Can dreams be parametrized and archetyped? Can existing frameworks of the unconscious be mapped onto dreams? Is there more to the storytelling of dreams?

Modern research has explored dreams as tools for emotional processing, memory consolidation, and even self-reflection. Yet, a systematic exploration of dream content—archetypes, parameters, and structures—remains underdeveloped. I aim to challenge and expand upon the classical ways we have interpreted dreams to instead embrace their absurdity and develop frameworks to nurture an educated, intimate relationship with dreaming.

This project aims to approach the topic of dreaming holistically, exploring how the brain uses storytelling to reflect or project aspects of the self. Dreams, in this context, could become the lens with which we view the world, integrating dreaming to a lifestyle.

I plan to cross-reference ideas from psychology (e.g. Freud, Jung, Big 5 personality), neuroscience (beyond basic classifications like epic dreams), and narrativity to reimagine their intersections with dreaming. I will also be analyzing patterns in my own digitalized collection of dreams from the past 6 years then attempt to generalize my findings.