When the people of Ancient Greece experienced ill health they went first to the Temples of Asklepios to ask the gods for a dream giving permission to be healed. If the Gods were in their favour they would sometimes even be be healed by the dream itself. In indigenous cultures the Shaman used dreams as a healing tool while individuals relied on their dreams as a map by which to help chart their life and to find their place within their community.
Dreams are experienced by all of us. Many of us might recall dreams of childhood where we experienced the freedom of flying or were chased by vague monsters in the night. Although some adults will swear that they never dream, it is actually that they have forgotten to remember them. This is not surprising given that we live in a culture which is largely dismissive of of the night dream. From a very young age, we are told that our night time experiences are not real. We learn to disconnect from our own imagery and the feelings which it evokes.
Dreamwork as a tool for healing was reportedly "rediscovered" at the turn of the century first by psychologist Sigmund Freud and then later by his collegue, Carl Jung. Freud believed that dreams were "royal road" to the unconscious and that if we could understand what they were saying then we could understand and heal a wounded mind. For more on Dreams go the links below.
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