An old adage says "the night brings advice" and, as it often happens, the popular widsom is pretty shrewd. In fact, if it is true that everyone dreams during the sleep, although only half of them will remember their dreams once awake, for someone it is possible even to "pilot" his or her oneiric travel, intentionally or not, so to exploit the sleeping time to increase one's own creativity or to find out solutions to personal problems.

In other words, if the brain usually needs to dream so to reset what is considered as less important, on the contrary, a topic which particularly interests us can be developed up to attain the solution to the problem. They are the so called "clear dreams", already the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung disputed about. Through them the subject makes all those deducing, reasoning, and reflecting operations, which are typical of the waking instead of the sleep. On the contrary, the brain, loosen from those limits our conscious part inevitably sets during the waking, seems to rise up the inner part of ourselves, the unconscious, to elaborate data and circumstances with absolutely no limit of space and time. So it is possible to arise again completely erased events from the conscious memory or to accomplish a reasoning using seemingly confused data.

What is the difference between these "clear dreams" and the other ones? First of all, the dreamer is aware that in a precise instant he is dreaming andcan even brings dreams about, but generally they come spontaneously if the dreamer is very concerned about a problem he can't find out the solution. Jung reports an explicatory episode: a person he knew, after many days trying in vain to make light on a certain business, went to sleep after having examined once again but uselessly the problem and fell asleep still thinking about it. At three a.m., his wife saw him getting up and back to the study, where he wrote something fast, then he got back to sleep. The morning after, forgetting about what happened during the night, the man surprisingly found out his notes including the solution to the problem he was bothered about.

It is also possible to take usual profit of these dreams to solve personal problems. The American philosopher Joseph Murphy tells that he lost a ring he was very fond of, not to mention its value. Before he fell asleep, entrusted his dreams the solution to the problem. When he awoke, he seemed to hear a voice coming from inside saying "Ask your son". The thing sounded strange to Murphy, because his son was a 9 year old boy but, as he asked the boy, he confessed that he found that ring while he was playing and placed it on his desk.

Finally there is who finds his lost objects but also who find the chemical formula for a medicine, like the Nobel Prize Otto Loewi, or even who keeps inspiration for his novels, like P. L. Stevenson, author of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde". Also the famous singer Billy Joel declared to see the scores of his songs appearing in the dreams, and to write them down once awake.

A scientific explanation for this phenomenon exists: the subdivision of the brain into two emispheres the right one of which predisposes to creativity whereas the left one to the rationality. During the day the left side is the more active one, on the contrary, at night the right side is working while the left one is drowsy thus elaborating data in a more fancy and unusual way, but not less effective. This phenomenon is very widespread, and does not involve only certain categories, like artists, but everyone. This matter was very well known in ancient times, when in Greece and in Rome people built temples called "of dreams" where dreams were evoked by drugs aimed to reduce rationality, so to find inspiration and solutions.
 

HOW TO FAVOUR CLEAR DREAMS

The dream production can be improved by observing some simple rules following:

1) to get to bed after a light meal;

2) to relax as much as possible, even by dedicated yoga exercises;

3) once acheived the physical rest, reflect for some minutes about the concerning problem, trying to analyze all its aspects;

4) avoiding to think to the problem emotionally but, on the contrary, analyzing it was not our business at all;

5) make an effort - this is the hardest thing to do - to take part to the appearing dream, trying to live it in person.

In the morning, almost certainly intuitions we were looking for will arrive, however, it is not worthwile to get discouraged by the first unsuccess!
 
 

ASTROLOGICAL FACTORS PREDISPOSING TO CLEAR DREAMS

To begin, indicators of the quality of the sleep and of the dreams are essentially two: the House VIII and the Moon, while the clearness of this kind of dreams is well expressed by Planet Saturn, main indicator of the logical reasoning.

To begin, indicators of the quality of leep and of dreams are essentially two: the House VIII and the Moon, while the  clearness of this kind of dreams is well expressed by the planet Saturn, main indicator of the logic reasoning. The Sector VIII is thus predominant in Saturn-ruled Signs (Capricorn, Aquarius, and LIbra) or where Saturn is present. The Moon, instead, is also placed in rational signs, like the Earth's ones, or ruled by Saturn. Also the House XII - unconscious - is often predominant and the Moon has frequent aspects with the planet of mediumistics, Neptune.

