Dream Interpretations

Have you ever woken up feeling dazed from a dream? Maybe you were startled awake by a nightmare or a dream sits with you for a whole day for some reason? If we’re lucky enough to remember our dreams, it would repeat itself in our heads throughout the day until it completely vanishes when you stop thinking about it for a moment. We tend to get bewildered by the randomness and the bizarre nature of our dreams, so naturally, we wonder what they mean. 

Generally, there are different beliefs surrounding the meaning of dreams. Some understand dreams as omens of the future, some prefer to see dreams simply as projections of our underlying emotions, while others think dreams are just a random soul trip, a reel of our mind’s weirdest fantasies. Even so, many of us share similar elements of dreams. Dreams of falling, appearing naked in a public place, flying, falling, etc., are all common aspects of dreams shared between people. Hence, psychologists and dream experts worldwide have conducted various studies to understand the science of dreams and why we share them. 

So here are a few common dreams and their interpretations:

Being naked in public

Dreams can feel excruciatingly real at times, especially when you realise you came to work or school with no pants on. These dreams can have different interpretations depending on how you react to your nudity in the dream. Feelings of shame or embarrassment typically indicate insecurity with yourself and feeling criticised by those around you. However, having a certain dignity or pride in such situations may indicate a newfound sense of freedom.

Of course, dream interpretation does not have to be in a literal sense. You don’t have to feel free in being naked in public to confirm that you are unencumbered by people’s unsolicited opinions of you. That would be a crime. Instead, these interpretations are meant in a more symbolic way to understand your emotions in conjunction to your individual circumstance.

Teeth falling out

Just imagining your teeth falling out of your mouth is already an unsettling thought, but experiencing it vividly in a dream is all the more unpleasant. Dreaming of losing your teeth usually means that you are concerned with your appearance. It is shown that women going through menopause are more likely to have these dreams, perhaps triggered by normal changes of ageing such as growing grey hair or wrinkles forming on your face, fuelled by immense pressure around a woman’s vanity.

Other than that, this dream could also indicate that you are struggling to communicate with others. Maybe you said something wrong or offensive to someone, or you are desperate to express yourself.

Another interpretation indicates that such dreams are a reminder of time and an unchecked bucket list, a symbol of anxiety surrounding you against the sands of time.

Falling 

Most of the time, a person would be jolted awake when they dream of falling, whether from a great height or simply by tripping. In the case of falling in dreams, it relates more to the word being used in the contexts of real life than it does symbolically. For example, in the context of desire, you can have dreams of falling when you desire to “fall in love” or “fall pregnant”. In a more negative context, these dreams would occur in the events of  “falling out with someone” or to “fall for something” (to be deceived by something). To understand your dreams of falling, you would first have to identify and understand your current circumstance and relate it to any familiar characters that could be present in your dream.

Being chased

The sheer anxiety and helplessness of being chased in a dream would probably be the closest thing to being in a horror movie (hopefully). In a more obvious way, dreams of being chased signals avoidance from your situation in real life. To better understand these dreams, it would help to know who was chasing you and why. Then, you will have an idea of what it is you are running away from. Perhaps love or confrontation, maybe even the stillness and safety of routine can have you running away from change and adventure. If anybody would know, it would be your subconscious. 

Flying

After talking about events of dreams that could be equivalent to a nightmare, finally we have something benevolent and fun. Dreams of flying are usually empowering, like having superpowers. These dreams typically indicate freedom and control over your life, gaining new perspectives from a higher vantage point and allowing you to progress in life with ease and confidence. However, it is also important to note the fine details of your flight, such as the speed, height and any obstacles in your way. Perhaps you’re flying too fast or too low to the ground, maybe even having trees smacked in your face every so often. These clues could probably indicate the nature of your circumstance and how you feel about it, hinting at a desire to do something about it. 

Written by Lisa Maisara

Sources:

Dream meanings explained: What does my dream mean?

What Does My Dream Mean?

Dreams: Why We Dream, Nightmares, and Lucid Dreams