How to interpret your dreams

We all dream – and often we wonder if our dreams mean anything. As it turns out . . . they do! Your dreams contain wisdom and insight about your waking life – that’s why they are so important. Using The Dream Handbook, you can discover the meaning of your dreams and nightmares, and then apply the dream alchemy practices to create positive life change. Here is an extract from the book, with three common dreams to get you started.

 

 

I’M FLYING

The dream:

 

You are flying, floating or hovering in the air, either unaided or with a bizarre prop.

 

To rise above a situation, release your hold. The world cannot benefit from your talents unless you unfold your wings.

 

In your dream perhaps . . . 

—  You are floating above a group of people, encouraging them to join you.

—  You are flying so high that you get a bird’s-eye view of the landscape below.

— You are trying to fly higher, but the power lines are in your way.

—  You are flying to escape something or someone chasing you.

—  You are travelling a metre or so above the landscape, perhaps following a road or track, perhaps in a flow of cars or pedestrians.

—  You are performing acrobatic flying tricks for an admiring crowd.

— You are floating against your will.

—  You are sitting on or using a cushion, piece of wood or other bizarre prop to keep yourself in the air.

—  You are not flying alone.

 

How does your dream end?

Positive changes are on the way if …

— You experience only positive emotions.

—  You overcome difficulties or fear and end the dream on a high note.

—  You succeed in encouraging other people to fly with you.

—  You see a view, when you look down, that inspires or enlightens you.

 

It’s time for a new approach if . . . 

—  You can’t fly above the power lines.

—  You can’t escape the person or thing that is chasing you.

— You don’t overcome the fear of flying or floating.

—  You fall or have a flying accident.

—  You can’t find your way back to the ground again.

What your dream means

 

Your way forward may be blocked by . . .

Not having enough faith in your own ability. Needing to rise above a situation. Being too close to a situation to see a higher view. Escaping instead of facing a situation. Fear of

letting go. Fear of power.

 

Moving forward

Practise letting go. Give yourself permission to use and develop your talents to their full potential. Take time out to get your bearings and form an overview of your situation.

Focus on feeling free through self-empowerment rather than restricted by control.

Your flying dreams help you to see your limitless horizons. Just when you think you know where your horizons are, your dream pops up to beckon you further.

 

So, what’s stopping you?  

The very common dream of feeling frustrated because you cannot fly above the power lines is often said to prove that we fly out of the body when we dream. Dreams play with puns. Power lines may be dream code for power. If your power lines prevent you from flying higher, then consider how much power gets in your way in your waking life. You probably feel that more powerful people seem to be in your way at work or at home. Turn around your thinking and ask yourself if you have let power become a big issue for you. Who is doing the controlling — and of whom?

The other common flying dream is the one where you find yourself urging a group of admiring or disbelieving supporters on the ground to join you in the air. Other people in your dreams stand for your own various and conflicting beliefs. This kind of dream shows you that you can raise yourself to a higher potential. It also shows you that you lack faith in your ability. It’s time to ignore those niggling, dissenting feelings and rise above them.

 

You fly high in dreams at times when you need to get an overview of a problem. Your dreams put your problems in perspective and offer you solutions.

 

Let your flying dreams help you to keep your life in balance. When you pluck a great idea from the air, use it.

 

In your life this could be about . . . 

— An unused or unrecognised talent.

— A situation you are too enmeshed in to see other options.

— A power struggle with a work supervisor, colleague or partner.

— That idea you haven’t acted on yet.

— That thing you’d love to do but feel you lack the confidence to try.

— The ‘real you’ that you keep hidden to keep other people happy.

 

 

 

NAKED IN PUBLIC

The dream:

 

You are surprised to discover you are naked or seminaked in public.

 

When they know you as you truly are, you truly are.

 

In your dream perhaps . . . 

— You are embarrassed and try to hide yourself or your nakedness.

— No matter what you do to try to hide, you become more naked.

— You feel comfortable with being naked.

— You feel proud of being naked.

— The dream feels sexual.

— The dream has no sexual content.

 

How does your dream end?

