Compensatory function of dreams

One interesting aspect of Jung's theory of dream psychology is the compensatory function of dreams. Acting as a "self-regulation of the psychic organism"^†, this function has as its input the subliminal material unknowingly gathered during the waking hours of the day(s) prior to the dream. In this way, through the dream, the unconscious provides the individual with complementary awareness needed for successful adaptation to its environment. Often, the perceptions assimilated by the unconscious is strikingly different from those gathered by the conscious mind. The conscious suppresses a lot of sensory stimuli in order to affirm already held preconceptions.

In opposition to Freud (and in accordance with many of the writeups above), Jung stresses the importance of not regarding the dream symbols as having fixed meanings: "the symbol in the dream has more the value of a parable: it does not conceal, it teaches."^† The symbols should be considered in relation to the conscious content of the psyche at the time prior to the dream. To form a useful interpretation, it's necessary that the analyst be able to correctly assess the subject's conscious attitude.

^† Quotes are from C. G. Jung's General Aspects of Dream Psychology.