Dream Interpretation: What Do Your Dreams Say About You?

Everyone dreams. That is a fact of life. According to Wikipedia the definition of a dream is a word used to describe a subconscious experience of a sequence of images, sounds, ideas, emotions, or other sensations usually during sleep, especially REM sleep. Some of us may not remember our dreams, but there are times in our lives where our dreams will clearly stand out. One of the biggest questions we might have is why do certain dreams stay etched in our mind after we wake and others simply go on unnoticed? I think the answer is...that subconsciously we need to remember our dreams because they can help change our lives and can offer valuable insight into life changes and self growth. Even though the human mind is unique from person to person many themes are universal in our dreams. Researches and dream analysts such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Alfred Adler have found a direct correlation with certain dream themes and the events that are happening or will happen in our lives. Here are a few of the central themes of our dreams and what each dream might mean in reference to your life.

Flying- Dreams of flying often signify a sense of new found freedom. You may have been restricted in a certain area of your life before and the dream of flying shows that you have overcome that pent up sensation. It may signify that you have overcome an obstacle also.

Tornado- Any dream with a tornado signifies extreme emotional outbursts, stress and/or high anxiety. It usually presents itself in dreams when you are feeling overwhelmed or are heavily burdened, feeling a sense of no control in your life. Tornadic dreams often indicate troubled times ahead.

Naked dreams- Being Naked can have different meanings, depending on the feeling you get by being naked. If you feel embarrassed or shameful in your dream, it might mean you are hiding something or keeping a secret that is burdening you. Nudity can also indicate that you have been caught off guard by someone or something in your life. If you are in fact proud of your nakedness, this shows that you are uninhibited and a free spirit.

Being Chased- Being chased in your dreams is another high anxiety indicator. If you are being pursued by someone, this may indicate that you are feeling out of control, overwhelmed with a current situation in your life that you are wanting to escape from. Being chased or pursued by an attacker might be more of a reflection on yourself...showing that you would rather run from a problem than to face it head on.

Teeth dreams- Losing your teeth in a dream can mean that you feel a loss of power in your life. Your teeth also represent how you feel about your physical appearance-because our teeth in our every day life are important for your physical appearance. We take care of our teeth and feel it is highly important to the way people perceive us in our every day lives. Crumbling teeth, or teeth falling out can mean that you are having a difficult time expressing yourself or that you fear getting older.

Falling dreams- Dreams of falling are a very common theme. If you are falling in a dream it might mean that you are feeling a sense of helplessness , insecurity, and high anxiety. Dreams of falling might also indicate a sense of failure or missed opportunity. According to Freud's theory, falling indicates that you are contemplating giving into a sexual impulse or indiscretion.

Remembering your dreams is also significant because normally, dreams are dismissed and not remembered after the sleep cycle is complete.

The fact that certain dreams stand out more than others means that they are relevant to our everyday lives. Whether it is to give us insight into our own psyche or the minds way of releasing the stress and anxiety that is pent up all day long in our waking hours...what we dream says a lot about who we are and what is happening in our lives. You can use your dreams to find answers to questions that might be plaguing you in your everyday life.

Is it possible that your dreams are a type of therapy? I think the answer is yes. I think it is human nature to question our lives and to psychoanalyze what is happening to us. Many of us choose to run from our problems instead of facing them head on. Dreams might very well be a way to self-evaluate our lives.

Recording your dreams in a dream journal can be very therapeutic and might also help you to define patterns of behavior or stressors in your life.