The following review contains no spoilers.
If you plan on seeing the movie Inception, you better show up with your brain fully engaged. This movie makes the plot of the Matrix look like an ABC after school special. Before you go, make peace with the idea that you’re going to have a hard time figuring out what’s happening. And when you leave the theater, you’ll have a hard time remembering the things you didn’t understand while you were watching them.
In other words, this movie plays like a dream. Which makes sense, because the whole movie is about dreaming, and most of it takes place inside the dreams of the people in the story.
The main character is Cobb, and a major conflict in the story is that his deceased wife keeps showing up in his dreams. She plays a kind of trickster role, spoiling things and making a general nuisance of herself. Anyone who understands dreams has no problem anticipating at least one part of this movie’s plot.
Cobb has some unresolved issues.
The dream theory behind Inception is very Jungian. According to C.G. Jung, every character in your dreams is actually a reflection of you. Everyone you’ve ever been is still down inside you, submerged in the undifferentiated soup that Jung calls the unconscious. Down there somewhere are your various childhood and adolescent selves, along with the parts of your personality that you keep hidden, intentionally or unintentionally. When you dream, these aspects of your personality emerge as characters in your dream story. A childish part of you might appear in your dream as one of your own children. If you are a man, your feminine side – probably somewhat hidden – might appear as your wife or some other powerful female in your life.
I happen to think that Jung is getting at the truth, but no one knows for sure. The only thing we do know is that your mind creates the most amazing stories, populates them with fascinating characters, and screens the whole production for you at night while you sleep.
It’s interesting to me that the Bible is filled with stories of God speaking to people through their dreams, but we don’t hear many people in the modern church talking about that anymore. We celebrate the amazing dreams of the two famous Josephs in the Bible, but we don’t pay attention to our own dreams anymore.
When did we stop thinking of dreams as a celebrated vehicle for God to speak to us? When did this powerful way of hearing from God fall out of favor?
Morton Kelsey, a Christian psychologist, asked this very question in his book, Dreams: A Way to Listen to God. He came to the startling conclusion that while the Church seems to fight publicly with science, we have adopted some of the modern methods of science ourselves. There is something modern and technical about the way we read the scriptures. And we have abandoned the mysterious practice of listening to dreams.
I’m going to make a rather bold statement here:
If you’re not listening to your dreams, you’re missing out on one of the most delightful, natural, and biblical ways that God works in our lives to teach us and to help us to grow.
And now for some really wonderful news. You don’t have to understand dreams for them to work. At night we close our eyes and our defenses drop like toys from the hands of sleepy children. Images and symbols dance through our minds. Not every dream is deeply significant, but the scriptures teach us that some of them are.
If you’re paying attention, you just might learn some things.
So get a pen and paper and set them beside your bed. If you dream and wake up, write down the dream and in the morning puzzle over its meaning. Be prayerful about it. Talk about your dreams with trusted friends. Wrestle with your dreams; seek to learn from them.
You won’t always understand your dreams, but you should be listening to them.
Gordon Atkinson
Image from the download section of the official “Inception” movie website.
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I love dreaming. I don’t think of my dreams as places where God speaks directly but where perhaps I am more honest about what is going on in me. At which point, if we’re going to bring prayer into it, I can say (like Gerald May)… “See? This is who I am.” It’s comforting in its way.
But my mother has predictive dreams. Really, really. I told her not to dream about me.
LL, I have been a student of my own dreams for some time. I have a collection of them. At different times I put more or less effort into writing them down, but over the last decade I’ve been listening. I tend to follow a Jungian way of thinking about them.
I’m tracking with you. I too have had a suspicion that God doesn’t really speak in dreams anymore. But I want to ask us both a question: At what point did we decide God would not speak directly to us in a dream? This is exactly what Kelsey wonders in his book. I think he might put the answer right in the Protestant Reformation and the age of enlightenment. We don’t like the idea of God speaking directly to people. We’re more comfortable with God staying limited to Bibles.
