Before we can understand just what takes place in the dreaming mind, and what it all means, it is a good idea to have an understanding of the sleep cycle, and the function of dream sleep within this sleep cycle. Dream sleep is a distinct part of the sleep cycle, different in almost every way from other types of sleep.
There are four distinct stages to the sleep cycle, and every human goes through several such sleep cycles in a typical night. The average full sleep cycle lasts from 90-120 minutes, so an average eight hour night of sleep could contain four or more separate sleep cycles.
Dreams may occur at any of the four stages of sleep, but the most vivid dreams, and the ones most likely to be remembered in the morning, occur during the REM stage of sleep. This sleep stage is generally referred to as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The name comes from the eye movements that are observed during this stage of sleep.
Since the entire sleep cycle repeats at least four and sometimes as many as seven, times per night, it is therefore possible and even likely that the same person will experience several different dreams every night. In most cases, however, the only dreams that are remembered are those that take place closest to waking. Not remembering dreams, however, does not mean they have not occurred.
Let us begin our look at the four stages of sleep.
Stage 1
During the first stage of sleep, the sleeper's eyes move back and forth in an erratic fashion. For this reason, this stage of sleep is referred to as REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep. This stage generally occurs from 90-100 minutes after the initial onset of sleep. During this period of sleep, the blood pressure rises and the heart rate and respiration speeds up and may become erratic as well. During this stage of sleep, the voluntary muscles become paralyzed. This stage of sleep is the one in which the majority of dreaming occurs.
Stage 2
Stage two is a light sleep, and it is characterized by non rapid eye movements. During this stage of sleep the muscles are relaxed that the heart rate is slowed. This stage of sleep prepares the body for deeper sleep.
Stage 3 and 4
Stages three and four also feature non rapid eye movements. During stages three and four of the sleep cycle, the body enters into a deep sleep. You are completely asleep during both stages, but stage four is more intense than stage three.
All four stages of sleep repeat themselves throughout the sleep period, generally occurring from four to seven times. Each time the sleeper enters REM sleep, dreaming occurs. Sometimes dreamers remember dreams from earlier in the night, but in most cases the dreams that are remembered are those that occur closest to waking.
Researchers know, however, that dreaming occurs during all four to seven sessions of REM sleep. They know this through their work with volunteers who agree to be awakened during REM sleep. Those awakened during REM sleep generally provide very vivid descriptions of those dreams, as do those who awaken naturally during a particularly vivid, intense or frightening dream.
The word archetype is actually derived from the Latin and Greek languages, but the world of psychiatry, particularly the work of Carl Jung, is what brought the word into common usage. Simply stated, an archetype is a prototype, or an original model. An archetype can also be used to mean the ideal example of a type.
Carl Jung used the word archetype to mean an instinct pattern of thought or imagery that was derived from collective experience. Jung believed in the existence of the collective unconscious - that is that people are born knowing things learned from their ancestors.
There are several archetypes used in dream interpretation, and one of the most common of these archetypes is that of the child.
The child is quite a common symbol in dreams, and it is probably the most easily recognized archetypes. After all, everyone can remember what it was like to be a child - the freedom of being a child, the unconditional love received from parents, the laughter and the innocence of the imagination.
In the world of dreams, the child reminds us of our past and our childhood. Dreams involving children, or dreaming of ourselves as children, often symbolizes an unconscious desire to go back to a simpler time. People in need of unconditional love often dream of being children or being surrounded by children.
Every psychology student is familiar with the concept of the inner child, the part of everyone that refuses to grow up, and is constantly in need of encouragement, comfort and unconditional love.
There are several other child archetypes and metaphors, and one of the most powerful of these is the Divine Child. The Divine Child archetype is often encountered in mythology, and there are examples of the Divine Child in almost every major religion and belief system in the world. This worldwide appearance is one of the hallmarks of a true archetype.
The Wounded Child, like the Divine Child, is also an archetype that is seen in cultures and religions all over the world. The wounded child archetype is most closely associated with children who have been neglected or abused. Dreaming of a wounded child, or dreaming of yourself as a wounded child, is often the manifestation of a desire for a loving, wonderful childhood.
In addition, the Wounded Child archetype may appear when you are facing something that reminds you of being a Wounded Child. For instance, being blamed for something you did not do at work can take you back to the times a parent treated you unfairly. Therefore, such a negative event in the workplace could trigger the appearance of the Wounded Child archetype in a dream.
There is no question that children are powerful dream symbols, and dreams about children can have many interpretations. When interpreting any dream, it is always important to consider the context of the dream, and to take it into account when examining the dream.
Recurring dreams involving children can have their own meanings as well, and they can often be triggered by memories of childhood. Often a return to a hometown, a grade school reunion, or running into a childhood friend you have not seen in years, can trigger dreams of being a child again. These types of dreams are among the most common in the world of dream interpretation.
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