100 books like Dreams And How To Guide Them

By Léon d'Hervey de Saint-Denys,

Here are 100 books that Dreams And How To Guide Them fans have personally recommended if you like Dreams And How To Guide Them. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious

Antonio Zadra Author Of When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep

From my list on the science of dreams.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I had many intriguing dreams during my childhood, including fantastic flying dreams, the idea of becoming a sleep scientist never crossed my mind. All that changed during my first year in college. It was then that I experienced an exceptionally long and vivid lucid dream that changed my life; it was because of this dream that I decided to become a dream researcher. Today, I’m a professor of psychology at the University of Montreal, director of the department’s Dream Research Laboratory, and have published over 100 scientific articles and book chapters on sleep and dreams. I don’t have as many flying dreams as I once did, but I do have a really cool job while awake. 

Antonio's book list on the science of dreams

Antonio Zadra Why did Antonio love this book?

Jung proposed many fascinating ideas about the inner workings of the mind. His concept of the archetypes and of the collective unconscious are two of his best-known contributions, and both are intimately tied to his conceptualization of dreams. The idea that dreams not only emanate from our personal unconscious, but also from our collective unconscious (a deep stratum of the unconscious common to all humankind) and contain universal patterns, images, and dispositions, has helped countless people develop a deeper understanding of their dreams.

What’s more, this book exposes Jung’s view of dreaming as a wholesome, natural process that can give rise to creative—even transcendent—experiences featuring personal challenges, unmapped potentials, and elements of one’s personality. Not always the easiest of reads, but highly rewarding. 

By C.G. Jung, Gerhard Adler (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Essays which state the fundamentals of Jung's psychological system: "On the Psychology of the Unconscious" and "The Relations Between the Ego and the Unconscious," with their original versions in an appendix.


Book cover of Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming

Susan Blackmore Author Of Seeing Myself: What Out-of-body Experiences Tell Us About Life, Death and the Mind

From my list on weird experiences.

Why am I passionate about this?

My life’s obsession with consciousness began with a mystical experience fifty years ago and this drives me still. Academic research, and writing the textbook Consciousness: An Introduction, only deepened my perplexity. What is consciousness? How does it come about? Is it produced by the brain or is that another illusion to add to illusions of self and free will? I cannot keep work separate from life, and this not-knowing has driven decades of meditation, exploring psychedelic drugs, staying alert on the edges of sleep, and many other attempts to ask difficult questions. Who am I? And what does it mean to be alive in this world? 

Susan's book list on weird experiences

Susan Blackmore Why did Susan love this book?

Trying to have lucid dreams is so frustrating! Lucid dreams are those in which you know that you are dreaming – which mostly we do not realise until we have woken up. The experience and its imaginary world are very similar to those in an out-of-body experience, and lucid dreaming provides one way to reach the OBE state. This book is a classic and remains a terrific guide to what lucid dreams can be like, how to reach them, and the science behind why and how they happen. I learned much from LaBerge’s research on dreaming and this inspires me to keep on struggling to become more often lucid myself.

By Stephen LaBerge, Howard Rheingold,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“[A] solid how-to book . . . For amateur dream researchers, this is a must.”—Whole Earth Review
 
Lucid Dreaming—conscious awareness during the dream state—is an exhilarating experience. Because the world you are experiencing is one of your own creation, you can do the impossible and consciously influence the outcome of your dreams.
 
Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming goes far beyond the confines of pop dream psychology, establishing a scientifically researched framework for using lucid dreaming. Based on Dr. Stephen LaBerge’s extensive laboratory work at Stanford University mapping mind/body relationships during the dream state, as well as the teachings of…


Book cover of The Psychology of Dreaming

Antonio Zadra Author Of When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep

From my list on the science of dreams.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I had many intriguing dreams during my childhood, including fantastic flying dreams, the idea of becoming a sleep scientist never crossed my mind. All that changed during my first year in college. It was then that I experienced an exceptionally long and vivid lucid dream that changed my life; it was because of this dream that I decided to become a dream researcher. Today, I’m a professor of psychology at the University of Montreal, director of the department’s Dream Research Laboratory, and have published over 100 scientific articles and book chapters on sleep and dreams. I don’t have as many flying dreams as I once did, but I do have a really cool job while awake. 

Antonio's book list on the science of dreams

Antonio Zadra Why did Antonio love this book?

