The Dreamer's Dictionary

by Stearn Robinson

have had this book for 24 years! I wear them out and have to get a replacement each time. I have read numerous other similar books and used the internet for research into dreams too - but this book is without doubt the best. I find the events the dreams are fortelling happen within days - it is incredible. You do need to do a lot of cross referencing i.e. looking up feelings,emotions, colours, names, places, numbers etc. but when you write the meanings down you can easily see a pattern of events - and then when it all happens within days (never more than a week) you then realise just how accurate it is! What fantastic researchers the authors were! I am about to purchase yet another copy. 5 out of 5 stars

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Spirituality, New Age, Wicca

Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to reread but I had this book for a longt time right by my bed.

I have always been fascinated by dreams, their symbolism and what they mean. This book seems to cover everything and I was so surprised that certain things I thought meant one thing were completely different.

I mean..I do not know if any of this is 100 percent true. It is possible it is not and dreams mean nothing..absolutely nothing. I do not really believe that though.

They say the human being only uses 10 percent of their brain capacity. I am sure there is so much our brains are capable of that we do not know and it is fascinating to see how dreams tie in. When I was young I used to imagine when we dreamed we were living our "other lives" in an alternative universe. And who knows?

I used to have a few recurring dreams too, one about how I lived in a glass house on the ocean with a soldier living next door. I had a friend named Pam who showed up in my dreams. And my first (remembered) dream of all time was flying across the water on planes that were also made to fly on the ocean. That dream still holds special significance to me.

I have also heard that when you dream you can only dream of faces that you have seen before in lucid moments. However, I have had dreams of strangers' faces. I guess it could be they are faces of people I do not remember ever having met. In any event, if you, like me, find the subject matter fascinating this book is for you.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is never completely read; it's more of a reference for early morning scattered scraps of dreams.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book for dream interpretation. I have a lot of numbers and colors prominent in my dreams and few books cover that. This book has interpretations for numbers and colors as well as all the other things we dream about. Detailed and good information!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has sat on my nightstand for a few years now. Occasionally I will go to it to see what a recent dream meant. It is insightful at times and at other times it doesn't provide any good info. Many times my dreams are not listed. So to sum it up, this book on interpreting dreams is a mixed bag. Sometimes useful and sometimes not. I am donating it to the Salvation Army this week to help de-clutter the house. It just wasn't useful enough to keep around and to consult. I'll look to the Internet from now on to help in this regard.

P.S. I bought it very used at a garage sale. So no great financial loss.

[Minnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What are dreams made of? Sparking synapses or indigestion or maybe they are stories told by your subconscious that your conscious mind is not quite prepared to hear yet. This book interprets dreams as portends of things to come. Maybe, maybe not but it is fun to believe that "to dream of death frequently signifies birth". I doubt if this book ever gives sound financial advice or a quick fix for a love problem. It's best to see it as a fun look at an every-night event and not to put too much store in it's ability to predict the future. "A dream is a little hidden door in the innermost and most secret recesses of the soul, opening into that cosmic night which was psyche long before there was any ego-consciousness". Carl Jung

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure I believe most of what I read, I believe it was all opinion, but it was fun.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as dream dictionaries go this is a good one. I believe that through my dreams, my subconscious talks to me about things I am either unaware of, or unwilling to face. These messages are cryptic at times. It's useful to have a general guide on how to interpret the subtle things my unconscious mind communicates to me. It's easy to use too. Look up every single word that you can remember your dream contained.

Example: you dreamt you fought ten ninjas (and won). Look up things related to this: fight, arguement, duel, etc... Then look up ninja, assassin, killer, death etc... Then: win, victory, etc... then since you specifically remembered there were ten ninjas, why not look up the number ten?

It's a smallish book so not all the words you look up will be there, but you might be surprised at what is, and at what you'll find out. I foresaw the shit fit my friend threw, and the death of an ailing and out-of-touch loved one, I also forsaw the loss of a job and the gaining of a fiancée. Basically, these are all things I could feel coming on some level, but was not consciously aware of it. The book won't help you change anything or plan for anything, because it cannot know your specific situation, but it helps decipher your own imaginings. Unfortunately one never knows until it's happened: "Oh! THAT'S what my dream & dream book warned me about! It was YOU!"

Pretty interesting actually.

[Krissys Bookshelf Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author: Stearn Robinson
Title: Dreamer's Dictionary
Series:
Cover Rating:
Silver star

Book Rating:
4 stars



About the Book:
This backlist favorite, selling over 1 million copies since its first publication, has been repackaged for a dynamic new look. The result of years of research, this easy-to-use guide tells how to distinguish the four types of dreams, identify dream symbols, and understand meanings.



My Thoughts:
Dreamers Dictionary is a more detailed book for dream interpretation exploration. Plenty of extra terms and options than most, Dreamers Dictionary manages to support those who have a little more experience in dream questing.



Disclaimer:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews purchased a print copy for personal collection. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

Note:
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!

[L'Artiste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I look into this book at least three times a week. I have another 'dream dictionary' but this one is the best! I look up items from my dream and make the interpretation. It's usually on the money strangely. Our dreams delve into our psyche, as long as you can filter out the junk. I once had a dream of many ants in a line along the ground, and it said I was having a lot of work stress. It so happened that was the very night before I was starting a brand new job.

[Barbara Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book on a daily basis after recording my dreams in my journal while keeping track of dates. As I'm on my third copy after the previous two wore out from continuous use this should be a good indication of anyone wanting to consider this book for dream interpretation, do so.

I chose this book over others because the majority of the dreams' meanings came from ancient oracles which have stood the test of time.

[Elaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have bought this book three times. Need to buy it again. The accuracy of the dream symbols is beyond compare. This was a daily reader and wish it didn't get lost in the shuffle of moving!!

[Sannie Hald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I use it every morning when going over my dreams..

[Beverly Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this all the time... keep a journal and everything... it is an awakening.

[eggiecom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have used this book as a reference for most of my adult life - I’m 64. It’s the version my mother used. It has lived by my bedside, as do other books, but those come and go as they are read or needed. This is the book that travels with me in my carry-on.

My paperback copy is worn but still very serviceable. The dream interpretations are older ones based on tradition: not the ones repeated, sometimes verbatim, on the many dream websites I’ve visited.

It occurred to me that I should have a backup on Kindle, should a dream be remembered at sometime during the day when my hard copy’s not with me. I was thrilled to see it and snapped it up immediately. I’m also happy the book itself is also still in print. I have depended on it so much I’m tempted to buy a backup copy, just in case.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this book, in whichever format you choose.

[Tracy Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy

This is the best dream book available. I've had the paperback version of this book for years, and I've also purchased this book as a gift for others. I'm so happy I have it on my Kindle because now I don't have to worry about something happening to the paperback or the book going out of print.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had such fun with this book over the years, I’ve almost worn the cover off. It’s really fun to piece together imagery / themes of dreams to try and figure out meaning. I don’t know if this is black and white enough for the serious interpreter, but it’s fun for the curious.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Works every time. Had several copies over several decades.

[Rachel Creason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and easy to read.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my go-to dream book. I’ve had this book now for 30 years and still refer to it. The introduction in this book explains dream interpretation how to tell the difference between a dream that means something and a dream that doesn’t really have a meaning and to me, that is one of the most important parts of the book. Just recently I looked to see if there was an updated version of this book, but there isn’t. I will still continue to use this one.

[Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book for dream interpretations that I have had the pleasure of finding. This book is a must have for me & will never be thrown out.

[Ronnie Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

read

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a great little dictionary I picked up at a used book sale. It's missing quite a few entries that would really be helpful in interpreting my reoccurring dreams and nightmares, most notably "Zombies", but other wise the information is good though a bit outdated.

[Morgan]

People come to me with their dreams, asking for interpretation. Sometimes I'm asked what my references are for dream interpretation and I admit that they are internal—intuition and insight into the analogies of the subconscious. Occasionally I come across a book on dream interpretation, like this one, and I'm reminded why I don't use them. Firstly, no book knows what's going on in any given dreamer's awake life, hence the dictionary definitions of what a dream's various elements might mean is likely to be off. Secondly, many of these books have a tendency to try and predict the future, saying things like, "You'll be successful in sex/love/business/etc." and no dream can tell you that for certain; rather, dreams take components of our waking lives and rearrange them in ways to show us different perspective on our pasts, our presents, and our possible (but not definitive) futures. Thirdly, these books are laced with sexist and racist crap, making gross generalizations based on gender and negative associations based on race (just look at the entry for "Lips" and you'll get the idea). So next time you've got a dream that needs interpreting, put aside your books and just talk to someone.

[Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book and use it daily. I found it in Goodwill several years ago, on a day I went into the store with the intention of finding a book on dream interpretation.

Although it contains outdated entries (like "gaiters"... What the heck is a gaiter?), it is still relevant and invaluable.

I usually have several dreams a night and if I can remember them when I awake (98% of the time), I detail and interpret them in a journal shortly after I awaken.

This book was first printed in 1974 and my copy was issued in 1994. I suspect it was just re-issued and not updated. There are "missing" entries (like "computer") that are a bit surprising to me...

My subconscious mind is busy busy busy while I'm sleeping. This book helps me make sense of the things my rational mind overlooks during the day.

[Brencis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for those with weird as hell dreams like mine. There is no entry for dinosaur, nor is there one for zombie or, Malayan sun bear or, cross dressing. I also feel like the interpretations in this book are solely based on the author's own personal life. It's not the worst book in the world if you've got fairly normal dreams but when you have dreams about being turned into a Malayan sun bear, or dinosaur sex you might not find this book so useful.

On second thought, I'll give it two stars. On the occasion that I don't have a thoroughly bizarre dream, this book isn't totally useless, it's helped two or three times.

[Karen E. Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more of a reference but I adore it. I have a few dream dictionaries but this one is my most favorite. Of course it won't have everything in it but enough to help the majority of my dreams. The messages are short but still have enough information. I love the beginning pages stating some things to keep in mind. Such as how outside influences can enter our dreams, like sirens from police cars, and mean nothing to us in particular. Some explanations of dreams and what they are, and how to interpret them. A good book to have at your bedside table when you want to check what your dreams meant.

[Slim Khezri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great and interesting book. I usually don't take these things all too serious, but as someone who dreams strange & bizarre things, I think this is a very interesting read. It is a good "thumb through" book. I'm not a superstitious person but I believe this book has some accurate translations and predictions to visions you might 've had last night :)

[White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I felt as thought this book wasn't based on research but based on the author's own interpretations. After going through this, I decided that no one can really interpret your dreams but yourself. Still, some things I got a connection to so I gave it three stars.

[Devon Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant for its purpose- I've kept this under my bed for years to flick through whenever a dream occurred. I read the entire thing as part of my EPQ on lucid dreaming and dreaming in general and found the introductory section particularly helpful!

[Carolina Nazario · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so boring I could barely get through it. There are some good informational parts, but overall most of these "definitions" just seem to be a bit obvious. I feel like I have wasted my time.