean, pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that cross your mind as you wake up! ASK A QUESTION
ESP in nightly dreams—Can dreams reveal the future?
Many share dreams about the future which are called ESP Dreams [dreams that involve Extra Sensory Perception]. FAMILY FOLKLORE & DREAMS ABOUT THE FUTURE. My mom often shared an ESP dream at family gatherings. When her homeland was devastated by war, she and my dad fled and found safety in a refugee camp, where I was born. Initially there was no communication with those back home. One night my mom dreamed her younger sister was getting married but when she tried to attend, she could not pass through the door. Devastated, she woke up and recorded the day. When communication lines were restored, my mom received news that her sister had married exactly on the day and time of the dream as an ESP announcement about her dear sister's happy event. THE FUTURE IS BUILT ON THE PRESENT. One way to think about ESP in dreams is to notice that the future is made up of decisions you make today. Just like you can guess where a ball might land as it flies through the air at a sports event, the psyche [your inner manager] can at times guess where a decision you're making might land—based on circumstances, inclinations, and an occasional glimpse into superconscious horizons that hold info beyond your normal awareness. I share many examples in books and online dream interpretation courses. HOWEVER, some dreams about the future can't be explained from everyday circumstances; some arise from superconscious sources which psyche can access. Yet experience suggests many dreams about the future are the result of such a natural "best-guess" dynamic by the psyche. And at other times—are a true whisper from the Great Beyond. ASK A QUESTION
Does every dream mean something?
Yes. Even a single dream image holds a lot of meaning. FOR EXAMPLE, Tom had a dream about a large wooden wheel which at first seemed like nonsense. Then he remembered that as a boy, the farm on which he grew up had a large wooden wheel on the side of the barn and at age ten, after his mother died, he often sat there, to grieve. Tom realized the wheel image pointed to the current sudden loss of his brother. To push the pain way, he tried to keep busy, but the wheel reminded Tom that he needed to grieve. A one-image dream is rare but even a single image can pack a big punch when it connects to an intense, emotional memory—like a vibrant music chord that aligns a past and present experience. Find out more from my website and the easy, free Understand My Dream Meaning Tonight tools to interpret the meaning of your nightly dreams. ASK A QUESTION
Do dreams tell the truth?
YES. But first learn to correctly interpret your nightly dreams. Because most dreams are about you and your life, it can be easy to react and lose perspective on what a dream may mean. Finding the true message is easier when you step back. As you wake up from a dream it’s tempting to think that you can instantly see what it means, but first impressions can be misleading. Note your first impressions. Then put them aside and use the free HOW-TO DREAM INTERPRETATION TOOLS on my website to get the overall picture before you draw any conclusions. Your initial hunch may be correct. OR you may gain a new perspective and discover a different message that's even more on target than you anticipated. Even after years of working with my nightly dreams, I step back and use this method; I've learned that to look before I leap is the more accurate path. ASK A QUESTION
How do you know if a dream interpretation is on track?
HINTS ON HOW TO CHECK IF A NIGHTLY DREAM MESSAGE IS CORRECT: A PUZZLE IS SOLVED. Like a missing puzzle piece, when you find the correct meaning of a dream it feels as if something falls into place. A POSITIVE SHIFT. A dream that you correctly interpret brings a positive shift in feelings, perceptions, or attitude which creates a sense of peace and puts a smile on your face. AN 'AHA' EFFECT. When you get it right, there is often an "Aha!" effect that feels like a light bulb just turned on. You may feel energized or feel as if a weight has lifted from your shoulders.PRACTICE. If you’re new to dreams, jump in without fear and analyze a dozen dreams; it will give you confidence. Each nightly dream that you get right lets you notice more, the next time. Like the fun of solving mysteries or puzzles, each one gets easier and more interesting. Your own psyche [inner manager] will unveil how to understand dreams as a natural, shared, inner language. BIAS, PRECONCEPTIONS & STRONG FEELINGS. An incorrect dream interpretation can happen for several reasons. As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. If you get an Aha effect or the message feels right, you’re probably on the right track. Let’s look a closer look at bias and preconceptions as major factors that make us get it wrong. When the topic of a dream feels urgent, drastic, scary, or even terrifying, emotions can get in the way of finding the true message. It's important to step back and take a breath. One way is to find the Story Line as explained in my free How-To Interpret Nightly Dreams method which allows you to see the overall picture, first. ANOTHER HINT is to step back and pretend it's someone else's dream. What do would you see, what will you tell them? REMAIN OBJECTIVE. Note topics that stir strong emotions that can accidentally lead to bias. FOR EXAMPLE, if you just broke up with someone, every dream could feel like a message about getting back with your Ex. OR… if you lose a job, every dream can feel like a message about career and finances. Notice a bias and own it so it doesn't get you off-track. For example, Judy applied for a job and decided it was the only one she wanted; nothing else would do. She began to have nightly dreams of taking a trip but always missed the plane, train, or bus that would get her to her destination. Her dreams spoke of “a missed connection” or… “something does not go as planned” but because Judy desperately wanted that job, she convinced herself the message said, “Be ready to get on board and go forward.” A wishful thinking bias made her miss the point—namely—that she never reached her destination, which meant she would not get the job. That turned out to be true. Bias, stemming from high emotional stakes, happens to the best of us. To ensure you arrive at a correct interpretation of your nightly dreams, keep an eye out for bias, preconceptions, and wishful thinking. ASK A QUESTION
Can nightly dreams help with problem-solving?
