They say when you grow older, the less you dream. This maybe true for most, but for me, dreams are inescapable and sometimes they allow me to analyze and deal with things I cannot deal in the real world.
All our experiences, faces and events we see and feel are all kept in our minds. In it is stamped the history of our lives and philosophies and ideals that influence us. Our minds process all of these and are processed unsupervised by our consciousness. We don’t know how and when but I have a good guess that it is probably all the time.
Our minds put all these data together in a form of visual presentation, a combination of sound, emotion and action. The end result is our DREAM. The primary functions of dreams are to maintain sleep and prevent the brain from emotionally overheating. Dreams therefore are often concerned with resolving problems and restoring emotional equilibrium.
Even nightmares can be therapeutic, as they draw to your attention many of the hidden fears that may be preventing you from moving forward. Pay attention to your dreams and nightmares; they may hold the keys to a your happiness.
Here are a couple of common dreams that we dream of.
DREAMS OF BEING TRAPPED
Have you ever had a dream that you are locked in a room, buried alive in a box or caged, a prisoner like a bird?
This kind of dream expresses that in real life, there must be something that makes you feel trapped or claustrophobic. It can be about making the wrong choice, a debt that you can’t pay, or any situation that you feel like there is no way out of. Being trapped may also indicate that you have a feeling that you are not being allowed to live up to your full potential because someone or something is holding you back.
BEING CHASED
If in your dream, you are running away from or trying to hide from something, this can mean that you need to face something in the real world and deal with it. It could be “a feeling you are avoiding, a conflict you don’t want to handle or a difficult memory you would rather forget.” Sometimes however, when the person running after you is hidden in a cloak that shadows over the face, you might actually be running away from something good “like a talent you are not acknowledging or a feeling of love you are not ready to admit”
MISSING OR FALLING TEETH
This, I have often dreamt of when I was younger. And whenever I would wake up from this terrible dream, I would immediately feel my teeth just to make sure they were still there!
When you dream of loosing a tooth or your teeth, or you look in the mirror and your teeth are missing. This dream suggest that you are feeling powerless or out of control in a real life situation. Another interpretation maybe that you are having difficulties related to self esteem and speaking your mind.
SEX DREAMS
Your sexual dreams may also reveal things about the way you feel about your relationships and your shared sexual behavior. Dreams can sometimes disguise sexual subjects and wrap the naked truth in all manner of symbolism. Explicit sexual images may appear in dreams. For example, should you dream of having sex with a member of your family or someone completely inappropriate, it does not necessarily mean that you have a mixed-up sexuality. Psychologists point out that this type of dream can be a symbolic message about your relationship with these people. It may mean that you want to reach out and have a closer relationship with your brother, sister, parent or relative. You may worry that you have these illicit feelings, but dreams of this nature are comparatively common. There's no need to panic. Don't read too much into them.
Erotic dreams usually occur at times when you need a certain amount of release from tension. They are a safety valve that lets out your pent-up frustrations and sexual inhibitions. They may compensate for your unfulfilled sex. People who have balanced and happy sex lives in their waking life do not, as a general rule, dream about sex. If sexual issues are important to you or have been pushed out of your waking consciousness, your dreams will try to deal with these unresolved issues.
FALLING
Falling is definitely a sign that you are out of control. This dream signify a loss of control as well as “a sudden lack of foundation in your life, such as a situation where ‘the rug is pulled out’ from under you”. A feeling of fear of abandonment by a partner, employer, or someone or something that is important to you.
KIDNAPPED OR ABDUCTED
To be kidnapped in a dreams may mean that someone in your waking life is forcing you to do something against your will. If a friend is kidnapped, it reflects feelings that he or she has been taken away from you. If you dream of being kidnapped or abducted, you are being controlled by your circumstances or by someone in real life. A dream about witnessing a kidnapping means you will receive unexpected news.
DROWNING
Whether you are a great swimmer or not in the real world, You may have dreamt of. If you dream that you are drowning, or that large waves wash over you, or floodwaters rise above you – you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by something in your life.
Drowning indicates overwhelming circumstances in real life, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, or something feeling out of control. That one huge wave could represent… a challenge in your life and a flood might represent - feeling like you are ‘over your head’ or things are out of control somehow in your life.
DEATH DREAMS
Don't worry, death dreams don't usually represent reality. These are symbolic dreams and are unlikely to forecast an actual event. People in your dreams often represent different parts of yourself.
Death in a dream can mean the death or change to a part of your personality or the end of a certain phase in your life so that a new one can begin.
It can show forthcoming finalities such as the end marriage or career.
If the dead person is someone you know, consider what aspect of yourself that person represents. For example, if you dream of your mother dying could it represent the 'death' of the motherly side of your own nature. Perhaps you should try to be more caring and maternal or perhaps plans you have should be nurtured rather than killed off. Alternatively, you may also be expressing your hidden feelings about the person shown. Do you have a secret resentment towards them or desire to be independent of them?
Dead animals may also represent aspects of yourself. They indicate that you may be rejecting or repressing your instinctive side. Your subconscious self maybe telling you to follow that hunch or that gut feeling.
