Sex, Symbols and Dreams
by Janice Baylis
Sun, Man, Moon Publishing
ISBN 0-917738-05-5
Reviewed by Ziah Borkesh
Janice Baylis is not a practicing psychologist, she is an educator. Nevertheless,
she is not a dream neophyte. As her extensive references demonstrate, she
has been deeply involved in dream study and instruction for many 
years.
Exposing the logic and system behind the seemingly bizarre is the special
genius of Sex, Symbols & Dreams. Part I demonstrates on what basis dream-mind
substitutes an image as a reference to a related idea, activity, feeling or
meaning. There is always some connecting area of similarity. Baylis proceeds
by inductive reasoning from astute observation of waking language, the history
of dream interpretation, and even cartoon humor, to the formulation of generalizations
supported by empirical data. The result is this statement of a general relationship
between many variables. "Dream images and their referent meanings are two
sides of an equivalent equation. There is a sufficiency of similarity in regard
to the areas compared such that one can substitute the other." With exceptional
analytic and organizational skills, Baylis delineates seven symbol substitute
systems. For example, qualities or properties -- shape, function, etc; word
relationships -- puns, homonyms, etc.; literary figures of speech -- allegory,
personification, etc.. Detail by detail, with dream examples, Sex, Symbols
& Dreams builds a compelling and logical case for these systems. A secondary
focus is how sexual imagery fits into each system. Dream examples range from
sexual rape as a substitute for financial rape or sexual organs as a substitute
for creativity to sexual attraction as a substitute for attraction to philosophy.
The chapter "Beyond Personality Plus" is all about the transcendent function
of the psyche and it's uplifting toward ultimate joining with divinity. Part
II extends this focus and presents sexual imagery related to the practical
side of dreams. This emphasis on dreams being relevant to the dreamer's daily
problems is another Baylis specialty. She also wrote Sleep on it! The Practical
Side of Dreaming. The sexual focus necessitated the occasional use of some
offensive vocabulary, but it is kept as minimal and as clinical as possible.
I enjoyed reading Sex, Symbols & Dreams. It is well organized, very well referenced,
amusing and often touching. However, so much is covered, that I felt overwhelmed.
I'll have to live with the book awhile to absorb all of it. A chart section
in Part IV will surely help. The major concepts are laid out in charts. A
mini-dictionary demonstrates how to relate a given image to each of the symbol
systems and how its meaning would vary accordingly. The author's purpose does
not seem to be to argue the reader into accepting the claims of the seven
symbol substitution systems. Rather, she wishes to present evidence that suggests
this is what goes on in dreams. She is willing to leave tracing the neurological
brain paths of associative linking to laboratory scientists. I agree that
the premises deserve further investigation. Dreams use narrative symbolism
with a logic of their own, rather than straight forward factual documentation
and that is not easy to trace. I came away with an added respect for the vastness
and mystery of the dream-mind terrain. All in all, the whole is greater than
the sum of its parts
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