Which makes sense because it is less dangerous, less easily misinterpreted, and easier for the Church to control. But we can’t escape this nagging truth: The Bible itself is filled with stories of God speaking directly to people in their dreams.
I really don’t know what I think about this. Hence the rather ambiguous tone of my conclusion. “natural way God works in our lives to teach us.” I sort of avoided saying “speaks to us.”
I’m remembering something about quenching the Spirit…
I should have clarified (sorry!
). I meant that it is my particular experience not to be spoken to directly in dreams. But I believe God speaks in whatever way He likes. And if someday He wants to speak to me in a dream, I hope I would listen. 
Personally I love talking about dreams. I sat through a couple of seminars by Doug Addison and John Paul Jackson about dream interpretation and everyone in my church is paying attention to dreams. Not all of them are from God, obviously, but some of us have started treating it like a lovers game between Him and us: he gives us the clues that almost always bring us back to Him.
I have dreams that tell me about who I am, that wake me up to things I can’t see when I’m thinking about it during the day. They are not always fun, but almost always raise questions to take to God.
LL – I have predictive dreams too. So does my sister. They’re so uncool.
I love this!
I firmly believe that God speaks to us in our dreams. I don’t always remember what I dreamed, but when I do I am convinced there is something God is wanting me to notice that I just don’t see when I’m awake. I am humbled that God talks to me this way. To me, it highlights God’s creativity and extends an invitation – to my subconscious – to participate with God in that.
Now…about the movie! Inception was completely and totally awesome! Best ending I’ve seen in a long time. I went to see it at midnight on the night that it opened in theaters. THEN I dreamed Titanic, 2012, The Matrix, The Road, and Inception all together in one night. I was exhausted when I woke up the next day.
What do you think that means?
I dream, and nightmare far too much for my own liking.
I’ve often thought of writing bits of things down, trying to make some sense of them.
Sometimes I wake sobbing or screaming even.
Sometimes I feel a sense of impending doom that I can’t shake for days.
The images and voices that visit or play out or wrangle my spirit sometimes make me terrified of how close to the line between fantasy and insanity we can come.
sorry if that sounds dark, I am a beauty seeker, but my dreams don’t behave . I’ve always felt that God was telling me that I’m trying hard enough.
Deb,
If dreams plague you to the point of waking up crying, it’s probably worth talking to someone. Obviously something inside of you wants very much to be heard. Maybe you could explore this with someone you trust or with a therapist of some kind.
Or you might just be experiencing a lot of stress and the dreams will sort themselves out. I think that dreams are our natural therapeutic self-maintenance program.
So I’m in the camp on the far side of Carl Jung saying that not only does God speak to us in our dreams, but as we dream our consciousness enters the spiritual realm. (I tried to comment on this from my iphone but i don’t think it went through.) That being the case, the vast majority of dreams come from God or otherwise less benevolent spirits. I not only dream and find messages that are for me from God about the present or the future, but I’ve also studied with others and will now help people interpret their dreams. (Although I’m always careful to do so with prayer and a group of people to test and check my words)
Doug Addison and John Paul Jackson are two Christian men who put together some material on dream interpretation from a Biblical perspective. Basically what they end up saying is that the Jungian method of dream interpretation fails when applied to dreams that are presented in the bible. That, or King Nebuchadnezzar had some seriously unresolved childhood issues.
Personally I find that God actively speaks to His people today is reassuring. The danger and risk involved in that is the kind that led the Apostles to turn the ancient world on its ear which I personally think isn’t a bad thing…. but then again I’m also noted for having problems with authority.
I have to say, seeing as how no one actually knows the full plot, meaning and conclusions of the Matrix films (Which I would say is arguably the most spiritually significant trilogy ever released) and they’ve been out for years, I highly doubt Inception will match it. Plus, Leonardo Dicaprio annoys me.
