The following is an outline/summary of Mark Thurston's book
How to Interpret Your Dreams: Practical Techniques Based on the Edgar Cayce Approach.
Outlined by Cindi.
Chapter 1--The Levels of Mind: How Do Dreams Happen?
* Mind Is the Builder
The spirit is the life, mind is the builder, and the physical is the result. Cayce says there is only one fundamental energy or force in the universe, and it is a spiritual life force. The mind is the creative (or building) function within us. What we experience in the physical or material realm of life is the result of what we have created or built mentally.
* Levels of the Unconscious Mind
Cayce describes a subconscious mind, which includes the personal unconscious, plus a variety of levels beyond that, which are characterized as universal. In this case, universal does not mean omniscient, but accessible to all persons. Beyond the subconscious mind is the superconscious mind, which is the Divine Mind within us all.
* Types of Forces Producing Dreams
1) Mental forces are related to what the conscious mind has been dwelling on in daily life.
2) Subconscious forces are thought-energy creations we have personally built that have a given purpose or directionality. Generally they are forgotten or repressed.
3) Spiritual forces are related to the superconscious mind. They are patterning forces which, for the most part, exist as a potentiality within us, and are an influence or impetus toward the realization of that potential. They show up in our dreams, especially as direct guidance or warnings.
* Dream Definitions
1) A dream is an actual experience or activity of the soul.
2) A dream usually is a description of the conditions that exist in or among the levels of our being.
3) A dream can give an insight into God’s law or His working in our lives.
4) A dream can present a lesson to be applied.
5) A dream can provide a solution to a problem.
6) A dream can be an attunement to likely future circumstances.
* Categories of Dreams
1) Physically produced dreams simply reflect conditions in the body, especially conditions related to imbalances in assimilation. Nightmare are of this variety.
2) Elements of the conscious personality are the mental forces of an individual. Our concerns of the day are weighed, or a solution is presented. This can also include telepathic dreams.
3) The mind of the soul can produce dreams which introduce an understanding or awareness beyond that which we have had through the waking personality–a sense of discovery, the unveiling of a truth or lesson. This category of dreams are primarily of the subconscious and spiritual forces.
Chapter 2--Cooperating with the Unconscious Mind
a. Cooperation between the unconscious and the conscious selves takes place as the unconscious mind considers the needs of the conscious self and makes the “effort” to produce a dream.
b. From the spiritual perspective, cooperation takes place as the spiritual forces express themselves in a dream, providing guidance and understanding to the conscious self.
* How to Remember Dreams?
We may meet with resistance from our habit patterns. However, we can be assured that once we start interpreting our dreams, we are going to discover suggestions from the unconscious–quite strong and pointed suggestions–to make life style changes.
(See suggestions pp. 24-29.)
Chapter 3--The Basics of Dream Interpretation
Dream interpretation is far more than just the translation of symbols. The message or lesson of a dream, depicted in symbols, must maintain its living, meaningful nature. The real interpretation comes in applying the dream in daily life.
Two Key Factors to Consider:
1. The dreamer and his responses and feelings in the dream.
2. The dream and the events and symbols.
Interpretation of a particular dream should not limit itself to just one of these factors, nor should these two be confused. We must be alert to possible multiple meanings as we work with the symbols of a dream.
Chapter 4--Knowing Ourselves Through Dreams
This chapter explores two techniques for interpreting a dream. Both are primarily based on the concept of knowing ourselves.
A. Gestalt Techniques: (pg. 54)
The Gestalt technique is to role play the given symbols and characters of a dream, whereby the dreamer may find more meaning than appears on the surface. If deeply pursued, the Gestalt technique moves well beyond simply working with a dream into a profound kind of psychotherapy.
