ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID SWANN / DSWANN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Sweet dreaming Get cozy, crawl into bed and let the drama unfold. I'm talking about dreams -- the fabulous venture that allows our imaginations to run wild. Possibilities range from magic carpet rides to bouts of stardom and racy love scenes, often better than any movie.
An expert says we can learn a lot
about ourselves in our sleep
Make a deposit into the Dream Bank
Share your sports dreams
By Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.comAs strange as our dreams may seem, don't write them off as complete nonsense. They are often relevant to the issues confronting us in our daily lives. They speak to us with symbols and metaphors that may help make sense of life changes.
Dreams can also reflect an individual's inborn creativity and ability to face and solve problems.
"If you live to be 80 years old, you spend six to seven years of your life dreaming," said Phil King, professor of psychology at Hawaii Pacific University and vice president of the Association of the Study of Dreams. "Therefore, to not remember dreams, one is missing out on some neat experiences."
In some ways, we are more ourselves in dreams because we are open to experience more. Feelings are more intense and clear at times, and one's experiences can be felt more deeply in dreams, said King, who teaches a "Psychology of Dreams" class each semester. The students keep dream journals and have a weekly group meeting, during which they discuss their dreams.
"Dreams have a quality of vividness and intensity, probably greater than waking life," he said. "As William James put it years ago, we kind of live our lives half awake."
Most dreams reflect a person's everyday life and activities, involving work, athletics, friends and family. That can be desirable, but if one considers work dreams too intense and "boring," that might indicate the need for a challenge.
It's important to remind ourselves that dreams are about feelings, and it is better to go examine those feelings rather than shy away from them, so although people fear nightmares, King said even bad dreams are good dreams.
"They are unpleasant to have, but it may show a person that they are neglecting something in their life."
NIGHTMARES COME in three categories: night terrors, anxiety dreams and post-traumatic dreams.
Night terrors are common in children. "They may wake up disoriented and scared, but there is no real content in the dream. It's more of a physiological arousal."
Anxiety dreams reflect ongoing stress or issues in one's life.
Post-traumatic dreams may occur after a death, an incident like the World trade Center collapse, war or any type of trauma.
Artists and creative people often have thinner boundaries between past and present or reality and fantasy, King said, and are more prone to nightmares.
Those who want their dreams interpreted often look to dream dictionaries first. Although many have been around for hundreds of years, King said, it's a mistake to take them too literally. "The dictionaries are useful in suggesting possibilities. But for the uneducated person, they could be quite deceptive."
Two people could dream about the same object, yet the dream could hold different meanings for both. Many cultural symbols, for instance, have general meanings. If you dream about a cross, it could have religious symbolism. It could also indicate that one has reached a crossroads and a decision must be made. Or, it could even signify that a person is cross, angry or peeved at someone.
When a moving car appears on a dream, it could mean that things in life are moving along smoothly. If the car is out of control or stuck in traffic, it may also have metaphoric meaning of how one's life is going.
"The dreamer has the final authority on the meaning of dreams," King said.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Phil King is doing research on sports dreams, specifically baseball, and he's inviting the public to share their dreams.
Dreams are a means of catching up on daily events and contain valuable information worth remembering. Through the distance of sleep and imagination, one can gain insight on life's events.
"We are so busy and easily distracted during the day that we don't have time to contemplate and process our emotions and the day's events," he said.
King compares dreams to having a free therapist.
MOST DREAMS are quickly forgotten, and King suggests keeping a paper and pen by your bed to write down dreams as soon as you awaken. He recommends setting your wake-up alarm 40 minutes earlier than usual if you want to capture your dream.
"On average, people remember between two and three dreams per week," said King, even though most individuals dream one to two hours during an eight-hour sleep.
"One reason is that we are so busy that the dreams may disappear when we wake up. As the alarm rings, you get up and take a shower and begin to think about the day.
"We really need some quiet time to just lie there, go over the dream and capture the details. It is possible to recall dreams," he said. Even if the dream is forgotten, writing down feelings a person has upon waking can be helpful.
Dreams are pictures of your feelings about life, he explained. "I liken it to having a movie theater in town with your name on it," said King. "The admission is free, and a different movie can be viewed every night. It's all about you."
Men's dreams: Differences between the genders
>> Include more outdoor scenesWomen's dreams:>> Are aggressive
>> About two-thirds of the characters that populate their dreams are men
>> Sexual dreams often include a stranger
>> Indoor scenes are typical>> Are more friendly
>> Are populated by people they know, such as family and friends
>> Sexual dreams most often feature an acquaintance
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If you want to research the meanings of other people's dreams or get insight on your own, check out www.dreambank.net. Dream Bank
According to King, one woman listed maintained a journal of her dreams throughout her lifetime. "She lived in London during (World War II)," said King.
She has several dreams listed before the war, during the bombing and after the war ended. "Higher emotions were found before and after the war. Less emotion was found during the war. Perhaps she was experiencing so much emotion during the day, dodging bombs, she didn't need it to overspill in her dreams. In more placid times, it may come out more strongly."
The site allows visitors to view quantitative research and search by keywords.
"It's almost like a spyglass into history, if you have enough dreams from different people, in different places and time periods."
Research information can also be found at www.asdreams.org.
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Phil King is currently conducting research on how sports dreams can be a metaphor for other life concerns. Do you have a sports dream to share?
"The dream may be about basketball or baseball but really deals with the overall life of the person," he said.
For instance, he dreamed about trying out for a baseball team, but the main theme was "that I was old and past my prime," he said. He saw himself missing the ball and doing poorly.
But just when he thought he couldn't do it anymore, the dream shifted. He tried batting with the other hand, like he did as a youngster, and found he was able to hit and make the team.
"There is a sense of renewal. I would interpret that as being about my life. It's not just about baseball," said King.
Dreams often speak in a symbolic language, he said. The baseball symbols were conveying a broader message. "It was saying, just because I'm a middle-age guy and may not make the baseball team, doesn't mean I'm not vital, strong in other realms of life both intellectually and professionally. It showed that new ways were needed to manifest personal strength.
"It was a very positive dream, saying that I'm not done yet -- not through with life yet."
E-mail Phil King at pkingdream@aol.com or call 544-0218 if you would like to discuss your sports dreams with him.
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