Psychologists reveal meanings behind the 9 most common dreams
The art of dream interpretation is a murky one, but psychologist Ian Wallace may have some answers
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Your support makes all the difference.Many psychologists have given up trying to interpret dreams, but we talked to one who hasn't.
Psychologist Ian Wallace has interpreted over 150,000 dreams during more than 30 years of practice.
He helped us compile a list of nine of the most common dreams, their meanings, and what action you should take in waking life.
9. Finding an unused room
What it means: The rooms in a house represent different aspects of your character. So finding an unused room suggests that you’re discovering a talent that you weren't aware of before.
What you should do: The more time that you spend exploring your dormant talents, the more likely that you will find other doors opening for you in waking life, says Wallace.
8. Out-of-control vehicle
What it means: The car represents your ability to make consistent progress toward a specific objective. In waking life, you may feel that you don’t have enough control over your road to success.
What you should do: Instead of trying to over control the situation, Wallace says to relax your grip and allow your fundamental instincts and drives to steer the best path for you.
7. Falling
What it means: Feeling yourself falling in a dream indicates that you are hanging on too tightly to a particular situation in waking life. You need to relax and let go of it.
What you should do: Rather than being so concerned about losing control, sometimes you just have to trust in yourself and others by allowing everything to fall naturally into place.
6. Flying
What it means: Being able to fly suggests that you have released yourself from circumstances that have been weighing you down in waking life.
What you should do: Although you may regard this feeling of liberation as just luck or coincidence, it is usually because you have managed to make a weighty decision or risen above the limitations of a heavy responsibility, says Wallace.
5. Unprepared for an exam
What it means: Exams are how we judge our ability to perform, so this indicates that you are critically examining your own performance in waking life.
What you should do: Rather than immersing yourself in endless self-examination, the real test of your character is being able to accept your talents by celebrating your knowledge and achievements, instead of constantly judging them.
4. Naked in public
What it means: We choose our clothes to present a particular image to the people around us. Being naked in public suggests that there is a situation in waking life that is making you feel vulnerable and exposed.
What you should do: Although it might be potentially embarrassing, sometimes you just have to open up to others so they can see your real talents.
3. Unable to find a toilet
What it means: Toilets are what we use to cleanly respond to some of our most fundamental needs, so there is an issue in waking life where you are finding it a challenge to clearly express your own needs.
What you should do: Spend more time looking after your own needs, rather than the needs of others.
2. Teeth falling out
What it means: Your teeth symbolize how confident and powerful you feel, so some situation is causing your confidence to crumble in waking life.
What you should do: Rather than seeing this situation as something that will leave you powerless, just try calmly thinking over the facts and relish it as a challenge.
1. Being chased
What it means: There is an issue in your waking life that you want to confront, but you don't know how to.
What you should do: This issue is often a great opportunity for you to pursue a particular personal ambition. Although they may seem scary, your pursuers are actually bringing your attention to your unrealized talents in your own pursuit of fulfillment.
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Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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