My grandmother taught me a lot of things and amongst them was the idea of dream interpretation. I must confess that I was (and still am) skeptical about dream interpretation but I do admit it has been of use in my life. It was always kind of fun to look up a symbol from books such as The Interpretation of Dreams, Tabeer-ar-Royaa or even Kashaf-ul-majoob and connect them to the dates of the moon and other planets to see their influence.
Yes, before the naysayers crucify me with citations from research papers saying dreams have no valid interpretation etc. etc. let me assure them that I take a scientific perspective on dreams. As for their esoteric interpretation and symbolic/psychological value; I freely admit that such ideas are closer to art than an exacting science. On the notion of dreams, a poor ghazal came to mind.
تیرا خیال مجھے لے جاتا خواب میں
لوگ کہتے میں چلتا پھرتا خواب میں
Your thoughts
Take me to dreams
People say
I am always in a dreamworld
ہوا تھا پھر ان سے ملنا خواب میں
کاش کے میں سدا رہتا خواب میں
And I met her in a dream
I wish I could
Stay there
Forever
اس کی بات سے آگے چلوں کیسے؟
دن کا بھولا ہوا پھر آتا خواب میں
And how do I forget her?
I may make myself busy
During the day
Yet at night I always dream of her
سوتے ہوۓ بھی مجمعے کا سامنا
یا رب کبھی تو ہو سناٹا خواب میں
And sometimes in my dreams
I face down armies
Of warriors
Even there I find no silence
دن میں تو دست با کار و دل با یار
رات حشر ہوتا ہے برپا خواب میں
During the day
My hands are at work
My heart leans towards my lover
At night there is madness in my dreams
عجب روپ بدلتا ہے دن و رات میں
جو دن میں رلاتا وہ ہنساتا خواب میں
And there is such a contrast between
His night and day
He makes me cry during the day
And tickles me to laughter at night
حرفِ اولین سنے ہم نے وقتِ فجر
کون کہتا یہ اقوالِ عمدہ خواب میں
I heard the first words
At the first dawn
Who said
Those beautiful words