Dreams - Windows to Our Subconscious Mind

What is a dream? Some dictionaries say, “A series of thoughts, images, and emotions that occur during sleep” (Webster’s). Other references say dreams are “a communication of body, mind, and spirit in a symbolic communicative environmental state of being” (Lukeman 61). Dreams have both a metaphysical and physical existence. The metaphysical aspect is the imagery in a dream and its relation to the subconscious. The physical aspect is the chemical reactions that occur within the brain during dreams. There are many commonly asked questions about dreams. Some can be answered scientifically, but the majority cannot. You might unsuccessfully try to scientifically answer questions like: What are our dreams trying to tell us? Why are dreams so strange with frequent shifts of scene? “When we sleep we do more than just rest our weary bones; we tap into our subconscious mind” (Ullman and Zimmerman). Many people simply look at dreams at a literal level. They view dreaming as just another one of those peculiar, uncontrollable happenings within our brain. However, this is not the case. The fact is everybody dreams, whether they remember their dreams or not. These dreams, which are very difficult to influence or manipulate, are the language of our subconscious mind.
There are many ways to look at dreams as well as interpret them. For centuries, philosophers and scientists have tried to understand how dreaming and the unconscious works and the undeniable connection between the two. Dreams are an important part of people’s lives and culture around the world. In this symposium, I will elucidate the importance of dreams in one’s life, discuss the scientific perspective on dreams, and use the studies and viewpoints of the well-known dream philosopher Sigmund Freud to exemplify the psychoanalytical view on dreaming.
Since the time of the Babylonians, scholars have studied with curiosity the meaning of dreams and their symbols using the cultural beliefs of their age. Some of the

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