This book, written by an actual dream researcher, presents a smart and easy-to-read introduction to the psychology of dreams. Covering topics like the history of dreaming, how dreams are scientifically studied, how to work with dreams for personal insight, the possible functions of dreams, lucid dreaming, nightmares, and what the future of dream research may hold, Malinowski does a commendable job of introducing the reader to a wealth of information about dreams. Complete with personal examples, eye-opening insights, and a thoughtful discussion of ethical questions surrounding emerging dream-related technologies, this delightful book is sure to please those looking for an engaging introduction to dreams.

By Josie Malinowski,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Psychology of Dreaming as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Why do we dream? What is the connection between our dreams and our mental health? Can we teach ourselves to have lucid dreams?

The Psychology of Dreaming delves into the last 100 years of dream research to provide a thought-provoking introduction to what happens in our minds when we sleep. It looks at the role that dreaming plays in memory, problem-solving, and processing emotions, examines how trauma affects dreaming, and explores how we can use our dreams to understand ourselves better. Exploring extraordinary experiences like lucid dreaming, precognitive dreams, and sleep paralysis nightmares, alongside cutting-edge questions like whether it will…


Book cover of The Neuroscience of Sleep and Dreams

Antonio Zadra Author Of When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep

From my list on the science of dreams.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I had many intriguing dreams during my childhood, including fantastic flying dreams, the idea of becoming a sleep scientist never crossed my mind. All that changed during my first year in college. It was then that I experienced an exceptionally long and vivid lucid dream that changed my life; it was because of this dream that I decided to become a dream researcher. Today, I’m a professor of psychology at the University of Montreal, director of the department’s Dream Research Laboratory, and have published over 100 scientific articles and book chapters on sleep and dreams. I don’t have as many flying dreams as I once did, but I do have a really cool job while awake. 

Antonio's book list on the science of dreams

Antonio Zadra Why did Antonio love this book?

Written by a well-known sleep and dream scientist, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to the neuroscience of sleep and dreams. In addition to covering a wide range of neuroscientific ideas and discoveries, this well-organized and easy to follow book discusses many of these sleep and dream-related findings within larger social as well as evolutionary contexts. The end result is a stimulating and enriching take on our current understanding of the science of sleep and dreams.

By Patrick McNamara,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Neuroscience of Sleep and Dreams as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book provides a complete introduction to the neuroscience of sleep and dreams in plain language. In it, Patrick McNamara outlines new discoveries in the science of sleep and dreams, places them within an evolutionary context, and brings them together with existing scientific findings and implications for sleep medicine. Unlike other introductory texts, the important evolutionary background and social nature of sleep and dreams is emphasized. Major advances in sleep medicine, sleep and memory, dream content analyzes, brain correlates of sleep stages and lifespan development of sleep are covered in depth. While the text is geared towards students, the general…


Book cover of Wake

Camille Gomera-Tavarez Author Of High Spirits

From my list on for young adults who love a touch of magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a Dominican-American writer, I grew up constantly looking for representation and characters I could relate to. I could never really find whatever I was looking for until I got to college and discovered the long history of infusing realistic storytelling with surreal elements that finds roots in Indigenous and Black communities in Latin America. Once I found it, I was obsessed. I was so bored of western storytelling and basic, straightforward books, and here was this well of creativity that belonged to my ancestors. That’s when I noticed that the books I loved in my childhood all had this same quality – just a touch of magic.

Camille's book list on for young adults who love a touch of magic

Camille Gomera-Tavarez Why did Camille love this book?

One of my all-time favorite books. I recommend the whole trilogy. This YA book focuses on a young girl named Janie who has grown up with the annoying (sometimes dangerous) power of constantly getting sucked into people’s dreams when they sleep near her. It’s dark and realistic. There’s a mystery and it turns into a Veronica Mars-esque detective story, especially as the books progress. The romance is also amazingly developed. Chef’s kiss.   

By Lisa McMann,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wake as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams at any given moment is getting tired. Especially the falling dreams, and the standing-in-front-of-the-class-naked ones. But then there are the nightmares, the ones that chill her to the bone... like the one where she is in a strange house...in a dirty kitchen...and a sinister monster that edges ever closer. This is the nightmare that she keeps falling into, the one where, for the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant...


