Dreaming in Metaphors: A Brief Explanation of Embodied Metaphors in Dreams

Dreams: A Space for Practicing What Matters

Dreams are not just random or entertaining experiences. According to the Embodied Cognition Theory of Dreaming, dreams serve a vital function: they help us prepare for waking life by simulating real-world experiences. In this view, our minds use the body’s sensations and actions to understand emotions, concerns, and goals, helping us prepare for the world in which we live. This theory also emphasizes the importance of embodied metaphors, which are physical experiences of being in the world that provide a grounding to understand abstract concerns, like love, relationships, and career. For example, when we think about being 'held back' in life, we might visualize ourselves physically restrained. These kinds of metaphors, based on being in a physical body in the environment, are how we understand complex emotions and abstract concepts. In dreams, this connection between body and mind becomes particularly vivid. The physical sensations in dreams, like walking, flying, or falling, are not just random actions. They are simulations of how we understand ourselves and what matters to us.

Embodied Metaphors in Dreams

The concept of embodied metaphors explains how our physical actions in dreams depict our understanding of abstract concepts. For instance:

• Climbing a Mountain: Struggling to climb in a dream may describe the effort you’re making in real life to reach a personal or professional goal. The physical act of climbing grounds the cognitive understanding of working to overcome a challenge.

• Walking Through Fog: In this metaphor, the fog gives the physical experience of difficulty in navigating. The experience of the fog captures the emotional state of being unsure about something in your waking life.

• Flying or Falling: Flying dreams may ground an understanding of freedom or ambition, while falling dreams may provide a physical basis for understanding the fear of failure or loss of control.

Training for Waking Life

The Embodied Cognition Theory of Dreaming tells us that dreams are deeply connected to our everyday experiences. Through embodied metaphors, our minds create simulations that help us rehearse for waking life. These simulations are not just passive experiences; they allow us to strengthen neural connections related to our understanding of what matters in our lives, preparing us for what lies ahead.

By recognizing dreams as meaningful simulations, we can begin to understand them as a key part of how we understand ourselves and situations. Dreams, in this sense, are not just a reflection of our thoughts, but a rehearsal space for living.