Sexual Dreams: Why We Have Them, What They Mean [Hardcover]

Gayle Delaney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 1994

A noted dream expert discusses the nature of erotic dreams, examining their meaning in terms of intimate relationships, revelations of past trauma, and aspects of self-discovery, and explains how to use such dreams to enhance one's life.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Delaney penned Breakthrough Dreaming (Bantam, 1991) and Living Your Dreams (HarperCollins, 1979), and most recently she edited the New Directions in Dream Interpretation (SUNY Pr., 1993). Here, she presents her formula for interpreting sexual dreams. She quickly points out that sexual dreams are not the same as sexual fantasies. Delaney claims that sexual dreams are a more honest and less defensive reaction to personal situations than those we may use when we are awake. She also says that dreams can tell us about our true thoughts concerning sexuality and sexual relationships. Patrons who desire help interpreting their sexual dreams will want this title, and psychology majors and therapy specialists should also have access for their edification. While other titles about dream interpretation are available, this one deals specifically with sexual dreams and is accessible to both the lay reader and the dream interpretation specialist alike.
- Scott Johnson, Meridian Community Coll. Lib., Miss.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Another attempt by Delaney (Living Your Dreams, 1979, etc.) to whip our sleeping selves into waking fulfillment through step-by- step home remedies, visits to the author's Dream and Consultation Center, or both. Delaney advises that one keep dream journals, write brief biographies of family members, and ``incubate'' dreams to grow self-esteem and cure creative blocks. It will probably come as no surprise to most readers that personality can be expressed in sexual interactions. But read on if you want to learn to distinguish power struggles in bed from playful dominant/submissive erotic encounters. Delaney's ``interview'' method is endlessly introspective, basically narcissistic: ``How did you feel in bed with your most recent major lover?...Write down in the space below just how you felt.'' Or you might tell your dream to someone else who interviews you about it while pretending to be a visitor from another planet. Whether it's a celebrity or family member one dreams about, one is encouraged to describe the personality traits of that person and how they correspond to you and/or someone you are currently involved with (``You see the bear as a victim, a cuddly being you feel sorry for. Remind you of anyone?''). Incest dreams can signify buried memories of childhood sexual abuse, and the author provides a resources guide for victims. And one can't quarrel with her warning to avoid sex with one's therapist. With regard to the Creativity/Sexuality link: if you're feeling blocked, the titles of case-study dreams alone might be enough to get the juices flowing (``Boyfriend/Brother,'' ``Penis in the Bread Basket,'' ``Mom Interrupts Us,'' ``Sex in a Dorm''). Perhaps encouraging for people who, in the dated lingo of self-help books, want to get in touch with their feelings. But beyond this, its too-literal and disorganized approach leaves the reader--or the client--guessing. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 277 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett; 1st edition (February 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449909018
• ISBN-13: 978-0449909010
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,184,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Founding President, International Association for the Study of Dreams, Summa Cum laude Princeton University, PhD in Clinical Psychology, Union Graduate School, Co-Director with Loma K. Flowers, MD, Delaney & Flowers Center for the Study of Dreams.

Pioneer in the use of dreams for problem solving and in the interpretation of dreams using "Dream Interview" questions rather than preconceived beliefs, myths, psychological dogma, or the interpreter's projections often called intuitions.
My approach will appeal only to those who do not need a guru, and want to figure out what their own brains are telling them at night in their own private language.

I have presented this non-denominational dream work on hundreds of TV shows including Oprah, NBC Nightly News, Today Show, GMA, Anderson 380 and at many Universities and private and professional societies. My goal is to get the superstition out of dream work, to teach people how to understand the meaning and usefulness of their dreaming minds that are so very adept at helping one to recognize, assess, and resolve daily problems and opportunities.

If you remember that even your nightmares are there to help you, you can save yourself years of confusion, conflict, and in come cases, bad marriages and unwise decisions. Your dreams don't do the work for you, they do not decide things for you, they give you the fuller picture of the situation so you can make better choices.

My books focus on practical applications of my Dream Interview method which I began to formulate one day in 1971 in a class on dreaming at Princeton when I was a senior. I tell the story in Living Your Dreams.

My favorite book? Ah! For teaching the "Dream Interview" method, Breakthrough Dreaming: How to Use the Power of Your 24-Hour Mind. For sheer fun: Sensual Dreaming. For the beginner, In Your Dreams. For problem solving in Dreams: Living Your Dreams. For an overview of my work and the field, All About Dreams. All are described on my site: www.gdelaney.com. There you will also find a couple of videos from my Today Show talks on dreams.