Meditation and nocturnal dreams in the psychology of C. G. Jung : an experimental investigation

Faber, Phillip Anthony

Meditation and nocturnal dreams in the psychology of C. G. Jung : an experimental investigation

Master Thesis

1977

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Psychology

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

Meditational practices and sleep states have been viewed as related in the traditional doctrines of Yoga. Recent research on the physiological correlates of meditation has tended to confirm this relationship, although some controversy has arisen. Moreover, C.G. Jung postulated a relationship between the therapeutic technique of Active Imagination, which he described as a form of meditation, and dreaming. In the present investigation, the laboratory and home dreams of seven experienced practitioners of Yogic meditation are compared to those of a group of seven matched control subjects on measures of dream recall, amount of dream material and archetypal (transpersonal) content of dreams. In addition, the two groups are compared on measures of manifest sexuality, physical and verbal aggression, hedonic tone and active participation in dreams. The dreams of the meditators contained significantly more archetypal elements, reflecting universal, moral themes than did those of the non-meditators, which were characterised by a predominance of personal, everyday issues. Furthermore, there was a significantly higher recall rate and amount of content in the laboratory dreams of meditators. Archetypal dreams were reported at greater length than non-archetypal dreams. The dreams of the meditators contained significantly less manifest sexuality and significantly more active participation than those of the control group. No significant differences emerged between the two groups on the measures of physical and verbal aggression, and hedonic tone in dreams. The findings are discussed with reference to the possible differential effects of the practice of Active Imagination and Yogic meditation upon dream content.

Keywords

Psychology

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