1. Relate the dream in the present tense. (I am walking alone on the beach.)
2. Select the key symbols or objects of the dream. Choose one symbol. Then ask 3 questions:
a. How would you describe yourself? Make an initial identification with the character or object. (I am a piano, a rather large one, and black in color.)
b. How do you feel (as that object)? The dreamer now moves from an intellectual function to the emotional content of the symbol.
c. What do you want (as that object)? Many symbols represent an unfulfilled part of the self.
d. What might you say to the other key symbols in the dream?
B. The Thematic approach: (pg. 62)
By examining a dream as a whole, rather than in parts through its symbols, we can identify the significant patterns or processes that make up waking life.
1. Make sure you have a workable dream, not a fragment. If it is long, consider working with it in parts.
2. Identify the key action words. The theme is concerned with the movement and interaction of the dream events.
3. Do something with the nouns which are linked to those actions. Generalize them. (Someone is running away.) Frequently only 4 or 5 words can unlock the meaning of the dream.
Chapter 5--Ideals in our Dreams
Ideals play a role in the formation of dream experiences. Not only does the perfect Ideal within us provide an impetus to experience inner worlds, but the Ideal and our conscious ideals interact in the creation of a dream experience. Cayce suggest that our capacity to recall a dream is closely tied to our attunement with the Ideal.
Applying ideals to dream interpretation:
1. Our highest ideals are sometimes directly depicted in the images or overall quality of the dream. They come as reminders.
2. A second method calls on us to evaluate and compare ideals, through (a) alternative ideals illustrated in the dream, or (b) between an ideal depicted in the dream and the spiritual, mental, or physical ideals we have consciously chosen.
3. Set ideals in regard to the characters and circumstances in the dream. A dream is often trying to call our attention to something we have ignored or misunderstood.
Chapter 6--Fellowship: Our Social Life at Night
Cayce recognizes the possibility that dreams can be a channel for interpersonal communication.
a. Dreams can allow us to better our associations with others.
b. The nature of mind is such that all subconscious minds are in contact with each other.
c. A variety of possible types of dream communication–or telepathy–are available.
The law governing this process states that valid contact with another soul through dreams is determined largely by purposefulness. We must not assume that we are experiencing dream telepathy every time we dream of a person. For each dream ask these questions:
1. Are both the characters and content of this dream literal?
2. Are the characters of this dream literal, but the content symbolic?
3. Should I be seeing things in daily life from this dream character’s perspective?
4. Is this a dream I am having for someone else?
5. Am I being treated by persons in the dream the way I treat them in waking life?
You may be able to answer Yes to several of the five questions and find another interpretations that treats the dream characters in a more symbolic way. In order for our dreams to be helpful to us, we must be willing to act upon the insights derived from these special dreams of fellowship.
Chapter 7--Patience and the Dimensions of Dreaming
Cayce’s theory of the dimensions of human experience is helpful to our understanding, not only of material life, but of our dreams as well. The three primary dimensions or measurements of time, space, and patience are complemented by a fourth dimension of ideas, or thought itself. The fourth dimension includes dreams.
From one perspective, we can say that our work in the earth as souls is to master the third dimension: the quality of our responses to life situations. In learning to manifest the most loving types of response, we also master the dimensions of time and space.
Dreams can be viewed as fourth-dimensional experiences–journeys into the world of thought forms. They can be valuable in our attempt to achieve mastery of the third dimension.
1. A dream can awaken a particular response pattern needed in waking life.
2. It can permit us a rehearsal experience with a response we already know is best.
Chapter 8--In His Presence: Dreams of Divine Inspiration
Dreams can be a way of discovering the reality of God’s promise that we can know Him directly. This type of dream is likely to require preparation on our part. We should have a sense of giving of ourselves, rather than getting something. Dreams in which we directly contact His presence may come in a variety of forms:
1. A voice that seems to come from God.
2. Some symbolic representation of God (such as a light or some human form).
3. The image of a spiritual master (such as the Christ).
To realize the potential of such a dream, we must maintain the attunement to and companionship of His presence, despite distractions in the dream that might lead us elsewhere. His presence may also be felt in one’s dreams, even though it is not recognized immediately nor remembered. An influence of harmony and reconciliation in a dream can be viewed as the intervention of the Christ Spirit in one’s consciousness.
