Have a Great Dream: Book 1; The Overview Decoding Your Dreams To Discover Your Full Potential

by Layne Dalfen, Deborah Joy Cafiero (Editor)

Our dreams give us insights into hidden truths and guide us to solutions to our problems. In Have A Great Dream, Book 1; The Overview, Decoding Your Dreams To Discover Your Full Potential, dream expert Layne Dalfen gives readers a short overview of dream analysis enabling you to grasp easily how to uncover why you had that dream last night and more importantly how to go about uncovering the solutions that appear there! Learn how to achieve your maximum potential in every area of your life.
Layne's approach is unique, combining insights from Freud, Adler, Jung, and Gestalt schools. Packed with dream charts, journaling techniques, and fascinating true success stories of people who have worked with this system, Have A Great Dream, Book 1; The Overview, will transform-for the better-the life of every dreamer.

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Down-to-earth and easy to read
This book’s strength is its accessibility and down-to-earth style. Throughout the text the reader has a sense of having a private conversation with Dalfen whose style is friendly, colloquial and upbeat. Anyone who is new to working with their dreams will find a refreshing and demystifying explanation of how dreams contain treasures for us both in how to understand ourselves better and in offering solutions to the problems in our lives.
Mary Harsany, C. G. Jung Society, Montreal


At the outset of Dalfen’s insightful book, dreamers find guidance on understanding how their dream images and events relate to current issues in waking life. Then they are guided to uncover the deeper, life-changing layers of meaning in the same dreams. Dalfen shares her journey of self-discovery through dreams while leading dreamers to their unique version of the universal quest.
Patricia Garfield, Ph.D., Author of The Universal Dream Key: The 12 Most Common Dream Themes Around the World



Surrounded by a wealth of dream material Layne Dalfen elucidates a wide variety of ways to approach your dreams. She makes it abundantly clear how useful dreams can be in our struggles with daily life, and how our lives may be enriched, if only we take the time to read the subtitles, which appear to us at night. This book may lead to an entry way into a forgotten world of treasure. Layne Dalfen shows how dreams are the magma of creativity flowing constantly through the cracks of sleep.
Robert Bosnak, Jungian analyst, author of ‘A Little Course in Dreams’ and Tracks in the Wilderness of Dreaming.

121 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2019

Reviews

[Rainbow Reviewss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreams can be peculiar and hard to understand. Sometimes we don’t even remember what we have dreamt about. At other times the dream can still be vivid in our minds after we woke up and might even stay in our memory for years especially if it meant something crucial for us. I remember one very strange dream that I had in 2018 where all humankind was in outer space. Each person or two persons were isolated in something like a bubble or a transparent capsule. These bubbles were just floating in full darkness and nothing else. The only way of communication between people was for two bubbles to get close. There are more details to this dream but that is not the subject. Anyways, I didn’t take the dream seriously back then but by the end of 2019 the pandemic hit hard and the dream made sense. I think that was an indication of the social distancing thing.

Have a Great Dream: The Overview, is a book that I feel is relevant to any person who is interested in decoding his own dreams. Before reading this book I thought that I understood the way of doing it, but I was wrong! There is a lot more than just mere assumptions or predictions in decoding a dream to something relevant. This is the book that shows that a dream analyst’s help is needed in understanding your dreams and analyzing them the right way.

The book is not too big so it should not take you too long to read it. However, I took my own time reading it as I wanted all the points and techniques to settle in my mind. Layne Dalfen has structured her book into four chapters where each chapter concentrates on teaching you a specific goal before moving to the next. The introduction was really interesting as it discusses the history behind the different theories and ways of dream interpretations. Then there is the first chapter which teaches you examples of how to decode a dream, what to look for, and how to map a dream. The examples the author kept providing showing her way of analysis were truly helpful.

