Common Questions

What exactly are dreams? Are they really that important?
I don't remember my dreams. Does that mean anything?
Why can't I just look up my dreams in a book?
How does YourGuidingDreams work?
What's PMID?
How do I know that YourGuidingDreams will work?
Can I see other people's dreams?
How can I get help with my dreams?
I write in a dream journal now? Isn't that good enough?
How do I know if I'm interpreting my dreams correctly?
Do I have to write down EVERY dream? That sounds like a lot of work.
Why does YourGuidingDreams focus on relationships?
Some of my dreams are really scary. Is that bad?
Can I talk with other people on YourGuidingDreams?
How do I know nobody will see what I write here?

Answers

What exactly are dreams? Are they really that important?

Simply put, dreams are the language of your mind as you sleep. They are your truest thoughts and feelings being expressed freely, without the censorship or filter of the "shoulds" we all have in our waking mind.

Understanding your dreams is an excellent way to gain more clarity and understanding of yourself and your life. Most importantly, your dreams are you talking to you…not somebody else telling you what you think and feel.

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I don't remember my dreams. Does that mean anything?

All of us have a number of dreams every night, whether we remember them or not. Many people don't remember their dreams only because they've never been taught how, or more accurately, we've forgotten how. (Ever notice how real and common dreams are to children?)

By simply making the effort to remember dreams, you'll be amazed at how easily the skill comes back. The process used in YourGuidingDreams also provides tips and ideas along the way.

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Why can't I just look up my dreams in a book?

You can! Sometimes, especially early in your learning, dreams can be rather confusing. Looking up dreams or symbols in books can be a way to trigger understanding of your dreams. We provide DreamScan as a fast, easy thought-starter just for this purpose.

At the same time, we remind you that all of us have very unique dream languages - just like we all have different personalities, likes and dislikes. Dream books, tapes or whatever are only general overviews of meanings, and may or may not accurately reflect your own dream language. So feel free to use these as tools, but keep in mind that it's more important to adapt these to your own dream language.

As you continue to write your dreams and symbols on YourGuidingDreams you are creating your own personal dream dictionary that you can use to easily look up your own meanings.

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How does YourGuidingDreams work?

YourGuidingDreams is based on a solid foundation of work by renowned dream counselors and researchers from Freud and Jung to Boss, to Perls, to C. Hall, to Hartmann, to Bynum, and others.

YourGuidingDreams (specifically the PMID process) is unique in that in addition to helping you connect your dreams to waking activities, it helps you generate personal dream symbol meanings and notice when past relationship experiences are influencing how you are reacting in current relationships. Not only will you have a journal of your dreams and symbols, but you can also revisit your dreams and interpretations anytime and see what significant events were happening in your life at that time - a critical piece in putting your dreams to practical use.

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What's PMID?

PMID is short for the Personalized Method of Interpreting Dreams. This process was developed over the past 10 years by Eveland Fairfield, master degree graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Association for the Study of Dreams (ASD).

The PMID dream interpretation method is based on Eveland's award-winning thesis "Utilizing Dreams from a Systemic Perspective to Understand and Mollify Relationship Issues," May 2000, which is a cumulative approach that is based on well-founded techniques used for decades.

The PMID dream interpretation method was developed as a self-facilitating, easy-to-learn technique for individuals, working alone, or with a counselor who facilitates the process. Counselors can recommend the PMID to clients for out-of-session ongoing self-reflection. YourGuidingDreams is an adaptation of this process for use by anyone interested in learning about dreams.

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How do I know that YourGuidingDreams will work?

The process used in YourGuidingDreams was developed under American Counseling Association (ACA) guidelines for electronic communications, has been tested and refined over the past year with select counseling graduate students, and with select ACA members. Internationally recognized dream researchers endorse the PMID dream interpretation method. Read their comments.

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Can I see other people's dreams?

Not at this time. Because of the very personal nature of dreams you cannot see others' dreams, and they will not be able to see yours either. Our foremost priority is protecting your security and privacy. However we do offer members the opportunity to share symbols and meanings with other members to help convey ideas and increase the learning for everyone.

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How can I get help with my dreams?

Our discussions center where you can place questions and messages or read what others have written for ideas is available to members.

My dreams just seem so weird sometimes. Do dreams always mean something or are they just silly thoughts?

Most, if not all dreams reflect some meaning. As you begin to learn more about your dream language you'll quickly learn that many of your "weird" dreams are actually very clear messages and stories.

As weird or silly as a dream may seem at the time, it's always a good idea to go through the PMID process. With YourGuidingDreams you can always look back at a dream later to see if it becomes any clearer to you. It's not at all uncommon that these "weird" dreams to suddenly reveal their meanings later when you revisit them. That wonderful "aha!"

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I write in a dream journal now? Isn't that good enough?

That's wonderful! If that's working for you, then by all means keep it up! Each person has his or her own way to work with dreams that works best.

The advantage of trying out YourGuidingDreams is the PMID process, which encourages you to explore how your dreams connect to your waking life. It also makes it much easier to look up past dreams and symbols through our simple searches.

A number of dreamers continue to write dreams in journals and then later enter them online to help them interpret their dreams.

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How do I know if I'm interpreting my dreams correctly?

The litmus test of a "correct" interpretation is that it makes sense to you. As you become more familiar with your dreams, you'll experience more of those "aha!" feelings and a message or meaning resonates with you.

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Do I have to write down EVERY dream I remember? That sounds like a lot of work.

Of course not. You should go at whatever pace is most comfortable for you. This isn't an assignment or a job. It's for you to use as you please.

Some people may only write down one dream every week or two. Others may write several each day. And, of course, there are plenty who fall in between.

Our only suggestion is that the more you enter dreams the easier it becomes. Many people are surprised how it just becomes a natural part of their day. And, the more dreams and symbols you record, the more you can learn from yourself.

But, again…use whatever works for you.

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Why does YourGuidingDreams focus on relationships?

There are a variety of approaches to dream interpretation and several are good. While your dreams don't have to be about relationships, we've found that many naturally are.

Just as our waking lives are filled with various people and our interactions and relations with them, so are our dreams. Also, most all forms of therapy, counseling, or personal growth work is based on relationships (systemic or systems approach" is the professional term). These relationships are obviously a key part of who we are and how we see the world in which we live…awake or asleep.

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Some of my dreams are really scary. Is that bad?

Not at all. Many times our scariest dreams are actually our dreaming minds having the courage to face our deepest fears. Frightening as they can be, they often signal a significant breakthrough in courage and understanding. We do suggest that you consult a personal counselor if you are having frequent nightmares.

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Can I talk with other people on YourGuidingDreams?

Yes! We strongly encourage you to. We created the discussions board for just this purpose. And you may remain completely anonymous to other members if you choose.

Also, staff from YourGuidingDreams will check in on a regular basis to answer questions and follow up with members. Like we said before…this isn't just a job…it's what we love to do as well.

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How do I know nobody will see what I write here?

All your dreams and interpretations are kept completely confidential and are available for viewing only by you and select members of the YourGuidingDreams staff.

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