Dreams are a valuable window into examining your mental and physical health. If you’re regularly having bad, scary or uncomfortable dreams, it can be a good indicator of how you might be feeling subconsciously.

“In my experience working with dreams, I ask clients to focus their recall on the emotions they felt while dreaming and the lingering feelings their dream engendered once they had woken,” says Sally Baker, an award-winning senior therapist based in London. “While they recall the narrative of their dream, I prompt them to allow themselves to feel the emotions they’d had previously and track those feelings back to their origin. In this way, the dream has acted as a key, waiting to unlock their subconscious thoughts and emotions.”

With this in mind, we took to popular social media site Reddit and asked its users to draw pictures of recurring or unusual dreams they’d had. We then got in touch with renowned astrologer Alison Smith to discuss what the dreams might mean. Here’s what we found.

LAST NEIGHBOURHOOD

Dreamer: Yavanne, Reddit User

What is the dream?

It's like a big communal building at the border of my recurring "dream city". The road behind it leads to a cemetery, some minor features of it change, but the ugly green color and the trees on the roof are always there.

What does it mean?

Green (even an ‘ugly green’) together with trees would indicate growth. As the trees are on the roof, and thus growing towards the sky, that growth could be expansive and inspirational. The road behind the building not only leads to a cemetery, but also from it. As the cemetery is behind the house, it would suggest that changes are being made towards a new way of life or living, the house representing a lifestyle encompassing other people – perhaps teaching or mentoring.

IGUANA DOG

Dreamer: ShadowCory1101, Reddit user

What is the dream?

I had a dream the other night where I was at a crowded beach and a lizard the size of a dog ran up to me. I began petting him and he rolled over on his back for belly rubs – of course, I obliged. I then picked him up and he became my pet while I was walking around, gaining a lot of attention.

What does it mean?

This is a ‘go for it’ dream. Worry less about other people’s reactions and focus on your dreams and goals. You may find yourself in front of others but have the confidence of knowing that you have worked hard to transform yourself (the lizard sheds skin slowly) and have much to share.

THE EVIL HOUSE

Dreamer: yaswilly20, Reddit user

What is the dream?

I have a recurring dream every now and then (recurring at various points over the last ten years) that I'm at this huge country house surrounded by fields and hills as far as you can see. Suddenly I have this feeling of impending doom in the pit of my stomach and I know I have to get away from the house. I start trying to run, but my legs are all of a sudden useless and tingly, so I keep falling forwards and can't go very fast. The land and air around me starts pulsing and it's like the spirit of the house is coming for me and is managing to take control of my body and stop me. Nothing else ever happens: it's just me running through fields trying to escape the force of this house and I have no idea why. Then it ends.

What does it mean?

A dream recurring over a ten-year timescale would seem to indicate that changes have been made and yet the mind still worries that you will be pulled back into an old pattern or situation. A good technique would be to ‘daydream’ the dream and then stand still with the house behind you, thus placing it firmly in the past.

I’M FLYING

Dreamer: TheStraussMaus, Reddit user

What is the dream?

I have a regular dream where I’m flying. The location differs – sometimes it’s through clouds, sometimes over cities, sometimes I’m not sure where I am – but it’s never scary; always really beautiful and free.

What does it mean?

This is a dream of using intuition to guide decisions. By accessing your inner voice and following the decisions that are easy to make, you are finding your own freedom. It’s an empowering dream because you hold the answers within and don’t need to look outside.

THE WIND TUNNEL

Dreamer: Dee Stockman, Bedco

What is the dream?

I had this dream about three times over the course of two to three years, with the dream changing slightly each time.

In the early version of the dream, my family and I were all flying above a road at speed, caught in some sort of wind stream. We were gliding past a few obstacles and everything was fine. Suddenly we saw a tunnel up ahead which we were really scared of flying into, but we couldn't stop ourselves. We were then going through this tunnel and it was full of massive, brightly coloured blocks that we had to try and fly around or we'd die. I woke up before we got through the tunnel.

The second version of the dream was similar, but I was only slightly apprehensive about the tunnel. It wasn't crippling fear but I was still nervous to go in, and would rather not have done, but knew I couldn't avoid it.

In the final version of the dream, we absolutely loved flying and were laughing and joking as we flew. We went all the way through the tunnel and loved it!

What does it mean?

This would seem to indicate a three-year period during which the building blocks were being placed for material security within the family. Initially there is a fear that anything unexpected – a bill or event – could throw the family into chaos. This soon adjusts into being able to cope with anything that is both unexpected and unavoidable. By the last dream, it is showing that there is a stability and ability to, as a family, be able to conquer the world. Nothing will now rock this boat, and the power of love and laughter provides the wings for flying.

 

Have you had an odd, recurring or interesting dream? Please get in touch with your stories and drawings. Make sure you also keep an eye on our social media accounts for the next two instalments of our wellness campaign, where we’ll explore how to get your kids sleeping well during the summer holidays and how to combat sleep deprivation.