The good thing about all this is that the author did not stop at dream interpretation and decoding only, but went a step further by showing the reader what life-changing solutions one could get by applying certain techniques once he has decoded his own dream correctly. The last chapter is all about practicing what you have learned. That chapter acts as a workbook to apply all the techniques to the dream examples provided. I feel it is better to do them yourself first and then read the author’s analysis and solution.

What really impressed me about Dafen’s writing is that she kept everything simple and easy to understand. She did not need to add fillers just to make the book longer. That was not needed. You get the cream here. Everything important that you need to know you will find it here. With the help of the many examples provided I feel one can become quite skillful in decoding his dreams and analyzing them. I highly recommend the book if this is a subject of interest for you.

Many thanks to the author Layne Dalfen and Booktasters for providing me a free copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily after being sent the book.

The Review

[Keep Calm Novel On · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author via Booktasters provided a copy of the eBook in exchange for an honest review.

Have A Great Dream: Book 1; The Overview Decoding Your Dreams To Discover Your Full Potential by Layne Dalfen is a must-have for your bedside table. When you wake up from a confusing dream and are puzzled, this reference book provides you with the tools to answer your questions and often concerns. This well-written book is easy to understand--even for the novice. Looking forward to Book 2.

[Megan Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic about analysis of dreams. I found this book very informative. This book discussed how a dream map can aid in what your dreams mean. It gave theories from Sigmund Freud about dreams and from Carl Jung as well. I enjoyed reading this new perspective on dreams and how it can be interpreted.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished my read of this great book. If you ever have questioned why you dream a certain way or why things happen the way that they do within this will be a great help to you. I saw this as more of a workbook than just a novel. I was able to go from examples of a break down to come to my own analysis of my own dreams. This helped a lot with clarifying issues I was having with understanding what was going on. It helps a lot to look to dreams because we do tend to ignore ourselves when we are awake to come to a more rational or socially acceptable answer. This book is a great read on this and the backing to how the study of dreams has come around. So, if ever you have a confusing dream this is the best guide to coming to an understanding and even resolving issues you have in your daily life!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Have a Great Dream, Book 1! When I was younger I would have the most awful nightmares. These nightmares lasts until my mid to late twenties. I always wondered why I had them and often thought there was something physically wrong with me. When they went away I had no idea why. Through this book on analyzing and deciding dreams I have come to the realization that the nightmares were a reflection of the events going on in my life. Once I changed my life, the dreams went away. In this book, I very much appreciated the opportunity to read other dreams and learn how to decode different parts.

[Luis Humberto Molinar Márquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

[English review + Reseña en español]

Have a Great Dream, Book 1; The Overview - Decoding your dreams to discover your full potential. By Layne Dalfen
The Dream Interpretation Center (DICI) Inc. 2018
121 páginas
No Ficción / Decodificación e Interpretación Psicológica de los Sueños.

The Decoding your dreams to discover your full potential series (books 1 and 2) offers guidelines and exercises for a correct and complete psychological decoding and interpretation of dreams that can serve as support for the full development of the person's potential.

In this first volume of the series, Layne Dalfen —a certified analyst and expert in the analysis and interpretation of dreams— provides an overview and lays the foundation for a comprehensive dream analysis and interpretation system that combines ideas by Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, Carl Gustav Jung and the Gestalt school.

Starting from the idea that dreams are the unconscious visual representation of our real problems and the safest field to test our solving skills, the first part of book 1 offers the fundamental elements that will help the reader to begin the interpretive analysis of their dreams and answer the basic questions "Why do I dream what I dream?", "How are my dreams related to my real life?", "What can I get out of my dreams?" and "What are the possible entry points to solve my problems starting from my dreams?".

The second part includes practical examples based on real dreams, which reflect the analysis process, explains the entry points for their correct interpretation taking into account the dreamer's own language, and translates a logical solution to their problems that derives from the their own personal symbols.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand once and for all and effectively the hidden meaning and value in their dreams and wants to help themselves and their loved ones. This book does not provide exact and rigid meanings to symbols as those dream dictionaries that disappointed so many used to, but rather a real, logical and personalized way of locating inside the dreams those issues that have been left pending and unresolved during our waking hours.

