Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1960) studied under Sigmund Freud. Like Freud, Jung believed in the existence of the unconscious. However, he saw dreams more as a spiritual expression. Dreams were a way of communicating to ourselves and our unconscious. Dreams were not attempts to conceal our true feelings but rather they were a window to our unconscious. They served as a guide to achieve wholeness by offering a solution to a problem we are facing.
Jungian Dream Interpretation:Since dreams were a way of communicating with the unconscious, he felt that the imageries or symbols were a way of revealing something about ourselves, relationships and situations in our life. Dreams guided our personal growth and helped to self achieve our potential. He believed that everyone possess the necessary tools to interpret his own dreams. There is no one correct way to interpret a dream but are a personal judgment and is up to you on how to interpret them. In spite of this he noted certain symbols in dreams that possess the same universal meaning. While dreams are personal, our personal experiences often touch on universal themes. Jung identified seven such symbols in what is referred to as the characters: 1. The Persona- is the image you present to the world it is y our public mask. In the dream the persona is represented by the self. The Self may or may not resemble you physically or may or may not behave as your would. However, you relize that this "person" in your dream is you. 2. The Shadow- is the rejected and repressed aspects of yourself and is the part of yourself that you do not want the world to see. 3. The Anima- Animus is the female and male aspects of yourself, he believed everyone possess both feminine and masculine qualities. In dreams, the anima may appear as a highly feminized figure or a hyper masculine figure in the case of the animus. 4. The Divine Child- your true self in its purest form symbolized by your innocence, vulnerability, and your helplessness. It represents your aspirations and your full potential. This figure is represented by a baby or young child. 5. The Wise Old Man- they serve to offer guidance and words of wisdom. They guide you into the right direction are represented by a teacher, father or some other unknown authority figure. 6. The Great Mother- the nurturer may appear in your dreams as your own mother, grandmother, or other nurturing figure and provide you with reassurance. Negatively, they may be depicted as a witch or old bag lady in which case they can be associated with seduction, dominance and death 7. The Trickster- plays jokes to keep you from taking yourself too seriously or have overreach or misjudge a situation.