I DREAM MY PAINTINGS THEN I PAINT MY DREAMS
- VINCENT VAN GOGH

Deciphering the secret language of our dreams is the key to understanding how to accept, overcome, and learn from the different issues we are facing in our life. Our psyches use the mysterious shadows of our subconscious mind to confront problems, solutions, & fears that we are unable to deal with on a conscience level during our waking hours. 
The first step in unlocking the higher knowledge our dreams possess is interpreting our dreams themselves. But sometimes understanding the meanings of our dreams is somehow not enough. Sometimes we are left with this indescribable desire to 'rid' ourselves of these dreams, especially nightmares. Or we may just want a physical representation of a powerfully positive dream experience. One way to bring closure to an understood dream, or maybe even understand it further and make peace with it, is to be able to physically look at it. 

I started researching and studying dream theory, interpretations, symbolism, and archetypes when I first started experiencing night terrors in 2006. On my desperate quest to try and understand these frightening and random dreams I was almost debilitated by the anxiety I constantly felt from just remembering them. I eventually, and thankfully, found peace from these night terrors while still searching for the answers, wisdom, and warnings they contained. 

ALL THAT WE SEE OR SEEM IS BUT A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM
EDGAR ALLAN POE

A great way to begin understanding your dreams is to write them down. This is an obvious step because it can help you record and remember every detail of the dream, but also this is a way to increase lucid dreaming. This is also the first step in 'getting it out of your head'. Sometimes writing them down, over and over again, wasn't enough to stop them from running through my mind all day, so I began painting them. I turned my dreams, and night terrors into artwork that I could physically hold, look at. This finally allowed me to find closure and took the power, that the nightmares seemingly had over me, away.
On the other hand, having your dream transformed and depicted in a work of art can be a way of documenting a powerful and encouraging message you have received while sleeping. I had a friend who had been on a road of discovery, and had been setting and reaching goals and for the first time in her life she felt as if she was on the right path. She had a dream where she was riding a unicorn up a rainbow full of beautiful colors with her hair blowing in the wind. She understood this dream to represent all the things she was currently accomplishing and reassurance that she was headed in the right direction. She wanted this dream turned into a painting so it could be a constant reminder to stay focused and keep moving towards her goals. 
Whatever your reason, having a work of art depicting your dream is a powerful, and healing tool.

PRICING

FIVE TYPES OF DREAMS (AND HOW TO MAKE THEM LUCID)
BY REBECCA TURNER

PSYCHIC DREAMS
BY MAMA BEE

DREAM ART GALLERY
BY WORLD-OF-LUCID-DREAMING.COM