Spoiler alert! (No, not really, read with confidence): The process is exciting, a lot of fun, and offers enormous satisfaction. After all, as the same author says: "Dream analysis is the art of Puzzle solving".

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Have a Great Dream, Book 1; The Overview - Decoding your dreams to discover your full potential
Layne Dalfen
The Dream Interpretation Center (DICI) Inc. 2018
121 páginas
No Ficción / Decodificación e Interpretación Psicológica de los Sueños.

La serie Decoding your dreams to discover your full potential (libros 1 y 2) ofrece pautas y ejercicios para una correcta y completa decodificación e interpretación psicológica de los sueños que puede servir como apoyo para el desarrollo pleno del potencial de la persona.

En este primer tomo de la serie, Layne Dalfen —analista certificada y experta en el análisis e interpretación de los sueños— provee una visión general y sienta las bases de un sistema de análisis e interpretación de los sueños integral que combina ideas de Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, Carl Gustav Jung y la escuela Gestalt.

Partiendo de la idea de que los sueños son la representación visual inconsciente de nuestros problemas reales y el campo más seguro para poner a prueba nuestras habilidades de resolución, la primera parte del libro 1 ofrece los elementos fundamentales que ayudarán al lector a comenzar el análisis interpretativo de sus sueños y responder a las preguntas básicas "¿Por qué sueño lo que sueño?", "¿Cómo se relacionan mis sueños con mi vida real?", "¿Qué provecho puedo sacar de mis sueños?" y "¿Cuáles son los posibles puntos de entrada para solucionar mis problemas a partir de mis sueños?".

La segunda parte incluye ejemplos prácticos a partir de sueños reales, que reflejan el proceso de análisis, explican los puntos de entrada para su correcta interpretación a partir del lenguaje propio de quien sueña y traducen a partir de sus símbolos personales una solución lógica a sus problemas.

Recomiendo este libro a toda persona que quiera comprender de una vez por todas y de manera efectiva el significado y el valor ocultos en sus sueños y que desee ayudarse a sí misma y a sus seres queridos. Este libro no proporciona significados exactos y rígidos a los símbolos como lo hacían aquellos diccionarios de sueños que defraudaron a tantos, sino una manera real, lógica y personalizada de localizar en los sueños aquellos asuntos que durante la vigilia hemos ido dejado pendientes e irresolutos.

¡Alerta de Spoiler! (No, en realidad no, léelo con confianza): El proceso es emocionante, muy divertido y ofrece una enorme satisfacción. Después de todo, como la misma autora dice: "El análisis de los sueños es el arte de resolver acertijos".

[Sherri F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because I have always been intrigued by dreams and what “secret” messages they hold for us.
In reading Dalfen’s book, I realized that the messages are not really that secretive.
Her approach to explaining dreams and ways to decode those dreams is easy to understand. Granted, she admits in the introduction that this book is great at answering the question of why you had a particular dream, but to delve further, Have a Great Dream, Book 2; A Deeper Discussion must be read. I love that honest and shameless plug for her sequel. In fact, I plan on reading it!
Most of us studied Freud, Jung, and Adler in college and perhaps many retained what was learned. I never thought I remembered any of my psychology lessons, but I as Dalfen explained the different theories of dream Interpretation, I recognized the theories from old University days. Her way of explaining , however, is much better.
Let me be clear. This book is nothing like reading a text book. The author explains in simple terms that dream decoding is similar to putting together a puzzle and she gives great examples.
I wish Dalfen had been my professor in University because she has such an incredibly precise way of making the reader see that our dream life is just an extension of our real life.
There are several key points in the book that ( not unlike a text book) make the reader jot notes in the margins or record their own dreams. I started writing down my dreams when I awoke and realized through using Dalfen’s methods, that I actually understood what my dreams were telling me.
One of my favorite and enlightening parts of the book is where she discusses self regulating. Not to give any spoilers here, but overreacting to a situation in our dream can often tell us that we are under reacting to something in our life. I had an “ aha” moment after reading this section.
Dalfen uses real examples of other people’s dreams and it is interesting to see what people can dream. It made me feel better about some of the dreams I have had.
I highly recommend this book if you are interested in deciphering your dreams. I recommend it even if you are not. It is a fascinating book.
I do wish she had gone deeper into the meanings of dreams, but as I said in the beginning of this review, she will delve deeper into the meaning of our dreams in a separate book.
Okay, Ms Dalfen, I am hooked. I just ordered Book 2!

[Scott Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sleep typically takes up around 1/4 to 1/3 of our lives, and dreams are a major part of sleep. Yet the process of dreaming is still not well understood, especially by the general public. Many decades ago, psychological pioneer Carl Jung provided an framework to understand our dreams through, and in this book, Dalfen builds upon his framework with a professional lifetime helping others interpret their dreams. In so doing, she helps the reader gain tools to better understand their own dreams – and themselves.

My dreams are often filled with mysterious symbols and strange plots, presumably based on my subconscious processing feelings and reactions to life events. Accurately decoding these symbols makes interpreting dreams somewhat difficult. Dalfen uses the theory that only the dreamer can accurately interpret their own dreams, but the dreamer can be helped through tools of understanding and constructive dialogue. That’s where this book fits in.

In the first part, Dalfen provides an overview of the psychology of dreaming, based primarily on Jungian principles. She helps readers understand the concept of “archetypes” and the role these play in our lives. Then, in the last section, she provides some de-identified dreams from her clients. She “takes the wheels off” and lets readers try to understand the rich tapestry of others’ dreams while inviting them to compare their approaches to her own. I could feel my confidence grow as I read through these helpful examples.

In my opinion, dreams are underutilized by the general public to help their lives. This book is directed at general audiences looking to leverage their dreams to better solve real-life problems through self-knowledge. Dalfen has appeared on many popular venues, like television or universities, to share her insights. Have a Great Dream provides these aids in a helpful, comprehensive, workbook-like format that can be disseminated widely and used by just about anyone.

Dream interpretation is as old as the Christian Bible, but many still regard it as hocus pocus. It demonstrates that a science of dream interpretation is indeed possible. More work likely needs to be done to refine the precision of this practice, but Dalfen provides us with a great start.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very title of the book had me intrigued from the beginning. It is a much deeper, broader, and different take into decoding your dreams from different perspectives and objectives to try to find out what your subconscious is trying to tell you.

Now, I am not a person who remembers their dreams often, but when I do, I am always wondering about why I dream that person, or why I did that in my dream, or what does it all mean. This book not only explains in a very understanding and entertaining way all this, it also opens up the different methods you can use to analyze your dreams, to have a more universal understanding of it. It is based on different dream interpretations such as Freud's free association, Jung's direct association, and others as well as based on her experiences and learning through these exercises.

It was very engrossing that not only can you learn from your dreams based on symbols that you see, which for me is typically what you follow when analyzing your dreams, but also in the actions, in the feelings you go through in your dreams, the characters that you see, and so much more.

It made me learn so much about how you can focus on different aspects of your dream, you can put the ideas together, and with everything learn about why you had the dream you had, or to what the dream is associated with, or what is the solution for something you are struggling with (that also you probably didn't know you had or wasn't aware of it).

It also comes with several dream exercises that you can use, which is very helpful for someone like me, to see how you can put to practice the different methods you go over in the book, and see if you can find the message/solution to the dream, or probably a better one!

It was a very entertaining read, and there is so much more to learn from our subconscious. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in learning more about dream decoding or would like to learn a little more about our inner thoughts. Overall, this is a great book.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Layne Dalfen has managed to take a topic that has always interested me, and broken it down in a way that I could truly understand. This was so much better than looking up a topic in a dream dictionary and yet still not understanding a dream's true meaning, or how it related to my life. Dalfen gives you notes and options, as opposed to rigid rules, for decoding dreams. She uses concepts developed by Freud, Adler, Perls and Jung and breaks it down in a more simplified way. Critical thinking skills are needed, and coming up with the solution may take a little time, but once you reach that a-ha moment you'll know you've figured it out. I personally used her method to analyze my own dream recently and it was amazing what a difference it made with my attitude regarding a situation that I was dreading. Using dreams to help make better choices or rationalize inner feelings is mind-blowing. She even offers up several dream examples to practice with. I'm very glad I was given the opportunity to read this book for Booktasters, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in dream analysis.

[Manisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Layne Dalfen gives an overview of how to understand your dreams. The book started with a quick dive into the four schools of thought which are used for dream analysis - Freud, Adler, Jung, and Gestalt schools. She then helps the reader to analyse their dreams using clear marked visuals. How the events in dreams can directly relate to the waking world and its issues is revelatory for the explorer of this world. She has made it very clear through her approach that delving into the dreams can be enriching and fruitful for the dreamer. It is possible to find solutions to your problems by observing and analysing the dreams. There are techniques required for these analyses and that is where the book comes in.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot which I had chosen because I was so interested in this subject. The author did not disappoint with her knowledge and approach. I will definitely recommend the book to anyone who finds their dreams fascinating and wants to make more sense of them.

A big thanks to the author and Booktasters who gave me access to the book.

[Het · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts with a very promising preface and gives us a small introduction to various psychological theorists and their theories.
Overall the next few chapters we get an overview on how to decode the dream and solution finding. We get to practice it as well with the dreams for practice given at the end. The added benefit is that we also get to delve into the authors reasoning and conclusions.
Although this book is showcased as an exercise book where in we can learn to decode our dreams ourselves, I think it's best if it's left to the professionals.
This book definitely enlightens you with how some simple things in your everyday dreams can have so many different meanings.
So I would recommend to read it for understanding rather than as a guide to decode the dreams for yourself or others.

[Yara · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a young age I’ve always been fascinated with dreams. I’ve read books on dreams, and this one especially takes an icing on the cake! The writer gives an insight on dissecting a dream to decipher it better, and goes an extra mile in giving views by Pearls, June, Adler and Freud in a simplified manner. The writer’s examples of dreams and her dissection are truly remarkable, with her conclusion and reasoning behind it. It has definitely opened a door to dream interpretation for me! Using dreams to rationalise inner thoughts was an angle that I gleefully devoured into, especially questioning myself to define the connections with my past life. I’ve ordered a hardcopy of both, Book 1 and 2, so that I can have it next to my bedside! I highly recommend this book for anyone, who is interested in dreams! And a *warning*: If you read this book, be prepared to have Book 2, as your next read!

[Phebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH!

This book was gifted in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is worth 1000 stars based on the amount of research ALONE! Loved it all and it really opened my eyes as to what could be the cause of certain dreams I have had in the past. Bought a blank paged notebook from Poundland to keep by my bedside so I can write everything down when I wake up. It is well worth the read. So many deep dives and discussions into the many theories about why and what we dream about, I found the group dreaming dynamic particularly interesting as i've had people I know dream the same dream as but with their own relatives. Very weird but utterly fascinating!

[Rachel “Koala” Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I really like this book. This is a good book for a person who is looking for more meaning behind their dreams than just an ordinary dream dictionary. I like the incorporation of the the ideas from Jung and other commonly known psychologists. The diagram dream mapping is very clear.

The only thing that I don't like about this book is the length. It's far too short, especially for nonfiction. And, yes, quality is better than quantity but people are finicky and may think a short nonfiction book equates to skimping on the details.

