Mysterious Dreams and Their Meaning
Have you ever experienced a terrifying or confusing dream? If so, you may find peace of mind by learning about common dream symbolism.
Dreams have always existed
Dreaming has existed as long as humankind has existed. Dreaming is an essential aspect of our lives—we dream every night! The ancient Indian, Greek, and Egyptian interpretations are some of the most ancient surviving records.
Dreams were viewed as a sacred connection to the divine in prehistoric societies, conveying signs of the future.
Psychoanalysts interpret dreams
Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, psychologists who lived thousands of years later, interpreted dreams based on the theory that they express our unconscious fears and desires.
Some contemporary scientists investigating dream interpretation say that dreams help us survive. According to them, common dreams help us confront fundamental dangers, like threats to our life or status, preparing us to handle them in real life.
Here, you can learn about the most frequent dreams and their meaning, as defined by today’s leading dream experts.
Here are 22 common dreams and their meanings:
- Spiders
Dreams about spiders are one of the most common dreams.
According to Cynthia Richmond, a behavioural therapist and dream expert who has appeared on Oprah, spiders’ intricate webs symbolise the dreamer is being manipulated or manipulating someone.
According to her, spiders in a dream might indicate that the dreamer is worried about poisonous or even deadly forces. Alternatively, suppose the dreamer is terrified of spiders in real life. In that case, this suggests that they must deal with and overcome this phobia.
Dreaming about insects, in general, can also mean something that is “bugging” or scaring you.
- Being chased
According to Jung Institute psychotherapist Richard Nicoletti, J.D., being chased in a dream is a sign that your subconscious mind is trying to warn you away from a problematic or fearful emotion, person, or issue.
According to Nicoletti, the context of being chased in dreams is also significant. It may suggest that you must deal with the threatening situation in real life to stop having such dreams.
- Being naked in public
According to Keith Stevens, one of the leaders in dream interpretation, a dream in which one is naked in public symbolises feeling vulnerable or exposed. In primitive terms, being naked in public is seen as being at a disadvantage – you can’t hide a weapon, for example.
Having such dreams provides the benefit of stimulating your instinct to avoid putting yourself in the wrong position.
- Losing your teeth
Teeth are essential for survival and reproduction from an evolutionary perspective – you require them to eat, and you need a decent set of chompers to entice a worthy mate.
Keith Stevens says to protect yourself and your appearance. You are exercising your instinct by dreaming about losing your teeth.
Losing teeth in a dream symbolises how powerful and confident you feel. Losing your teeth in a dream may represent a situation in your waking life in which your confidence is waning.
- Falling
A “falling” dream could be a red flag, signalling that things in your life are not going well. According to Lauri Loewenberg, your subconscious mind is warning you that something in your life is heading in the wrong direction.
These dreams are common among people with depression. According to Stevens, this ‘natural-elements-threat’ dream activates your survival instinct and warns you to avoid heights.
- Flying
Flying in dreams is said to symbolise sexual desire, according to Russell Grant and Vicky Emptage, authors of Dreaming: An Illustrated Dictionary.
According to psychologist Ian Wallace, having the ability to fly in a dream symbolises the desire to “rise above” challenging situations or heavy responsibilities in real life. On the other hand, Keith Stevens believes flying in dreams signifies feeling superior to others. Imagining you possessed this superpower would be a huge advantage!
- Being pregnant or giving birth
According to Keith Stevens, these dreams are widespread among women and stimulate an instinct for reproduction.
Pregnancy dreams are about creativity. The dreamer, whose unacknowledged desire to create new ideas, create artwork, or embark on new creative ventures is reflected, experiences the dreaming world as a creative environment.
- Death/ Dying
Dying in a dream may symbolise an end, a change, or an absence. All of which are thoughts about your mortality.
If you dream about a loved one’s death, you may be seeking a fresh start or going through a spiritual transformation. If you dream about dying, this person may no longer be a part of your life, or you may lack the qualities that this person represents.
Death dreams stimulate our survival instinct and encourage us to protect and cherish our loved ones.
- Being lost
Dreaming about becoming lost in a large, maze-like building or a strange city is common.
You may dream of getting lost if you are insecure in a new position, such as starting a new job or moving to a new location.
If you are starting a new venture and are uncertain about how to proceed, or if the rules are constantly switching in a situation, you may have frequent dreams about being lost.
- Water
According to psychotherapist Jeffrey Sumber, dreaming about water reflects a change, renewal, and purification, all symbolising a shift in consciousness accompanying some life transformation.
