50 hidden meanings behind the most common dreams

“Survivors of trauma may dream about the perpetrators, at first feeling in a helpless position, but as time goes on, [they] may become more and more strong and able to defend themselves,” Englander says. “This may mirror improvements in their mood and sense of self-esteem as they progress in therapy.” You may also be having nightmares for these reasons.

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“This dream motif happens when we’re anxious about something we have to do – about our performance,” Pagano says. “We feel as if we’re not prepared for a task or an interview and it blindsides us.”

Robyn calls dreams with seemingly no context “wild dreams.” “These dreams are about trying to integrate the many aspects of our life, or feeling unable to integrate them,” she says.

“Flying is a real positive dream,” Lauren says. “It means you’re getting to your goals. You’re accomplishing things, leading to success. Everything is open to you. It’s such a positive time when you dream of flying.”

“While these can be frightening, they usually mean an ending and new beginning,” Robyn says.

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Dreaming of a person in your life dying can sometimes be a premonition, Robyn says. But other times it can have a lighter meaning, according to Lauren. “It’s a heads up to you that you have some information to help someone advance their life in the positive,” Lauren says. “It’s not necessarily a premonition. People see death as a negative, but in dreams, it’s not.”

There’s an interesting dream interpretation when you’re not wearing shoes while out and about in your night visions. “It is a lot about direction,” Lauren says. “It’s not being prepared for the direction you want to go to.”

This is a common dream, so common that certified dream analyst Lauri Quinn Loewenberg says she’s had clients who dream of tornadoes once a week. This type of dream is often found in women. “The tornado dream is very common with people who’d consider themselves to be worrywarts,” she says. “Weather will reflect your emotions at the time of the dream. Tornadoes represent anxiety and worry that are out of control. This worry and anxiety is a destructive force just like a tornado is.”

What it means when you’re expecting in your dreams takes on a different meaning depending on your relationship status, according to Lauren. “If you’re unmarried, it’s a wish,” she says. “If you’re married, it means it might be a fear.”

For this dream interpretation, pay attention to who’s behind the wheel, Loewenberg says. “If you’re behind the wheel, it’s about an issue you’re trying to control. What are you having a hard time taking control of? What are you trying to steer in a different direction and it’s just not working?”