Dream eXplorer is software designed for a very specific purpose – journaling and “analyzing” dreams. I say “analyzing” because it is not meant for searching the meaning behind the symbols (although you can also do that with a little imagination if you want to 😉 ) but rather for working with your dreams using a completely different approach. The easiest way to explain what I mean is to quote don Juan explaining to Carlos Castaneda about what dreams are:
“You can’t [make heads or tails out of my explanation] because you’re insisting on thinking of dreams in terms known to you: what occurs to us during sleep. And I am insisting on giving you another version: a hatch into other realms of perception. …” (1)
If I wanted to explain that in details, I would have to go into the whole “Castaneda philosophy” and also into my “worldview”, and since I don’t want to bore you, let’s just stick with the application for the time being.
Dream eXplorer is a single-user application. Well, if you share your computer with other users (more than one Windows user account), they, too, can use it (without accessing your journals, of course 🙂 ).
After you log in, the main form is displayed. Through it you can access all Dream eXplorer’s features:
(1) “Gatekeeper” – Opens Dream Library.
This is the basic and primary feature Dream eXplorer was developed for – writing your dreams. You can read a little something about it in the article “Dreamwork (Part 1) – Gathering information” and more in the articles to follow.
(2) Reports and Analysis – Opens Dreamwork form.
You can use this “module” to search for dream signs and perception bubbles, filter and preview dreams by a specific dream category, technique or supplement(s) you used, analyze your sleep cycles and see how often a specific dream category occurs in one months’ time period. Of course there are other things you can do as well, but let’s leave that for now.
(3) Options
There are currently four features in the Options menu:
– Backup and Restore – allows you to backup and/or restore Dream eXplorer’s database. You can make several backups per day (Dream eXplorer adds a time stamp to each backup so you know exactly which is which); just make sure to keep them safe (and preferably not on the same disk / media than the “original” database file in case anything happens to your computer). 😉
– Code Tables – Dream eXplorer uses code tables to help you save time when entering your dreams. Instead of typing the information you often use (i.e. dream categories, techniques etc.) manually each time you can simply add it by selecting it from the list in the Dream Journal form.
– Upgrade – Simple upgrade form to upgrade your software from Basic to Advanced Edition.
(4) About Dream eXplorer
You can preview product and user information here.
(5) Animation
Enable/Disable animation on the main form.
(6) Minimize
Minimize the application to system tray.
(7) Quit
I believe this one is self-explanatory… 🙂
I guess this is basically it. 🙂 Of course you can do other things as well but let’s continue with one step at the time. 🙂 Until next time – happy dreaming!
(1) Castaneda, Carlos. The Art of Dreaming. London: Element, 2004. Page 29.