Journal Entry: Dreams and the Unconscious Sigmund Freud once said that dreams are the “royal road to the unconscious.” What he meant is that dreams can show us what’s going on beneath the surface feelings and thoughts we might not be fully aware of when we’re awake. In our textbook (Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior), it explains that most dreams happen during REM sleep, which is when the brain is super active and creates the vivid, sometimes strange images we remember when we wake up (Coon, Mitterer, & Martini, 2022, pp. 168-170). Freud believed that even though dreams might not make sense on the surface, they can be meaningful once you look deeper. One dream I’ve had more than once takes place in my childhood home in Homestead. In the dream, everything looks just like it used to when I was a kid—the same rooms, furniture, and even the same lighting—but there’s always a creepy feeling in the air. I’m usually alone, and after a little while, I start running through the house because I feel like something is chasing me. I never see who or what it is. It’s just a dark, shadowy figure I can’t put a face to. No matter how fast I run or where I hide, I never get away. Right when I’m about to get caught, I always wake up. I looked up some meanings online, and Dream Dictionary says that being chased in a dream can mean you’re avoiding something in your life, like a problem or emotion. Dream Moods also said that dreaming about your childhood home could be a sign that there’s something from your past that you haven’t fully dealt with. That made sense to me. I think the dream might have something to do with stress or fears I had as a kid that still stick with me in some way. Maybe the shadow figure is just my mind’s way of showing something I haven’t faced yet. Overall, I think Freud had a point. Even if dreams seem random or confusing, they might still tell us something important if we pay attention. Word Count: 401 APA Citation: Coon, D., Mitterer, J. O., & Martini, T. (2022). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior (16th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Your dream of being chased through your childhood home is rich with symbolism and deeply connected to your personal history and emotions. Let's break down the elements of your dream to uncover the potential meanings and insights it offers.
Setting: Childhood Home
The setting of your dream being your childhood home is significant. Freud emphasized that returning to familiar places in dreams often relates to unresolved issues from the past. This specific location might evoke feelings of nostalgia, safety, or even fear. It suggests that there are elements from your childhood that continue to resonate within you, possibly highlighting feelings or experiences that require acknowledgment and resolution. The fact that you feel a creepy atmosphere in a space that typically represents comfort points to conflict between past security and current unease.
The Chase
The recurring theme of being chased indicates an underlying anxiety or an issue you are trying to evade in your waking life. The shadowy figure represents an unspecific fear or problem, possibly embodying feelings of unresolved stress or unresolved childhood emotions. The act of running signifies your desire to escape these pressures, yet the dream’s repetitive nature suggests that these feelings can’t be outrun indefinitely—they must be confronted.
Emotions of Fear and Stress
The persistent feeling of being followed without ever knowing who or what is pursuing you reflects the uncertainty and ambiguity of your fears. It indicates that these feelings may be deeply entrenched and heightened during times of stress. Given that this dream recurs, there could be specific triggers in your life that activate these unresolved fears. It is important to consider what situations, relationships, or responsibilities in your current life mimic the struggles you faced during your childhood.
The Shadow Figure
The shadow figure in your dream serves as a manifestation of your unconscious fears and anxieties. According to Jungian psychology, shadows represent parts of ourselves that we reject or suppress. This figure may embody aspects of your past or unresolved feelings about your childhood. It could represent guilt, shame, or fears you have not addressed fully. Engaging with this shadow—not necessarily through your dreams but through reflection or even creative expression—can be cathartic and may lead to personal growth.
Interpretation and Conclusions
In essence, your dream suggests a need for introspection. It may be beneficial to explore your past feelings and fears, perhaps through journaling, therapy, or discussions with trusted friends or family. Consider reflecting on what parts of your childhood might still influence your emotional landscape today. Acknowledging these past experiences can empower you to tackle the issues that feel like shadows lurking behind you, or even motivate you to confront challenges that arise in your current life.
Overall, your dream serves as an invitation to explore the depths of your unconscious mind, suggesting that by addressing these unresolved feelings, you may find a path to greater emotional clarity and peace. Freud's theory indeed highlights that through understanding our dreams, we can better understand ourselves.