Considered
the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund
Freud (1856-1939) revolutionized the study of dreams with his work
"The Interpretation Of Dreams". Freud began to analyze
dreams in order to understand aspects of personality as they relate to
pathology. He believed that nothing we did occurred by chance; every
action and thought is motivated by our unconscious
at some level. In order
to live in a civilized society, we tend to hold back or
urges and repress our urges and impulses. However, these urges and
impulses must be released in some way and have a way of coming to the
surface in disguised forms.
One
way these urges and impulses are released is through our dreams. Freud
understood the symbolic nature of dreams and believed they were a direct
connection to our unconscious, what Freud refers to as the id. The
id is centered around pleasure, desire, unchecked urges and wish
fulfillment. During our waking hours, the desires of the id are suppressed
by the superego, which acts as a censor for the id. The
superego enforces the moral codes for the ego and blocks unacceptable
impulses of the id. Because your guard is down during the dream state,
your unconscious has the opportunity to act out and express the hidden
desires of the id.
Considered
the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund
Freud (1856-1939) revolutionized the study of dreams with his work
"The Interpretation Of Dreams". Freud began to analyze
dreams in order to understand aspects of personality as they relate to
pathology. He believed that nothing we did occurred by chance; every
action and thought is motivated by our unconscious 
