Top 5 Common Dream Themes And Their
Interpretations
Author: Erika Sondali

The interpretation of dreams by dream experts may be almost as
old as dreaming itself. We know that all humans, and many
animals, dream every night, and humans have always been
fascinated to learn what causes dreams and what they mean. We
will examine some of the top five themes that researchers have
found occur in our dreams: being naked, being chased, losing
teeth, flying, and falling.

Being Naked
Dreams of being naked are possibly amongst the most common
dreams people have. In dreams, clothes can represent
concealment and hiding, so being stripped of clothes can mean
being left defenseless and exposed. Often the dreamer has fears
that he or she worries may be uncovered. Dreams in which no one
but the dreamer notices the nakedness are often indications
that the fears bothering the dreamer are unfounded, and that no
one else is concerned about them. Being naked in a dream can
also indicate fear of being caught off guard. For instance,
many people dream that they are suddenly naked at work or at
school. Being naked in front of a crowd can symbolize a fear of
being exposed, a fear of being unprepared, or a fear that those
around you know things about you they are not telling you
about.

Being Chased
Dreams of being chased probably have a deep, evolutionary
origin. After all, our ancient ancestors actually were chased
by all manner of predators, and this fear of being chased and
caught has remained part of our hard wired nature. In modern
societies, dreams of being chased can often arise from feelings
of general anxiety experienced in the waking hours. These dreams
can often be very realistic, and chase dreams are some of the
most commonly reported nightmares. People troubled by recurring
dreams of being chased often benefit from an examination of
their waking life. Finding the thing that they are running from
in real life, and confronting it, is often an effective way of
banishing frequent chase dreams. For instance, there may be
something you are supposed to do but have been avoiding. If
this proposed action is a source of fear, stress and confusion,
is can sometimes manifest in your dream life as an attacker or
pursuer. Instead of facing your fear, you are running from it,
and the attacker in your dreams represents the thing you are
trying to get away from or avoid in real life. In some cases
the pursuer or attacker in a chase dream represents not an
outside force but part of your self instead. Unresolved
feelings of anger, jealousy and fear can often enter your
dreams in the form of a threatening or frightening figure.

Losing Teeth
Dreams about teeth, particularly dreams where the dreamer finds
his or her teeth falling out, are much more common than you
might think. There are many theories about just what teeth, and
losing teeth, represent in the dream world, and these can be
some of the most difficult dreams to interpret. One theory
holds that dreams about teeth, and losing teeth, are a
reflection of the dreamer's anxiety about his or her
appearance, and about how the dreamer thinks others perceive
him or her. Since teeth play such an important role in physical
attraction scenarios, such as flirting and getting the attention
of the opposite sex, dreams of losing teeth can be
manifestations of fears of getting old, fears of sexual
impotence or other dating related anxieties. Another theory
holds that teeth in dreams represent power, since they are used
in real life to tear, chew, and bite. Therefore, the loss of
teeth in a dream represents a perceived loss of power or
influence. People who feel frustrated, or who feel that their
voices are not being heard, may have dreams about losing teeth.


Flying
Dreams of flying may well be the most common of all dreams.
Dreams of flying often fall into that special category of
dreams in which the dreamer realizes he or she is dreaming.
These dreams, called lucid dreams, are some of the most
fascinating to both dreamers and dream researchers alike.
Dreams where you are flying easily, soaring over the landscape
and enjoying the serenity often mean that you feel on top of
the situation and in control of your life. The flip side of
that happy scenario are dreams in which the dreamer has
difficulty remaining in the air, or dreams where you are unable
to fly and begin to fall to earth. Obstacles like power lines,
mountains and trees in a flying dream can be dream state
manifestations of actual barriers in your waking life. Often
the dreamer will experience fear while flying, or be afraid
that he or she is flying too high. These types of dreams are
often representations of fear of challenge, or fear that you
cannot succeed. Identifying the barriers in your life, and
overcoming them, can remove these barriers from your dream
state as well as your waking life.

Falling
Dreams where you are falling are some of the most commonly
reported dreams there are, and such dreams are one of the
leading causes of sudden waking from a dream. Dreams of falling
are most often interpreted as an indication of unresolved fears,
anxieties, instabilities and insecurities. Dreams of falling can
also represent a sense of inferiority or a sense of failure in
your personal or professional life. These dreams of falling can
represent a perceived failure to measure up to expectations, or
a fear of losing your status, losing an important person in
your life, or just a generalized fear or failure. Dreams of
falling are most likely to take place during the first stage of
sleep. That is because dreams at this stage are often
accompanied by spasms of muscles in the arms, the legs or even
the whole body. These sudden muscle contractions are known to
science as a myclonic jerk. The dreaming mind can interpret
these muscle spasms as falling, and thus incorporate falling
into the dream state. Those who do biblical and religious
interpretations of dreams often see falling dreams as meaning
that the dreamer is taking his or her cues from the world of
man instead of turning to God for guidance and advice.


About The Author: Erika has long been fascinated by dreams and
dreaming, both from a symbolic perspective and a psychological
perspective. You can read more about dreams at
http://www.SpiralLibrary.com/dreams