STRESSFUL TIMES BRING stressful dreams. Today’s dreamer brings three quick examples of how our dreams can point out the urgency of the situation. They also show by omission what our dreamer is missing.
Dear Carolyn,
Owning my own business is my dream come true. I love being my own boss, but the first year is also very stressful. I am learning as I go and sometimes the lessons are hard ones. There is nowhere to turn when things go wrong. I am responsible for everything, good and bad. My anxiety level is high. I am pretty sure the business will make it, but sometimes I am scared it won’t.
In addition to work worries, I am trying to help an elderly, frail parent. With that and then the ‘regular’ family and home duties, I feel pretty stressed out most of the time.
In a rare moment yesterday, I had a chance to take a nap and I had three scary dreams! Bam! Bam! Bam! All were based on me falling down and not being able to get up. Once by a pool; the next was on a pier at the ocean. The last one I was walking to a friend’s front door and fell over and again wasn’t able to help myself up.
Thoughts?
Signed, Fearful of Falling
Dear Fearful,
Dreams of falling are among the most frequently reported of ‘bad’ dreams or nightmares. Most often they will occur when the dreamer has a waking life feeling of insecurity or lack of support. When coupled with water — as two of yours are — the feeling of drowning or being overwhelmed contributes to the frightening rush of emotions.
While most dreams aren’t literal, it never hurts to get a checkup if you have physical worries associated with this dream. Stress can have powerful physical effects!
More likely, your dream images are working on a metaphorical level. Chances are, in some facet of your waking life, you find those parallel sensations. You mention three areas of stress in your waking life — work, home and eldercare — and you have three dreams with the same theme of finding yourself without support or on shaky footing. Even when close to a friend’s house, you fall alone and cannot get up.
A couple of remedies for such unsettling dreams: First sit quietly and re-imagine the dream in all its detail – see it, feel it, hear it, even smell it. But this time, give it a new ending. Perhaps you don’t fall at all. Or you fall onto a cushion. Maybe the fall turns into flying. This activity can help with the emotional stress of the dream as well as opening up alternate methods of dealing with the precipitant waking life stressors.
Your dreams point out that you find yourself alone in these stressful situations. But you are not alone in your waking life, Dear Dreamer. Reach out to friends and family, fellow businessmen or professional organizations established to assist fledgling businesses. You’ll feel stronger and more sure-footed.
Sweet Dreams to you!
Carolyn Plath, M.Ed., is a Benicia resident and member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams. Reach her at sendmeyourdreams@yahoo.com.
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