Is that dream telling you something? Astrologers interpret the most common visions for you

Have you had a recurring dream whose interpretation bothered you for weeks? I cannot blame you. We've all had those dreams that have made us wake up in a full panic, only to realise they're, well, just dreams. 

Having recurrent dreams is a common and well-known phenomenon—nearly two-thirds of the population report having them.

What's astounding about them though, is their vagueness and absurdity. How do you even interpret this— you are in a deep forest and a lion is chasing after you or your primary school teacher is humiliating you in front of other pupils yet you left primary school more than two decades ago?

Do dreams really matter? Yes, they do. Dreams are your subconscious thoughts. They're a continuation of your thoughts of your day," notes dream analysts. While you're sleeping, your brain is conjuring up around five dreams per night (yes, even if you don't remember them). That's a lot of subconscious thoughts to unpack.

Every dream is unique, but most tend to follow certain symbolic patterns. To have your personal dreams interpreted, Yuvraj Kapadia, a hypnotherapist who practices in India, UAE, Muscat, Singapore, Hong Kong, Nairobi, and the USA says that it's important that you see an expert because in most cases, it takes more than a session to have your dream interpreted.

Still, we can pick out the common threads in most dreams and interpret them. We spoke to a Nairobi-based astrologer, Chetan Jogia who shared some insights about these dreams. Chetan, who's in his late 50s, has been practicing astrology for more than 30 years.

"I have heard it all. People come to me with all sorts of dreams that I help to interpret. One of the most important aspects of dreams is the time it happens. Dreams that happen just before sunrise are the most important to us," he shares.

The dream: Falling off your chair or into nothingness

Interpretation: The first thing I ask is, "are you sure that your chair isn't broken? If this is not the case, the dream could signify that someone is not happy with you at your workplace and you might get fired. The fall could also be a message that it is time to move to another job.

Falling into nothingness can be associated with feeling out of control or overwhelmed. They may also relate to feeling unsupported and insecure. 

The dream: Seeing a toilet

Interpretation: Say you are dreaming that you are in a big restaurant and the first thing you see when you open a door is a washroom, you should consider getting a medical check-up. From my experience, this dream is associated with being ill.

Research elsewhere also says that this could be an indicator that you need privacy in your waking life. This privacy will help you to understand your emotions and how you're feeling.

The dream: Snakes (cobra)

Interpretation: If the snake is black in colour and is climbing on your bed or biting you, it could be predicting something bad like an accident. However, if it appears in a different colour and you are actually the one running after it, you are going to make some gains.

According to professional dream analyst and author Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, snakes typically represent a person in the dreamer's life who exhibits low, dirty, toxic, or poisonous behaviour. However, they can also represent something related to health or healing. 

The dream: You are at a party

Interpretation: There's a crowd and you are exchanging quirky jokes and laughter, it signifies fame and popularity. On the flip side, if you dream of eating oily stuff, say ghee at the party, you are going to lose someone in your circle.

The dream: Smell

Interpretation: A unique scent is a sign that you have people protecting you or mentioning your name in places of power and influence. They are helping you to achieve your goals so this is good news. Hush, don't tell anyone about it!

The dream: Flying

Interpretation: There could be wings or not but when you look down, you can see beautiful trees, birds, or even water dams. Gear up because you are coming out of the negativities and are stepping into another zone of fulfilling your goals. If you are flying and you suddenly fall, someone is trying to clip your progress.

The dream: Meat burning

Interpretation: It shows that you are going to lose someone close.

The dream: Water

Interpretation: You dream that you are inside a boat and suddenly, you are in the middle of a big water body….do some soul searching. The ancestors are unhappy with you!

The dream: Getting lost

Interpretation: This is a sign that you are in a dilemma and in a confusing situation. For instance, you have come out of a failed relationship and a man is asking you out and you cannot decide whether it is too soon to start dating again or not.

The dream: Teeth falling out

Interpretation: Maybe it's time to go to the dentist. In reality, there is a common belief that there will be a new member.

The dream: Death of a relative

Interpretation: If the dream is before sunrise, this could be a sign that you will lose someone close to you. However, if it doesn't happen within a month, the person may end living even longer. Another school of thought is that you are actually afraid of your own death. 

The dream: You're naked, in public

The interpretation: If accompanied by feelings of embarrassment and shame, it means you are feeling vulnerable and exposed. But if feel no shame, it could be you want to be seen, acknowledged, admired.

The dream: you're being chased

The interpretation: It all depends on who is doing the chasing. If you are being chased by a monster, it may be a manifestation of an indiscretion, an addiction, or a debt. If you have the unfortunate dream (or nightmare) of being chased by someone you know, it could mean something about your associations. Keep in mind, people in dreams can be substitutions for other people or even substitutions for aspects of ourselves.

The dream: Having sex in public

Interpretation: This might be your brain's way of telling you that you're dwelling too much on how others view your life and your relationships. The dream may be compensatory, about someone who is very inhibited or shy of public speaking, of coming forward, or suffering from a social phobia.

Sometimes dreams are just dreams. While it's worth examining your feelings — sexual or otherwise — after you have a sex dream, don't overanalyse it.

[email protected]

For feedback to the editor email [email protected]