Your A Z to of dreams

If you find yourself dreaming about the same things over and over, your subconscious is trying to tell you something! Dreams expert Theresa Cheung explains the meanings behind some common themes…

AA-LISTERS

When a celebrity or famous person appears, they represent some trait that you aspire to or need to discover within for personal growth.

Reflect on whatever feelings that celebrity evokes. If you don’t know who the ‘star’ is, this suggests a need for more validation or recognition in your life.

BBURGLARS

If intruders appear, you may feel you are losing something valuable in your waking life, your privacy is being invaded or your personal boundaries are not respected. This is especially the case if your house is burgled in a dream.

CCHASED

Someone or something in your life is threatening to overwhelm or catch up with you. Dreaming of being chased is often a response to stress or anxiety; perhaps you are avoiding facing a person or situation or you feel you aren’t living up to expectations. Your dreaming mind wants you to know it’s what you think of yourself that matters. Let go of the need to please others.

DDROWNING

A tsunami or tidal wave can mean emotions are making decisions for you in your waking life and you need to learn how to manage them

better. Water in dreams is a powerful symbol of emotions and your current emotional state, so pay attention to the quality of the water and whether you are drowning or swimming. Water is also cleansing and healing, and a waterfall represents inner peace.

EERROR MESSAGES

Phones and technology not working properly turn the spotlight on your communication in waking life. You are finding it hard to get your point across or communicate your true feelings. If you can’t connect to someone on the phone in your dream, your dreaming mind may be encouraging you to look at things from their perspective.

FFLYING

A liberating dream that symbolises a new perspective and your ability to see the bigger picture. It can also mean new-found confidence. If you are having trouble flying or keep crashing, this suggests you may have set very high goals for yourself and might benefit from taking smaller steps; learn to run before you can fly.

GGAMES AND MOVIES

Finding yourself in a video game, film or TV programme or performing on stage in your dream can indicate that in your waking life you need to step more into an observer role and notice how your words and actions are impacting those around you.

HHOME

The home and all the rooms in it represent aspects of yourself. The attic represents memories, the cellar your intuition, downstairs your thinking process and upstairs your feelings. Stairs connect these aspects of yourself. Finding an unused room or an important discovery in your home or anywhere in your dream suggests that there is hidden potential within you just waiting for you to discover and explore.

IINSECTS, ANIMALS AND OTHER CREATURES

Dreams about spiders and snakes represent aspects of yourself or your life that you aren’t aware of yet, or that you are aware of and that are in danger of getting out of control. Insect dreams may suggest a wish for self-discipline and teamwork or nagging doubts and fears. Animals in dreams typically point to aspects of yourself that are instinctual. How you feel about your dream creature affects the interpretation. For example, if you love dogs, this is loyalty and companionship, but the meaning will differ if you fear dogs. Cats are symbols of creativity, birds of optimism and horses of freedom.

JJAILED, TRAPPED OR CRUSHED

Your dreaming mind wants you to approach a situation in a different way. Or perhaps something in your waking life is restricting your progress – a situation, a relationship, or a close-minded attitude you may have. Become your own dream detective and work out what that limitation or block is.

KKILLING

Dreams about killing or murdering someone imply there is an aspect of yourself which isn’t serving you well or which is no longer needed. This could be a negative attitude. If you are being killed in a dream, or being shot, this suggests forces outside your control are dragging you down. You need to protect your boundaries and let criticism wash over you.

LLOST, LOSING SOMEONE OR SOMETHING VALUABLE

A symbol of confusion and loss of direction in your waking life. You need to get a clearer sense of where you are heading. If you lose something or someone valuable in your dream, like a child, this suggests that you are out of touch with something important in your waking life or not valuing yourself enough. Your dreaming mind wants you to focus on both self-awareness and self-care.

MMORTALITY

Whether it is you or someone else dying in a dream, this does not refer to physical death; it simply means that something in your life is ending. This could be a relationship, a life stage, a job or even an attitude or approach to life. And the beautiful thing about endings is that they always imply new beginnings.

