Dream Interpretation

When I am sick in bed, there are three things that I tend to do: sleep, read, and explore the internet. I slept until noon and did a little bit of reading from my current book, "Slumdog Millionaire" and now am taking on the third requirement of sickness. While sleeping, I had some weird dreams, as I often do when I'm feeling sick. There's always that stress dream of trying to find the classroom to take the final exam but can't and I end up running around all over searching, helpless. I didn't have that one this time, but it often enters in my dream state. But there's one dream that I had this morning in my sick, wheezing, and drooling state that I've had many times before (just in various different scenarios): my teeth crumble and fall out of my mouth into my hand.

(Painting on top, right is "La Rêve," or "The Dream," by Pablo Picasso, 1932).

So I found this really cool website while surfing and thought I'd share what they had to say about dreams as well as recurring dreams. According to Dream Moods, "a dream unifies the body, mind, and spirit. It provides you with insight into ourselves and a a means for self-exploration. In understanding your dreams, you will have a better understanding and discovery of your true self." Well, this all sounds good, but what does a recurring dream of your teeth crumbling and falling out of your mouth got to do with understanding my true self? Hummmm.

Intrestingly enough, the website states that dreams of teeth falling out are the most common dreams that people submit for interpretation. So much for having unique and one-of-a-kind dreams--I'm normal (well, that's debatable, anyway). Here's the interpretations that the website offers up:

1) One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxiety about your appearance and how others perceive you. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness and presentation to others. Everybody worries about how they appear to others. Caring about our appearance is natural and healthy.

2) Another rationalization for these falling teeth dream may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some specific situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxiety.

3) Teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. In this regard, teeth represent power. And the loss of teeth in your dream may be from a sense of powerlessness. Are you lacking power in some current situation? Perhaps you are having difficulties expressing yourself or getting your point across. You feel frustrated when your voice is not being heard. You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream is an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion.

Other Perspectives

1) A scriptural interpretation for bad or falling teeth indicate that you are putting your faith, trust, and beliefs in what man thinks rather than in the word of God. The bible says that God speaks once, yea twice in a dream or a vision in order to hide pride from us, to keep us back from the pit, to open our ears (spiritually) and to instruct and correct us.

2) In the Greek culture, when you dream about loose, rotten, or missing teeth, it indicates that a family member or close friend is very sick or even near death.

3) According to the Chinese, there is a saying that your teeth will fall out if your are telling lies.

4) It has also been said that if you dream of your teeth falling out, then it symbolizes money. This is based on the old tooth fairy story. If you lose a tooth and leave it under the pillow, a tooth fairy would bring you money.

So without a complete psychoanalysis of myself, I can see some of these theories in my own life right now. The most significant theory is the #3 theory of feeling powerless. My favorite one is the "Other Perscpectives" #4 since I'd like nothing better than to come into money right about now! :-) But the reality of it all is that we're having windows replaced next week and will be forking out money instead of receiving it.

Anyway, take a look at the web site. It has a lot of great theories about the dreams that we have. There's a whole section on "naked dreams" which I found amusing.

And about that dream where I'm searching for the classroom to take the final exam...you can read the interpretation here: "exam dreams."

(Painting above, left is "The Dream," from Pierre Cécile Purvis de Chavannes, 1883).

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Neat