Prerequisite: None 

Instructors:

• Dr. Yana Greenberg

Course Description:

In Dream Alchemy Studies (DAS) I – the Foundations students will delve into the science of sleep and dreaming, examining the physiological and neurological processes that underlie our nightly experiences. Students will explore various theories of dream interpretation, from ancient practices to modern psychological approaches, and consider the cultural significance of dreams across different societies. By engaging with both scientific research and experiential practices, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of dreams whether they are ordinary, extraordinary, anomalous and prophetic dreams, as well as gain dream interpretation skills to apply in everyday life.

Course Outline: 

Week 1: Fundamentals of Dream Studies

• To Dream or not to Dream? Do we need Dreams?
• Introduction to key concepts: REM sleep, unconscious mind, symbolism
• Differences between rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement sleep
• Neuroanatomy of the sleep stages
• Sleep and Brain Waves
•  Sleep Disorders
•  Readings:
  • The Science of Sleep: Understanding What Happens When You Sleep. Article. John Hopkins Med.
  • What is sleep? Article. (Cleveland Clinic)
  • The Different Kinds of Sleep. Article. CIHR – Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
• Live discussion via Zoom: 9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST.
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade.
• Assignment: Begin a dream journal, recording dreams daily.

Week 2: History and the Importance of It

• Historical perspectives on dreams: Ancient civilizations (Egypt, Hellenistic Greece) to
  Freud
• Dream interpretation in various cultures (Indigenous cultures, Eastern traditions)
• Dreams as omens, messages, prophecies and spiritual experiences
• The role of dreams in art and literature
• Readings:
  • The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud (Chapters 1 & 2)
  • The Dreaming Mind by J. Allan Hobson (Chapter 1)
  • The Sacred Dream: How Shamans Dream the World into Being by Alberto Villoldo (Selected chapters)
  • Dreams and the Underworld by James Hillman (Chapters 1 & 2)

• Live discussion via Zoom: 9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade
• Assignments:
  • Reflection paper (1 page): How do you currently understand the nature and purpose of dreams? Submit by Sunday, October 20th .
  • Comparative analysis: How is the same dream interpreted in two different cultures.
  • Dream journal entry focusing on culturally significant symbols.

Week 3: The Psychology of Dreams

• The role of dreams in personal development.
• Dreamwork techniques: Active imagination, dream incubation, and gestalt approaches
• Lucid dreaming and its neurological basis
•  Readings:
  • Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung (Introduction & Chapter 1)
  • The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud (Chapters 3 & 4)
  • The Dream and the Underworld by James Hillman (Chapters 3 & 4)
  • Inner Work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal Growth by Robert A. Johnson (Chapters 1-3)
• Live discussion via Zoom: 9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade.
• Assignments:
  • Group discussion: Present your dream for discussion.
  • Continue dream journaling with a focus on any lucid dreams.

Week 4: Dreams and the Collective Unconscious

• Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious
• The role of the unconscious in dreams
• Freudian and Jungian approaches to dream analysis
• Archetypes, symbols and metaphors in dreams
• Exploring archetypes and universal symbols in dreams
• Readings:
  • Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious by Carl Jung (Selected chapters)
  • The Dream and the Underworld by James Hillman (Chapters 5 & 6)
• Live discussion via Zoom: 9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade.
• Assignments:
  • Group discussion: Identify archetypes in your own dreams.
  • Analyze a dream using Freudian or Jungian techniques.
  • Dream journal entry focusing on collective themes.
• Midterm: 30% of grade. Five-page paper, in APA format, reflecting on the dream of your choice, focusing on the collective unconscious and symbology. Define a possible meaning of the dream based on the symbolic representations of the imagery. Due: Midnight on November 4, 2024.

