Thread: Common Dream Categories- Why?

Originally Posted by TempletonEsquire

We often look at dreams from the predictability of our own waking life. That is why having your teeth fall out seems odd for us, because in waking life that would be a major event that would impact us in all kinds of socialized ways. Yet in dreams, it can happen a lot.

It's important to look at dreams as a closed system. Things like anatomy or social standards have completely different uses in dreams. DCs don't conform to our expectations of people, animals, or even furniture, yet I believe there exists a standard from which they do conform to. Since there are common themes and archtypes in dreams, there must be common rules. These rules may be so complex and temporal though to intellectualize them would need a format that is adaptable by the millisecond. Such a thing can only exist in the mind, and really would form a way of thinking then communicable tenets. And thus the personal nature of dreaming.

So why do you think so many of us have naked dreams?

I've had so many dreams of screaming but not having much of a voice or no voice (including last night), as well as dreams where I was too weak or gravity felt too heavy to walk/run/climb onto anything (also including last night).

Dreams of school are also common.

I have had CHANGING dreams before, where I'm changing in public, with both guys and girls, but never being naked.

I have had so many teeth dreams, it's not funny. A couple of my teeth would fall out, I'd be grinding my teeth, be getting braces, lots of times. I still do get them sometimes, I've had my braces for a year and a half (I'm still supposed to have them on for a year) and I've had lots of teeth pullin out (11 to be exact, all but 4 baby teeth) and I've had braces before, and lots of other crap, so, this probably accounts towards my teeth dreams.

What about the one where you find out you actually need to take one last test to graduate? Turns out, you never turned in that last project for that class you forgot about. I get that one a lot.

Originally Posted by Robot_Butler

What about the one where you find out you actually need to take one last test to graduate? Turns out, you never turned in that last project for that class you forgot about. I get that one a lot.

I've been out of school for 2 and a half years, but I still get things like this. I'll go to a class and have a test I didn't know about; I'll go to class and realize there's something due that I didn't know about (or have a false memory of putting it off and then forgetting about it); I'll have this overwhelming fear that there is a class that I'm supposed to be going to but I haven't for many weeks or months.

None of that stuff ever happened in school either and it was never a worry of mine...


Another recurring thing I have all the time is being in a car and the break/accelerator/steering wheel being very unresponsive.

Originally Posted by TempletonEsquire

Clothes are not necessary in a purely temporary plane. Neither are life and death circumstances. In the purely temporary, there is only aware and unaware. If you are aware of your nakedness, and you reflect that against your own standards of being clothed, you'll be shocked and look for clothes to put back on. If you are naked but unaware, then it will mean nothing.

Hmm.. I used to have a lot of naked dreams. But, then I was like. Hmm, no one seems to notice. I don't really care, I guess.

Originally Posted by WakingNomad

Hmm.. I used to have a lot of naked dreams. But, then I was like. Hmm, no one seems to notice. I don't really care, I guess.

Well luckily your clothing standards are lax enough that you are not as easily distracted by being naked. I'm fairly certain that nakedness is a distraction to the mind to keep it less aware of our surroundings. When we are naked, usually we focus on being naked and will not try to see through the illusion. A reality check on nakedness would be a good way to go lucid.

Originally Posted by WakingNomad

So why do you think so many of us have naked dreams?

Clothes are not necessary in a purely temporary plane. Neither are life and death circumstances. In the purely temporary, there is only aware and unaware. If you are aware of your nakedness, and you reflect that against your own standards of being clothed, you'll be shocked and look for clothes to put back on. If you are naked but unaware, then it will mean nothing.

Flying is a common dream of mine (thankfully when Lucid).I have read that it means feeling care-free.I doubt that is the case for me somehow.

Driving off of bridges uncompleted, or damaged was one type of dream in my earlier life that was a nightmare.
I was sold to a circus in one set of recurring dreams, and was chased when trying NOT be taken by them. Lots of recurring dreams being chased.

I DID have a "oops..Somehow I forgot to put my clothes on" dream. Now I find it very amusing the the setting for the dream was in a church.

Morrigan

I've always assumed the "oops i forgot to dress" dream has something to do with our morning routine. When you first wake up, one of the first things you do is get dressed for the day. It makes sense that it is on your mind when you sleep. I think it is even worse for people who sleep naked, or nearly naked. A part of you knows you are not in your normal state of dress.

Same thing with the "crumbling teeth" dream. The last thing you do before going to bed is brush your teeth. Focusing on your teeth for 5 minutes right before bed is bound to incubate some dream content.

Originally Posted by WakingNomad

So why do you think so many of us have naked dreams?

It makes us feel vulnerable, and it is often a sign that we have some insecurity, be it of our bodies, or something else. In many cultures, there are few things more degrading than being without clothes. Clothing is a form of protection, both literally and symbolically. Even in the most "primitive" (I hate that term) societies, clothing is used to cover up and protect what are, arguably, the most important parts of the body, being the genital areas. This may be a cultural development (as in reproduction, etc became taboo) or it is simply a practical evolutionary instinct (as in, to reproduce, you need these things, and need to protect them from damage). It may be a combination of both factors.

If we consider it to be a cultural norm, it is interesting to think about how that cultural norm has such a large effect on us in our dreams. It makes one wonder how much of our dream content is impacted by societal and cultural pressures...

I frequently find myself out in public with no pants. These dreams have never become lucid even though I should do a reality check if I find my pants missing! I have read that this is due to insecurities. But I don't think of myself as an insecure person in my waking life. So I don't know for sure why this keeps repeating.

Seth

Originally Posted by Midnight Traveler

I frequently find myself out in public with no pants. These dreams have never become lucid even though I should do a reality check if I find my pants missing! I have read that this is due to insecurities. But I don't think of myself as an insecure person in my waking life. So I don't know for sure why this keeps repeating.

Seth

I think that your mind stretches your insecureities in a way (know what I mean?).