In the late nineteenth century - a remarkable time of growth in scientific knowledge - dreams were regarded mainly as psychological statements.

Dr Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939) was the originator of psychoanalysis. A neurologist by training he drew heavily upon his medical training and developed the theory of the mind. He believed that emotions and subconscious motivations were the prime movers in our lives.

The backbone of his belief is that the mind has three basic parts:-

• the id - the subconscious mind made up of primitive urges and instincts
• the ego - the conscious part acting as a mediator between the subconscious and reality
• the super-ego which policed the negative impulses of the id.

Freud looked to dreams as a means of understanding the unconscious mind. He believed that sexual desires, sometimes twisted and repressed were often reflected in dreams. By his technique of free association he encouraged the individual to understand the nature of unresolved conflicts causing harm to the mind.

The imagery was usually very sexual.

Carl Gustav Jung (1875 - 1961) was Freud's pupil. Although sharing some of his beliefs he rejected Freud's emphasis on sexuality and developed his own doctrine known as analytical psychology. This is deeply influenced my myths, mysticism and metaphysics. He held that the mind had different depths and that together with the conscious mind there was also the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. The personal unconscious held memories particular to the individual, whilst the collective held symbolism common to every human being.

Jung concluded that within the symbolism of the collective unconscious were held universal images - termed archetypes. This is very important in understanding dream symbology as it explains why some dreams have a universal meaning, for example, driving a car, whilst others are purely personal.

Jung also believed that the inner self attempts to communicate with the conscious self in three ways:

1. Psychically through dreams
2. Through 'fate' (accidents and illness)
3. Through physical disorder and illness.