Have you often wondered about the meaning of your dreams? Or why we even dream at all? The theory behind dreams is that it's the mind's way of releasing stress and also a way of solving problems at a subconscious level. At an intuitive level, dreams can be a valuable tool for gaining deep and personal insight. It's helpful to listen to the messages of your dreams, but at times those messages can be confusing. One reason is that the language of dreams is one of symbols and metaphors. The images you see in the dream may have nothing to do with the actual, deeper meaning. To help you sort things out, let's look at some common dream scenarios and what they may mean to you.
Being naked in a public place
This is one dream that nearly everyone has at least once in their life. The dream often carries with it a feeling of embarrassment and the hope that no one will notice you. Clothing can be symbolic of protection or concealment, so the lack of clothing in a dream means you feel exposed, vulnerable or unprepared. It can also mean that in life you're trying too hard to be something you're not.
When you have this dream it may suggest you need to look at areas of your life where you feel most vulnerable. Or perhaps it's signaling stress you're feeling about being unprepared in certain situations, such as work or school.
Being chased
This usually means you're trying to run from something in life that is too overwhelming, such as emotions, feelings or a situation. The pursuer can also represent aspects of yourself that you're having a hard time facing. If you're troubled by such a dream, or are having it often, take the time to examine problems you're experiencing in life and how you can better manage them.
Flying
Flying dreams come in many forms, such as free-flying, flying in an airplane or flying with wings. If you are flying freely and able to move to any altitude you want, it can mean you are feeling good about life and your achievements. Flying with wings can symbolize clear vision, control and personal empowerment. If you dream of flying in an airplane, it can symbolize a feeling of success. However, sometimes a flying dream won't go well and you may lose altitude, the take off may be difficult or you won't be able to get around obstacles. If this is the case, you may be feeling overburdened or your confidence may be lacking. Take the time to look at areas of life that are causing you stress, or goals you may need to re-evaluate.
Teeth falling out
This dream is fairly common and at first can seem rather disturbing. In the dream, your teeth may be loose, fall out one by one, or suddenly crumble away. For the most part, these dreams symbolize deeply rooted fears, such as fear in how others perceive you and worries about making a fool of yourself. Teeth are also symbolic of power, so having such a dream can mean you are feeling powerless or frustrated.
If you have this dream, it could mean you need to work on being more assertive or building your self-confidence.
An important note
The meanings of symbols and scenarios are helpful in interpreting your dreams. But more importantly are the feelings and emotions that go along with them. When you interpret your dreams, always consider the emotions, sensations and feelings that occur during your dream. Sometimes it's helpful to write out the dream or even describe it aloud to a friend. That way you can more fully connect with the feelings you experienced and better understand their meaning. You may also want to work on developing your intuition as a way to better understand your dreams.
