Though some may dismiss dreams as mere nonsense, the majority of us perceive them as important, meaningful, and relevant to our daily lives. When we recall one of our own dreams or hear about someone else's, we often ponder, "I wonder what that means," or "Where did that come from?" Sometimes, the meaning of a dream becomes apparent as soon as we remember it or after sharing it with someone else. Other dreams leave a strong and lasting impression, even though their meaning may remain elusive. There are also times when we can't remember dreaming, yet we wake up with a markedly different mood from when we went to sleep, convinced that a dream somehow influenced this change.

Why do we strive so hard to understand our dreams? Likely, it is because, like our ancestors, we believe that deciphering the meaning of a dream will provide us with valuable insights that can aid us in our waking lives.