Which Dreams Must Be Shared?
Dreams are a fascinating world that slips into your consciousness while you sleep—happy or sad, remembered or forgotten. They can leave all kinds of impressions without warning. People handle them differently: some warn of the misfortune that can come from talking carelessly about dreams, as highlighted in "Women Beware! These Dreams Should Not Be Shared." But that doesn’t mean dreams should never be discussed; in fact, it’s important to talk about them with a professional. There are even certain dreams you should share, whether or not the people around you are professionals—and there are better ways to share them.
An online saying goes: "If you keep your dreams to yourself for three years, even spirits and ghosts won’t dare to act." It also advises that upon waking you should blow three breaths onto your pillow, pat it three times, flip it over, and go back to sleep. The next morning, rise early (as the sun comes up), face the west wall (where the sun shines), and recite: "Nightmares are ominous, drawn on the west wall; as the sun rises, may I be blessed." While tracing a circle on the wall, repeat this seven times to dispel the bad dreams.
Chen Peng, who interprets dreams, likes to trace the origins of such beliefs. He later found that this content actually comes from a 2009 online novel titled "My Ancestors Were Eight Generations of Feng Shui Masters, and I Have Something to Say." It’s a work of fiction; there are no records of these practices in earlier books, online sources, or historical accounts. Novels can invent anything. Consider a later news item, "50% of White-Collar Workers Show Symptoms of Depression." On May 4, 2014, Xu Xing, deputy editor of Hangzhou’s "Urban Express," died by suicide at age 35. Reports said Xu faced immense work pressure, struggled with depression, and suffered chronic insomnia. On May 7, the Southeast Express and its official Weibo account shared a "Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS)" provided by the Fuzhou Medical Psychology Consultation Center. The SDS measures the severity of depressive symptoms over the previous one to two weeks and tracks changes during treatment. It includes 20 items describing psychological feelings, emotions, and behaviors. Based on the final score, respondents are categorized as having mild, moderate, or severe depression. As of 4 p.m. yesterday, nearly a thousand people had participated in the survey, including white-collar workers in sales, management, journalism, public relations, medicine, and other fields. The results showed that 32.6% had mild depressive symptoms, 14.7% had moderate symptoms, and 7.5% had severe symptoms. In addition, 25.3% reported having had suicidal thoughts, with 8.2% still having such thoughts. What’s the connection? People who struggle to express themselves or release stress are more prone to depression—including those who have nightmares or strange dreams but keep them to themselves. So when you promote and believe the saying "If you don’t speak of your dreams for three years, even spirits and ghosts won’t dare to act," you may actually be steering yourself—and others who trust you—toward depression.
Which dreams must be shared? Only by talking about them can others help you, and only by speaking up is there a chance to address what the dream implies or what caused it.
1. Nightmares
Nightmares—or repeated dreams of the deceased—call for family support, especially dreams of being pinned down by spirits or chased by them. Whether through practical help or supportive actions, when others understand the terror and helplessness you’ve felt, they can find ways to assist. If the deceased appear asking for something, discuss it with family elders or a trusted dream interpreter; brushing it off with "it’s just a dream" rarely helps. Some may dismiss it that way, but there will be others who can help.
2. Dreams of natural disasters like landslides or earthquakes in your living area
Whatever the circumstances, take your family and your bank card and find a reason to go out. Some people have a strong intuition and may dream about events that foreshadow disaster.
3. Dreams of family members encountering accidents or disasters related to something they need to do
Don’t keep this to yourself. Consult a professional who can guide you on how to respond. However, don’t tell the person involved; the dream is alerting you so that you can act, not shifting the responsibility back onto the person featured in the dream.
4. Dreams of injury or pain in a specific part of your body
These often serve as health warnings and allow for early prevention—which is certainly a good thing. Sharing such dreams with elders usually brings encouragement and support.
5. Dreams of evil spirits or bad people breaking into your home
These concern your family’s well-being. By speaking up, your household is more likely to take appropriate precautions.