Interpreting Your Dreams - Some Common Dream Symbols

Dream interpreters, from the earliest Greek and Roman societies, to Sigmund Freud, to modern therapists and dream researchers, have long recognized the symbolic nature of dreams.  Unlike the real world, in dreams things are often not as they appear.  What appears to be a normal, everyday object in your dream world is often anything but ordinary.  

Learning to recognize and interpret these objects, and learning about your dreams can be an exciting and fun exercise as well as a great learning experience.  Since dreams and their symbols are often manifestations of real fears and anxieties, dreams can provide much help in working through these serious issues.

Let's examine a few of the most common dream symbols and scenarios.

Dreaming of school
Dreams of school, including taking tests, forgetting about a test, showing up to school without your books, and they like are among the most common of dreams for students and non students alike.

For those currently in school, dreams about school can be reflections of anxiety about grades, peers, social issues and other concerns.  For those who are not in school, dreaming about school or taking a test is often a manifestation of anxiety about work, or even your personal life.   Dreaming about school is often related to your latest lesson in life.  

Dreaming of a car or other vehicle
Dreams of driving in a car or other vehicle often symbolize a desire to escape.  Cars and other forms of transportation represent freedom, and dreaming of driving, especially of driving fast, can symbolize a desire to get away from an unpleasant or undesirable task.

Dreams about car crashes or near misses can symbolize the feeling of being out of control.  Such dreams often occur when you are feeling overwhelmed by pressure and unable to cope with the stresses of everyday life.

Dreams in which you are the passenger instead of he driver can also symbolize this sort of lack of control.  This is especially true if the vehicle in the dream seems to be out of control.  Such dreams may signal a need to relax and avoid additional stress.

Dreams about houses
Dreams about a the house you grew up in can represent a desire to go back in time to when life is simpler.  These dreams often occur at turning points in our lives, such as just after college graduation, prior to a marriage, or during or after a move.

Dreaming about an unfamiliar or threatening house can represent a fear of the unknown or an unwillingness to change.  Again, these dreams often take place during times of upheaval or change, and they can be your unconscious mind's reaction to such sudden change.

Dreams about tornadoes
If you live near an area prone to tornadoes, or if you have been the victim of such a force, then a tornado can simply be a tornado.  Unpleasant experiences can be relived through dreams, but most of the time the tornadoes we dream about are symbolic and not literal.

Most of the time, a tornado represents an emotional turmoil.  People in such a state are often described as being whirlwinds of emotions, so a tornado is a fitting symbol of that state.  Dreams of tornadoes often accompany sudden upheavals or changes in life, such as a sudden career change or cross country move.  A dream about a tornado can indicate that you feel your life is spinning out of control.  Those experiencing tornado centered dreams may want to take a step back, meditate and concentrate on the positive aspects of change.

Dreams about telephones
Dreams about telephone often carry important messages that the dreamer needs to pay close attention to.  When interpreting a dream about a telephone, it is important to pay attention to the details.  For instance, did you initiate the call, or did someone call you?  Was the voice on the other end of the telephone friendly or threatening?  Can you hear the other party or is their static on the line?  These details of a telephone dream can give you valuable insights into just what is being communicated.