Ever woke up and thought “why in the world did I dream about THAT?”
Well, it’s probably linking back to your recent life experiences and what’s going on in that head of yours.
According to dream analyst Jane Anderson, your dreams can reflect what’s happened in your life in the last one to two days.
“The value of interpreting a dream is to discover your unconscious beliefs and feelings, which then effects how you see your life and how you respond to it,” she says.
“One helpful way to look at dreams is as analogies for what’s going on in your life.”
Here, Jane shares the 10 most common dreams people have and what they symbolise.
Falling
You may dream of falling when things are changing and you’re scared of what’s to come, when you’ve just let go of something, or you’re scared to do so. But Jane says that change can be good. “What if there’s a soft landing, or you find you can fly?,” she asks.
Flying
Jane wants you to ask yourself these questions – “How do you feel when you fly in your dream? Are you excited to fly high?” If this is the case, there might be something exciting in store for you, and as Jane says, you might be “reaching a higher potential in your life”.
Trying to escape your dream may link to an issue in your life you’re not addressing. If you feel at peace when soaring through the clouds, Jane says: “You may be rising above a stressful situation, viewing it from a higher perspective. Be guided by how you feel in your dream.”
Naked in public
Yep, this is an awkward one.
In your dream you may be fully or partially naked, or trying to cover up. You might dream this when you’re feeling exposed, not physically, “but perhaps you feel your character has been exposed, your true intentions, your thoughts, your fears, your feelings,” Jane tells us.
“You may feel vulnerable, thinking that people can see through to the real you, or you may feel a wonderful freedom at not hiding behind an image, at being your authentic self,” she says.
Sex
Jane says that people don’t often talk about these dreams as it may reveal an attraction to the dream sex partner. It can also make work super stressful – not to mention awkward – if that person is a colleague or your boss.
But it’s not always what it seems! “Take a deep breath, and be assured that these dreams do not reveal your hidden fantasies,” Jane assures us.
“Which three words would you use to describe your dream sex partner’s personality? You may be bringing one of these aspects into your own personality or approach to life.”
Celebrity friends
Oh, how we wish these dreams were reality! According to Jane, these dreams link back to your daily life. “Think about that celebrity. In waking life you don’t really know them, but you have built a picture of what you think they’re really like, or you’ve formed an opinion about what they must be going through.”
“On some level you relate to this celebrity,” she says. “Maybe you relate to issues you feel they are going through, fears they face, or relate to their perspective on life. Your dream sheds light on your own issues and views.”
Driving
If the car is out of control, this might be how you feel in a situation in real life. Jane wants you to ask yourself these questions: “Are you scared that things are going fast, and worried that you’re caught up in it all and won’t be able to stop? Are gripping that steering wheel of life, trying to regain control?
This might be an indication that you can sometimes be too controlling. Take a step back and see where it takes you!
Losing teeth
Try and remember how you felt in the dream. If you felt embarrassed, this could link to a an uncomfortable situation you experienced in the last 1-2 days.
Dreaming of losing your teeth could be linked to feeling a sense of loss in life. As Jane puts it, this could be blocking you from being able to express yourself in the way you really want to, or you could be finding it hard to get your message across.
Back at school or sitting an exam
You’re probably going through similar emotions now as when you were in school.
“Perhaps you’re feeling stressed about success or failure or you’re having issues of responsibility. Maybe you’re being treated like a child, or there are issues of dealing with authority or punishment,” says Jane.
“This kind of dream can help you to see that an issue goes back to your school years, and helps to shed light on it. When you heal or resolve that issue from your past, it no longer bothers you in your present.”
Looking for a toilet
You’re likely dreaming of this because you actually need to go to the toilet during the night, but as Jane tells us, that’s not always the case!
If you dream about not finding a toilet, or perhaps it’s locked, filthy, or the walls and doors are missing so you’re exposed, “this comes up when you’re feeling you can’t find the privacy and space to let go of what you no longer need in your life,” says Jane.
“This is like an emotional letting-go. If you successfully and happily relieve your bladder or bowel in a dream, you’ve let go!”
Tsunami
“Do you run away from your dream tsunami, freeze in fear on the spot, or bravely dive under it? A tsunami, in life and in dreams, is an overwhelming and life-threatening body of water looming towards you. It can feel like there’s no escape,” says Jane.
“This kind of dream can come up when you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed, or overwhelmed by what life seems to be throwing at you.”
There could be something big looming, and you might feel like there’s no escape. Jane says that once you identify the problem that’s causing these issues, you’ll be able to restore the calm.
Words by Jacqui King
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