Dreaming in Color

It used to mean something different to me...

Probably about a week ago, I woke in the morning, heavily impressed by a dream I'd just had. This was odd for a couple reasons: first, because I had not had a memorable dream in quite some time, and secondly, because I wasn't remembering what happened in the dream. In fact, I don't think anything did happen in the dream. What I remembered: a massive Celtic-like design in sage green, two different tints.

Odd.

This morning -- or maybe it was last night -- I had a similar experience. This time, it wasn't green. It was mostly black and violet. Again, there was no "plot" to my dream. Instead, it was a place, but more so, it was COLOR. I don't remember anything about the space except that it was a room. The color, again, was what impressed me: The walls were black, and there were spots of violet and flourescent pink, as if the only light in the room was a black light.

Again, odd.

...

I've always dreamed in color, but it had not been the primary focus until now.

1- Anstey on Jul. 5 2007

i love any color as long as it's green.
-----

stephan

2- Leanne on Jul. 5 2007

There's a lot of speculation about colour in dreams -- we know it's significant and Jung, the grand master of all things sleepy, believed that because colours trigger emotional responses in the waking state the reverse happens when we dream, ie our emotions trigger colours. Almost everyone actually dreams in colour, but it's often not strong enough to recall. We actually process colour in a different part of our brain to image, so often colours are recalled as dissociated and the unconscious lets the actual image fade. I think Jung related green to the function of sensation -- so if it's a nice green, whatever it was probably felt good. If it's two-day-old-vomit green, it probably wasn't so pleasant. Black or dim light generally means introspection or even renunciation -- I don't think Jung had any ideas on fluorescent pink though! I think purple has something to do with mysticism and wishes. It's definitely a calming colour -- actually proven to have an effect on lowering blood pressure, so there you go.

Dreams are rather cool really, if you get past all the hippy new age crap

3- Anstey on Jul. 5 2007

Whenever I start to worry that i'm the only one that things hippy new age stuff is a world of shit, you say something that gives me hope for the world.
-----

stephan

4- Julie on Jul. 6 2007

The green (and the image) was very zen. Very calming and soothing. And the lighter tint was exactly the color I painted the kitchen a month or so ago.

The black-violet-neon-pink combo made me tense and on-edge, like walking through a haunted house (the funhouse kind, not a real one). I felt tense, like something was going to jump out at me at any given moment. Not so cool.

5- Tracey on Jul. 6 2007

Is it strange to always dream in color? I always do. If color is the main message of your dreams, follow it.

I experience colors while getting massages and while meditating. I usually experience purple during massages, especially when people are working on my left arm/shoulder - it makes me see a gorgeous, royal purple. I remember meditating and seeing a bruise-like brownish color, and within a day or so I was quite sick. Color is powerful. Work with it.