The Dictionary of Dreams (6 page)

possible and go to sleep in a negative condition (this will,

of course, have to be cultivated by the subject). A person can,

if he will, completely relax his mind and body to the receptive

mood required for dreams to appear as realities, or true

explanations of future events.

relative endeavors to extract a promise from you, warns you

of coming distress unless you follow the advice given.

Disastrous consequences could be averted if minds could grasp

the inner workings and sight of the higher or spiritual self.

The voice of relatives is only that higher self taking form to approach more distinctly the mind that lives near the material plane.

There is so little congeniality between common or material

natures that persons should depend more largely upon their own

subjectivity for true contentment and pleasure.

The will is suspended during sleep, so the dream mind is more a prey to excitability than the waking mind.

Thus when images appear upon the dream vision they are frequently distorted into hideous malformations that fill it with fear and excitement.

CONTRARY DREAMS.

The constant dwelling of the mind upon certain things distorts

their shapes upon subjectivity, thus throwing dreams in exactly

opposite channels to the waking reality. Yet the dreamer always

feels a sense of being awake in dreams like these, and on awakening

experiences no recuperation of mind or body after such contrary dreams, Sleep is not fully sustained while the dreamer is held by material ideas in the subjective state.

WHEN DREAMS ARE LESS PRESCIENT.

The cessation of the organs to perform healthful functions converts

a man into a different person, and dreams while in this state would

have no prophetic meaning, unless to warn the dreamer of this

disorganization of his physical system.

Dreams are symbols used by subjectivity to impress the objective

or material mind with a sense of coming good or evil. Subjectivity is the spiritual part of man. The soul is that circle of man lying just outside the gross materiality and partaking largely of it.

All thoughts and desires enter first the soul or material mind

and then cast themselves on the spirit. Frequently the soul becomes so filled with material or present ideas, that the spiritual symbols are crowded out, and then it is that dreams seen to be contrary.

Material subjectivity, that is, all thoughts and ideas emanating

from material sources, go to make up this circle; then the mind

catches up the better thoughts of this section and weaves them

into a broader and more comprehensive power, sustaining the owner

in his own judgment.

And still another circle is formed of the finer compound of this,

which is spiritual subjectivity, or the highest element of intelligence reached by man. [This circle is ``the spiritual man'' and relates in substance to the spiritual soul of the macrocosm or universe.

It becomes strong or weak as we recognize or fail to recognize

it as a factor of being. The process of spiritual development

is similar to that of the vegetable and animal kingdoms.

The trees on the outer rim of the forest are more capable of resisting the wind than those more to the center, by reason of their exposure to storms; the roots have penetrated with double strength far

into the earth, and the branches are braced with toughened bark

and closely knitted ligaments.

The same may be said of the animal kingdom. The mind is developed

by vigorous exercise just as are likewise the muscles of the body.

The more these are cultivated by drawing from their parental affinities in the macrocosm, the more knowledge or power they take on.

Thus as a man simulates in thought and action an ape, a tiger, a goat, a snake or a lamb he takes on their characteristics and is swayed by like influences to enmity, meekness, covetousness and avariciousness.

To illustrate further. If he is cunning he draws on the fox of

the microcosm and becomes, in action and thought, like that animal.

If selfishness survives, the hog principle is aroused from its latent cel s in the microcosm and he is dominated by material appetites.

In a similar way he may perceive the spiritual in himself.

Nature's laws, with all their numberless and intricate ramifications are simple in their harmony of process and uniformity of purpose when applied to the physical and ethical developments of man.]

Possibilities for inner improvements or expansions rest with material man.

If he entertains gross desires to the exclusion of spiritual germs,

he will dwarf and degrade higher aspirations, and thus deprive subjective spirituality of her rightful possessions.

inadvertently dropped the ingredient sound, hence making an imperfect being; and sound, being thus foreign to his nature, he can only be approached by signs even in dreams. Subjectivity uses nature's forces, while a normal person uses dreams to work on his waking consciousness.

As it is impossible to use with effect a factor which a man does not naturally possess, a deaf man rarely ever dreams of sound, or a blind man of light.

Whatever symbol is used to impress the dreamer is the one

which is likely to warn him more definitely than any other.

No two persons being ever in the same state at the same time,

the same symbols would hardly convey identical impressions;

neither will the same dream be as effective in all cases

of business or love with the same dreamer.

A person's dream perception wavers, much as it does in waking hours.

You fail to find the same fragrance in the rose at all times,

though the same influences seemingly surround you; and thus it is

that different dreams must be used for different persons to convey

the same meaning.

Creation, confident of her power to perfect her designs,

does not resort to that monotony in her work, which might result

were the perception of man, or the petals and fragrance of flowers

cast from one stereotyped mold of intelligence, beauty or sweetness.

This variety of scheme runs through all creation.

You think you have identical dreams, but there is always

some variation, even if it be something dreamed immediately over.

Nature is no sluggard and is forever changing her compounds,

so that there is bound to be change in the details even of dreams.

This change would not materially affect the approach of happiness

or sorrow in different people, and hence the same dreams are

reliable for all.

