(Photos: Talbert Johnson)
The Charlatan’s Victoria Abraham unravels the meaning of some of the most popular dreams, according to Dreammoods.
In the buff: dreams about being naked
You are going about your normal routine when you suddenly realize that you are completely naked. If you experience mortification after realizing that you forgot your clothes, you are feeling vulnerable and shameful in some situation in your waking life. Clothing represents concealment and the ability to hide or alter your identity. So if you are suddenly naked, it may mean you are trying to be something you are not, or that you are hiding your true feelings.
If you are naked in a classroom or at work it means you are unprepared for a project or a decision and fear that people will see right through you. However, if nobody else notices your very apparent nudity, it means you are overreacting and your fears are unfounded.
If you are proud of your naked self in the dream and experience no shame, it represents your unrestricted freedom, pride in yourself and a sense of honesty and openness. On the flip side, it can also mean that you are drawing the wrong kind of attention to yourself.
Cliffhanger: dreams about falling
Whether you are falling off a mountain, out of a plane or falling through darkness, falling represents insecurities, instabilities and anxiety. It usually means that as the dreamer, you are feeling overwhelmed and lacking control of a situation in your life. Dreams of falling also represent a sense of failure or inferiority, which can be applied to a fear of failing in school, love or work.
In the mood: sexual dreams
Sex dreams have various meanings. A dream about sex can represent repressed sexual desires and a need for physical love. Alternatively it can represent a need for emotional love and a search for intimacy and closeness. The sexual dream can be a harmless fantasy. However, the meaning of the dream also depends on who the sex is with. If it’s with a stranger it can symbolize dissatisfaction with the physical aspect of a current relationship. Sex with an ex-partner can symbolize the resurgence of old feelings, and sex with yourself symbolizes greater self-love and acceptance.
All about the chase: dreams about the pursuit
An attacker, an animal or an unknown figure is pursuing you and you try to run, hide or outsmart them. The actions in the dream parallel the way you cope with stress and problems in real life. The pursuer can symbolize an emotion such as anger and jealousy, or other personal characteristics. Whether the problem needs to be addressed or is losing relevance depends on the distance between yourself and the pursuer.