Gestalt Dream Work

Fritz Perls (1893-1970) was the main influence in an approach to dream work that was not interpretative. Unlike the Freudian or Jungian work that includes a lot of interpretative comment on the part of the analyst, Perls encouraged the dreamer to explore and express their own sense of each character and object in the dream. This developed a sense of personal ability and insight in the dreamer. It enabled the dreamer to arrive at direct perception of how they had unconsciously formed their own dream. The insights into their own behaviour arising from this enabled them to more wisely make decisions about action. It also opened a door of direct experience regarding the enormously potent emotional content of their dreams.

Beyond the Authority Figure

Gestalt work lends itself to peer dream work in which there is no external authority to judge the dreamer’s insights, or to tell them how to work. This has great benefits in that dream exploration can be made by many people who cannot afford, or do not wish to undertake, psychoanalytic work. Its drawback is that the dreamer may easily avoid their own resistances to uncovering deeper material, and conflicts or fears.

A New Way of Knowing

When you experience a gestalt it is like a great illumination. A study of the brain show that a part of it analyzes each input pattern and when we smell something, then synthesizes its own message, which is transmits via axons to another part of the olfactory system, the olfactory cortex. From there, new signals are sent to many parts of the brain–not the least of which is an area called the entorhinal cortex, where the signals those from other sensory systems. The result is a meaning-laden perception, a gestalt, that is unique to each individual.

At this time a massive amoutn of seperate experiecne or learning is experience all at the same moment. This happens when you allow the deepest aprts of your nature freedom to express its content.

Every time we look at newsprint photos we are knowing a gestalt. From thousands of dots of different hues we make a whole picture.

To use gestalt in dream work see Peer Dream Work