 Some examples follow
 

DAVID HERBERT LAWRENCE

The  English writer of the last century, famous mostly for his well-known novel "Lady Chatterley's Lover", used to work in the morning in a semitrance status, trying to recall what he had dreamt the night before. 

Under the astrological profile the Moon, related planet to the sleep, is found in LIbra, wher Saturn is mostly exalted, conjoint to Venus in XII House, the one concerning unconscious. In the house of dreams, the VIII, the Planet of unconscious, Pluto, is in positive aspect with Uranus-hands, whereas the cusp of this house falls  in the practical and rational sign of Taurus. As far as Saturn is concerned, is undoubtfully dominant, placed in Cancer yet in positive aspect to the Ascendant Scorpio, which signs refers to Pluto and to the House VIII. 

ALBERTO BEVILACQUA

The popular poet and novelist, author of best sellesr like "The Califfa" and "This kind of love", also collaborator to several magazines, declaed to write his novels between 6 and 8 in the morning, in a kind of alert trance. He handwrites so fast that sometimes it is hard to make out what he wrote. This is the way his last novel, "Gialloparma" was composed in only 20 days. The writer also says "I have the impression hat it is not me to write, but a "deep I" imposing by force. The phenomenon, as yars go by, is more and more evident."
Analyzing his Chart, we find the Moon, associated planet to the sleep, in the VI Sector, the one connected to the work, in the extremely sober sign of Capricorn but, in the meantime, in opposite aspect to the Sun and in trine to the Moon. This means that the unconscious personality of the writer is able to part by its rational I (Sun) thus becoming remarkably receptive (trine to Neptune).

it is no surprise now to find in the "house of the sleep and the dreams", the VIII, right Saturn, which is here in its own place indeed, being in Aquarius. Bevilacqua's dreams can't but be marked by a great sobriety. To prove it all, Mercury - the writing - is conjoint to Pluto - the unconscious - in XII House, right the one of irrational while the Moon-sleep is in positive aspect to Uranus-hands gloriously placed in MC! 

ALIGI SASSU

The great painter, illustrator, pottery designer, as well as author of several critical essays, asserted in a recent interview, that he can't recall how some of his paints were made and hardly recognize them as his own. All he remembers is to have "seen" them during the night, in dream and to have got out of the bed to realize them, as a prey of artistic frenzy, a kind of trance. He also says that some of those particular works are among the best of his production. 

Under the astrological profile, the similitude of thei Chart with the preceding one: he's also a Cancer and has, like the former example,  the Moon-sleep in VI House, the one related to the work, in the very cerebral sign of Virgo, where Uranus-hands is exalted! The House of the sleep, the VIII, shows in this case,  Jupiter  in its domicile and opposite to Saturn, placed in Sector II. so to underline how the best works of this artist come from night inspirations, when the conscious (Saturn) decreases its attention to free an eclectic and very sensitive unconscious (Sun conjoint to Neptune

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VIII HOUSE

Because of its likeness with the VIII zodiacal Sign, Scorpio, and its ruler, Pluto, this astrological sector has a close connection to the unconscious and the oneiric world in general, which is the product of unsoncious making more splash. By a watchful study of this sector, and mostly by the planetary passage it involves, it is possible to determine what is the predominant oneiric content and, consequently, to acheive a better psycho-analitic analysis. 

IF YOUR VIII HOUSE IS IN...

ARIES

In the sign ruled by the impulsive Mars, dreams are surely short but intense, the subject  is often warlike, competitive, or aggressive anyway. Dreams are frequent where the subject sees him/herself to the dentist's or where teeth are the center of the oneiric action (falling, aching, with a strange and curious shape...) but also occurring is the dream  where the dreamer is driving a beautiful sportive car, red-coloured, for red is predominant as in analogy with Mars, engaged in a speed race like in "Burnt Youth", or, on the contrary, trying to repair his/her own car in panne.
 

TAURUS

The joy of life Venus indicates, ruler of this sign, and Jupiter,here exalted, marks quiet dreams, where  blue and green are predominant colours, hapening in the country or inthe nature anyway. There si no doubt that two kinds of dreams are frequent as well: the first one "accumulating", like to face a dressed table where whatever food can be eaten as much as he/she wants, and the second one whose mark is erotism. Furthermore, for analogy of the sign to the "clan", family persons will often take part to most oneriric scenes.  
 

