Field Guide to Dreams: How to Identify and Interpret the Symbols in Your Dreams    by Kelly Regan Order:  USA  Can Quirk, 2006 (2006) Softcover     Reviewed by Belle Dessler Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night after a particularly vivid dream? You're always sure you'll remember the dream the next morning, but those wonderfully evocative images rarely stick around that long. Keep Regan's Field Guide to Dreams by your bedside, and you'll never be left wondering about the hidden meaning of your dream again. In her Introduction, Regan tells us that 'dreaming is, at once, a biological necessity and a psychological enigma.' It's a vital part of what makes us human. But is there more to dreams than we know? This small, pocket-sized book 'explores more than eighty of the most popular dreams and dream images.' Although it's not hugely comprehensive, it's enough to get you started on your journey through dream exploration. Within its pages, you'll find 'clues to a dream's meaning', and you'll learn 'what it means if you have the same dream again and again.' The most unique and engaging part of this book lies in the explanations provided by Freud and Jung's dream interpretations. If you've ever wanted to consult with either of these two well-known psychologists about what your subconscious may be trying to tell you, Field Guide to Dreams makes it possible. And they don't often agree with one another. 'Freud's psychoanalytic theory assumed a mind at perpetual war with itself - evading scrutiny, masking one's true feelings. Carl Jung, on the other hand, pursued a more revelatory psychoanalytic process.' The book is organized alphabetically, exploring dream images ranging from an Accident with Airplane, Train, Car or Boat to Wounds. Each dream image is illustrated in full color, making it easy for you to compare your own dream with the picture provided. For each dream image, Regan explains its most common manifestations, variations on the theme, when such images are likely to occur, what the images likely mean, why you should pay attention if the dream recurs, and of course, what Freud and Jung would say. In addition, Regan also provides a relatively in-depth interpretation of each dream symbol as it applies in our cultural context. At the end of the book, a Glossary is thoughtfully provided. It explains various terms used throughout, such as Amplification ('for Jung, the process by which an individual arrived at the personal meaning of a dream'), and Oneirocriticism ('the practice of dream interpretation'). If you're looking for a quick and easy way to reference a dream image, Field Guide to Dreams offers exactly that. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews