Prophetic dreams in the semiotic space of the modern culture

Abstract

The article discusses current methods of interpretation of dreams, it comprehends the cultural approach to the topic of dreams, in particular, prophetic dreams. It includes the characteristics of prophetic dreams, real examples of prophetic dreams, and the results of an independent study of the dreams by the informants. The dream plots of our contemporaries do not have much difference from those fixed in the scientific field notes of ethnographers several decades ago, while cases of prophetic dreams also take place in the space of modern culture and psychology. The most common version of the origin of dreams in popular culture is associated with the juxtaposition of the theme of sleep and death, but it does not resonate with modern dreamers, moreover, it has been supplanted by the psychoanalytic approach in the interpretation of dreams. However, if the psychoanalytic approach is successfully used to work with the unconscious through the dreams, then it is not always possible to explain the nature of prophetic dreams through it. The space of sleep suggests a relaxed state, being in a dark place (closed eyes of the sleeper, as well as closed “eyes of the house” — curtained windows), which is why it is customary in popular culture to perceive a dream as a “little death». By the same analogy peace and quiet are words of the same root. Prophetic dreams have their own characteristics: a plot of the prophetic dream has a tendency to be repeated itself in reality some time after the dream. This type of dream, first of all, is characterized by the brightness of the plot, which cannot be ignored, as a result of which the dreamer will definitely remember it. The dreamer may not remember all the details inside the dream, but he will definitely pay attention to the general plot outline when he wakes up. Most often, the plot of prophetic dreams is associated with deceased relatives. Prophetic dreams cannot be interpreted literally, it is necessary to use a semiotic approach to interpret dreams. The semiotic approach, in turn, is based on the cultural code of a dreamer: the plots and images inside the dream will reflect the cultural affiliation of the dreamer. With prolonged and careful observation of the dreams, a person may have an intuitive interpretation of it: due to the brightness and originality of a dream storyline, as well as analyzing the current real situation, the dream interpreter can draw a conclusion if his dream is a prophetic one.