Week 5: Archetypal Stories of Our Souls

• Discovering your personal myth
• Krippner’s 5-stage process of personal myths: functional and adaptive, dysfunctional
  and maladaptive.
• The connection between individual and collective dreams
• The concept of “personal mythology” and its relationship to dreams.
• Recognize your own guiding personal myths as expressed in dreams.
• Readings:
  • Dreams and the Development of a Personal Mythology. S. Krippner. The Journal of Mind and Behavior Vol. 7, No. 2/3, SPECIAL ISSUE: COGNITION AND DREAM
    RESEARCH (Spring and Summer, 1986), pp. 449-461
  • Personal Mythology: The Psychology of Your Evolving Self. D. Feinstein, S. Krippner. Tarcher; First Edition (September 1, 1988) (selected chapters)
• Live discussion via Zoom:  9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade
• Assignments:
  • Group discussion: Identify archetypes in your own dreams
  • Dream journal entry focusing on collective themes.

Week 6: Live Group Discussion of Selected Dreams

• Develop your own dream lexicon
• Start creating a personalized dictionary of patterns, symbols, and motifs that you observe in your dreams.
• Readings:
  • Man and His Symbols. C. Jung (selected chapters)
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade
• Live discussion via Zoom: 9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST
• Group Discussion

Week 7: Modern Approaches to Dream Studies

• Contemporary theories of dreaming: Cognitive and integrative approaches
• Dream research and modern technology (e.g., dream recording, AI analysis)
• The future of dream studies
• Readings:
  • The Twenty-four Hour Mind: The Role of Sleep and Dreaming in Our Emotional Lives by Rosalind Cartwright (Chapters 1-3)
  • The Neuropsychology of Dreams by Mark Solms (Selected chapters)
  • Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung (selected chapters)
  • Nir Y, Tononi G. Dreaming and the brain: from phenomenology to neurophysiology. Trends Cogn Sci. 2010 Feb;14(2):88-100. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2009.12.001. Epub 2010 Jan 14. PMID: 20079677; PMCID: PMC2814941.
• Live discussion via Zoom: 9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade.
• Assignments:
  • Continue dream journaling with an emphasis on modern influences.

Week 8: Modern Science and Dreams

• Contemporary theories of dreaming: Cognitive and integrative approaches
• Dream research and modern technology (e.g., dream recording, AI analysis)
• The future of dream studies
• Course Wrap-Up and Feedback
• Readings:
  • The Twenty-four Hour Mind: The Role of Sleep and Dreaming in Our Emotional Lives by Rosalind Cartwright (Chapters 1-3)
  • The Neuropsychology of Dreams by Mark Solms (Selected chapters)
  • Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung (selected chapters)
  • Nir Y, Tononi G. Dreaming and the brain: from phenomenology to neurophysiology. Trends Cogn Sci. 2010 Feb;14(2):88 100. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2009.12.001. Epub 2010 Jan 14. PMID: 20079677; PMCID: PMC2814941.
• Live discussion via Zoom: 9:00pm AST – 10:30pm AST
• Discussion Question: 5% of final grade.
• Final Examination: 30% of grade. 7-8 page paper, in APA format, providing a full analysis on the dream of your choice, examining the imagery and combining the collective unconscious and personal symbology. Define a possible meaning of the dream (or repeated dreams) based on the symbolic representations of the imagery. Due Midnight.

Grading:

• Discussion Questions: 40%
• Mid-term Examination: 30%
• Final Examination: 30%
• Grading Scale: A+ (90-100), A (80-84), A- (85-89), B+ (77-79), B (73-76), B- (70-72), C+ (65-69), C (60-64), C- (55-59), D (50-54), F (0-49)

Recommended Reading:

• Listed Above

Technical Requirements:

• Stable internet connection
• Access to Zoom for live lectures (recordings available)
• Moodle for course materials and assignments

Tuition:

Payable through PayPal’s secure online payment system.
Supports CAPRI’s non-profit mission.

Withdrawals and Terminations:

Refer to CAPRI’s policies on voluntary withdrawals, terminations, and appeals.

Admissions:

Complete the CAPRI student enrollment admissions form below.