Theresa Cheung - The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams - The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams

the ultimate A-Z to interpret the secrets of your dreams

Cover Page

Title Page The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams Theresa Cheung the ultimate A-Z to interpret the secrets of your dreams

PREFACE PREFACE ‘What if you slept, and what if in your sleep you dreamed, and what if in your dream you went to heaven and there plucked a strange and beautiful flower, and what if when you awoke you had the flower in your hand? Ah, what then?’ Samuel Taylor Coleridge A dream can sometimes feel incredibly real—as if the sensations experienced are actually happening—but then as we wake up to everyday reality we cannot make sense of anything and wonder what it all meant. Most dream analysts believe that dreams are not meaningless but littered with messages from our unconscious. They are inner communications that, if heeded, have the potential to set us on the road to a richer, more fulfilling path in waking life. Sadly, many of us forget our dreams upon waking and this is a great loss. According to the Talmud: ‘A dream which is not interpreted is like a letter which is not read.’ If we are to remember, understand and work with the messages from our unconscious minds, we first need to learn how to interpret them. The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams is an illuminating and comprehensive exploration of the symbols that appear in our dreamscape, and a rich source of information to help you unlock the messages, possibilities, richness and wisdom of your dream world. Use it to find out the fascinating things your dreams are trying to tell you!

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK HOW TO USE THIS BOOK T he Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams is arranged in three parts: the Introduction, the main section covering the Dreams themselves, and the Dream Directory. The Introduction discusses the hows, whats and whys of sleep and dreams, the complexities of dream interpretation and what you need to know about unlocking the meaning of your dreams. The Dreams is the main section of the book. Dream messages can be difficult to decipher until you have learned their secret language; this section will give you the key to your unconscious mind’s wealth. The entries are arranged in sixty thematic chapters, beginning with ACCIDENTS, ACTION AND ADVENTURES and finishing with WEATHER, and cover approximately 20,000 different dreams. Each chapter begins with a short introduction that talks about the kind of dreams covered in the section. The dream entries that follow are arranged in thematic order and you’ll also find cross references to relevant dream entries elsewhere in the book. Some chapters also contain an ‘A to Z’ of relevant dream objects and situations. You can dip into this massive resource to gain insight into a specific dream you may have had; for example, if you dreamt about a horse you can look for it in the chapter devoted to the theme of animals. Here you will be able to read about specific horse dreams, but at the same time you can cast your eye on entries covering similar or related animal topics which may throw light on your particular dream. For ease of reference you may prefer to first turn to part three of the book: The Dream Directory. This lists every dream entry in the book in alphabetical order, so it is simple to look up specific dreams; it also functions as a cross-reference to other relevant entries.

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION ‘I dream, therefore I exist.’ J. August Strindberg Dreams. They tantalize us with their mystery. What are they? Why do we have them? Where do they come from? What do they mean? Are they a preview of things to come or glimpses of the past? Are they a vital link to our inner world; a gift from our intuition? Can dreams lead us to important insights in our waking life, and help us decide which action to take and which path to follow?

THE DREAMS THE DREAMS

ACCIDENTS, ACTION AND ADVENTURES

AMBITION AND SUCCESS

ANIMALS

ARCHETYPES

ARTS AND CRAFTS

BAD DEEDS

BIRDS

BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD

BODY

BUILDINGS

CHANGE AND CONFLICT

CLOTHES AND IMAGE

COLORS

CRYSTALS, GEMSTONES AND ROCKS

DISASTERS

ELEMENTS

EVERYDAY THINGS

FAMILY

FAMOUS PEOPLE

FLOWERS

FOOD AND DRINK

FOREIGN COUNTRIES

GATHERINGS

GOOD DEEDS

HOME

INSECTS AND ARACHNIDS

LEISURE

LETTERS AND COMMUNICATION

LOSS AND FRUSTRATION

MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

MONEY AND SHOPPING

NATURE AND THE SEASONS

NEGATIVE EMOTIONS

NIGHTMARES

NUMBERS

PEOPLE

PETS

PLACES

POSITIVE EMOTIONS

PUZZLES, MYSTERIES AND DIFFICULTIES

RELATIONSHIPS

RELIGION

REPTILES, FISH AND AMPHIBIANS

SCHOOL AND WORK

SENSES

SEX

SHAPES

SICKNESS AND HEALTH

SOUNDS

SPACE AND SCIENCE

SPIRITS AND GHOSTS

STAGES OF LIFE

SURREALISM AND FANTASY

SYMBOLS

TIME

TRAVEL

TREES

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT

WEATHER

Index

Acknowledgments

Copyright

About the Publisher

‘What if you slept, and what if in your sleep you dreamed, and what if in your dream you went to heaven and there plucked a strange and beautiful flower, and what if when you awoke you had the flower in your hand? Ah, what then?’

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

A dream can sometimes feel incredibly real—as if the sensations experienced are actually happening—but then as we wake up to everyday reality we cannot make sense of anything and wonder what it all meant.

Most dream analysts believe that dreams are not meaningless but littered with messages from our unconscious. They are inner communications that, if heeded, have the potential to set us on the road to a richer, more fulfilling path in waking life. Sadly, many of us forget our dreams upon waking and this is a great loss. According to the Talmud: ‘A dream which is not interpreted is like a letter which is not read.’

If we are to remember, understand and work with the messages from our unconscious minds, we first need to learn how to interpret them. The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams is an illuminating and comprehensive exploration of the symbols that appear in our dreamscape, and a rich source of information to help you unlock the messages, possibilities, richness and wisdom of your dream world. Use it to find out the fascinating things your dreams are trying to tell you!

T he Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams is arranged in three parts: the Introduction, the main section covering the Dreams themselves, and the Dream Directory.

The Introduction discusses the hows, whats and whys of sleep and dreams, the complexities of dream interpretation and what you need to know about unlocking the meaning of your dreams.

The Dreams is the main section of the book. Dream messages can be difficult to decipher until you have learned their secret language; this section will give you the key to your unconscious mind’s wealth. The entries are arranged in sixty thematic chapters, beginning with ACCIDENTS, ACTION AND ADVENTURES and finishing with WEATHER, and cover approximately 20,000 different dreams. Each chapter begins with a short introduction that talks about the kind of dreams covered in the section. The dream entries that follow are arranged in thematic order and you’ll also find cross references to relevant dream entries elsewhere in the book. Some chapters also contain an ‘A to Z’ of relevant dream objects and situations. You can dip into this massive resource to gain insight into a specific dream you may have had; for example, if you dreamt about a horse you can look for it in the chapter devoted to the theme of animals. Here you will be able to read about specific horse dreams, but at the same time you can cast your eye on entries covering similar or related animal topics which may throw light on your particular dream.