The Beginner's Guide to Dream Interpretation: Uncover the Hidden Riches of Your Dreams with Jungian Analyst Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD (Beginner's (Audio)) Audio CD – Unabridged, March 1, 2003

Another beginner's guide to dream interpretation? Yes—but this is not only by one of the best practitioners of that rich & intricately unfolding art, it's in the form of an audiobook on CD. Why does this matter? Because Dr. Estés not only has a warm, wise, understanding voice, as noted by previous reviewers, it also gives one a slight sense of what the therapeutic session with such a gifted guide might be like. For me, there's an added intimacy & very real feeling of companionship in hearing Dr. Estés' voice, an added dimension to the encounter with the beginning steps that she describes so well.Even if you're already familiar with Jungian dream interpretation, it always helps to return to the material more than once—and there's also the power of the tale told & retold, so to speak. The material becomes more real & more one's own in hearing about it, like a sacred secret shared between two seekers: one who's just started on the journey, and one who's been on it many times before … and can still be just as surprised as any beginner along the way, too.Most highly recommended!

After listening to Dr. Estes lovely voice clearly explaining how to interpret dreams, I found I was able to make sense of my dreams in a much more meaningful and helpful way than ever before. I tossed out my dream dictionaries now that I have learned the tools for understanding my own subconscious messages.

This is so insightful...much better than the books about dream interpretation.

The information was helpful, and informative. Our small "Dream Group" is learning how to unravel dreams with the help of this disc.

I realize many of us would listen to Dr. Estes read the telephone book, as she has a wonderfully friendly, soothing voice. The fact that she always has something intriguing to say makes her work all that much better.This audiobook is about ninety minutes long, and the focus is on subjectivity. Dictionaries of dream analyses can't work, because ten people dreaming the same dream would make ten different associations to it. Dr. Estes is very careful in emphasizing that, above all, we have to place our own subjective interpretations on everything we dream. After forty-some years of reading dream dictionaries with no success, I was glad to hear this.Although Dr. Estes is a Jungian and does not believe, for example, that a snake represents a phallic symbol, she does give thirteen universal archetypes and their "typical" meanings. I had a problem with this section. For instance, she tells us that one common dream concerns hair loss, which is universally interpreted as losing one's power or strength. The only example she gives is the biblical one of Sampson losing his physical strength when his hair is cut. I had a dream of losing hair decades ago when my angry mother threatened to cut my long auburn curls, and I don't think it had anything to do with strength, as short hair was in style and I'd looked fine with short hair before. I was afraid of my mother, and to me, that was obvious. Also, not everyone believes in the Judeo-Christian bible, so assuming hair loss equals strength loss just doesn't seem like a universal connection.I had another problem with the audiobook. Dr. Estes tells us to write down the nouns (people, places, and things) in our dreams. Many of my dreams involve emotions; sometimes there aren't even nouns involved. I've spoken to other people who experience nausea dreams or jasmine-scented dreams, and none of us know how to interpret them.The problems I've listed are small in comparison with the impact this dream interpretation guide had on graphic, semi-lucid, recurring dreams I'd been experiencing. Using what Dr. Suzette Hadin Elgin calls a "thought map," I used what nouns I could remember and interpreted these dreams with the help of Dr. Estes's information. That was about a week ago, and those graphic nightmares have stopped.If you're tired of reading that a dark shadow indicates impending death, and that rosebuds mean you're about to "bloom" a new idea, give Dr. Estes a try. She provides the sanest information on dreams I've come across in my almost sixty years.Thank you, Dr. Estes, for another excellent bit of insight.

love it

I borrowed this audio book from the library and listened to it twice. It has an insightful way of helping you interpret dreams that go far beyond a dream dictionary definitions. It's a personal look at your own life and values. Highly recommended.

Good

Clarissa Pinkola Estes is a treasure-chest of wisdom and her books have always helped me and strengthened me immensely. This audio CD is not an exception. I have been looking for a useful dream interpretation guide for some time, and this is by far the most helpful one. The described method is simple, sensible, and practical. Examples of different dream types are well explained. It is a great introduction for beginners, as well as great pleasure to listen to, as Dr. Estes has a wonderful caring, soothing voice.

As always Dr. Estes takes us on a wonderful journey of learning through story. This is absolutely delightful beginners guide to dream interpretation and leaves the listener wishing for more.

In this cd Dr Estes takes us on a journey to understand our dreams. Essential to all who want to understand the dreamtime and how we can mine its endless bounty of insight. Dr Estes guides us on our journey in her unique and magical way.

I am starting my journey into sand play therapy and I find this author very easy on the brain-I'm a bear of very little brain!

I really found this light weight and repetitive in content. My money would have been better spent on a decent book on the subject. Once heard you won't want to hear it again.