Five Common Dreams and What They Mean

Have you ever wondered if there is a meaning to your dreams? Do you wonder why you dreamed of an elephant on a tricycle or showing up late for work when it is Saturday? Our dreams often have a deeper meaning and have nothing to do with the actual image that we see when we are asleep. Certain dreams are so embedded in the human psyche that almost everyone has them at least once in their life. Dreams of falling, flying, running, being naked in a classroom, or having to take an exam are some of the most common dreams all around the world. Let's take a look at each of these dreams and what they might mean in your life.

FALLING- Dreams of falling are not about death, so don't worry! Usually, dreams of falling are really about feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. When you fall in a dream, it often means that you are overwhelmed and that you do not feel capable of dealing with a situation. You are not sure what to do or how to handle it and so you fall because you could not think of a solution. ADVICE: Take a look at what else is in your dream. Are you in a familiar place like your home or your job or are there objects or people in the dream that can give you a clue as to what you are feeling overwhelmed about? Notice what else is happening and you will probably see a connection to what is happening in your daily life. Sometimes, falling dreams can also mean that you need to ground yourself. Are you thinking too hard about something or letting your imagination go wild without taking practical steps to achieve a goal in your life? If so, you need to balance your thoughts with some constructive action. If you are thinking too hard, get some rest; take a break from trying to work out your problem. Go back to it another day or at least in a few hours. You will probably feel better and find a clearer solution to the problem. If you are spending too much time with your head in the clouds, then plan out some simple steps that you can take to get what you want. Visualizing is great, but it is most effective when you combine it with practical steps.

FLYING- Flying dreams usually relate to freedom or control. When we fly, we feel joyful and free of limitations. We are in control of our circumstances and we can just be. A dream about flying can show you how to create freedom in your life or show you when you have achieved greater peace and control. If you are flying erratically or you find barriers to your flight path, this suggests that you feel that obstacles are in the way of having what you want. You have given up control of your life to something outside of yourself. ADVICE: Take a look at what you need to release in order to have more freedom in your life. If your dream is detailed, look at the objects and people around you. Those can provide a clue as to what will give you more balance and control or they may point out what is preventing you from managing your life. Keep in mind that many times people in our dreams represent a part of ourselves, so if there is a person involved, they may be representing some aspect of your own mind rather than your mother or your boss or whomever you see. Take a look at a dream interpretation book if you are not sure what this person may represent. Generally, if we are flying upward into the sky, we are looking for a deeper, spiritual solution or connecting to our inner wisdom. When we fly downward, we are going into our subconscious mind to look at hidden beliefs or feelings. The direction of your flight may tell you how to gain greater freedom or control of a situation. You can look to a spiritual solution or you may need to look at hidden behaviors that you have which might be getting in your way.

RUNNING- To dream about running relates to your confidence level. How secure are you in your life or in a certain situation? If you are running forward with no obstacles in your path, then a running dream suggests that you are confident, determined and capable of doing what you want to do. However, when you run from someone or from something, you may be afraid or insecure. You do not trust your ability to move through your problems with ease. Either your emotions or a situation has taken power over your mind and you feel helpless. Being chased in a dream usually means that you are trying to avoid responsibility or you want to escape from overwhelming emotions that you do not know how to confront in your waking life. Running from or being chased by an animal means that you are to look at your own instincts and passions. Different animals have different meanings in dream interpretation, so if you recognize the animal, it is a good idea to look it up in a dream book or on the internet. If it is a common animal, you can also think about what type of behavior the animal is best known for. What are its characteristics? This can reveal how to make the most of the animal's appearance in your dream. Most of the time, you will want to learn how to become more like the animal that you see. However, you may find that you are too like the animal and you need to tone down. For example, if you go through your relationships and your work life acting like a bull most of the time, you may need to take time to slow down and listen to other people's points of view. ADVICE: Examine your life and see how you can make your problems manageable. Can you ask for help? What small steps can you take to break down a problem so that you do not have to solve everything at once? Anything you can do to boost your confidence or to simplify your situation is beneficial.

BEING NAKED IN A CLASSROOM OR PUBLIC PLACE- This dream is so common that it often appears on television and in movies. There is a good reason for this. Sometimes we put on a social mask that helps us to interact with people around us and feel comfortable in our surroundings. That mask is usually quite different than how we really are. When we dream of being naked in public, there is the fear that the person we really are is not the person that others will like or accept. Classrooms, specifically, are associated with learning a lesson or being tested so if you are naked in class, you may be learning a deeper lesson about who you really are and who you show yourself to be. Or, you may be feeling unprepared by an event or a life change and you are not sure if you have the skills to face it. You may feel that who you really are is not who you need to be in order to handle the event. ADVICE: Take a look at ways that you can be more in integrity. Let go of unnecessary pressures and realize that every person has faults, strengths, and weaknesses. Be willing to show other people your real self; often, they will like you just as you are, faults and all.

TAKING AN EXAM- Well, this can be a scary dream, indeed. Dreaming of a test can stir up feelings of insecurity and fear. Often when this dream comes up, we feel unprepared and inadequate. We are just sure we are going to fail. Most of the time, these dreams are about our emotional reaction to changes or events happening in our life. They do not necessarily represent a real "test". ADVICE: Do little things to ease the pressure (relax, take a break, share responsibilities). Acknowledge that you are scared, but be willing to take small, practical steps to help you to move through your fear and deal with the situation at hand. Be willing to talk to someone about how you are feeling and ask them to help you find simple ways to gain greater control of your situation. Acknowledge when you do even small things successfully as this will build your confidence and help you to move through challenges with greater ease.

Dreams are our way of releasing stress as we sleep and of figuring out solutions to problems that we cannot solve in our waking life. Many dreams are there to reveal our emotional response to situations occurring in our lives. If we do not deal with the feelings as they happen, a build up occurs and our subconscious mind creates a dream so that we can see what is happening and take action. Even frightening dreams can help us once we see their practical meaning.