Acknowledgement to the New Edition

The latest edition of my Dream Dictionary, the result of some fifty years’ experience of working with dreams and their interpretation, is in two parts: the comprehensive enlarged and revised Dream Dictionary itself, offering both short and longer dream interpretations, and an Encyclopedia of Dreams, Life and Human Mystery, encompassing a vast range of related topics. Used in tandem, the two parts offer an in depth study of dreams and the inner life.

This book has literally evolved through many lives. It started with the publication of my first dream book Do You Dream which appeared in 1972. That was my first attempt at a dream dictionary, and that went through another life in the book Dream Dictionary published by Optima in 1990. This was a massive enlargement and was the result of considerable experience and research. The enlargement was due to the thousands of dreams shared with me by countless people. So, many of the insights in that book would not have been possible. The dreams came from several different sources. The first major influx came from readers of The Daily Mail. Readers of She Magazine contributed some interesting dreams. The many people I have spoken to on LBC radio station in London have significantly helped, because I was able to talk over the dream with them. Then came an influx from viewers of Teletext on Channel Four. The ‘Dream On’ feature has helped me particularly regarding the dreams of teenagers, especially girls, whose dreams I had hardly any experience of previously. But I have to stress that it was not simply from the many dreams sent  to me, but the countless dreams I and other people explored – not interpreted. Exploration of dreams will be explained later.

The next big step came slowly as I added to an unpublished dream dictionary which later became the basis for the Hudson Dream Dictionary on cell phones – and then the iPhone version of the same. But a great learning experience came from the thousands of emails sent to me via DreamHawk.Com. And it is from those posts that I am now ready to enlarge my work further in this present edition.

My work at Atsitsa the holistic holiday community, on the Greek island of Skyros, where I taught groups of people how to explore their dreams, enabled me to experiment with a format which enables a peer group to support each other in dream-work. The outline on peer dream work describes this approach. Dina Glouberman, through her use of  ‘Visualisation And Life Choices’ showed a way of using questions to stimulate response from the unconscious, which I incorporated in the peer dream technique. It was a wonderful introduction to a further step in dream exploration – not interpretation, interpretation lack the personal experience of actually experiencing ones dreams.

My friendship and work with John Hodgson and all those involved in the ‘seed groups’ my wife Hyone and I led helped me define the approach described under using symbols to change habitual life problems, which is a new entry.

My thanks to Marcia Karp – psychodramatist extraordinary – who pointed out to me the way basic information in some entries was lost amongst the examples. I have remedied this. Thanks to Sarah Davison for suggesting I clarify the need to look for some entries under group headings. I have listed all such headings now in the addenda. Also to Dakota who has given so much inspiration and support.

Thanks also to Jacqueline Shenton, Chris Campbell, Ros Lynes and Brenda Blake, and loving thanks to all those whose names I have not mentioned who have been willing to be with me as I explored my own and their dreams.

I want to thank my son Neal, who through sharing so much of his inner life with me while I working on the revised Dream Dictionary, reminded me of some fundamental truths. His courage in experiencing the emotional impact and revelation of his dreams, in being willing to share what he met, tells me again that within each of us lies a radiance that enriches us if we can meet it; that this radiance constantly tries to show us how to become whole; that becoming whole may take strength, surrender and trust. There is an example of this here.

I am thankful to all of you who have used the book. I appreciate your support. My love and thanks to you all for helping me to create a life so full of interest, so full of your dreams and so rich in meetings with Life itself.