- Dreams are essentially metaphors for issues and challenges in our waking lives.
- Dreaming of death likely means you are dealing with a big change or "death" in your life.
- Meanwhile, dreaming of pregnancy indicates a new project or "baby" is in the works.
- It's key to remember, however, that your dreams aren't in charge of your life.
Your most memorable dreams likely involve some pretty scary or freaky situations. How many happy-go-lucky dreams do you remember that actually include totally normal events? No, it's usually the freakishly strange dreams that stay with us when we wake.
Lauri Loewenberg, a certified dream analyst and member of IASD, the International Association for the Study of Dreams, told INSIDER why so many of us have the same dreams.
"Our subconscious feelings are a direct response to our waking fears and realities," Loewenberg told INSIDER. "The only difference is that the subconscious mind is more honest about the fears and realities than the conscious mind."
Our dreams are the way the subconscious tries to communicate with the conscious about these fears and feelings, according to Loewenberg. Since so many of us share the same common struggles and issues, it makes sense that some of our dreams overlap.
As for what our dreams could tell us, Loewenberg said they are virtually metaphors that could help us better understand our feelings and current realities. Here are some of the most common dreams and what they mean.
1. If you dream about falling prepare for a big let down.
According to Loewenberg, falling dreams are typically a result of something in your life going in the wrong direction or something that you would describe as "a big let down."
"These dreams are your subconscious letting you know it is time to find a way to redirect the situation," Loewenberg said. "Or redirect the way you are reacting to it because, at the moment, things [or] you can't keep going the way they are."
Loewenberg added that these dreams generally express disappointment or in some cases even depression.
2. If you dream of your teeth falling out something is going on with communication.
Loewenberg's research found that any dream focusing on any area surrounding the mouth or throat could connect to a communication issue in real life.
"Your teeth are meant to remain in your mouth, so when you dream they fall out, it is a good indication you allowed something out of your mouth that should have stayed in there," she said.
If in your dream you also think about how you will look with missing teeth this could relate to your walking life concern about how you "appear" after speaking without thinking.
3. If you dream about showing up late you're worried about running out of time.
Loewenberg said this is a common dream for journalists or other professionals who are frequently dealing with tight deadlines. In that case, the dream is an extra way of nagging yourself to make the most of your time and meet that deadline.
If you don't regularly worry about frequent deadlines and get this dream, Loewenberg said to ask yourself where in your life is time of the essence right now?
"Are you hoping to reach a career goal by a certain date? Are all your friends getting married and having kids while you remain single," she said. "In these cases, your subconscious is presenting this scenario to you so you can decide whether the societal or self-pressure is worth helping you by putting a fire under your butt or [if it] causing you unnecessary stress."
4. If you dream about being pregnant something new is in the works.
If you aren't trying to get pregnant and have this dream, then it indicates something new is in the works and, like a pregnancy, the end result will create something new in your life.
Loewenberg said this is a typical dream when someone is working on a degree or is in the process of starting a new business. She also said that when we are in the early stages of a project or idea, we sometimes call them our "baby."
"The subconscious mind puts form to that expression," Loewenberg said. "When we can experience this new beginning as a pregnancy or baby, as our dreams allow us to, we can better understand the focus and attention and nurturing it needs."
5. If you dream about dying prepare for change.
This usually indicates the "death" of life ask you know it, meaning something is about to change or end, according to Loewenberg. The subconscious presents these changes as a death so we can more easily let go and move on. If someone else in your dream is dying, ask yourself if your relationship with that person is changing.
"Dreaming our child dies is particularly common when they reach milestones such as starting to walk, starting a new grade, or learning to drive," Loewenberg said. "These milestones are like little deaths as they mark the end of that phase of life so that we can prepare for the new phase that is coming."
6. If you dream about your partner cheating on you something could act as a barrier between you and your partner.
Loewenberg said this is an extremely common dream. If you already have suspicions and reasons to believe your partner is cheating, then these dreams are bringing that concern to life and are preparing you for what you may find in the future. In most cases, however, the cheating dream comes out of the blue and is not an indication that your partner is stepping out on you, according to Loewenberg.
This dream could also suggest that there is something in the relationship acting as a third wheel that is causing you to feel "cheated" out of time.
7. If you dream of being chased or running from someone you're avoiding something in real life.
This is common and likely means you are avoiding something or someone in real life. More generally, it could also mean you are avoiding a confrontation, trying to get out of an obligation, or are procrastinating and running away from something you know you need to face.
"The subconscious does not like complacency, and when you avoid difficult issues during the day, you will be forced to face them at night in your dreams," Loewenberg said.
It is important to remember, however, that your dreams aren't in charge — you are.
"Your dreams are merely the nightly results, and honest commentary, of your actions, [sic] behaviors, and attitude from the day," Loewenberg said. "The best way to have a peaceful and pleasant dream is to handle your issues during the day as well as working on having a better attitude about them."
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