Book cover of How to Catch a Dream: 21 Ways to Dream (and Live) Bigger and Better

Carolyn Mathews Author Of Temple of Dreams: A Novel of Now and Then

From my list on dreams and dreaming.

Why am I passionate about this?

As I’ve grown older I’ve become more and more interested in the spiritual aspect of life, believing that we are primarily a soul with a body rather than the other way round. I fell into teaching but have always found more fulfilment in extramural activities like learning about complementary therapies, former lives, and ancient spiritual practices, like dream therapy. I've never been sure which genre my novels fit into, just that they all have elements of romance, mystery, misdeeds, and good deeds, with the purpose of touching the reader’s soul. I believe words can be spells and inspired writing can cast magic.

Carolyn's book list on dreams and dreaming

Carolyn Mathews Why did Carolyn love this book?

To some, lucid dreaming (realising you’re in a dream while still dreaming), might come naturally. But if it hasn’t, and you’re willing to spend three weeks practising the techniques, the benefits are well worth it. These include: learning to banish nightmares; developing one’s powers of choice and control; healing and restoring aspects of one’s personality that are limiting personal growth. I used to keep a dream journal, mainly to check whether any dream had been predictive, but lucid dreaming is a completely different ball game, aimed at transforming one’s everyday life. As a writer, I am particularly interested in the benefit of boosting creativity. This is a book for really serious dreamers.

By Theresa Cheung,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Catch a Dream as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How to Catch A Dream is the ultimate toolkit to become a lucid dreamer to create a happier and more fulfilling waking life.

'Theresa Cheung shows us that the way forward is to understand that consciousness/spiritual awareness is the fundamental ground of all experience.' DEEPAK CHOPRA

Dream expert Theresa Cheung gives you everything you need to dream bigger and better in just three weeks.

Week One: Dream Seeker Everybody dreams, but not everybody remembers them. Not only will week one help you to recall your dreams, it will also help boost your creativity and encourage healthier sleep hygiene for a…


Book cover of The Head Trip: Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness

Tom Stafford Author Of Mind Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain

From my list on understanding the human mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am now a Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of Sheffield, UK. I co-wrote Mind Hacks with technologist Matt Webb; we had great fun doing it. My research has always been in cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, using experiments to understand the mind and brain and how they fit together. 

Tom's book list on understanding the human mind

Tom Stafford Why did Tom love this book?

This book captures what is so exciting about psychology - that our own minds are at once so familiar yet so deeply weird. There’s so much to be explored!

Warren is a perfect guide, sharing his learning but not getting bogged down with it, as he visits different states of consciousness, some of which we visit every day, like the daydream or the feeling of falling asleep, others, like the lucid dream, might be less familiar.

It’s profound but never loses its sense of fun.

By Jeff Warren,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Head Trip as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book will change the way you think, sleep, and dream for good. It is a book of psychology and neuroscience, and also of adventure wherein the author explores the extremes to which consciousness can be stretched, from the lucid dream to the quasi-mystical substratum of awareness known as the Pure Conscious Event. Replete with stylish graphics and brightened by comic panels conceived and drawn by the author, The Head Trip is an instant classic, a brilliant and original description of the shifting experience of consciousness that's also a practical guide to enhancing creativity and mental health. This book does…


Book cover of Dr. Ann Faraday's Dream Power

Theresa Cheung Author Of The Dream Dictionary from A to Z

From my list on dream decoding.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born into a family of psychics and spiritualists, where dream decoding was the order of the day. I did my Bachelor's degree in Theology and English at King's College, Cambridge University, and since graduating have devoted my life to spreading the word about the healing and transformative power of dream work. I share my passion for mainstreaming dream decoding as a potent personal and spiritual growth tool through my numerous dream and spiritual awakening books, podcasts, media appearances, my Sunday Times bestselling author status, and my collaboration with scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists researching dreams and the science of consciousness; I have earned the title Queen of Dreams.

Theresa's book list on dream decoding

Theresa Cheung Why did Theresa love this book?

Of all the dream books I have read, this one is perhaps most in line with my own thinking about how to understand and work with your dreams for personal and spiritual growth. It was also one of the first books to really push dream decoding towards the mainstream, which has also been my passion.

Ann Faraday is a British psychologist who conducted an experimental study of dreams for her Ph.D. thesis. Each chapter is easy to read and process and explores the psychology of dreams and why they matter for self-awareness.