On topic though, I don’t think anything we do as humans is more meaningful than dreaming. Our minds are so open when we sleep, it’s actually scary. I’d say it’s one of the few times God has total access to our minds is when we’re sleeping, and since nearly every major revelation in the Bible took place through dreams, I think it’s safe to say God definitely uses them as often as he can.
Joshua,
I wondered if any serious Matrix people would call me on the carpet. Hey, I love the Matrix films as well. Well, I loved the first one. I had a hard time staying with them after that. But notice I said nothing about the value of these films. Rather the complexity of the plot and the difficulty in following what is happening. Matrix was deep and thoughtful, but I didn’t have too much trouble following along.
And usually, a plot and story line that is hard to follow is not a plus for me. But in this case, since dreams are equally convoluted, it makes sense.
Hurm. That does make sense, since dreams are very difficult to follow at times. From a movie standpoint, though I’ve not seen Inception, the trailers, previews and reviews I’ve seen all point to it being a Matrix wannabe, I’m going to be pretty reluctant to see this film. Maybe on DVD, but for now, I’ll stick to the Matrix;)
Hey, no one is paying me to plug the film. But if you are curious, it’s not the matrix at all. Number of big differences:
1. None of the same violence. I mean violence but not like Matrix
2. Not dealing with such an extreme alternate reality. Yes, they can enter the dreams of another person and dream together, but it’s not the same.
On the other hand, Leonardo DC is in it. Can’t help you there.
Joshua and Gordon, I’m thinking I’d like to watch Inception with both of you. It has a Matrix feel, for sure, but it’s different enough to be fun, and I love the way they play with time. Not the greatest movie of all time, for sure, though I admired the story and scene editing.
I’ve never been much of a dream reader, Gordon, but that could be due to my lack of remembering how they went the night before.
I often dream stories – in third person POV. A couple have turned into the basic plotlines for my novels (that’s always fun!), complete with developed main characters. My hubby says I’m weird.
Gordon, right on. I was just discussing this yesterday (we saw Inception last night for date night). My babysitter is in psych class and that was my major in college. We were talking about secular reasoning v Christian reasoning and how to extrapulate sound psychological prinicples from her class. Dreams yes, they were so important in biblical times but many Christians don’t address it these days. I’m more familiar with Freud’s dream anaylsis than Jueng’s. Some of the symbolism of dreams that Freud came up with is bogus however dreams DO mean something and we should seek that out. Am excited about the book you mentioned and am definately going to check it out.
Nichole: I would recommend Jung’s autobiography, Memories, Dreams, and Reflections. It deals more with his psychological worldview than dreams specifically, but it’s short. And fascinating. Or the Morton Kelsey book I mentioned is a pretty good Jungian primer. And it’s VERY short.
This is a touchy subject for me. I too am a predictive dreamer…ugh! I watched and participated in the twisting of dreams for spiritual purposes. Which had ugly consequences and left other alienated and outside. It felt more like a “dream club” then the body of Christ learning to discern and love. Because a few were so caught up in what dreams “meant” I believe we were missing what God was really trying to teach. That He does speak. That He is active and breathing in our midst. He speaks in many ways and often we do not get to pick and choose how and when and who and why or even what. We can’t pick and choose.
I watched those same dream manipulators run from spoken truth, biblical truth…because the dreams needed to mean more. So dreams have a fine line. A very fine line. And I proceed with each cautiously. I don’t share them anymore. They stay very close to me and maybe my journal. Not because I fear them…but because I have watched how dreams can be manipulative and controlling. How they can be twisted to mean what we want them to mean and forced to portray what we need them to say.
What I’ve learned about dreams: Take them to God first. Ask for truth in light of scripture…God will show the true meaning or if you were just digesting the day: “You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!” {Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol}
Well, everything can certainly be spoiled and taken to extremes. I think when you’re dealing with a Church culture that has all but cut themselves off from dreams completely, it might be worth taking the chance to let them back in a bit.
