THE WORK OF MONTAGUE ULLMAN
As a psychoanalyst who has worked in Sweden and New York Montague ullman is well placed to see the differences in dreams across cultural and national boundaries.
Quite striking differences can emerge in dreams from one country to another. In particular Swedish dreams featured much more natural beauty in them
"The most striking difference between Swedish dreams and the dreams I
have encountered in the States in a population drawn largely from urban and
suburban areas is the more frequent reference to nature in the dreams of Swedes,
e.g. bushes, trees, forests, mountains, streams, etc. Swedes are exposed
to the beauty and importance of natural surroundings from an early age on
and seem uncomfortable if too long a period elapses without seeing something
green. On one occasion in two successive dreams presented in a group,
the dreamers were out in the woods picking mushrooms. I have listened to thousands
of American dreams and no one ever picked a mushroom! "
He also notes that the Swedes are much more industrious
"The Protestant work ethic as a cultural heritage is far more in evidence.
Swedes are very hardworking, industrious and seem to have all their time taken
up with duties, obligations to others and concern with the welfare of others
to the point where in mid-life their dreams often raise the issue of "what
is there in life for me?" In Sweden, as a social democratic country, the
group ethic is deeply entrenched, as is sensitivity to the feelings of
others. This can be dysfunctional as it sometimes results in the suppression
of ones individuality, talent and abilities so as not to stand out or appear
different from others. Born into a society that is a bit more left-brain
than we are and certainly more rule oriented than we are, their dreams often
reveal the need for a wider emotional and imaginative range. This has
come out clearly in what I have referred to as the Ingmar Bergman Syndrome.
Swedes are more reserved than Americans are on the surface and slow to
trust. When, however, trust is established they do it with a quality that
is akin to the wonderful innocence of the child. When a Swede shares a dream
there is an intensity and depth of feeling that leaves me feeling I am witnessing
an Ingmar Bergman scenario."
Ullman also notes the differneces in the dream work.
"Dream work Dream work in Sweden is slightly slower paced than here.
Part of this is due to the fact that we are working across languages. More
of it has to do with the fact that Swedes use words sparingly and think a
bit longer before they speak than Americans. Swedes are also very pragmatic,
and when something works, they stay with it. There are groups that have been
going continuously for many years there."
Montague Ullman is a psychoanalyst who has worked both in the New York,
USA and in Gothenburg, Sweden. He uses group methods to discuss and analyze
dreams.
Taken from the Dream
Appreciation Newsletter Vol. 2 No. 1, Winter 1997
DREAMS AND THE MIND
THETAWAVES :Hallucinations and dreams
DREAM SYMBOLISM :Neural patterns and their relevance to dream interpretation
ROBERT STICKGOLD:Robert Stickgolds studies of dreams and the game Tetris
NIGHTMARES
DISTURBING DREAMS : Nightmares.
NIGHTMARES
: Childrens Nightmares.
WORLD WAR ONE NIGHTMARES
: Dreaming of the front line.
NIGHTMARES : A practical study of nightmares showing what individual nightmares meant
CONFRONTING FEAR IN NIGHTMARES : By Dorian Paul
SLEEP PHENONOMA
HYPNOPOMPIC AND HYPNOGOGIC IMAGERY :Hallucinations and dreams
HYPNOGOGIC IMAGERY :Example dreams
SLEEPWALKING :Dreams and sleepwalking
SLEEP DEPRIVATION :The TV reality show "shattered"
CIRCADIAN RYTHMS :Dreams and melatonin
LUCID DREAMS
DREAM SYMBOLISM
ANIMALS IN DREAMS :By Dorian Paul
ANIMALS IN DREAMS : Animals in
dreams
COLOURS IN DREAMS : By Urban
COLOURS IN DREAMS : By Kafka
Archetypes and myths : Jungs archetypes by Dorian Paul
INDIVIDUATION : understanding the Jungian approach
ARCHETYPES : Jungian archetypes
EVIL ARCHETYPES : By Dorian Paul
Heros and archetypes : by Dorian Paul
DREAMS AND MUSIC : by Dorian Paul
CRUSH DREAMS : The archetype
DREAM DICTIONARY? : Are we influenced by the dream dictionary
we use by "Comrade Bart"
PREMONITIONS AND TELEPATHY
PREMONITION STUDY - A personal study showing how dreams can link to the future
HEART TRANSPLANTS - Does the heart have a
memory
DAVID MANDELL :Psychic
paintings?
OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCES :OBEs and psychic phenonoma
Premonitions :places deep into the future?
NEURAL IMAGING:Attempts to prove or disprove the existence of ESP
SCIENCE :Towards an understanding of premonitions
EXPERIMENTS :Premonition studies and false
premonitions
OTHER ARTICLES
BIG BROTHER : A study of the Big Brother reality show
THE SPIRITUAL APPROACH : By Always Dreaming
INSPIRATION : By Dorian Paul
THE FUNCTION OF DREAMS Why do we dream
COMMUNICATION SKILLS : Dorian Paul on left and right brain
issues?
MEDITATION :Using meditation to expand your mind
FAITH AND DREAMS : By Weiss
MONTAGUE ULLMAN : Swedish researcher
DREAM FORUMS : Helpful advice
ETHICAL GUIDELINES : By Dorian Paul
FACTS ABOUT DREAMS : Some thoughts
OTHER DREAM INTERPRETORS
Aisling Ireland : Posts at www.bellaonline.com