To dream of meeting the dead people you once knew may represent your feelings of being rejected, divorced or attacked by the person you love.
FLYING
Who doesn’t want the ability to fly? Well, except for a messy hair and probably a dirty face which you will get from flying, in dreams where you can fly, this indicates your desire to express yourself freely, doing the impossible or being creative at something. It’s allowing yourself to be free from worries and what other people may say about you.
NAKED IN PUBLIC
This dream suggests that you are afraid you will be exposed. Is there something you are hiding? Are you afraid to show the real you?
DREAMING ABOUT AN EX LOVER
Sometimes an ex dream is quite pleasant, with the dreamer enjoying the "company" of the former girlfriend, former boyfriend, ex-husband or ex-wife. But also, sometimes ex dreams are nightmarish nocturnal rehash of the pain, anger, and heartbreak of waking life. Emotions always run high during and after a break-up, with many people left feeling that a part of the self has actually gone missing. Whether pleasant or painful, break-up dreams are one way the psyche heals itself. Too many times dreamers involved in break-ups get their hopes up when their ex dreams are filled with joyful imagery and feelings. Almost all over-the-top happy ex dreams occurring near a break-up are wish fulfillment dreams. Wish fulfillment dreams are those dreams wherein the psyche attempts to compensate for unfulfilled waking life desires.
LATE AND UNPREPARED
If you can’t get your locker open, can’t find your classroom or your house; or, you’re late for something. To dream this kind of dream represents your fear of change and your anxiety about seizing an opportunity. You may feel unready or unworthy in your current circumstances. You may also be conflicted over decisions about your future…
KILLING SOMEONE
If you murder someone in your dream you are expressing your hatred or envy towards the person. Sometimes the person being killed can represent an aspect of your own nature that you hate. To dream of killing animals indicates repression of your instinctive nature. Killing or wanting to kill often represents a desire for power or control, often based in feelings of powerlessness. Killing someone in self defense can mean you're feeling attacked somehow (mentally, emotionally, physically) or that you need to defend yourself or stand up for yourself somehow.
Killing someone accidentally can mean you're afraid you'll accidentally hurt that person, that something you do may be detrimental to them somehow, or that your subconscious mind is thinking things through to make sure this doesn't happen.
FIRE DREAMS
Fire destroys but it also cleanses and purifies. It can illuminate but also cause pain. Its energy is a potent symbol of eternal life or eternal damnation. Fire is a powerful yet ambivalent dream symbol.
In dreams, it can signal a new beginning, spiritual illumination, sexual passion or disruptive emotions such as the flames of passion or envy.
PREGNANT DREAMS
Pregnancy often represents new growth in your life, growing creativity. The baby kicking inside could represent the idea that your creation or creative potential is trying to kick you to get your attention.
URINATING
Urination is symbolic of having or lacking basic control in your life. Dreaming that you are urinating in public, symbolizes a lack of privacy in your affairs or your need to make a public apology or confession.
DREAMS ABOUT SCHOOL
Dreams about being at school often mean you are feeling insecure about your social status, your abilities or your performance in a situation.
Our dreams tell us that we should pay attention to them, uncover our true feelings and get them out in the open so you can then get rid of these unresolved issues.
Since dreams are often symbolic references of what is true and real, we should not interpret our dreams exactly how and in what form they appear. A sex dream is not about sex, a death dream is not about dying and a dream where you urinate does not exactly mean that you will wet your pants…well, sometimes maybe!
Most of our dreams are NOT prophetic. To instantly assume this, will lead to many wrong interpretations! Our dreams are usually selfish, meaning that they are about us specifically, a good 90 percent of the time.
To correctly interpret your dream:
1. Always assume, at least to start off with, that the dream is about you, and a message to you.
2. Identify the main "theme" or "concept" of the dream. Perhaps the most important thing about dream analysis, identifying the basic theme sets the tone for the interpretation. It is done like so: First, write down the dream (or record it).
3. Look at the dream from a different perspective. Take away the details and look at it as a whole. take away all the details, names, things places etc. and leave ONLY the action.
4. Ask yourself, "What specific area of my life is this dream about? "as opposed to asking "What's this dream mean?" you will arrive at a conclusion faster.
5. Since you made the theme, you should be able to place it into some aspect or condition present in your life. A real good sign that you thought up the right area of your life it is addressing, is when you get that "Ah HaH, THAT'S IT!" feeling. Sometimes, if it is a bad dream, the feeling is more like "oh no, that's it!". Either way, when the connection is made, you feel it and you know.
Dreams are very efficient. They can address multiple issues on multiple topics all in one story line! A dream can warn you of health dangers, predict the future, point out personality flaws (or credits) and solve a current problem all in one dream! Some dreams are worthy of repeated analysis, and just because you can come up with two or three interpretations, does not mean that only one can be right, in fact they could all easily be right.
sources:
dream.net.au
http://www.dreamsnightmares.com/
http://www.mydreamvisions.com/
image by: behind hazel eyes by A_4 at deviant art