Positive changes are on the way if . . . 

— You feel comfortable with being naked and stay naked.

— You feel comfortable with being naked but find clothes that you like and wear these.

— You have an enjoyable sexual encounter.

 

It’s time for a new approach if . . .

— You are still embarrassed at the end of the dream.

— You become more exposed as the dream continues, and still feel uncomfortable with this.

— People take advantage of your nakedness in the dream, or they make fun of you.

— You end up hiding or running away.

— You find clothes to cover your body, but you don’t like them.

— You end up wrapped in a cover but still feeling uncomfortable about your position.

— You have an uncomfortable sexual encounter.

 

Your way forward may be blocked by . . .

— Trying to hide your true self from other people.

— Not feeling comfortable with who you really are deep down inside.

— Feeling vulnerable to being judged by others.

 

Moving forward

Let go of the facade. Let your true light shine. If others judge you that’s their problem. Judgement is in the eye of the beholder and has nothing to do with who you really are.

This very common dream is all about how comfortable you do or don’t feel with showing and being your real self. It’s got nothing to do with how you feel about the shape of your body or your sexuality, and everything to do with how you feel about who you are underneath it all.

 

This dream mostly comes up when you’re feeling vulnerable about something or someone. The details of your dream reveal why you feel uncomfortable and why you try to hide. How you handle this information from here on is your choice, in your waking life as well as in your dreams.

 

And if the dream takes a sexual turn? The rule of thumb is that good dream-sex reflects positive personal growth and not so good dream-sex shows work is still needed.

 

In your life this could be about . . . 

— A job involving presenting yourself or your work to the public.

— A relationship where you are pretending to be someone you are not.

—  You living beyond your financial means.

— An exam you are about to take — you feel your performance will not live up to other people’s expectations.

—  A job interview you are about to attend or speech you are about to give.

—  A situation where you are being two-faced.

—  A secret you have been keeping.

 

LATE FOR THE APPOINTMENT

The dream:

 

You are running late for a meeting, appointment, train, boat or plane.

 

When they know you as you truly are, you truly are.

 

In your dream perhaps . . .

— You are trying to get to the meeting but you keep coming up against obstacles.

—You realise the plane is going to take off without you.

— You arrive at the train station but you can’t get a ticket in time.

—You are almost there and then realise you have forgotten your notes or cases.

 

How do you feel in your dream?

Frustrated. A sense of panic. Forgetful.Weighed down. Disappointed with yourself. Embarrassed. Concerned. A sense of urgency.

 

How does your dream end?

 

Positive changes are on the way if . . . 

— You finally make the appointment.

— You catch the plane, boat or train.

— You decide you don’t need your cases and let them go.

— You get tickets easily or discover you’ve had them in your pocket all along.

— You phone to say you’re not coming to the meeting and you feel happy with this outcome.

— You phone to set a new appointment time that is more suitable for you and you know you will be able to make this.

 

It’s time for a new approach if . . . 

— The journey gets more complicated during the dream or from dream to dream.

— Your cases or bags get heavier.

— You see the train, boat or plane leave without you.

— You feel a sense of urgency you cannot overcome.

 

What your dream means

 

Your way forward may be blocked by . . . 

A fear of success because of a fear of failure. Perfectionism. Needing approval. Needing to get things ‘right’. Needing to be seen to perform well. A belief that success is hard-won. Too much focus on one area of your life at the expense of another.

 

Moving forward

Allow yourself the freedom to make mistakes, knowing that the best insights and new ideas often spring from so-called mistakes.

 

Know that you will never be approved or loved by everyone — many people will judge you but that is their burden, not yours.

 

Know that there are many shades of right, and many inspiring colours ranged between black and white. Focus equally on all areas of your life.

 

In your life this could be about . . . 

— Your work performance.

— Your feelings about how things should be done.

— Your addiction to work.

— The time you don’t give to your family or to yourself.

— A project or idea you talk about but don’t do.

— An unused talent.

— A past failure that bugs you.

— A past success that you feel you can’t live up to.

 

If you want to find out more about The Dream Handbook, click here