Do dreams mean anything?

[Calliemom]

This is probably a weird question, but I am just wondering if other Mumsnetters believe that dreams mean anything. The reason I'm asking is that I've been having really intense dreams about a person I've known for years. They are not someone I am attracted to. The dreams are not sexual but they are intimate - this person is usually looking at me very intensely in the dreams or is standing very close to me. I always wake up feeling as though I've been in their company, if that makes sense. I have known this person for years and have a decent relationship with them but nothing else. The dreams have been increasing in frequency in the past year. I am confused by them. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts?

I suspect they do in some way. At least, I am more likely to remember dreams when I am going through stress, and certain themes recur. But I don't think things always mean the same thing - so if I dream of kittens, it may not mean the same thing as if you dream of kittens, because we may have different feelings and experiences about kittens.

It may be this person represents something to you, rather than the dreams being about that person for themself - and your subconscious is trying to tell you about that. But only you can work that out.

I have no idea what my subconscious is trying to tell me most of the time, but I think the emotions they trigger are useful to note. They're not always bad (though certainly can be) - I had a dream not that long ago that left me with a great feeling of being loved. I'd be happy for that to happen more often! Unfortunately, I'm more likely to remember dreams when stressed, so they are often less calming.

I think some do, yes. Certain things in our subconscious that we haven't really noticed as such in day to day life can manifest while we are dreaming.
Not everything obviously.
Probably 10 years ago I'd of said, no absolute rubbish. But definitely over the years I have had dreams about odd things here and there which have turned up to be true to a certain extent. At least the meaning behind them has, if that makes sense. Nothing has been replicated as such, but little hints of things within the dream have certainly materialised.
For me its been predominantly about people. So example a person I thought was really kind and amazing I had a dream out of the blue of them doing something horrible. And a few months later, things they did started to resonate with the feeling in the dream almost like it had been a warning that they were not quite as they seemed, which turned out to be true. I can only put this down to me perhaps subconsciously picking little things up when with them and then it being on my mind without me realising when I went to sleep.

I can only put this down to me perhaps subconsciously picking little things up when with them and then it being on my mind without me realising when I went to sleep.

Yes, I'd agree with this.

I think dreams are your subconscious minds way of telling you what you need to know/learn.
I've been in therapy for quite some time and discussing my dreams are a big part of it.
The more you trust the process of learning from your dreams the easier it will become.
It helps greatly if when you wake up from a dream, you can lie in bed, in that half awake, half asleep state and just let the meaning come to you. Don't force it but just watch where your thoughts take you.
Maybe read a book on focusing which works in a similar way.

Op, apart from being a projection of your own subconscious about a certain situation, vivid dreaming could highlight an imbalance in your body according to Chinese medicine. My acupuncturist is asking at the beginning of each session if my dreams are vivid amongst other things. How is your health?