Interpreting Your Dreams - Some Common Dream Symbols
Dream interpreters, from the earliest Greek and Roman societies,
to Sigmund Freud, to modern therapists and dream researchers,
have long recognized the symbolic nature of dreams. Unlike the
real world, in dreams things are often not as they appear. What
appears to be a normal, everyday object in your dream world is
often anything but ordinary.
Learning to recognize and interpret these objects, and learning
about your dreams can be an exciting and fun exercise as well as
a great learning experience. Since dreams and their symbols are
often manifestations of real fears and anxieties, dreams can
provide much help in working through these serious issues.
Let's examine a few of the most common dream symbols and
scenarios.
Dreaming of school Dreams of school, including taking tests,
forgetting about a test, showing up to school without your
books, and they like are among the most common of dreams for
students and non students alike.
For those currently in school, dreams about school can be
reflections of anxiety about grades, peers, social issues and
other concerns. For those who are not in school, dreaming about
school or taking a test is often a manifestation of anxiety
about work, or even your personal life. Dreaming about school is
often related to your latest lesson in life.
Dreaming of a car or other vehicle Dreams of driving in a car or
other vehicle often symbolize a desire to escape. Cars and other
forms of transportation represent freedom, and dreaming of
driving, especially of driving fast, can symbolize a desire to
get away from an unpleasant or undesirable task.
Dreams about car crashes or near misses can symbolize the
feeling of being out of control. Such dreams often occur when
you are feeling overwhelmed by pressure and unable to cope with
the stresses of everyday life.
Dreams in which you are the passenger instead of he driver can
also symbolize this sort of lack of control. This is especially
true if the vehicle in the dream seems to be out of control.
Such dreams may signal a need to relax and avoid additional
stress.
Dreams about houses Dreams about a the house you grew up in can
represent a desire to go back in time to when life is simpler.
These dreams often occur at turning points in our lives, such as
just after college graduation, prior to a marriage, or during or
after a move.
Dreaming about an unfamiliar or threatening house can represent
a fear of the unknown or an unwillingness to change. Again,
these dreams often take place during times of upheaval or
change, and they can be your unconscious mind's reaction to such
sudden change.
Dreams about tornadoes If you live near an area prone to
tornadoes, or if you have been the victim of such a force, then
a tornado can simply be a tornado. Unpleasant experiences can be
relived through dreams, but most of the time the tornadoes we
dream about are symbolic and not literal.
Most of the time, a tornado represents an emotional turmoil.
People in such a state are often described as being whirlwinds
of emotions, so a tornado is a fitting symbol of that state.
Dreams of tornadoes often accompany sudden upheavals or changes
in life, such as a sudden career change or cross country move. A
dream about a tornado can indicate that you feel your life is
spinning out of control. Those experiencing tornado centered
dreams may want to take a step back, meditate and concentrate on
the positive aspects of change.
Dreams about telephones Dreams about telephone often carry
important messages that the dreamer needs to pay close attention
to. When interpreting a dream about a telephone, it is important
to pay attention to the details. For instance, did you initiate
the call, or did someone call you? Was the voice on the other
end of the telephone friendly or threatening? Can you hear the
other party or is their static on the line? These details of a
telephone dream can give you valuable insights into just what is
being communicated.