Unlock the power of your dreams
Bestselling author and renowned dream expert Kelly Sullivan Walden decodes the dreams of four FIRST readers.
“I’m working all night”
DREAM: “I have a high-stress job that I’m passionate about, but when I dream about work, which happens a lot, I’m running around to meetings and putting out fires. I wake up exhausted!” —Leslie Penner, Atlanta WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “This type of dream is known as ‘sleep-working,’ and it’s part of your secret success formula! Take heart in knowing that you can derive your best ideas and solve perplexing problems in your sleep. In fact, these dreams give you a tremendous advantage to help you resolve challenges you might overlook with your usual waking perspective. But if you feel you’re sleep-working too often, try writing a to-do list for the next day before bed. This will help your subconscious relax because it knows you’ve already got it handled.”
“I’m touring a mansion”
DREAM: “My dream begins in a cluttered home. Then suddenly I’m escorted through a mansion with sky-high ceilings and gorgeous chandeliers and rugs. I feel like I belong here!” —Mia Wood, Phoenix
WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “A dream of such opulence feels to me like you’re being prepared for something special, whether in the form of improved health, increased wealth, a boost in your love life or all of the above! The crowded space you start out in reflects that you may be bursting at the seams energetically, spiritually or physically, and you’re ready for a larger space to explore. Consider this: All the space in your dream is actually within you. You are full of hidden treasures and resources and this dream can help you discover them. This dream can also mean that you are making positive changes in your life. Whatever you’re doing, keep up the great work—there’s more where this came from!”
“I dream of dead people”
DREAM: “I have so many unpleasant dreams of loved ones who’ve died or of living people who die. Once I dreamed about someone dying, and soon after, they did! What does it mean?” —Joanne Smith, San Antonio
WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “I believe there is no such thing as a ‘bad’ dream, as disturbing as they may be. Dreams of death are ultimately a blessing because if we’ve experienced our loved ones’ passing in a dream, a part of us is prepared to handle it in waking life. Symbolically, however, death in a dream indicates a radical change. Think of it as the ending of one chapter, and thus, the beginning of a new one. I get the sense that you love deeply, and when you let your heart connect, the thought of disconnecting is extremely difficult. One thing that might ease your pain is the notion that you never have to disconnect. You have the special ability to dream about your loved ones—a gift that can keep your connection to them alive, even after they pass.”
“Someone stole my car!”
DREAM: “I have a recurring dream that my car has been stolen. I’m panicked and I’m running around searching for it. For some reason, I know it isn’t lost, but that someone took it when I wasn’t looking.“
—Evelyn Bartlett, Oklahoma City
WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “A car in a dream typically symbolizes ambition and drive. A dream of someone taking your car is likely a venting dream, helping you release the fear that someone could or would steal your thunder. Since other people in dreams often represent an aspect of your inner self, the car thief may also be your subconscious telling you that you need a break from ‘drive/strive’ mode. Your dream is trying to get you to take a detour from your goals in order to create more balance in your life, so take this as a cue to relax, take your foot off the gas pedal and enjoy different scenery.”