Choosing between subjective and objective dream interpretation: a guide
One big question is: should we look at dreams as something personal (subjective) or as something about the real world (objective)?
Dreams are fascinating. They're like nightly stories our unconscious tells us. But what do they mean? As a Jungian analyst, I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. One big question is: should we look at dreams as something personal (subjective) or as something about the real world (objective)?
What is the difference?
Let's start by explaining what we mean:
Subjective interpretation: This means looking at everything in the dream has meaning connected to you. If you dream about a bear, it does not really matter that bears might be about strength or fear. On the contrary, the interpretations depends on your subjective associations with bears based on your past, your experiences, and other relations with these animals. For example, it might be associated with a bear costume you’ve had when you were a child.
Objective interpretation: This means thinking the dream objects have objective, cultural bound meaning. For example, if a green light appears in your dream, it can be understood metaphorically as the ‘green light’ to something because of the cultural association (which works, of course, only for the western society, whereas people from other cultures will have their own objective meanings).
Universal motifs: These are common themes that show up in many people's dreams. Jung called them archetypes and the "collective unconscious". In cultural studies, they can be named the ‘universal mythologemes’.
An example
Let's look at a dream:
A woman dreams she's in a big library. She sees a glowing book on a high shelf. Just as she's about to grab it, her old teacher appears and closes the book.
Subjective view: in this case, the interpreter should focus on the subjective meaning of the dreamer. In other words, what does it mean for this concrete person — a library, a book, etc. An old teacher might remind somebody from school or university. Thus, it’s worth investigating what feelings, emotions, and experiences are connected with such a person.
Objective view: here, on the contrary, we focus on social and cultural meaning of the symbols and objects appeared in the dream. Library can signify knowledge. Glowing book — an insight. The old teacher represents the archetype of Senex. Thus, it is a dream about some inner wisdom appearing in the psyche.
Both views can be helpful. However, sometimes they might contradict to each other. So how do we choose?
How to choose?
There's no perfect way to pick the right interpretation, but here are some tips:
Start with the subjective: Jung thought dreams were mostly about our inner world, so start there.
Listen for the "aha" moment: when an interpretation feels right, the dreamer often has a strong reaction.
Think about what's happening now in the dreamer's life: sometimes, real events clearly match the dream.
Be careful of big ideas: don't make every dream about saving the world. Most dreams are about everyday things.
Pay attention to small details: sometimes, a tiny part of the dream can be very important.
It's okay if it's unclear: sometimes both subjective and objective views are right.
What if you are unsure?
If you can't decide between two interpretations, try this:
Imagine the first interpretation is true. How does it feel?
Now imagine the second one is true. How does that feel?
Could both be true in some way?
Be careful of extremes
It's good to look at dreams from different angles, but be careful:
If you only look at dreams as personal, you might miss how they connect to the social and cultural environment you are living in.
If you only look at dreams as about universal and symbolical motifs, you might miss the personal meaning and hence, make the interpretation useless (true but still useless).
Try to find a balance between these views.
Wrapping up
Dreams are mysterious. When we try to understand them, we're building a bridge between our conscious and unconscious mind. Choosing between subjective and objective interpretations isn't about finding the "right" answer. It's about understanding ourselves better.
Remember, understanding dreams is both an art and a science. Use these guidelines, but also trust your instincts. And always listen carefully to how the dreamer reacts to different interpretations.
In the end, the magic of working with dreams happens when we explore the space between what we know and what we don't know, between our inner world and the outer world.