Dreams are a mystery to many of us, often leaving us with more questions than answers once the sun comes up.
If you’ve ever wondered what certain dreams mean or why you dream at all, you can learn a lot from groundbreaking books by dream experts.
Best Books About Dreams
Below are 8 books that will help you decode common symbols from your dreams and understand more about the significance of dreaming.
1. Man and His Symbols by Carl G. Jung
Carl Jung wrote this book after dreaming that his work would be widely understood by the public. As such, Man and His Symbols is among Jung’s most accessible books, and in it he examines the full world of the unconscious.
Jung explores how dreams manifest, the symbols often revealed in dreams, and how understanding our own dreams can lead to a more productive life.
2. The Ultimate Dictionary of Dream Language by Briceida Ryan
In 800 pages, The Ultimate Dictionary of Dream Language explains 25,000 dream symbols and scenarios in alphabetical order.
Whether your dreams feature sex, violence, or even Great White Sharks, this thorough guide will help you understand the possible messages behind your projections.
3. Inner Work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal Growth by Robert A. Johnson
Once you’ve learned the possible meanings behind your most frequent dream symbols, wouldn’t it be nice to learn how to use those insights?
That’s what this guide will teach you. Discover how to use dreams and inner exercises to achieve personal wholeness and a more satisfying life.
4. What Your Dreams Are Telling You by Cindy McGill and David Sluka
This practical, hands-on guide provides the tools you need to interpret your own dreams and apply those insights to your awake life.
The book will show you that some of the best advice and guidance can be found right in your dreams. With explanations of common dream themes, a reference guide, and tips for better dreaming, you’ll learn how to get the most from your time spent asleep.
5. The Art of Lucid Dreaming by Dr. Clare Johnson
If you’ve ever been curious about lucid dreaming, this book will show you how it’s done. The author, a world-leading expert on lucid dreaming, shares practical tips, 60 practices, and 15 tailor-made lucidity programs to get you started.
You’ll learn how to ask your unconscious mind for guidance, discover creative solutions to your problems, and transform each nightly sleep into an adventure.
6. Our Dreaming Mind by Robert L. Van De Castle
In addition to understanding the personal meanings of your dreams, it’s interesting to learn the historic and cultural significance of dreaming.
This book illustrates the importance of dreaming to the human experience, examining how dreams have influenced art, psychology, and religion.
7. 12,000 Dreams Interpreted by Linda Shields and Lenore Skomal
This updated version of Miller’s classic includes dream symbols of the 21st century, from cell phones to computers.
12,000 Dreams Interpreted offers a compelling and thorough study of all the symbols that appear in our dreamscape, with Miller’s enlightening introduction to dream history and types.
8. The Oracle of Night: The History and Science of Dreams by Sidarta Ribeiro
The Oracle of Night investigates the literature, anthropology, religion, and science behind the phenomenon of dreaming.
Uncover what dreams really are, why you dream, and how your body and mind uses your dreams. From early cave paintings to the most recent research, Ribeiro traces humankind’s first dreams and how they contributed to our capacity to perceive the past and future.
What Does Carl Jung Say About Dreams?
Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology, and also developed the theory of the collective unconscious.
Jung saw dreams as our psyche’s attempt to tell us important things. He placed great value on dreams as insight into what is really going on in the psyche, and he also considered dreams important to the development of our individual personalities.
The Power of Dreams
Books about dreams can teach you a lot about common symbols and their possible meanings, but only you can decide how they fit in the context of your life.
Dreams can reveal a lot about what’s really going on beneath surface, which is why keeping a dream journal can help you understand a lot about your past, present, and future.
Have you ever read a book about dreams? Tell us about it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Can You Read in Dreams? A Literary Sleep Analysis
- Why Daydreaming Is Good For You (and How To Do It Right)
- Why You Should Keep a Dream Journal: 5 Tips for Discovering Helpful Insights
- How to Journal: 8 Tips for Getting the Most from Your Writing Time
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
