Psychology

The subject of dreams has always been one which has puzzled and intrigued mankind since its inception. The world over, people have tried to find answers as to why they dream, and what is the meaning of their dreams in the real life. That the subject of dreams has always captured public imagination is evident from the fact that people have debated on it no end, and even popular media has focused on it, through themes of fantasy and imagination, like the immensely popular work Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carol. Most people can also very vividly recount particular dreams that they have encountered on a recurring basis or dreams that have had a particular impact. Today, I share one such dream with you.

This is a dream that I had very recently, so it is still etched freshly in my mind. The dream opens with me in a flight, traveling to an unknown location. I can feel my sense of excitement and curiosity at this journey to a seemingly unknown place. I look around and realize that I am not alone on the flight my entire family is with me. Strangely enough I do not question them as to where we are going, since I feel like I want to get a surprise when we reach. When we do land, I realize, much to joy, that we have actually reached America, the land of my dreams and opportunities. I feel so much in awe of my surroundings, looking at everything with wonder. My family is equally excited, and we want to just head out and explore the land.

My dream then breaks out into little snapshots of various fun moments with the family, sightseeing and exploring the new country with enthusiasm. I am working, though I cannot remember what it is I do, but I seem to have made this new place my home. I make friends with the people around me, and at workplace, and start living like I belong here. There is a snapshot of my getting a green card also which calls for great celebrations and excitement of family and friends. We continue exploring and discovering new places, and I remember going to New York, and seeing other popular tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty, and the Niagara Falls. These are only places I remember from books and the television, and now I seem them in front of me, so I am delighted. Of course, my family is with me, enjoying these moments as we go from place to place. I remember being really happy and laughing loudly as we are traveling. And suddenly my mind travels in the dream only to my car. The car we are using for our travails is not a taxi or a rented car. It is a car I own I have my own car in America My mind sees a day when we are all at a dealership, and I am given the key of my new car by the dealership manager. The car is a Nissan Sentra. I cannot seem to remember the color, but I think it is white only. I can almost feel my sense of pride and commitment, and imagine what fun when my family gets into the car and we go for our first drive The car is shiny and new, and the interiors smell of fresh leather. I am almost scared to drive it But drive we do, and continue to go from place to place, and enjoy each moment. There is fun and frolic, laughter and sunshine. And this is pretty much the last few scenes in the dream, or at least this is till where I can remember it quite clearly. I remember waking up suddenly while we are on the road, driving and when we stop at a particular place, my dream almost abruptly ends.

So what is the logical explanation to my dream Is there is any in the first place I seek to understand my dream from three perspectives.

Of course, with all the public curiosity about dream since times immemorial, it was only natural that almost all psychology thinkers through the ages had something to say about them. From Jung to Freud, everyone who was anyone in the field of the mind proposed a theory to explain what happened after we went to sleep. I now look at my dream using the lens of three theories, namely Freudian Psychoanalytic theory, Hobson-McCarley theory and Evans theory.

The Freudian theory states that dreams are a manifestation of inner desires. He believed that the world of the dream was actually a carry forward from our real existence, and we dream of things that we really want from life. It could be something we desired yesterday, or it could be a childhood wish which persists. This is very insightful when it comes to my dream. I am actually already in the U.S., and have been here for a year now. But it is still my dream to be a real part of this system and even become a U.S. citizen. This would potentially explain the bit about the green card. Also, even as a child I think I always imagined being able to give a lot of happiness to my parents and give them something back in return for their love and affection. I feel that this is manifested in my travails with them in the dream, the feeling of joy and happiness, and their inclusion in all my plans in the dream. Finally, I think it has been a childhood dream to be truly independent. This bit is depicted in my dream through the car, which I feel stands as a symbol of my liberation.

The second theory of Hobson-McCarley believes that dreams do not really have any real meaning, and their only link with the real world is that they are a continuation of an event that happened in real life. This basically means that if an event happens during the day, its reaction could happen in our sleep as a reaction to a normal biological process while sleeping. My dream can be explained using this theory since I have arrived in America, and have been traveling quite a bit, which is possibly a thought that has gotten latched onto my memory. This is what is acting up during my dreams. Also, I possibly recollect seeing a Nissin Sentra a while ago, and the memory of that has acted up in the car.
The third theory is Evans theory for dream understanding. This theory suggests that when we sleep the mind actually go through the vast pool of data that is collects during the day. In a sense, it uses the sleep time to sort out all the data that we come in contact with and try to make some meaning out of it. This information is also like a minute picture of what actually did happen. I find this theory also very insightful when it comes to my dream. In a sense, I have been inundated with information ever since I have come to America. There is a sea of information, and some of it includes the various tourist attractions that this country is famous for. This is surely coming back to me in my dream. Also, I think the happiness that I feel, and my family feels is also a reality of my life, and something that happens on an ongoing basis. My mind chooses to highlight that since it is of much importance to me.

Ultimately, no matter which theory I use to look at my dream, one thing is for sure, it definitely has something to say about my current reality and how I feel about my life right now. In that sense, it is able to give me valuable insights into my mind, and possibly help me answer questions I might have. Perhaps this intrigue and the possibility of increasing self-knowledge is what make dreams as alluring as they are, and will always be.