Dreams as gifts: A Maussian perspective

In The Gift, Mauss argues that people in many cultures have engaged in what appears to be a voluntary giving of gifts, but which in fact carries obligations at each point in the exchange-in the giving of, receiving of, and response to each gift. Moreover, these exchanges of gifts are an integral part of both building connections between individuals and groups and maintaining social hierarchies. Using the Mauss view of gifts as a framework for examining the social practice of sharing dreams, this article demonstrates the obligations present in the giving of, receiving of, and responding to dreams. It then identifies the implications of this understanding of dreams as gifts, for clients offering their dreams in psychotherapeutic settings. © 2019 American Psychological Association.