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES OF SLEEP & DREAMING is to connect you to solutions for questions and problems that are on your mind—including scientific, medical, business, and creative questions. Problem-solving is the default stance of the sleeping mind; the psyche [your inner manager] communicates solutions back to you as a visual emoji because—as verified by research in psychology—the brain stores information as images so nightly solutions and insights need to be transmitted as images. Think of this problem-solving aspect of sleep and dreaming as a nighttime Google session. The psyche [inner manager] sifts your current and past knowledge and experiences related to a problem or question—including a dip into superconscious horizons which hold info beyond normal awareness, if needed—evaluates what it finds, and suggests solutions or useful directions. The missing pieces to receiving breakthrough information in dreams is not the dream—it's the dreamer who is not paying attention to the wealth of insight in their nightly dreams. ANYONE CAN HARNESS THE NATURAL PROBLEM-SOLVING POWER OF SLEEP. Whether the questions on your mind are personal or professional, you can use dreams to get solutions and critical insights. Try it yourself with the easy and free online What My Nightly Dreams Mean tools—OR my online Dream Interpretation Course that shares spectacular examples of scientists, writers, businessmen, sports figures and musicians who accidentally plugged into the problem-solving power of dreams. Unusual stories about dream insights are etched in history such as the dream that led to the modern sewing machine or how Paul McCartney of Beatles fame got the song “Yesterday” in a dream. HOWEVER… there is nothing unusual about what happens—it's how the mind works, using dreams to communicate. Ordinary people like you and me regularly receive breakthrough dream insights, here and now—BUT you have to pay attention to nightly dream messages, to notice. Check it out. Better yet, try it yourself. ASK A QUESTION
Why don't I remember my dreams?
Research in dream labs confirms that whether you remember your dreams or not, everyone has nightly dreams. You dream in ninety-minute cycles about four to six times a night. BUT… not everyone remembers their dreams which is the difference between dreaming and dream recall. The most common reason many do not remember nightly dreams is lack of interest in what their dreams mean. Other factors that can interfere with dream recall include some prescription drugs or sleep medications, anxiety, and lack of sleep. BUT… even if you do not remember nightly dreams, see my BLOG POST about leftover dream messages which explains how insight from the unconscious shows up in indirect, subliminal ways. Both direct dream messages and indirect leftovers are offered by the inner self as helpful guidance that can move your life forward. Watch for them. ASK A QUESTION
Should I look up nightly dreams and symbols in a dream dictionary?
YOU CAN, BUT... BEWARE. Many books and websites list dream meanings and symbols as if, like a dictionary, each symbol or dream has an exact, specific meaning. Except... Newsflash—it's not true. Most lists are written by someone who knows little if anything about dreams. Dream dictionary lists CANNOT explain what your dream or your symbol means. TO SEE WHAT YOUR DREAM REALLY MEANS use my easy to use free How-To Interpret Dreams tools [or any credible source] and trust yourself to interpret your own dreams as one-of-a-kind, personal communication. Work with your memories as suggested on my website [which are Freud and Jung's techniques] and become your own dream analyst. That's the best option. AN EXAMPLE OF HOW SYMBOLS & DREAMS CONNECT TO PERSONAL MEMORIES. To interpret a dream or dream symbol or metaphor, you have to relate the story, the metaphor, or the symbol to a personal experience that only you can know. FOR EXAMPLE, when you love your dog then dream about your pet, the message relates to the dog's traits and meaning to you, such as friendship, loyalty, and playfulness. But if someone was bitten by a dog then later dreams of one, their personal experience holds negative memories like danger, pain, and fear—which changes what a dog means in their dream to something negative. That's why a dream dictionary cannot tell you what your specific symbol or dream means; even the general suggestions in a dream dictionary list, politely stated—tend to be out-to-lunch. Be confident. Trust yourself to get it right. ASK A QUESTION