Suppose you dream about giving water to others. In that case, you might indicate that you are providing new life or positive adjustments to others. In contrast, if you dream about being swept away by a typhoon, you might be feeling overwhelmed by a life alteration.
- Being back at school
Years of schooling leave a significant impact on us. These dreams frequently feature anxiety-provoking situations, such as being lost, naked, or unprepared for an exam.
According to author Lauri Loewenberg, school dreams are usually about your job. The pressures we experience at work are like school. However, school dreams may indicate that you are insecure in your current life circumstances.
- Being cheated on
Having sex with people other than your spouse in your dreams is a way to express your insecurities. Dreaming that your spouse or partner is cheating on you doesn’t necessarily mean they’re cheating on you in real life. Instead, it may signify that you are worried they might.
We naturally become obsessed with defending our mates from romantic rivals. It’s all part of our evolutionary heritage as protectors. In such dreams, we feel we are cheated out of quality time with our mates, which should prompt us to spend more time with them.
- Snakes
According to Keith Stevens, being bitten by snakes is the most common “being assaulted by an animal” dream. Snakes are a real menace to many individuals worldwide, and this dream re-enacts our instinct to avoid them and survive.
Dreaming of a snake could be seen as a positive omen if it symbolised transformation or renewal. Snakes could represent a hidden threat or the proverbial “snake in the grass.”
- Being late
A dream like this could signify that you’re worried about work or school, can’t establish a connection, feel regret over a missed opportunity, or desire to get your life in order, says dream expert Cynthia Richmond.
Ask yourself what you are missing out on in life and whom you have disappointed if you have this dream.
- Hot and steamy dreams
A hot dream about someone you care about or desire in real life arises from yearnings —your subconscious longs to express your emotions or sexual desires.
Despite being hardwired to procreate, our society is inhibited regarding sexual expression outside of certain approved circumstances. Dreams give us a medium to express these desires.
- Being shot
Keith Stevens states this dream about menacing people is one of the most common.
Seeing news coverage of shootings or hearing violent threats in your life may cause you to have this dream.
Dreams of getting shot symbolise confrontation or victimisation in your waking life, including self-punishment.
- Being exposed on the toilet
It’s one of the most common fears but also one of the most irrational ones: the fear of being exposed to the toilet.
It’s like being naked in public – it leaves you highly vulnerable. You need privacy while doing your business so that nobody exposes you while you’re in a compromising position.
Our instinctive resistance to vulnerability might work against us in specific scenarios, such as when we wish to develop close relationships with others. A dream about being exposed is a good reminder that you should be more open with others and less concerned about the potential embarrassment you incur.
- Driving an out-of-control vehicle
This fantasy is common among drivers: you are driving and about to crash into a vehicle or person, but the brakes or steering wheel refuse to function!
This dream might express anxiety about such an event, especially if you’ve been in a car crash.
However, dreaming that you can’t control your vehicle may also signify that you feel out of control in your life.
- Can’t make a phone call
We are excessively dependent on our phones for communications.
In dreams, a phone symbolises connection. Suppose you cannot reach someone on the phone. In that case, it indicates a lack of harmony or anxiety about being unable to connect with the person on the other end. You may be having trouble connecting with this person in real life.
- Being paralysed
In this dream, you are overwhelmed by a desire to flee, but you cannot move or speak. Your legs might be paralysed or physically trapped, or you might be unable to talk because you cannot make the words come out.
Paralysis dreams may signify that you cannot progress in a particular situation because something is holding you back, even self-sabotage. You may be putting a lot of effort into something and still “going nowhere.”
Identify which real-life obstacle you believe is preventing you from succeeding.
- Can’t find the bathroom
When you dream about not being able to find a toilet, you may be seeking privacy so that you won’t feel vulnerable or embarrassed.
Your dream has nothing to do with having to use the bathroom. It may symbolise that you are having trouble expressing your basic needs in your life.
If you frequently experience this or use the bathroom in your dreams, you should see a therapist to ensure that you don’t have any ‘plumbing’ issues.
- Being frustrated
Frustration is a feeling of deep annoyance and impatience caused by the desire for something and the failure to get it.
You may dream that you have lost your car keys and cannot locate them, or you are unable to answer an important question.
This theme characterises many of the dreams mentioned above.
However, suppose you have these nightmares so frequently that they are causing significant distress, it may mean you are highly stressed or have a psychological issue such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.
It’s always a good idea to talk with a mental health professional if you have dreams keeping you up at night. You may also wish to seek medical advice if your dreams result in insufficient, unproductive sleep.
To speak with a therapist, call 9000850001 or click www.hopetrustindia.com