Now that you have written your dream down on paper, it is time to disassemble it, to interpret your dream. Here are some tips...

• Identify the characters in your dreams.  Ask yourself who these people are and what qualities they represent for you.  Many times, the people in your dreams represent aspects of your own self.  Seeing your mother in your dream, may represent your own maternal characteristics. It may also mean that particular qualities that you see in your mother, you see in yourself as well.

• Ask yourself why you are having this dream at this particular time. Make connections between your dreams and your waking life situations, and draw from the day's events and look for clues as to why you're having this dream.

• Consider the puns that appear in your dreams. The subconscious mind likes to make use of humor, metaphors, and slang in conveying  its meaning. For example, when you see a plane in your dream it could mean that you are feeling plain. Or if you dream that you are making dinner reservations, it could mean that you are reserved or hesitant about. Or if you are passing someone on the road, you may be worried about passing a test. You get the idea.

• What's your impression (mood and emotions) about your dream? How you feel about the dream is a factor of interpreting the meaning of your dreams.

• Try to reenact your dream. Take on the role of the different characters and objects. Start a dialogue with the dream object and express how you feel toward each other.

• Circle or highlight any words you believe to be symbolic. Ask yourself, what does this word mean to you? Consult a dream dictionary to help you interpret your dreams. Sometimes defining symbolism will help you find the meaning of a dream. A dream dictionary won't tell you an exact meaning of your dreams, but it will help stimulate your thoughts about the symbolism.

• Create a personalized list of dream symbols and images, and what they mean to you. Eventually you may start to see recurring images in your dreams, but keep in mind that as you grow, change, and evolve, the meaning of your personal dream symbols can change.