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In the Christian epoch the church and its scriptures supplanted the importance of the dream. The dominance of Christianity obscured the divinity of the dream, which was now studied by only the superstitious. The rise of rationalism and science further undermined the value of the dream. To this day scepticism toward the value dream remains the predominant attitude.

In the early part of this century, however, the dream was championed by two great psychologists, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. For Freud the dream revealed that which the dreamer would rather keep hidden. By exploring the dream one was forced to face that which was suppressed and rejected within oneself.

Jung had another theory. Jung felt that the dream acted as a mirror for the ego - revealing that which was missing within the consciousness of the dreamer. For Jung the dream acted as a teacher and guide on the road toward wholeness. With the work of both Jung and Freud the dream regained its status as a source of wisdom and healing.

Even science and rationalism has returned to valuing the dream. Research into sleep cycles and dream states has revealed that disturbed sleep, where dreaming phases are interrupted, result in more disturbances of the personality than disturbed sleep where non-dreaming phases are interrupted.

In his work with both patients and clients, Dr. Jung witnessed the natural healing mechanism of the dream. The dream acted in such a way as to amend a lop sided or partial perspective on life. A series of dreams would develop, balance and refine the conscious awareness of the dreamer. Jung had rediscovered the age old wisdom of the dream and its capacity to heal and make whole.

In his patients the dream imagery and themes would present themselves in such a way that that the healing of the psyche would proceed. As the therapist all Jung need do was to help and encourage his patients to understand their own dreams. For Jung it was the dreams, not the doctor, who was the healer.

Having solved their original problems and balanced out their sanity many of Jungs patients continued on with their psychotherapeutic work with Jung. For they did not stop dreaming. Instead the dreams seemed to focus on a whole new set of untouched problems and issues. No sooner had one difficulty been resolved when another, of even greater complexity and depth, would present itself. And again the dream would provide the healing and answers.

In this pattern of raising one issue after another Jung recognised more than a healing mechanism at work within the dream. Apart from healing, the dreams also seemed to be encouraging and actively participating in the growth and development of the personality. Jung termed this inherent drive of the psyche as the force of individuation, the force by which we become whole and indivisible.

Both in himself and in his clients Jung pursued the way of the dream and became a student to its teachings. It was in this way that Jung helped to usher in the new religious paradigm, which has come to be known as the idea of Self-development.