Keep in mind that we should not judge our own spiritual growth by how often God or the Christ seems to be appearing in our dreams.
Chapter 9--Oneness of All Force: The Psychic Element of Dreaming
The principle of oneness gives us the key to understanding how a psychic dream can happen. All life is interrelated–oneness of all force; oneness of minds; oneness of body, mind and soul. This principle can be applied: to time to produce precognition; to space to produce clairvoyance; and to the oneness of all minds to produce telepathy. What is the best source of psychic information? Cayce suggests that it is the individual himself, through an attunement to the superconscious. We should not assume that all of our dreams are best interpreted as precognition, clairvoyance, or telepathy.
Two of the most significant factors in psychic dreams are (1) the concerns we consciously entertain, and (2) the degree of our love and purposefulness toward that concern.
Recognizing a psychic dream:
A three-step process for finding dreams which make use of the law of oneness (use it in conjunction with other dream interpretation approaches).
1. If this dream were telepathic, what might it be telling me about the dream characters? If this were a warning dream, what might it be warning me of?
2. If this dream were influenced by ESP, how would I apply it in a way that corresponds to my ideal?
3. Apply the response determined in step two and observe the results. Some people have found that a valid ESP dream almost always includes a particular quality: a specific person, a certain feeling upon awakening, a distinct type of story line, etc.
Chapter 10--The Opportunity in Dreaming
There are at least three distinct perspectives of patience, and they constitute a growth sequence. Each step along that sequence represents greater understanding of the meaning and purpose of our experiences in time and space.
a) The initial development in patience is to work on your feelings and attitudes as you go through the action of waiting, or any other life experience.
b) The second stage can be called acceptance. In this case our attitudes and feelings are not necessarily constructive, but at least we have turned off the resentment or irritation.
c) A third stage is thankfulness for the situation. He can see the current conditions as an opportunity to express his ideals. Another way of understanding opportunity is that things happen to us because they provide the chance for the event to stimulate something in us.
We might begin to see that karmic situations happen to us, not because God is punishing us, but because out of God’s grace we are given the opportunity to react differently and break an old cycle of cause-and-effect.
Opportunities in dreams:
1. A dream can be an opportunity to directly awaken something within us–the awakening to a lesson. What is the attitude which this dream gives me the opportunity to awaken? What is the feeling which the dream gives me the opportunity to experience?
2. A dream can be the opportunity to discover a talent, latent within us are abilities which we have denied or simply never knew were there. We can expand our self-concept.
Chapter 11--Day and Night: Balance Through Compensation
Knowing the essential oneness of all force, we can understand the seeming opposites of life to be polarities. The masculine and feminine influences within us are not irreconcilable opposites, but rather aspects of a fundamental wholeness and spiritual growth–One Force. For this to happen, there are several requirements facilitated by dream study. Dreams can teach us two of the required elements: a perspective of oneness and a recognition of ideals. In addition, they can help us toward a more balanced contribution from each of the polar opposites. When this balanced condition exists, one is more likely to stay on track in growth toward an ideal. This balance can be achieved through a compensatory dream. By awakening the opposite of an extreme which is being lived in the waking state, the dream serves two purposes: a) It is doing an actual work of balancing. b) If we interpret the dream, it gives us applicable guidance to be expressing greater moderation and balance.
Interpreting compensatory dreams:
1. Does this dream depict an extreme–of attitude, feeling, or action?
2. If yes, then ask: What is the opposite extreme?
3. Am I living this opposite extreme in my daily life?
If the final answer is Yes, then this is likely a dream of compensation, suggesting the need for greater balance between the two extreme poles. The actual interpretation of such a dream will be to express in daily life a greater degree of moderation.
