A Guide to the World of Dreams : An Integrative Approach to Dreamwork

In __A Guide to the World of Dreams,__ Ole Vedfelt presents an in-depth look at dreams in psychotherapy, counselling and self-help, and offers an overview of current clinical knowledge and scientific research, including contemporary neuroscience. This book describes essential aspects of Jungian, psychoanalytic, existential, experiential and cognitive approaches to dreams and dreaming, and explores dreams in sleep laboratories, neuroscience and contemporary theories of dream cognition. Vedfelt clearly and effectively describes ten core qualities of dreams, and delineates a resource-oriented step-by-step manual for dreamwork at varying levels of expertise. For each core quality, key learning outcomes are clarified and resource-oriented, creative and motivating exercises for practical dreamwork are spelled out, providing clear and manageable methods. __A Guide to the World of Dreams__ also introduces a new cybernetic theory of dreams as intelligent, unconscious information processing, and integrates contemporary clinical research into this theory. The book even includes a wealth of engaging examples from the author’s lifelong practical experience with all levels and facets of dreamwork. Vedfelt’s seminal work is essential reading for psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors, and even psychiatrists, and could well be a fundamental textbook for courses at high schools, colleges, universities and even in adult-education classes. The book’s transparent method and real-life examples will inspire individuals all over the world who seek self-help or self-development – any reader will be captivated to discover how knowledge of dreams stimulates creativity in everyday life and even in professional life. Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Preface 12 PART I Knowledge of Dreams 18 1 The Dream Schools 20 Freud and the Unconscious 20 C. G. Jung’s Depth Psychology 22 Focus on the Dream-Ego and the Waking Lifestyle 24 Existential Dream Interpretations 25 Freud and Jung’s Successors 26 Experiential Work with Dreams 27 Cognitive Therapy 28 Varieties of Contemporary Dreamwork 28 2 Dreams and Natural Science 34 REM Sleep and NREM Sleep 34 Beneficial REM Sleep 35 The Dreaming Brain 37 The Brainstem in Dreaming 39 The Emotional Brain in Dreaming 40 The Frontal Lobes in Dreaming 42 Dream Theories Based on Natural Science 43 Activation Synthesis and Protoconsciousness 43 Neuropsychoanalytic Dream Theory 44 From Cognitive to Neurocognitive Dream Theory 45 Contemporary Theories of Dream Memory 45 Theories of Emotion Regulation During Dreaming 46 Dreaming as Model Simulation and Virtual Reality 47 Evolutionary Dream Theories 47 Conclusion 48 3 We Dream Because We are Complex Beings: A Cybernetic Network Theory of Dreaming 52 Unconscious Intelligence 53 Dreams and the Borderland of Consciousness 55 A Neural Network Model 56 PART II The Ten Core Qualities of Dreams 60 4 Core Quality 1: Dreams Deal with Matters Important to Us 62 Dreams are Self-Regulating and Self-Organizing 63 High-Level Regulation 64 Approaching Dreams 65 Dreamwork as Information Seeking 66 Resources in Pleasant Dreams 67 Resources in Unpleasant Dreams 67 Clarification of the Dream Content 68 5 Core Quality 2: Dreams Symbolize 70 Metaphors in Everyday Life 70 Metaphors in Dreams 71 Various Models of Symbol Interpretation 72 Symbol Creation and the Dreaming Brain 76 The Power of Symbols 77 Dynamic Aspects of Symbols – Laura 78 A Hermeneutic Circle 80 Unconscious Memory and Laura’s Brain 80 Conclusion 81 6 Core Quality 3: Dreams Personify 84 The Mental Skills of Dream Characters 85 Interactions between Dream Characters 87 Characters in Children’s Dreams 88 Children’s Dreams Examples 89 Approaching Children’s Dreams 91 Relationship Between the Dream Self and Waking Self 91 Examples of Coping Strategies of the Dream Self and Waking Self 92 Approaching Dreams on the Interior (Subjective) Level 95 An Example of Objective and Subjective Levels of Interpretation 95 Typical Dream Characters 97 Some Salient Gender Differences in Dreams 98 The Opposite Gender in Dreams 99 7 Core Quality 4: Dreams are Trial Runs in a Safe Place 104 Warnings of Emotional Complications of Consciously Planned Action 105 A Dramaturgical Model of Dreams 106 Chain Reaction Dreams 108 Cyclical Dream Narratives 109 The Neuroscience of the Dream Narrative 110 Conclusion 110 8 Core Quality 5: Dreams are Online to Unconscious Intelligence 112 Unconscious Cues and the Associative Network in Dreams 113 Ways of Going Online to the Dream World 114 Loading and Limiting Consciousness in Dreamwork 116 Cybernetic Reorganization in Dreamwork 118 9 Core Quality 6: Dreams are Pattern Recognition 121 Context of Dreams 122 Day-Residues and Recent Events 122 Tangible External Events Consciously Recalled 124 Emotionally Important Events 124 Current Life Situation in a Broader Sense 124 Life History and Relational Patterns in Childhood 125 Studies of Earliest Remembered Dreams 126 Examples of Earliest Remembered Dreams 127 Age and Approaching Life Phase 128 Age-Related and Prospective Dream Interpretations 129 Long-Term Predictions in Dreams 130 Age and Symbol Meaning 131 Better Future Energy Distribution 132 10 