Steps in Dream Interpretation

C.G. Jung Discovered that the Dream is a Symbolic Story of Inner Life

1. We write down the dream.

2. We adopt a wondering stance. We notice the dream’s tone and feeling. Is there a problem in this dream? We might ask whether there is a turning point (a dramatic arc), a moment in the dream story when the mood or action takes a turn. Has the psyche brought a resolution?

3. We consider our personal associations. What does a rose mean to me? A warehouse? A trolley? The psyche usually brings images we can relate to, around which there is some dreamer experience that helps uncover meaning.

4. We amplify the dream images. We wonder, “Are there cultural associations with the dream figures or the dream action that might inform our understanding of the dream?” The psyche is attuned to the art and stories of the collective imagination.

5. We connect dream images to personal dynamics. If we could not tie the dream to specific events, feelings, or other dynamics in our lives, the dream would be pointless.

6. We interpret the dream. This ties the figures, the amplifications, and the inner dynamics together. We interpret after completing the steps above.

7. We perform rituals to make the dream concrete. Ritual is one of the faculties we have, like dreaming, that enables us to set up a flow of communication between the conscious mind and the unconscious.