Dream interpretation can be very insightful when trying to connect your subconscious mind with waking, practical reality. The images, scenarios, and emotions involved in a dream can offer an enlightening perspective to your holistic self.

Dreams are often understood in terms of metaphors for your life experiences, although they can be literal or prophetic in nature. The types of dreams, according to Dreammoods, can include signal dreams, healing dreams, prophetic dreams, and epic dreams.

Five common dream themes include the following:

1. Teeth dreams - Dreams about teeth can entail teeth falling out, rotten teeth, crooked teeth, and stained teeth for example. Because smiling and the presence of healthy teeth are associated with attractiveness, teeth dreams often represent fears about someone's personal appearance. Are you afraid of how others perceive you? In addition, because the functions of teeth and a mouth involve chewing, biting, and gnawing, teeth are also linked to issues of power. If you lose a tooth in a dream, perhaps you feel like you are losing power in your waking life. Are you being assertive enough and getting your feelings, thoughts, and actions heard and recognized?
2. Naked dreams - Dreaming that you are naked can have several different meanings, depending on your conscious reality. Clothes are a form of concealing yourself; so when you are naked and exposed, your true identity is shown. Are you hiding an aspect of yourself that you are afraid of, shameful of, or feel vulnerable about that wants to be seen and discovered? If you show up nude at a place of work in your dream, it may indicate that you are caught off guard or in some way unprepared for certain tasks. Examine the environment you are in while being naked in your dream. Are others noticing and laughing at you, or are they ignoring you and going about their own business? The manner in which the other characters react is symbolic of your fear of being ridiculed if they are making fun of you or your unfounded anxieties if they simply don't care.
3. Chasing dreams - Consider who is chasing you or if you are chasing someone else. Dreams involving someone running after you often stem from underlying fear and anxiety related to a situation you must confront in waking life. Try to discern who is chasing you. If it's just a shadowy figure, it may represent a hidden aspect of yourself that you are denying. If you are the one doing the chasing, who or what are you chasing after? These types of dreams may symbolize your drive and ambition to reach your goals. Are you closing in on your target or moving further away from it, losing sight of it entirely.
4. Test dreams - Have you ever dreamed that you were taking a test and events kept happening that contributed to failure? Does the pencil break, do you have enough time, or is the test in a language you don't understand? Dreams about exams or tests can be interpreted broadly as how you are processing a challenge in life. Are you scared you aren't measuring up to someone's expectations or standards? Do you have fears about failing in life, such as in a job, home, or relationship situation? Distressing dreams involving exams usually don't indicated failure in real life. They are primarily a way to deal with fears and concerns about letting others down or not rising up to a challenge.
5. Driving dreams - If you are driving in your dream, you may be getting information regarding your path in life, the direction you are headed, and the goals you wish to achieve. Are you driving the vehicle and in control of the wheel? Are you driving from the passenger side trying to regain control? How are the road conditions - straight and smooth or curvy and rough? Is the road and destination easy to see or blocked and confusing? If you drive in reverse, the dream can symbolize your lack of progress, even taking steps back, in trying to fulfill your desires. If you back into a puddle or lake, the element of water can represent your emotional state and its influence on your life's journey.

General dream interpretations are helpful only to the point of offering guidance about certain themes.

In order to understand your personal dreams to the fullest extent and apply it to self-discovery and personal development, you may want to invest in a dream journal and record everything you can remember about the dream - the characters, the time of day, the colors, the emotions, the weather conditions, specific images, and any insights you observe during the dream, upon awakening, or even over the days and weeks following.

Source: www.dreammoods.com

Disclaimer: This article is for informational use only and is not intended to replace medical advice. Contact a physician if you have any questions or concerns about your physical, mental, or emotional health.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons/William Blake-Jacob's Ladder

Affirmations: I recognize my dreams as a tool to help me evolve on my self-discovery and personal development journey. I confront any fears, concerns, or challenges in life with assertive optimism. I record my dreams in order to gain insight on how I can improve my life and understand any underlying fears that prevent me from moving forward.