NNAKED

If you are nude or partially dressed in your dream, this is a sign that you are feeling vulnerable or exposed in some way in your waking life. Or perhaps you are feeling judged by others. Are you afraid to show the world your true self or to say what you really mean or feel? You may need a little more self-confidence in your waking life.

OOUT-OF-CONTROL CAR, ACCIDENT OR PLANE CRASH

Vehicles in dreams represent the direction your life is heading in. So if you are in an out-of-control car, events in your waking life may be heading out of control. It's time for you to get in the driving seat – or, if you are the driver, to drive more skilfully. If you dream of a car, train or plane crash, this always suggests the need for more caution in waking life. You need to watch out for stumbling blocks before they blindside you.

PPARALYSED, UNABLE TO SPEAK, GOING NOWHERE OR IN SLOW MOTION

These dream symbols signify that you are feeling stifled and are perhaps taking on too much responsibility or not standing up for yourself. You can’t decide on the best approach so are feeling stuck. Sometimes you have to make a decision to move forward, even if that decision isn’t the perfect one.

QQUICKSAND, SINKING FEELING, FALLING

If you’re stuck in quicksand or mud, this suggests a need to break free from something or someone. If a dream gives you a sinking feeling – and falling dreams are the most common – you feel unsupported. It can mean that you are totally immersed and are losing yourself. Pay attention to how falling makes you feel as this will help you interpret the meaning. Do you need to ask for support or just go with the flow?

RRELIEVING YOURSELF

Not being able to find a toilet in a dream when you are desperate is a sign that you are unable to express to yourself and others what you want or need in waking life. Your personal needs are being sidelined or marginalised, so it’s time to change course.

SSEX

Focus more on loving yourself if sex is a recurring dream. The person you are having sex with is not someone you actually want to sleep with, but an aspect of yourself that you need to acknowledge and embrace. Cheating dreams, whether it is you or your partner, means you are focusing more on something else in your waking life than your relationship or that there is some part of yourself you don’t fully trust or that is letting you down in some way.

TTEETH, GLASS IN MOUTH

Dreams where teeth fall out or are crumbling represent loss of confidence, especially in terms of how you appear to others. It can also be anxiety about the ageing process. Dreams where you have glass in your mouth are calling your attention to your words and how you speak to yourself and others. Are they cutting or harming?

UUNKNOWN

Meeting strangers or visiting unknown places point to unexplored aspects of yourself. They could also be encouraging you not to fear, but to face your shadow side, or the part of yourself you’re uncomfortable with. Your dreaming mind gives you a safe place to integrate your shadow, without harming yourself or others.

VVACATIONING

Relaxing on a sandy beach or on an exotic holiday is your mind’s way of giving you a mini break! It also suggests that a part of you longs to escape from everyday routine, so your dream mind offers you a way to safely escape.

WWEALTH, MONEY

Money represents things that are of personal value, not financial or material. Your dream mind uses this to draw your attention to how much you value yourself according to what you have or what you earn, rather than who you truly are. It wants you to reassess your priorities and remember that there are things money cannot buy. This is especially the case if you dream of finding money or treasure. It’s the treasure within!

XEXAMS, MAKING MISTAKES, BEING LATE OR UNPREPARED

Exam dreams are symbols of challenging or testing situations. These are signs that you aren’t being as disciplined or organised in your waking life as you could be. It could also suggest lack of confidence. However, people who are success-orientated and perfectionists often have these dreams. It seems their dream mind is taking them to worst-case scenarios so they are actually better prepared in real life.

YYOUTH, SCHOOL

Your dreaming mind is encouraging you to be more spontaneous, joyful and passionate in your waking life. Dreams about being back in a classroom represent the need for you to learn something new. Or perhaps you have not learned lessons from your past. If pregnancy or babies appear in your dreams, this is a sign of exciting new possibilities and creativity.

ZZOMBIE, APOCALYPSE

Monsters in dreams are your doubts and fears personified. Perhaps you are feeling out of touch or negative thoughts are hindering? If you dream of end-of-the-world scenarios, your mind is telling you that deep emotions are coming to the surface or you are going through a period of change. Prepare for a

new approach or way of life.

• The Dream Dictionary From A To Z (Revised edition, Harpercollins, 2019) theresacheung.com