An extract from 'Fantasy Dreaming'
by Craig Hamilton-Parker
According
to Freud, all dream activity relates in some way to
sex. Most people would consider this an extreme point
of view, but it is true that sexual imagery is a vital
part of dream content. Dreams have a lot to teach
you about your sexual nature, your fears, and your
anxieties.
:Dreams are a rich source of fantasy and can be a
way to deal with unfulfilled desires from waking life.
Also as dreams are messages from the unconscious mind
they can reveal our deep feelings and our true motivations.
In particular they can bring to light many repressed
sexual desires, our guilty feelings or our unexpressed
fears about sex.
If a person has a high degree of repression, the
person's fears and anxieties may be expressed through
their dreams. Similarly the person's desire for greater
fulfillment may be expressed in erotic dreams. If
the sexual repression is severe, the dreams may be
filled with sexual situations that the person would
find shocking, embarrassing, or confusing. In such
cases, there is often a big difference between the
person's waking sexuality and the sexuality displayed
in dreams. The person's day-to-day life may be emotionally
sterile and sensually barren, but the dream life is
full of eroticism and steamy sexual encounters. By
paying attention to your dreams you can learn about
your needs and desires and perhaps discover ways to
make your life more sensual if necessary.
Your sexual dreams may also reveal things about the
way you feel about your relationships and your shared
sexual behavior. As was explained in the section about
Freud, dreams can sometimes disguise sexual subjects
and wrap the naked truth in all manner of symbolism.
Explicit sexual images may appear in dreams. For example,
should you dream of having sex with a member of your
family or someone completely inappropriate, it does
not necessarily mean that you have a mixed-up sexuality.
Psychologists point out that this type of dream can
be a symbolic message about your relationship with
these people. You may worry that you have these illicit
feelings, but dreams of this nature are comparatively
common.. There's no need to panic. Don't read too
much into them.
Erotic dreams usually occur at times when you need
a certain amount of release from tension. They are
a safety valve that lets out your pent-up frustrations
and sexual inhibitions. They may compensate for your
unfulfilled sex. People who have balanced and happy
sex lives in their waking life do not, as a general
rule, dream about sex. As far as we know, the primary
functions of dreams are to maintain sleep and prevent
the brain from emotionally overheating. Dreams therefore
are often concerned with resolving problems and restoring
emotional equilibrium. If sexual issues are important
to you or have been pushed out of your waking consciousness,
your dreams will try to deal with these unresolved
issues. Even nightmares can be therapeutic, as they
draw to your attention many of the hidden fears that
may be preventing you from moving forward. Pay attention
to your dreams and nightmares; they may hold the keys
to a your happiness.
Freud's generation was one of sexual repression and
fear of eroticism. Today the conditions are reversed.
Our society is extremely open and perhaps overemphasizes
the importance of sex. Both situations can cause problems.
A repressed sexuality is clearly not healthy and may
lead to neurosis, yet the fierce sexual competition
of today's world can cause just as much anxiety. Relationships
should be about love and feelings as well as sex.
The truth is that everyone has varying degrees of
sexual desire. Freud's era would have been a difficult
time for highly sexed individuals living within a
repressive society. Today someone who may not require
persistent sexual gratification may find the demand
put upon them difficult to cope with. Neither situation
is right or wrong. Each of us has to find a way that
suits us best and not give in to the demands of a
repressive or permissive society.
For more dream info and specific dream symbols check out our online dreams dictionary::