[Anusha Sridharan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to personally thank Layne for this book. It opened more windows to dream interpretations for me.
I enjoyed the methods described in the book to decipher the dreams better.
Specially the dissociation of emotions, identifying the objects and symbols, questioning yourself better to define connections from past influences.
I am currently reading the Have A Great Dream Book 2, and the deeper insights and individual dream interpretations are quite helpful in understanding one's dreams better.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not usually too concerned about what my dreams mean. But when you start to interpret the signs and images that show up, you can start to decode what your brain is trying to tell you. Sometimes you'll even uncover stuff you didn't realize you were worrying about. That's what this book is like. It's more thoughtful and goes beyond the standard imagery of the average dream dictionary that I've read in the past.

[Priya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little introduction to dream analysis. I connected with the writing and the content. The methods to analyse my dreams were intuitive and gave real results that have deepened my experience of day to day life and understanding myself.

[Liana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve always been big on recording my dreams and trying to figure out what they mean. This book gives an easy step by step breakdown to help you discover what lies hidden in your dreams. Some great tips to follow.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was not what I expected; however, I enjoyed reading it. I have always been curious about dream interpretation and this book broadened my perspective.

[Teresa Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very educational and engaging book that begins by discussing the history of the main figures in dream analysis, such as Freud, Jung, Perls (Gestalt), and Adler.
Includes methods and tips for figuring out the meaning and purpose of one's individual dreams using a system she has created that uses a variety of "Points of Entry" to both decode dreams, and discover the solutions to life problems one's dreams offer, communicated through the code of symbolic imagery and language. Plenty of dream case studies, dream maps and in depth examples of analysis are provided to study and work through for practice.
I also found it highly valuable that the author focuses on the importance of the individual meaning of symbols and archetypes for each dreamer, and the relevance to one's immediate life experiences, rather than any standard meanings for any given type of dream, and asks the dreamer to introspect on the images, types, and plots of each dream.
The author has an impressive amount of experience helping people analyze their dreams, including via the media, such as radio and TV, and has available a second Have a Great Dream book that provides a deeper discussion on dream work, that I look forward to reading, as well.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you booktasters and the author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. The review is filled with my honest thoughts and have not been influenced by anyone*

As a psychology major, the psychology of dreams has always fascinated me. It was no surprise that this book would re spark that fascination. Layne Dalfen has a way of breaking down the sequence of a dream and having huge reading analyze as she does. The writing also made it easier to understand how dreams are decoded and the different steps you can take.

This is a good table side book to have if you always find yourself wanting to dissect your dreams and figuring out the meanings as you go. This is a good read for psychology enthusiasts out there. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to learn more about dream deciphering and wants to start journaling and analyzing their own dreams.

[Abigail Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a copy from the author c/o Booktasters. I had reservations at first since I had no background on psychology but the book is so informative and easy to read. The best part is that it leaves a lot of room as to how to approach the dream in order to decode it. I’m very much confident that anyone can do it. And that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. I think this is an invaluable tool to teach us about ourselves and in providing solutions to our conflicts.

[Ebitari Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as I have vivid dreams, often remember them and always wonder what they really mean. The book has helpful tools to decoding dreams. The author shows sample dreams with graphics such as annotated areas of the dreams text such as the entry point, emotions and actions that you should also do when analyzing your dreams. There are several sample dreams presented some of which resonated with my dreams. I benefitted from the book and recommend it.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a vivid and lucid dreamer and have always been fascinated with dreams and this book has my brain spinning. The author provides a detailed how-to for you to decode your dreams and figure out what real life problems or issues you are trying to work through in dreamland. There are several examples of decoded dreams in her book and it was interesting to read how it's all pieced together. If you're curious about dreams, I highly recommend this book!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Definitely better than any dream dictionary I've ever used. I definitely recommend! The author provides an approach to understanding dreams that anyone would be able to utilize and it definitely helps anyone understand! Definitely looking forward to book 2!

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book to learn what your dreams can mean and how you can interpret your dreams and start solving the issues you have.