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Dreams contain metaphors. A metaphor is when a detail or occurrence in the dream is actually a symbol and denotes one kind of object or idea that is used in place of another to show a likeness between them.
You will find your dream contains a detail or idea that is attention catching and may be somewhat askew from the story of the dream, often this is your metaphor. I had a dream that contained a metaphor of a flowing river of fermenting apples beneath a classroom floor. To work with this dream metaphor, I used a technique I call Dream Mapping.
When I map my dream, I write the dream metaphor, in this case "a flowing river of fermenting apples", on the center of my journal page. Then, I brainstorm and write down every association I have with the theme around it.
I use a standard dictionary to look up a particular word in the theme such as fermenting. I find this practice helpful to jog associations I may not have considered. I also find it beneficial to write ideas others have about my theme as well, since I share my dreams often.
If you are sharing your dreams with others remember the dream is yours; no one can tell you what your dream means. Writing associations down is a brainstorming process in which you will find your own meaning.
When I am done writing associations, I take a colored pencil and draw lines to each association that seems related to another.
In the case of "fermenting apples", I connected "chemical change with effervescence' to "ideas that are 'percolating' in my life, to transformation". This had even more significant meaning to me as the dream occurred in a classroom; it speaks to me of important learning taking place.
As you connect your associations, what begins to emerge is a "map" of related ideas that become whole pathways to explore. Sometimes the pathways even weave together. I use a different color for each new "path" of associations.
By performing this exercise, you will end up with a "visual" map of the interconnectedness of your dream and your waking life. I find it interesting to see how often associations, even things I wouldn't expect to be, are connected.
Dreams can bring you great clarity around the ways in which your life is woven together, telling your story. |
 Flow, 2011 (based on the "Flowing River of Apples" Dream)
Desire
Reflection
Emotion
Association
Map
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