It also offers a realistic and easy-to-apply method for dream interpretation that has helped hundreds of thousands of dreamers all over the world fall in love with the personal growth potential of their own dreams.

By Ann Faraday,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dr. Ann Faraday's Dream Power as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Stimulating and provocative . . . a simple do-it-yourself dream interpretation kit.”—The Washington Post
 
The stress and anxiety of everyday life is often too much for our conscious minds to bear—and the answers we seek can only be found beyond our waking minds. Most of us remember at least some of our dreams. But do you know how to interpret their meaning and use them to solve your toughest problems? Dr. Ann Faraday’s classic Dream Power has helped more than 500,000 people recognize the importance of their dreams and learn how to use the messages and information they reveal to…


Book cover of Dream Work: Techniques for Discovering the Creative Power in Dreams

Lara Honos-Webb Author Of Six Super Skills for Executive Functioning: Tools to Help Teens Improve Focus, Stay Organized, and Reach Their Goals

From my list on dream interpretation.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in ADHD. My passion for dreams overlaps with my interest in ADHD which is commonly associated with daydreaming. I have intensively studied dreams in courses, conferences, experiential dream groups, and in years-long therapy that focused only on dream interpretation. I have seen dreams offer insights and at times solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems in my client's lives and also in my own life. I am an author writing on ADHD, executive functioning, and depression including the books The Gift of Adult ADD and The Six Super Skills for Executive Functioning. Dreams can offer insights into all of these conditions suggesting perspectives and healing actions.

Lara's book list on dream interpretation

Lara Honos-Webb Why did Lara love this book?

I picked Dream Work because it is “one-stop shopping” meaning it is a comprehensive and thorough review of many different approaches to dream interpretation. I particularly like the quick tips he offers if you don’t want to delve into theory. For example, he recommends you create a title for a dream which is effective in increasing your insight quickly. He also has guidance for working with fragments of dreams and offers a powerful case study of how one small dream fragment of remembering “pastel” colors opened up a new career direction for a dreamer. While many dreamers find dream fragments to be frustrating he shows how these can be condensed and edited “telegrams.” Other quick tips he offers are asking questions about a dream such as “What might happen if I did this in the real world?”

By Jeremy Taylor,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dream Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Offers an invaluable tool for the exploration of the inner life contained within our dreams and individual, group,and community techniques for discovering more of the multiple meanings inherent in every dream. With extensive, annotated bibliography.


Book cover of The History of Last Night's Dream: Discovering the Hidden Path to the Soul

Lara Honos-Webb Author Of Six Super Skills for Executive Functioning: Tools to Help Teens Improve Focus, Stay Organized, and Reach Their Goals

From my list on dream interpretation.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in ADHD. My passion for dreams overlaps with my interest in ADHD which is commonly associated with daydreaming. I have intensively studied dreams in courses, conferences, experiential dream groups, and in years-long therapy that focused only on dream interpretation. I have seen dreams offer insights and at times solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems in my client's lives and also in my own life. I am an author writing on ADHD, executive functioning, and depression including the books The Gift of Adult ADD and The Six Super Skills for Executive Functioning. Dreams can offer insights into all of these conditions suggesting perspectives and healing actions.

Lara's book list on dream interpretation

Lara Honos-Webb Why did Lara love this book?

This book introduces the reader to Marc Bregman - a postman turned dream interpreter whose approach breaks through intellectual interpretations of dreams to the emotional experience of your predicament in life. Dreams show you the path out of your predicament – usually through connecting with what used to be called “your inner child” but here is redefined as being childlike in your sense of adventure and mystery in life. 

The method shown in this book goes far beyond dream interpretation to using a dream to heal your life, your relationships, your career confusions, and more. The images in the dream are medicine and can be recalled to offer healing in your waking life. Full disclosure – Marc Bregman was my dream therapist for several years, I found him through this book.

By Rodger Kamenetz,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The History of Last Night's Dream as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Our Dreams Will Never Be the Same Again

International bestselling author Rodger Kamenetz believes it is not too late to reclaim the lost power of our nightly visions. He fearlessly delves into this mysterious inner realm and shows us that dreams are not only intensely meaningful, but hold essential truths about who we are. In the end, each of us has the choice to embark on this illuminating path to the soul.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in dream interpretation, dreams, and philosophy?

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