While most dream books focus on symbolism, Dream Exploration helps you go deeper by exploring the themes presented in your dreams and their relationship to your waking life. Written as a how-to guide, this first-of-its-kind book includes a twelve-step program that helps you identify the core themes in your life. Also included is a Theme Matrix that offers practical steps you can take to incorporate your personal dream wisdom into your everyday life.
Genre: SELF-HELP / DreamsPublished in 2006 by Llewellyn Worldwide, the book has been selling well for 13 years, including being available at annual conferences of the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD).
Customer reviews on Amazon include the following:
The book is like a breath of fresh air for people with vivid dreams, like me, with many symbols in them. It can take you hours to go just through all of them, and there is no warranty that anything will click for you or that you will have an aha moment. Focusing on themes, instead, makes the task more manageable. Moreover, the system can be used to complement other approaches to dream interpretation. I love the fact that the author relies on this book not only on his own approach on dream interpretation, which is based in his long experience in dream interpretation and with dream groups, but also on the works of several dream experts that have different takings on the matter.
It took me a while to get my head wrapped around this approach but as soon as I began working with the theme focus and the theme matrix in particular I started getting plenty of "aha's" for even the most banal dreams. The chapter on refining themes from the dream narrative alone is worth the price, but then the theme matrix really adds a whole new angle that I find exciting. The twelve step method is brilliant and was immediately put into my daily work.
This book really gave me another view on dreaming. It was the first book that made me look at the theme of the dream more then to look at the symbols of the dream. It is on my list of the 10 dream books that are a must read for any lover of dreams and dreamwork: http://mindfunda.com/10-dream-books-you-should-read/
Does the world really need another book on dreams?
There are many excellent books available which offer advice on such dream work methods as titling, interpreting symbols, drawing your dreams, turning them into poems, etc. Relatively few deal directly with dream themes. The best of the books related to "themes" include Gayle Delaney's In Your Dreams, a collection of the most common themes she has discovered in her experience, and Patricia Garfield's book The Universal Dream Key, describing twelve common dream themes found throughout the world. Some examples of common themes found in both books include falling and flying, being chased, and being naked in public. Both authors include methods for relating these common themes to your personal dreams and applying them to your life.
I believe strongly that what Delaney and Garfield define as common themes are actually "dream activity" for which the specific messages, ideas, or perceptions (the inherent themes) are yet to be defined.
For example, one of the most common dreams experienced by humanity is being naked in public. I asked myself, "What is the core theme of this dream activity?" After some introspection, I realized that dreams of being naked (or even well dressed) in public, relate to self-identity and one's outlook on life. Self-identity is a common theme for which the "being naked in public" dream is but one example.
Existing books on dream work do not address methods of defining dream themes. And they do not provide a means of identifying actual common themes you can relate to your dreams.
Dream Exploration - A New Approach shows you how to work with the themes of your dreams and your life experiences for personal understanding and growth.
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Sandra Hidalgo
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Author review: Sandra has been a delight to work with throughout the translation process. She is very professional and talented and has been eager to insure that we are both on the same track with regard to a producing a quality final product. I would highly recommend her to others. |
