many modern cultures and that is shared by many contemporary dream theorists as
well (Koch-Sheras p. 32).
It has taken centuries of interest to move beyond dream lore to a
scientific understanding of dreams. Yet many myths are still taken as fact in
interpreting our own and others’ dream behavior. Here are some myths and facts
about our dreams. Myth: Some people dream only a few times a year-or not at all.
Fact: Everybody dreams! While some people may only remember a few dreams a year,
they actually dream several times every night. (Lemley p. 6). Myth: Babies
don’t dream. Fact: Babies do show evidence of dreaming, although what they
dream about is anybody’s guess. Even a newborn infant will have REM sleep. As
people continue to age, studies show, the percentage of time spent dreaming
drops off to as low as 13% in some people (Lemley p. 7). Myth: Animals do not
dream. Fact: As dog owners suspect, animals do dream. Dogs sometimes move their
legs, wag their tails and even bark and growl while sleeping (Koch-Sheras p. 7).
In all mammals studied there is evidence of REM sleep. (Koch-Sheras p. 7).
Myth: Blind people do not dream. Fact: Blind people do dream. All dreamers
becoming blind after the age of 7 see in dreams even after an interval of 20-30
years (Lemley p. 8). Those who become blind after age 5, however, almost never
see in their dreams (Lemley p. 8.). A person who cannot hear often has a
specially vivid visual content in dreams, and a person blind from birth
distinctly remembers sounds and tactile experiences in dreams (Koch-Sheras p. 8).
Even if our dreams are entirely random, they still have value. The
connections we make as we examine our dream for images that have some symbolic
meaning are valid, as points of curiosity, as jumping off points for further
self-exploration, and perhaps as insights into the inner workings of our own
unique personality (Koch-Sheras p. 72).
Whatever your motivation-amusement, curiosity, self-growth, spiritually
or something else-as dreamers we can pick and choose, using our dreams to guide
and shape our own theory (Lemley p. 73). We have nothing to lose in developing
our own theory or body of recurring symbols with which to interpret our dreams.
(Koch-Sheras p. 73).
Jubera 8 Work Cited
Barret, David V. Dreams. New York: Dorling Kindersley Inc. 1995
Koch-Sheras, Phyllis, and Amy Lemley. The Dream Sourcebook. Chicago,
Contemporary Books, 1995
Time-Life Books. Dreams and Dreaming. Virginia, Time-Life Books, 1990