Chapter 12--Desire: The Building Blocks of Dreams
Our work, to attune our desires to our ideals, can be greatly facilitated through dream study and application. What we see in the events of our dreams are largely our own thought forms. Just as the physical body is a collection of energy at the material level, the mental body can be understood as a collection of the mental patterns that have been built by an individual. Similarly, we might think of the spiritual body as a collection of the potentialities of the soul. Our mental activities in daily life create the images that will be used in our dream life. Desires–as the activating influence of our mental patterns–can therefore be seen as a major contribution to the dream-creation process. They can constitute the building blocks of our dream experience.
Three types of desire:
a) Repeatability. We have had an experience before and want to have it again. We must distinguish between biological need and a desire. Although the affirmation “I already have that experience within me” may not keep us from ever again following that desire pattern, it may serve to bring a better balance and more use of the will to decide when the desire will be followed.
Fear dreams: (a subset of repeatability.)
Fear can be a building block of our dream experiences. If we look deeper, we can see at its root there is a type of desire: to hold on to present conditions. Those conditions may be exterior or conditions of our self-concept. A fear of death might be a desire to hang on to the notion of oneself as a physical body. Fear is often the desire for repeatability. Some dreams directly stimulate fear. It can identify a warning.
Interpreting the dream as fear:
Does this dream bring me an experience which I consciously fear?
b) Incompleteness. It is a matter of wanting something we have missed out on, and if we have it, we believe our lives will happier in some way. (Travel to a foreign country, finding a spouse.) When we realize this, we may see alternative means of fulfilling that need. (Giving love or encouragement to others will likely draw that experience to ourselves.)
c) God-directed. This desire comes from the soul, a desire to know God.
An interpretive approach:
Does this dream merely depict something which I desire? If Yes, be careful in assigning any psychic quality to the dream. The dream may be only of a wish-fulfillment variety.
Varieties of desire dreams:
1. Some desires in our dreams will show us how they are affecting our waking, physical lives right now.
2. Shows how current desires could affect future conditions.
3. False ESP. Even though the dream appears to be a telepathic contact, it is actually a product of our desire to have such.
Chapter 13--Destiny of the Body: Physical Attunement Through Dreams
The destiny of the physical body is to be the vehicle for expression of the infinite. Rather than being an obstacle to spiritual growth, the body can be viewed as a great asset. It is only as the body is brought into attunement with the mind and spirit that it can fulfill this destiny. Dreams provide feedback to the conscious mind so that greater physical health can be achieved. This especially takes place through warning dreams (alerting the dreamer to unforeseen physical problems) and solution dreams (in which a diagnosis and/or treatment procedure is suggested).
Types of physical dreams:
1. Physically produced dreams, the result of external or internal conditions that already exist.
2. Physical warning dreams, about conditions that are likely to come in the body.
3. Health problems solved.
How to recognize physical dreams:
1. The setting. Is it in the kitchen or dining room? It could be about diet. Is it in the bathroom? It could be about physical cleansing or eliminations. Doctor’s office or hospital? There is a likelihood that the dream concerns physical health needs.
2. Body part depicted. Pay attention to what part is depicted. Looks for puns and play on words.
3. Thematic approach. Find where the theme of the dream might fit a physical condition. It is versatile and can often help us identify those physical dreams which do not include the clues of setting or body part.
Chapter 14--Spirit: The Certainty of Survival
Experiential proof of survival is available to all through dreams. Although we rarely take time to realize it, each night we rehearse the process of dying. We venture into non-material realms that approximate the after-death state. What is generally missing in ordinary dreams is any kind of self-awareness to help us realize that we are experiencing the reality of non-material life. With proper expectations and purposes, the development of lucidity in the dream state can sharpen our understanding. We can see that death in the physical world will merely be a birth into another dimension of living.
The same principle holds true for dreams of death and dying. Although such dreams may occasionally be recognition of impending physical death, much more frequently a dream involving death represents the birth of a new awareness. When we find a dream character is dying, the following interpretative question can be helpful: What part of myself could this dream character symbolize, and do I recognize a change taking place in that part of me?