I fully agree with your conclusion that God uses dreams to work in our lives. Dreams have always played an important role in my relationship with the Lord. They often appear as a riddle that I must chew on in order to crack the nutshell of meaning. I am convinced that the Lord enjoys the relationship that results between us as I try to figure them out. I often miss this point by focusing on trying to interpret them accurately.
I vividly remember one season of my life when I asked the Lord to stop all of my dreams. I had received one that I shared trying to warn someone and the fall out devastated the other person and me. God obliged and several years passed without me remembering one dream. I’m so glad those days are gone and I can enjoy the “night whispers” once again.
Hmm. This might be one of the tricky areas that Jessica is speaking about. I’m making no statement about your situation here. But just as an example:
Person A having a dream and deciding to warn person B about something. Maybe it’s “you should watch out for your boyfriend” or some message like that.
Jung would say that person A should be VERY careful when doing this because A isn’t a prophet or a sage. Person A does not have the mind of God. Person A doesn’t know anything about that boyfriend. A’s unconscious mind used that boyfriend as a symbol in A’s dream. For A to decide that the dream about the boyfriend corresponds to reality is…dangerous and wrong and arrogant. “I dreamed about you so now I know you and your motives and what you are going to do next week, etc.”
Very dangerous. And potentially devastating if A warned B about something that wasn’t even true.
I think for me – apart from very unusual circumstances – I’d prefer to let my dreams speak to me and tell me how to act and live. I won’t use them to tell others anything.
Another book that I found really interesting and helpful is “Inner Work” by Jungian psychologist Robert A. Johnson. If anyone is interested in exploring Jung and how to understand your dreams using his method, archetypes, etc., I would highly recommend it. Johnson is much easier to read than Jung himself, bless him, and does an amazing job of walking one through the process.
Donna, I own that one. A Jungian therapist I saw for a time recommended it. My copy is marked up and annotated fully. Great book.
I am enjoying the conversation. I wish I dreamed a bit more than I do. One recurring dream is that I am desperately trying to complete a task and failing over and over again. It is exhausting. It comes when I have more things to do than I can handle.
I like the idea of the Lord speaking to me through dreams. I often wake knowing I’ve been dreaming but not able to remember what it was.
I’m going to pay more attention!
I have had some very powerful dreams in my life, usually when i was going through some very intense period of growth. I saw a therapist for a while who was extremely helpful in talking through the dreams, and interpreting. It is so interesting how the dreams can be shrouded with all of these characters and events, but when you start peeling away the deeper meaning and feelings associated with them, the dream becomes like a higher, smarter self trying to reach out and tell you things about your life. I guess to start interpreting dreams, one must be open to a deeper, reflective view of self.
And as for your statement about the church ignoring dreams… this is why I don’t look to the church as the source for every single idea to grow and expand in my life. There are so many good books and thinkers and pschycologists that address things that are useful for life and growth that we will never hear about in church.
PS – I saw this movie twice. You’re right, it’s tough to swallow in one sitting.
Good suggestions on keeping a dream journal. As I go through difficult times, I find my dreams to be very reassuring. I praise God for this. It would be a nightmare if I had to relive my daytime uncertainty and doubts in my dreams. Instead, I am blessed with marvelous images which, though confusing at times, are nonetheless majestic in their beauty.
Such an interesting discussion. I have a recurring dream where I’m the age I am now (40), but I’m single and childless (in real life, I have a great hubby and two boys, 12 and 6) and desperately longing to be married. Anyone care to interpret that one?!
I also have a recurring dream where I have failed to show up to class all semester and now have to take a final I haven’t prepared for or I won’t graduate. THAT one I can understand.
I haven’t done this.
I’d like to do this.
I’d like to wake up to the dreams He’s dreaming for His children …
Acts 2:17
‘In the last days,’ God says,‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy.Your young men will see visions,and your old men will dream dreams.
Thank you, Gordon…
@ Gordon
You’ve got me convinced that it’s not a Matrix-wannabe, and I’ll probably watch it when it comes out on dvd, as 9.50 for an actor I don’t care for and a film I’m not too sure about is asking a bit much;)