Former President Bush’s Scottish Terrier Barney passed away today. 🙁  Reading this sad news reminded me of a dream I once used in my nationally syndicated column about this dog… but in the dream he was green! R.I.P. Barney!

Ever dream about someone that seems so random or from left field that you are left scratching your head, seemingly, all day?  Happens to me all the time!  Last night I dreamed I was in a knock down drag out with Tom Cruise of all people! Had I not spent the past 15 years of my life researching the dreaming mind, I too would have been scratching my head all day over that one.  But since I’ve been doing this a while, I knew that Tom wasn’t playing himself and that I did not have a secret desire to give Mr. Cruise a beat down! Instead, I knew that he represented a part of myself that I am battling
 but we’ll save that for another time.

Here’s what you need to know about what random people in your dream really mean. Everyone in your dream represents a part of you.  You play all the characters in your dream productions because your dreams are messages from you, to you and about you.  So when you, seemingly out of the blue, dream about the head cheerleader from high school, it’s not about her
 it’s about you and how you took on that role the previous day or how you need to take on that role right now.  Maybe you were able to cheer someone up or encourage them, or your dream may be telling you that YOU need to cheer up, that things aren’t so bad. Do you see how it works?  Remember, every person in your dream, whether they actually exist or not, is a part of your personality and is there to show you how you are currently performing a particular role in your life.

Below is a great example of how this works.  This is from my nationally syndicated newspaper column The Dream Zone


Dear Lauri,
I dreamed I was having dinner with President Bush and my parents.  I wanted a cup of coffee but my mom wanted me to wait until the president had his first.  The president got up and started doing the dishes.  Someone let his dogs in and I was playing and cuddling them and getting lots of dog kisses.  The dog I was cuddling was green! Then my alarm went off and I sat up in bed wondering who has a green dog? And why President Bush?   – Lori 53, Council Bluff, IA

Lauri: Bush is a president that is no longer in power so he may represent a part of yourself that is no longer in charge. Have you relinquished your authority or power over someone or something recently? Is there something you are no longer presiding over? Bush having the coffee first suggests that it is time to wake up this part of you so you can start presiding over your life again.  Bush is also doing the dishes. This is typically a mom activity so this may have to do with your own role as mom, if you are a mother. Or, it suggests you are doing some sort of mental cleansing, clearing away frustrations, something like that. The dogs may point to a relationship, someone you have loyalty and companionship with
 but one is green! Most often green points to jealousy and less often points to growth. Since this dream seems positive and you are receiving lots of kisses, I’m betting this is about a relationship that is growing and rewarding you.

Lori replies: Wow! This is amazing. Several relationships in my life have been growing. My husband has been recovering from a painful addiction and is making amazing progress! We are closer than we have ever been. I was completely powerless over his addiction. I do feel like I have been woken up about my life in general. The mom issue
 I have been reconnecting with my daughter after a long absence and it’s really nice.

Dreams are so very powerful and have so so much information inside of them, when you know how to read them. My latest book Dream on It is very thorough and will teach you how the dreaming mind works. It’s been so effective that it has been featured on Dr. Oz, the Bethenny Frankel Show, Fox Business and more! It also includes a chapter on animals in dreams and how they are connected to our behaviors and instincts. Once you’ve read Dream on It you’ll never look at your dreams the same again! It also makes a FANTASTIC gift for anybody on your Christmas list!

Want to read Dream on It right now? It’s available on Nook and Kindle!

“I have purchased all three of your books for myself. I could NOT put them down! I have even given them as gifts to friends and family to help them! I would HIGHLY, TOTALLY recommend these for yourself or a gift for ANY occasion! After all
. We all dream, right?!?! ?”  – Kim Johnson Brush, Muskegan, MI