Persons of the same or similar temperament will be more deeply

impressed by a certain dream than would people their opposite;

and though the dream cannot be the same in detail yet it is

apparently the same, just as two like flowers are called roses,

though they are not identical.

If a young woman twenty-five and a girl of fifteen should each have a dream of marriage, the same definition would apply to each, just the same as if they would each approach a flower and smell of it differently.

Different influences will possess them unconsciously, though the outward appearance be the same.

A young woman of a certain age is warned in a dream of trouble

likely to befall her, while another of similar age and

threatened trouble is warned also, but in different symbols,

which she fails to grasp and bring back to waking existence,

and she thus believes she has had no warning dream.

There are those in the world who lack subjective strength,

material or spiritual, and hence they fail to receive dreams,

however symbolic, because there is no power within them

to retain these impressions.

There are many reasons for this loss, utter material gross-ness, want of memory, physical weakness uncoupled from extreme nervousness, and total lack of faith in any warning or revelation purporting

or coming from the dream consciousness.

To dream at night and the following day have the thing dreamed of

actually take place, or come before your notice, is not allegorical.

It is the higher or spiritual sense living or grasping the immediate future ahead of the physical mind. The spiritual body is always first to come into contact with the approaching future;

it is present with it, while still future to the physical body.

There is no reason why man should not grasp coming events earlier,

only he does not cultivate inner sight as he does his outer senses.

The allegorical is used because man weakens his spiritual force

by catering to the material senses.

He clings to the pleasures and woes of the material world

to the exclusion of spirituality.

WHAT'S IN A DREAM.

A.

``_When he was set down on the Judgment seat, his wife sent

unto him, saying, `Have thou nothing to do with that just man;

for I have suffered many things this day in a dream, because of him_.'

' --Matthew xxvii, 19.

Abandon
.

To dream that you are abandoned, denotes that you will have difficulty in framing your plans for future success.

To abandon others, you will see unhappy conditions piled thick around you, leaving little hope of surmounting them.

If it is your house that you abandon, you will soon come to grief

in experimenting with fortune.

If you abandon your sweetheart, you will fail to recover lost valuables, and friends will turn aside from your favors.

If you abandon a mistress, you will unexpectedly come into

a goodly inheritance.

If it is religion you abandon, you will come to grief by your attacks on prominent people.

To abandon children, denotes that you will lose your fortune

by lack of calmness and judgment.

To abandon your business, indicates distressing circumstances in which there will be quarrels and suspicion. (This dream may have a literal fulfilment if it is impressed on your waking mind, whether you abandon a person, or that person abandons you, or, as indicated, it denotes other worries.) To see yourself or friend abandon a ship, suggests your possible entanglement in some business failure, but if you escape to shore

your interests will remain secure.

Abbey
.[3]

To see an abbey in ruins, foretells that your hopes and schemes

will fall into ignoble incompletion.

To dream that a priest bars your entrance into an abbey,

denotes that you will be saved from a ruinous state by enemies

mistaking your embarrassment for progress.

For a young woman to get into an abbey, foretells her violent illness.

If she converses with a priest in an abbey, she will incur the censure of true friends for indiscretion.

Abbess
.

For a young woman to dream that she sees an abbess, denotes that she will be compelled to perform distasteful tasks, and will submit to authority only after unsuccessful rebellion.

To dream of an abbess smiling and benignant, denotes you will be surrounded by true friends and pleasing prospects.

Abbot
.[3]

To dream that you are an abbot, warns you that treacherous plots

are being laid for your downfall.

If you see this pious man in devotional exercises, it forewarns

you of smooth flattery and deceit pulling you a willing victim

into the meshes of artful bewilderment.

For a young woman to talk with an abbot, portends that she will yield to insinuating flatteries, and in yielding she will besmirch her reputation.

If she marries one, she will uphold her name and honor despite

poverty and temptation.

[3] See similar words in connection with churches, priests,
etc.

Abdomen
.[4]

To see your abdomen in a dream, foretells that you will have

great expectations, but you must curb hardheadedness and redouble

your energies on your labor, as pleasure is approaching to your hurt.

To see your abdomen shriveled, foretells that you will be persecuted and defied by false friends.

To see it swollen, you will have tribulations, but you will overcome them and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

To see blood oozing from the abdomen, foretel s an accident or tragedy in your family.

The abdomen of children in an unhealthy state, portends that contagion will pursue you.

[4] See Belly.

Abhor
.

To dream that you abhor a person, denotes that you will entertain

strange dislike for some person, and your suspicion of his honesty

will prove correct.

To think yourself held in abhorrence by others, predicts that your good intentions to others will subside into selfishness.

For a young woman to dream that her lover abhors her, foretells that she will love a man who is in no sense congenial.

Abject
.

To dream that you are abject, denotes that you will be the recipient of gloomy tidings, which will cause a relaxation in your strenuous efforts to climb the heights of prosperity.

To see others abject, is a sign of bickerings and false dealings

among your friends.

Abode
.[5]

To dream that you can't find your abode, you will completely lose

faith in the integrity of others.

If you have no abode in your dreams, you will be unfortunate in your affairs, and lose by speculation.

To change your abode, signifies hurried tidings and that hasty journeys will be made by you.