Decoding the Dream Messages

[YULAW]

This is for anyone who is interesting in figuring out why do we let go of logic and why are some of our dreams so absurbed. Okay the problem according to Freud, is how to decode the dream messages, which have been disguised by the internal censor (the super-ego). Freud provides some clues in his account of what he calls the 'Dream-Work' - those unconscious processes that distort the original message of a dream. If we can find a way to figuring out what tricks the censor uses, then we can easily work out what the original message was. There are three techniques used by the internal censor to disquise the message of a drea: condensation, displacement, and representation. A dream story is usually a condensed or compressed presentation of something that the conscious brain might have to use many words to express. The purpose of this condensing is, to make a more forceful impact on the conscious mind- in much the same way as an arrowhead, by virtue of the fact that it is condensed into a point, has the power to pierce its target. Condensation may take serval forms. For example, a piece of conversation in a dream may have been put together from bits taken from two or more actual and remembered conversations from the waking world. Similarly, several real happenings or occassions may become fused together intoa a single event. Words or names (of people or places, for instance) may be combined in a dream to make composite words. For example, Blakeson appearing in a dream may be an amalgam of real-life names, Blake and Wilson. One item in the dream thoughts (the latent content) may be represented by more than one image in the manifest content. Freud saw the human mind or psyche as consistinng of three elements, which he named the ego, the super-ego and the id. The id is the instinctive drives. Freud called it the "Pleasure Principle", because our instincts always aim at pleasure. The super-ego corresponds roughly to what we commonly call 'conscience', and Freud referred to this as the 'Moral Principle'. Howerver, it is important to bear in mind that Freud saw it as having a social origin: It represents the prohibitions and taboos as well as the values and ideals- the norms- of society. What happens in Dreams? According to Freud, in dreams the id (your instincts and desires) tries to comminciate with the ego (conscious part of yourself). When you sleep, the ego relaxes. Sleep is withdrawal from the waking world, so in sleep the ego goes off-duty, as it were. This means that, with lowered resistance from the conscious mind, the contents of the unconscious may begin to express themselves, coming up as dreams. However the super-ego also operates largely at the unconscous level and is therefore still on duty when you sleep. Therefore, if what the id is trying to tell the ego is in conflict with the moral/social values emobodied in the super-ego, the latter will intervene and censor the message that the id is sending to the conscious mind. The result is that the message from the unconscious comes through to the conscious mind only in a disguised or distorted form. Hope you all enjoyed it!

[Perj]

I feel that when i awake i tend to naturally leave out things i would think at first are unimportant and later write them down realizing that they are the most important. I have found interpreting my dreams very easy. I guess some people can lucid dream everynight, and some people have recall perfect... i believe i can interpret my dreams pretty honestly. I suppose that i am able to communicate with this ID thing pretty well?

[KalmaH]

Very interesting. Lately that is exactly what I've felt. Lately my dreams seen linked to one another, as if they were a puzzle for me to put together. I finally decided to get a dream journal and I can see a lot of similar things.

[Lowercase Society]

One thing that has fascinated me is dream characters, and the 'messages they present' Perhaps i know Jonny Depp, and Tom Cruise, and i am in a dream with Britney Spears, who i don't know. Tom Cruise might adapt behaviour, in the dream, that i have seen Britney display in the waking world. The thing that makes me wonder at most, is that when people's behaviour is the SAME in the dream world and the waking; usually it differs.

[intent]

people in lucid dreams.... i got something for you to try out. next time you have a lucid dream and you see a person in your dream, especially someone you know, try this.... point at them and shout 'i want to see energy'... you have to point long enough and concentrate on seeing... then let me know what happens, you might be in for a surprise. it is pretty trippy what is actually behind people in lucid dreams, it explains why most people's behavior in lucid dreaming is quite different from real life...

[YULAW]

Originally posted by intent people in lucid dreams.... i got something for you to try out. next time you have a lucid dream and you see a person in your dream, especially someone you know, try this.... point at them and shout 'i want to see energy'... you have to point long enough and concentrate on seeing... then let me know what happens, you might be in for a surprise. it is pretty trippy what is actually behind people in lucid dreams, it explains why most people's behavior in lucid dreaming is quite different from real life... Oh I've got to sooooo Try this. Thanks INTENT.. I've been trying to think of new things to do and you just gave me something.

[Blissful]

Originally posted by intent people in lucid dreams.... i got something for you to try out. next time you have a lucid dream and you see a person in your dream, especially someone you know, try this.... point at them and shout 'i want to see energy'... you have to point long enough and concentrate on seeing... then let me know what happens, you might be in for a surprise. it is pretty trippy what is actually behind people in lucid dreams, it explains why most people's behavior in lucid dreaming is quite different from real life... Ok Intent, care to share with us, what happens when you do this? Please don't leave us hanging... Blissful

[Kaniaz]

I bet you my life it will be alot better if you aren't told, because your mind will probably make up something you would expect it to do. If he told us, our minds would be more likely to show what he said, but not as dazzling.

[YULAW]

Originally posted by Kaniaz I bet you my life it will be alot better if you aren't told, because your mind will probably make up something you would expect it to do. If he told us, our minds would be more likely to show what he said, but not as dazzling. yeah Bliss thats why I didn't ask him because I didn't want my mind to alter the true effect of what it is. I want to be surprised. But If you want when I find out what happens I'll PM you with my results. Haha.. for some reason Everytime I see your name I think of PM DAWNS Set a drift on Memory Bliss..