Nightmares Can Be Murder (A Dream Club Mystery) (33 page)

What are your dreams trying to tell you? Do you ever dream of being stranded in a strange city in the dead of night, alone and afraid? Do you dream of wandering through a beautiful house, discovering hidden rooms filled with treasures? Dreams are our passport to the unconscious. Understanding dream symbols can help you unlock their secrets.

Being lost and alone is a frequent theme in dreams and suggests that you feel powerless and vulnerable in some area of your waking life. You literally “don’t know where to turn” and there is usually a strong element of danger in these dreams.

Finding yourself in a beautiful house filled with hidden rooms is another common theme. The hidden rooms represent your potential, parts of yourself that you have never explored, skills and talents you have never developed.

Standing on the edge of a cliff is another well-known dream feature. You might be facing a turning point in your life, facing a momentous decision. Sometimes in the cliff dream, you see a canyon across the way. The distance is insurmountable; there is no way you can bridge the gap. This usually means that there is an obstacle to an important goal in your waking life; the gap represents the barrier you must overcome.

Dreaming of driving a car—or riding in a car—features prominently in dreams. Are you driving or is someone else driving? If the car is careening down the road, it could mean that some element of your life is spinning out of control and needs to be addressed. If you are in the backseat, or unable to reach the pedals, it could mean that you seriously doubt your ability to control your own life and destiny. You may be overly dependent on others to make decisions for you.

Cellars in dreams represent the deepest level of your unconscious. There is usually an element of darkness and danger in these dreams. Dreaming of being in a cellar can signify there is something in your conscious life that is hidden, something that you are afraid to face.

Drowning in dreams usually means you are having trouble “keeping your head above water,” and water is a very powerful symbol of the unconscious. A flood represents the notion that you are about to be overwhelmed by a force more powerful than you are.

Symbols in dreams embody our greatest hopes and fears; understanding their significance can help uncover material that is useful in our waking lives. There is no single way to interpret your dreams because you are the architect of your life. Sharing your dreams in a dream club can offer valuable insights into dreams and the power of the unconscious.