I will get to the zombies shortly...In the mean time... Dreams can be exciting, scary, enlightening, sad, silly and down right crazy. Most of they time they are just our brains natural way of sifting through our day to day experiences. That doesn't mean they can't be powerful. I have, on many occasions, woken up more exhausted than before I went to bed, due to running around my head all night, or in floods of tears because my dream had been so distressing. Keeping a dream journal can help you identify patterns and help you become more self aware. A dream can, at times, affect our moods and emotions through out the day, so understanding what could be causing your dreams can be reassuring and can help you maintain a good mental and physical health. My advice, however, is that you don't go over the top when it comes to tracking and recording your dreams. A journal can be a very helpful tool, but can cause worry, especially if you realise that you often have nightmares or disturbing dreams. From experience, I would suggest that you only record the dreams you feel have been significant (i.e. a recurring dream or one that was very vivid). Other dreams could be recorded, but maybe just stick to some of the key facts. Ideally you want to record enough detail that shows patterns over time, but not enough to make you feel over whelmed! Ok, so back to the Zombies! If you have read my previous posts, you will know that, when I am a sleep, my mind will take me on many journeys. Unfortunately, many of the journeys are not very pleasant. They can be embarrassing, exhausting and down right terrifying. Some times I'm paralysed, occasionally my teeth fall out and every so often I get gunned down by men who have broken into my house!! You name it, I've dreamt it! My zombie dreams, however, almost became familiar and I even missed them when they finally stopped! I never felt that scared and was never bitten or injured, however, no matter what I did, the zombies kept coming. I would be running and hiding, crawling through tunnels, climbing over fences and barricading doors. All to no avail, the zombies always found a way through. This was not the first reoccurring dream I've had, but it was definitely the most persistent. These dreams lasted several months and at times were every night. Eventually, I realised that maybe my brain was trying to tell me something! This was when I picked up a dream dictionary that I had been given as a gift, and that had been sat on my bookshelf unread for who knows how long. I was amazed by what it told me. My dreams were basically a visual interpretation of all the different stresses and anxieties in my life. At times I felt as if I was on top of these worries and in control (in my dreams there would be times when I would feel safe and secure, when I thought I'd escaped the zombies). However, I was often over whelmed by them (when the zombies got through the defences and started chasing again). This realisation was eyeopening and my zombie dreams quickly became my indication that I'd been putting myself under too much stress. Eventually these zombie outbreaks stopped, and although I still had stress in my life, I was more aware of how important it was to take notice of my dreams. I have created a dream journal that you can download to get you started. You can print or use it to start your own diary in a note book. Let me know what you think. Do you already keep a dream journal? How has it helped you?
It would be great if you also shared your dreams in the comments below. What do you think your dreams are trying to tell you?
Happy dreaming! Jeni Bee
8 Comments
Dreams are incredible. They can be so spontaneous and unpredictable while still being reassuring and clamming. Of course there is also a dark side to dreaming that can be terrifying and sleep destroying. I regularly have all types of dreams, both fantastical and down right petrifying, but I have come to love my dreams and have fond that having just a small understanding about what they could mean, has got a one way to reduce the stress of a nightmare and increase the enjoyment of the bizarre and silly ones. I have a dream dictionary. It was given to me as a present a long time ago and sat lonely and abandoned on my bookshelf for years. Until one day I realised that, through my exhausting and reoccurring zombie dreams (yes, you heard that right!), perhaps my brain was trying to tell me something! So out came the dream dictionary, and this is what I read: To dream that you are attacked by zombies indicates that you are feeling overwhelmed by forces beyond your control. You are under tremendous stress in your waking life. Well, at the time, it came as no surprise and I almost felt silly that I hadn't worked this out for my self! However, dreams can be so over whelming that it can be difficult to accept that they might not be as terrifying as they seem. For me it was almost instant. I stopped having zombie dreams and started focusing on how I could reduce the stress in my life. I have continued to use my dream dictionary since then and have found it has been almost always accurate. Although I wouldn't recommend analysing every dream you have, I do feel that it has been a fantastic way of sorting my regular run of the mill dreams from the ones that are trying to tell me something! It's important to remember that there are lots of different ways to interpret dreams, so don't dwell on what you read too much. If you can't relate move on, not all dream interpretations will be personal to you. You can find dream dictionaries in book form and on they web, there are even apps! Its a good idea to have a bit of a search before settling on which seems best for you. If you're stuck with where to start I recommend Dream moods that can also be downloaded as an app. The website provides a detailed dictionary and lots of information about common dreams and interpretations. It also has forums where you can share your own dreams and read about others experiences. the app is a bit different, but provides a dream journal that you can write or record audio. There are also many books you can buy if you'd prefer, most book stores will sell a range, so I'd recommend having a look at some first. Please don't suffer in silence if you are having recurring nightmares. See your doctor or a councillor if you feel you need further support or advice. Dreams can tell you a lot about your self and can be exciting and fulfilling. I'd love to hear your dream experiences, so feel free to share! Happy dreaming! Jeni Bee |
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