Core Quality 7: Dreams are High-Level Communication 135 Ongoing Communication between Dreams and the Waking Self 137 Proactive Dreams and High-Level Transitions in Young People 138 The Initial Dream of a Young Man – Peter 138 Analysis of Peter’s Initial Dream 139 Emerging Possibilities in Peter’s Dream Series 141 Male Initiation 143 Female Initiation 143 Pregnancy 145 11 Core Quality 8: Dreams are Condensed Information 147 Bisociation – A Creative Understanding of Condensation 147 An Example of Dream Condensation – Karen 149 The Neuroscientific Perspective of Karen’s Dream 150 Rounding off Karen’s Case 151 12 Core Quality 9: Dreams are Experiences of Wholeness 153 Dream Theories and Experiential Modalities 154 A Supramodal Method of Dreamwork 154 The Brain and Levels of Feeling 155 An Example of Cultivating Feelings through Dreamwork – Paul 156 Bodily Associations to Dreams – Alice 157 13 Core Quality 10: Dreams are Psychological Energy Landscapes 159 The Sharp Peaks and Low Hills of Energy Landscapes 160 Peak Experience Dreams 162 Theories of Particularly Important Dreams 163 The Synthesis of the Observations 165 Children and Peak Experience Dreams 166 Peak Experience Dreams in Puberty 166 The Peak Experience Dream of a Young Man – Peter 167 Peak Experiences and Vulnerability 167 A 40-Year-Old Woman’s Peak Experience Dream – Emma 167 The Peak Experience Dream of Antonio – 80 Years Old 168 Lucid Dreaming 169 Parapsychological Dreams 171 Conclusion 173 14 Dreams and Trauma 176 The PTSD Diagnosis 177 How Traumatic Events Appear in Dreams 177 Precautions When Working with Post-Traumatic Dreams 179 Creative Imagination and Post-Traumatic Dreams 180 Trauma and Individuation – Hell and Heaven 181 An Example of Character Trauma and Mature Individuation – Torsten 182 Healing PTSD Nightmares in a Young Woman – Lisa 183 A Post-Traumatic Dream 185 Lisa’s Case Dreams and the 10 Core Qualities 187 PART III Principles and Exercises for Practical Dreamwork 196 15 Working with Core Qualities 1–5 198 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 1: Dreams Deal with Matters Important to Us 198 A Safe Place for Dreamwork 198 Creating Motivation 199 Focus on Resources in Pleasant Dreams 200 Resources in Unpleasant Dreams 200 Experientially Reorganizing Bad Dreams 201 First Steps to Unfolding Dreams 201 Remembering Dreams 202 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 2: Dreams Symbolize 203 Learning Symbolic Thinking 203 Finding the Emotional Charge in a Dream Drawing 204 Appreciative Dialogue with a Helper 204 Steps to Interpretation 206 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 3: Dreams Personify 208 The Dream Self 208 Objective (Exterior) and Subjective (Interior) Interpretation 209 Typical Dream Figures 209 Gender of Dream Characters 211 Working with Children’s Dreams 212 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 4: Dreams as Trial Runs in a Safe Place 213 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 5: Dreams are Online to Unconscious Intelligence 214 Composition of a Complete Dreamwork Session 215 16 Working with Core Qualities 6–10 218 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 6: Dreams are Pattern Recognition 218 Matching Dream Material with Life Contexts 218 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 7: Dreams are High-Level Communication 220 Levels of Communicating about Dreamwork in Groups 221 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 8: Dreams are Condensed Information 223 Utilizing Dream Condensations in Creative Ways 223 Monotony of Interpretations 223 Finding New Perspectives in Dreams 224 Creatively Combining Various Dream Perspectives 224 Using Interpretation Bias in Creative Ways 225 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 9: Dreams are Experiences of Wholeness 225 Combining Experiential Modalities in Dreamwork 225 The Sequence of Image, Emotion and Body Reversed 226 A Supramodal Exercise 227 Emotions in Dreams and Dreamwork 227 Emotions Expressed through Color in Dreams and Drawings 229 Movement and Body Position in Dreamwork 231 Inner Body Sensations and Dreamwork 232 Drawing the Felt Sense 233 Emotional Attunement through Body Language, Facial Expression and Tone of Voice 234 Good Dreamwork with Core Quality 10: Dreams are Psychological Energy Landscapes 235 The Picasso Principle 235 Working with Peak Experience Dreams 235 Working with Traumatic Nightmares and Bad Dreams 236 Dream Series 237 Epilogue: Good Dreamwork and the Future of Humankind 241 Index 244 The dream schools -- Dreams and natural science -- We dream because we are complex creatures : a cybernetic network theory of dreaming -- Core quality 1: Dreams deal with matters important to us -- Core quality 2: Dreams symbolize -- Core quality 3: Dreams personify -- Core quality 4: Dreams are trial runs in a safe place -- Core quality 5: Dreams are online to unconscious intelligence --Core quality 6: Dreams are pattern recognition -- Core quality 7: Dreams are high-level communication -- Core quality 8: Dreams are condensed information -- Core quality 9: Dreams are experiences of wholeness -- Core quality 10: Dreams are psychological energy landscapes -- Dreams and trauma -- Working with core qualities 1-5 -- Working with core qualities 6-10