I can remember my first "nightmare" from when I was 4 years old. I was being chased by 3 bears down a street that was near my preschool in Brussels. At that time I was fresh in a new country, learning a new language and seeing a lot of pale faced people. That dream represented a sequence of changes that were relative to my new life.

Some people think of dreams as just a figment of imagination and just for entertainment purposes. While others find connections between their dreams and their reality...I am one of those people and you also should not disregard what you saw as you slept you night away. The messages you may receive can give you comfort and clarity.

In an article I read about the dreams we have, it states that EVERYONE dreams. If you sleep, you dream, but a large percentage of people do not remember their dreams. Why is this? One theory the article mentions that I agree with the most is that some people are overly consumed in their day that remembering a dream is not on the to-do list. “If by the end of the day, you're down for the count, nearly passed out on the couch, science says you're the type to hardly remember anything you dream about.” Read the full article HERE. If your brain is balancing a lot of stress while you are awake, that can be a reason why it is blocking you from remembering your dreams, and when you get so used to not remembering, it becomes normal and then you are conditioned to "not dreaming". There are also studies of diet and hormone levels such as melatonin which affect dreams. And one thought to consider is that those who do not recall their dreams are not truly in tuned with themselves or the people around them. Hmmm.

Recalling dreams is a delicate and fragile process. As this article states, remembering a dream is like holding a fist full of sand in your hand and submerging your hand under water then bringing it back up.

For those of us who do remember, there are some dreams that I wake up from and want to dissect because it left that much of an impression. I once had a dream that I was looking onto a pond of pink water lilies and within my dream, I saw myself looking up the meaning of the flower...so something in my subconscious was telling me I needed to not forget about these water lilies and that I needed to research what it meant for my life. Of course the next day I impulsively looked up the meaning of pink water lilies in one's dreams and what I found was very comforting. Dreaming of water lilies meant I was going though a time of trial…which I was…and the message to me was not to worry because there will be a rebirth, the opportunity to try again. Dreaming of the flower represents evolution from a negative starting point to a positive end.

There are dreams that I have about other people and it foretells me what to expect as if I am being prepared for something that may have a big impact on me. Last year I had a dream of a baby, I could not tell if it was a boy or girl nor could I tell who this baby belonged to but, I was sure this little one was not mine. I've had similar dreams like this and it turned out that someone around me was expecting. The next day I reached out to a good friend and said, "Are you pregnant?!" My friend was almost appalled by my question and vehemently denied, especially since at that very moment she was consuming an alcoholic beverage. One month later she calls me with her husband in the background and tells me her home pregnancy test read positive. BOOM, my next godchild was on the way. It was the same result a few years ago when I had a dream of two little boys and a few months after that dream, two of the women in my office ended up being pregnant at the same time and both delivered boys. There is still a baby dream that has yet to surface. In this particular dream, I saw the details of a baby girl’s face. She was about 6-8 months old with a head full of chocolate brown curls and big brown eyes with an almond skin tone. Who does this little one belong to? Yours? I shall wait.

Is it a gift?

Maybe, but that’s up for debate since I also had and have dreams of pending heartbreak; again my subconscious telling me to be prepared. Years ago I had a dream of an incident and a few more dreams relating to the incident that became reality and would later lead to my move to Texas. Lucky for me, dreams of heartbreak comes far and few in between.

Most of my dreams are silly, confusing, and reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland’s adventures as yours may be as well but, ones that stick are the ones I continue to remember; even the ones that tell me about the success of others. I recently had a dream that I was with a friend looking at a vacant space he wanted to buy to expand his business. He was so excited and told me about all his plans and asked me to come back on a specific date to see the grand opening. This dream is yet to unfold or if it will unfold the same as what I saw, but if nothing else, the message here is to prepare of great things to come from this friend of mine.

Other dreams that occur are of places I have never been; I am wandering through a small village or a scenic island. Some studies claim dreams like that are resurfaced memories from your previous lives…if you believe in reincarnation….and if this is true then it leads me to wonder who was I in those past lives?

Here are some common dreams to think about: (None of these are definitive analysis, it is a combination of studies of people who have these dreams and their general consensus. Your dreams are particular to you and what you have experienced in life. The meaning of your dreams may not mirror the below meanings.)

• Being Chased - You are avoiding issues in your life so you are running from it. It is a message that you should face what you are trying to avoid. Sometimes it may be easier for you to run from a problem than to face it, but your subconscious is telling you different.

• Falling - There is loss of control in your life with work, finances, relationships, etc. and it is giving you anxiety. You cannot seem to grasp anything around you a hard as you try, you are still falling. Pay close attention to this dream and what it means to you in connection with what you have occurring in your life.

• You Think You Woke Up But Are Still Sleeping - You are worried about your upcoming day and your mind wants to prepare you for it. You may dream that you are waking up and starting your morning routine but you are actually still sleeping.

• Snakes - Hidden fears or worries that threaten you. This dream could be alerting you about upcoming issues that have yet to surface and could have a negative impact in your life. Think about what is happening around you, who is around it and if it is possible that there are ulterior motives that will hinder you in some way.

• Infidelity - Dreaming of a partner cheating signifies that you have concerns because your partner may be spending time and attention on things that do not involve you. It also signifies lack of trust with your partner which may be something to think more about and identify if there really is an issue. Dreams like this are more likely to continue with unresolved issues.

• Hot Air Balloon - There are different meanings of this dream depending on what you saw. If you were in a hot air balloon, it signifies that you will overcome an obstacle and find yourself in a higher status emotionally over others because you rose above a situation. But, this is temporary because with all balloons, they come down, so you have to be careful that your remain steady with your feelings while in flight and while coming back down to earth. If in your dream, you saw a hot air balloon crash, it means that you have set your goals too high and are not being realistic with yourself; your are being overly confident and not seeing the bigger picture which could lead to your crash and burn.

• Flying - Some studies say that the feeling of flying in your dreams means your subconscious is encouraging you to let go of certain issues in your life and be free of the worries. What is plaguing your mind? What are you worried about? It may be something not worth your stress, let it go.

• Dying - This dream does not mean the end for you, it more notes that there is something in your life that you should end, a job, a project, or a relationship, etc. much like the flying dream. Say your goodbyes and put the matter to rest.

• Babies or Being Pregnant - As you already read above, for me, having dreams of babies means someone around me is expecting but, generally seeing babies in your dreams signify innocents and new beginnings, in which my dreams aren’t far off. Babies symbolize something in your own inner nature that is pure, vulnerable, helpless and/or untainted. Dreaming of being pregnant is similar, the birth of a new idea, project, or direction in life such as a new venture, job, a move, or new relationship maybe?

Raya Laephuang

Writer | Photographer | Intrigued with Human Behaviors

“I read the world around me.”