The top 5 things you DON'T want in your dreams

Believe it or not, monsters, death, ex-lovers, and all kinds of scary, disturbing, and disgusting images are all perfectly normal, and even healthy parts of dreaming.  When I see these kinds of things in dreams, I'm not necessarily too concerned.
There are some things, however, that you don't want to see in your dreams.  If you dream these things, you know you need to address some issues in your life.  Here's the top-5 list, and what you can do about each one:

1. Running away.  If you run away from something in your dream, whether it is a dark shadow, a ferocious animal, a threatening person, or a force of nature, this reveals that you are trying not to face a part of yourself.  This is never healthy, though it's very common.  It is always better to face your problems and deal with them in a mature way,  than to avoid them.
   What to do: Find a quiet place away from distractions for 5 minutes.  Close your eyes and put yourself back in the dream, as vividly as possible. But this time, turn around and face the thing you were running from.  Allow it to catch you, without being afraid.  Embrace it, if it's a person or animal. Float with it, if it's a wave or a tornado. Love these images in your dreams instead of fearing them.
2. Not being the driver. Dreams of vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and trains are very common.  If you have a dream in which you are riding in a car but you are not the driver, this is often a warning sign that you are being unconsciously controlled by something you haven't integrated into your consciousness yet.
   What to do: Interpret the specific symbols of your dream; especially try to figure out who the driver is and what s/he represents.  For example, maybe you had a dream in which you are being driven by a friend you associate with the emotions of anger and regret.  This could indicate that anger and regret are, unconsciously, the motivating force behind many of your decisions.  For a few weeks, every time you get into your waking-life car to drive somewhere, take a deep breath and tell yourself, "I have control of my anger and regret and allow them to dissipate in a healthy way.  I make my choices based on love and acceptance."
3. Being lost.  If you are trying to get somewhere in your dream, and there are all kinds of obstacles that prevent you from arriving at your destination, so that you can't find your way, this symbolizes that you are unconsciously sabotaging yourself from achieving the goals you have set for yourself.  Why do I say that?  Because everything in the dream represents part of yourself.  That labyrinth-like building you walked into on the way to trying to find your grandma's house?  The huge city you find yourself in instead of the parking garage where you left your car? These are all things your mind created to prevent you from getting to your destination, and this dream scenario reflects on your waking life's frustrations.
   What to do: Draw a map of your dream scenario. (Don't worry, this won't be put in the New York Museum of Art!) Put your destination in a clear place on one side of the page.  Draw as many of the complications and obstacles as you can remember in a different part of the page.  Draw yourself (a stick figure is fine!), and make a simple line, representing your path, from yourself to your destination.  
4. Not able to do something simple you should be able to do.  Maybe you find yourself unable to walk at a normal pace, or you are trying to open an envelope but you can't, or you are unable to operate your cell phone.  Like #3, if you find yourself unable to perform a simple task, this kind of dream means there is an unconscious force in your soul sabotaging you from achieving what you think you want, consciously.  You might be trying to do something in waking life, but find yourself unable to reach your goals; the dream shows you what's really going on: deep down inside you really can't because of unconscious blocks.
   What to do: This one can be a bit tricky.  You need to figure out why you are preventing yourself from achieving your goals; the symbols specific to the dream will point the way.  Once you have insight into the "why," visualize yourself in the dream performing the action with ease.  If you can, act it out in waking life, in a safe quiet place, feeling the ease and joy of moving freely.
5. Falling, with fear.  Some intrepid dreamers can fall in dreams, with no fear.  For them, the falling is probably not a warning sign of an issue that needs work.  Most of us, though, have great fear in our falling dreams.  If you dream of falling and you are terrified, this probably means that you believe you are not supported by life-- you are not supporting yourself from the spiritual side of your being, the way you were made to do.
   What to do: Imagine you are back in the dream, and this time either give yourself a nice parachute, so you can float downward gently and enjoy the scenery on the way, or give yourself wings to fly around and have total control of your landing.  Make sure to take deep breaths.  You can also draw this dream, if you like to see something tangible.

Watch your life change as a result! 

These are just some of the dream themes that indicate potentials for major growth and transformation in your life.  If you have a dream that you think needs some attention, and would like some professional insight, go to my website, www.sleepingrealities.com, and click on the "My Services" tab to purchase a full, in-depth interpretation.