GEMINI

Rapid dreams, so fast that are hard to remember in the morning, surely concerning movements, travels, transports, telecommunications. Here we are acting as main character of a dream where we dial  repeatedly phone numbers to call friends and people we know, or we become skillful pilots or driving a sportive cars. If only one is so patient to make an effort inthe morning to recall the dreams that seem to have left no trace in his/her mind, he or she can realize they are plentiful and extremely interesting, never boring, and possible starting points for adventure novels. 
 

CANCER

Two are the elements a Cancer cherishes: the peaceful and calm water of lakes and sea, and the mother. So the main topics of dreams made by people with this astral combination would be these two. As Psychology teaches, they are closely related in their meaning. Cancer loves sleeping because he or she finds there that light embryonic link he/she had when was still in the mother's womb; dreams are not frequent however. After the water and the mother, other likely oneiric subjects are the home and the historical landscapes, able to bring the dreamer to ancient Egypt or in Roman times.

LEO

Ruled by the shiny Sun, this Sign usually leads to glorious dreams, where the subject manage, by his or her forces only, to rout whole opposing platoons in wait, or is confered with patricular public recognitions. Jewelry too, mostly golden, are often subject but frequent as well is dreaming to fly, where the subject flies over high eaks, or pilots a aircraft or a deltaplane, as a modern Icarus.
Brilliant colours dominate, ranging from yellow to orange and images are usually clear and lighty.
 

VIRGO
 

As Mercury's place and Uranus' exaltation, this Sign enfolds the infrequent dreams with an extreme efficiency. This combination can be very favorable for "clear dreams" because it is very easy for the subject to "pilot" his own oneiric trip even avoiding those situations considered as too unreal. This combination prefers topics concerning health and work, proposing scenes where a doctor appears, or the subject sits working at his desk, or simply embellishes his own body by new makeups and hairstyles. It is also certainly favorable to take from dreams numbers to bet on. The win is for sure!
 
 

LIBRA

Dreams are quite concrete for this Sign, which is Venus' house and exaltation of the logical Saturn.

Dreams are rarely remembered and the impressing ones are usually beautiful backgrounds and, if analyzed, usually bring to the solution of personal problems. It's is likely to dream to draw a picture, to live romancing stories recalling ancient times, where living in couple is the base of events but, being Saturn in analogy with cold and bad weather, the snow can be dreamt as well as glacier peaks, and most of all memories and people linked to the past are recalled.
 
 

SCORPIO

Sign of unconscious par excellence, ruled by the devilish Pluto, this Sign in House VIII speaks about our innest passions and most hidden desires. So premonitory dreams are likely to occur, taking disturbing place with assassinations, burglaries, adventures and trips in dark and narrow places. If these dreams could be recalld awaking, they could be a good suggestion to become the heir of Stephen King! Moreover, like in the opposite sign of Taurus, another cherished topic to this astrological position is the erotic dream.
 
 

SAGITTARIUS

Exotic landscapes and wide valleys are the background of dreams of people having this astrological combination ruled by Jupiter and Neptune, but also horses and domestic animals in general or parts of the body like legs and hair appear. what is more, foreign languages can be spoken during the sleep: this assortment is in fact very good to learn languages while sleeping.

For analogy of the Sign with teaching, a frequent dream concerns the dreamer to pass a particularly hard exam or is the examiner himself.
 
 

CAPRICORN

With this position of the VIII House, dreams frequently concern stairs to go up and down, mountains to be climbed, and bare landscapes to be admired all alone. Dreams usually have a practical meaning, where the main character often "pilot" them because rationality is always awake, as this Sign is the natural place of Saturn. Dreams are rare, terse both for environment and contents, often dominated by dark colours and the situations are linked to the everyday life. The mother often appears in oneiric images.
 
 

AQUARIUS

Brilliant images and concerning future for this Sign ruled by the eclectic Uranus, with high skyscrapers or unusual buildings, familiar places which are changed unrecognisable. Projects and affairs are implemented by surprising solutions in the dreams, maybe with the help of friends, often present close to the subject. As for the opposite Sign of Leo, also here dreams are frequent concerning flying and the main character is often thrown in the unfinished space of universe.
 
 

PISCES

Premonitory dreams characterized by a strong excitability often arise with this combination ruled by Neptune and by the element Water. The oneiric life lead here a great role also in the awake life through the so-called "daydreams", whose meaning is hardly rationalized, which is ofter premonitory, before the event takes place. Lightly coloured, oneiric images often lead back to close places, to hopitals, to painful situations, to hidden enemies, to cats but also to the sea and the water in general are symbols which occur often as well.