Admit it – most of us have had the craziest dreams. Or, dreams that were so good that when interrupted, you just wish you could get back to dreaming. ? Later in the day, you’re trying to figure out what you actually dreamt about.
Dreams are vast. They’re so vast that there’s no scientific evidence if they really mean anything. ?♂️ However, history has shown us a few examples – Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity was motivated by a dream. Abraham Lincoln was said to have dreamed of his own body lying in a coffin two weeks before he was assassinated. Joan of Arc also foresaw her death in a prophetic dream. ? These dreams are purely coincidental and aren’t forced in any manner. Precognitive dreams are an exception to some people and cannot be taken truly since these are still a mystery.
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, has mentioned in his book ‘The Interpretation of Dreams’ the complexity of dreams. ? The core of his book states that the unconscious mind during sleep produces images that give us special insight into our deepest selves. This means that dreams that seem absurd or disturbing could have a deeper meaning to them and aren’t meant to be taken literally. ?
Here are a few examples of common dreams and its interpretation:
1) Being Chased
Running away from something or someone chasing you in your dream suggests that you are running away from something that is causing you fear or anxiety in your waking life. ? Your action of running away suggests how you would react to pressure and cope with stress where you would have a tendency to run away from issues rather than tackle them. This dream can be recurring until you find the issue and resolve it in your waking life. ?
2) Falling
According to popular dream interpretations, falling dreams are a sign that something in your life isn’t going well. ? It might suggest that you need to rethink various things or consider a new direction in an area of your life. “Dreaming of falling is very common. It is a symbol of fear in real life – perhaps of failing at work or in your love life ?” claims Russell Grant, author of The Illustrated Dream Dictionary. “Falling often expresses a need to let yourself go and enjoy life more.”
3) Taking a Test
According to Craig Hamilton-Parker, author of The Hidden Meaning of Dreams, taking an exam in your dream might disclose an underlying fear of failure. ? Exams are considered to be stressful hence dreaming of failing an exam or being late to one expresses the challenges you face in your life and how unprepared you feel.
4) The Naked Dream
A dream of being naked (particularly before a group of peers) is a sign of insecurity, humiliation, or feelings of vulnerability. ? Some psychiatrists are of the observation that dreaming of ourselves nude may be a message to become liberated, get a taste of true freedom and break out of the ties that keep us chained. ⛓
5) Flying
Dreaming of being able to fly in your dream can be interpreted in many ways. On the one hand, such dreams can represent feelings of freedom and independence. On the other hand, they can also indicate a desire to flee or escape from the realities of life. ? A tough time flying in your dream suggests that someone (or something) is stopping you from moving to the next step in your life. If you are unable to fly it suggests that you might be struggling to meet the high goals you set for yourself. Similarly, being alone and struggling to fly implies that you are lacking confidence in yourself. ?
6) Teeth falling out
A common example is ‘teeth falling’ and based on the dream dictionary, it means a variety of things according to the situation of the dream. ? Your fear of aging is one reason. Another one could be lack of power or having confidence issues at that particular point in your life. It could even imply that you’re being deceitful or untruthful about some matter. ?
Some modern neuroscientists believe that dreams are a side effect of neurological processes that occur during sleep. Just like computers that periodically optimize the hard disks, our brains also unite and arrange the memories wherein the insignificant ones are cleared and the important ones are stored securely. ? Research (and personal experience) shows that recalling recently learned information/tasks improve after sleep and memory suffers if sleep is interrupted. That’s why parents and teachers often advise students to get a good night’s rest before taking a test. ?
While dreams may not peek into the future or give us deep insight into our unconscious minds, they definitely tell us something about our emotions. Since most of us occasionally get out of touch with how we’re feeling, this is a useful method. Use it wisely. ?
If you have other weird dreams you want to know the meaning off, visit this Dream Dictionary. Simply type a keyword (it could be a snake, spider, drowning, pregnant, door, being chased, cheated on, God, death, anything) in the search bar at the top and prepare to get your mind BLOWN!
Given below are 2 more infographics I found online that are also useful.
Learning the meaning of your dream is more important than you think, it actually gives you a reality check of your subconscious’s health + state of mind ?
Written and Researched by Neha Shelly
