Dreams are older than history. Throughout time, people of all cultures have been fascinated by the strange images they present, and have sought to understand their meaning. Ancient civilations believed that dreams carried important messages from the gods, bringing them wisdom and direction in all aspects of their lives. The various religions of the world have also recognized the invaluable insights offered by dreams, as evidenced in their sacred texts, writings and oral traditions.

Although during the first five or six centuries of its existence the Western Christian Church valued the wisdom embodied in dreams, in the Middle Ages church leaders condemned them as "tools of the devil". For more than the past hundred years dreams have been rediscovered, and the creativity, wisdom and healing which they make available have been recognized by poets, artists, philosophers, theologians, psychoanalysts and physicians.

In the late 19th century, Sigmund Freud was the "ground breaker" in the contemporary quest to discover the meanings of dreams. During the 20th century the writings of Carl G. Jung (1875 - 1961) became, and remain, widely acknowledged as one of the primary sources of insight into dreams.