Using Your Night Time Dreams to Understand Your Physical Health

Hello Dreamer!

It’s been a long time since I blogged about dreams, a topic I have been passionate about since I was sixteen. And since I have a new book being published (available Nov. 2020), I am going to be sharing soulful wisdom each month about your nighttime dreams.

Let’s begin with knowing that you are the best interpreter of your dreams.  Dreams emerge from your unconscious which means the meaning of your dream exists within you.

And the better you understand their messages, the better you will understand yourself and every area of your life. Why? Because dreams are actually metaphoric stories unfolding from the unconscious. They often appear complicated because we do not understand the language of our unconscious. So here are some keys to understanding the stories being told to you while you’re asleep.

First and foremost, do not judge your dreams—all dreams are significant and have much to tell you. Secondly, focus on feelings first, then dream symbols, then the theme of the dream. Third, there are different types of dreams so notice what realm of your life the dream is addressing:

• Physical
• Mental/Issue-Related
• Emotional
• Somatic
• Spiritual Dreams

Because of the corona virus pandemic, it’s no surprise that people are more worried about their health and their dreams are pointing to this fact. Therefore, in this blog, we’re going to start with physical dreams. Since dreams are rich with metaphor, dreams about the virus are not going to shout “corona virus!”  The dreaming mind uses specific symbols unique to the dreamer to get its point across, so dreams about the health of the body will show up differently for each person.

That being said, some typical physical symptoms are fairly easy to recognize. For example, the buzzing of your alarm clock interferes with your sleep and you begin dreaming of a ringing telephone. Or, you’re dreaming about having to go to the bathroom and in truth, you really need to get up and go.  Some physical dreams reveal the need to change your diet, release sexual energy, exercise and receive medical attention. Other physical dreams are often caused by physical noises and may also be prompted by physical environments: wind blowing on you, pets jumping on you, covers being pulled away from you leaving you cold.

When working with health related dreams, first look for a possible physical interpretation. There are times when certain dream symbols appear which are pointing to a physical meaning. For example, dreams of cars or other vehicles and buildings often represent your body. If you dream of your car needing an overhaul, look to see if this applies to your body. Perhaps you are in need of a respite and the dream is warning you that one is needed or an illness may result.

This reminds me of a client who had three recurring dreams of “broken plumbing” within her house. After having the second dream, she had her pipes checked out by a local contractor. Upon a thorough investigation she was told the plumbing in her house was fine. Then after the third recurring dream, she visited her physician and discovered that she had polyps in her colon which if left untreated, could lead to colon cancer. After taking steps toward healing her colon, the dreams stopped and never returned. To this day, she is in excellent health and regularly uses her dream journal as her own “internal physician.”

Physical dreams may appear in symbolic forms such as the examples with the plumbing and air filter, but the meaning directly relates to the condition of the body.  They usually begin as “warning” signs and should not be ignored. This is especially true if you dream of your current car, or “rescue” vehicles such as a fire truck or ambulance.  For example, if your car battery is dead, engine light is on, and so forth. This also pertains to dreams of hospitals, doctors, medical treatment or any symbol or scene that is “physically” related.

Physical Dreams of Death

Dreams of death often symbolize the “ending” of something; relationship, attitude, job, behavior, talent. However, there are certain symbols that represent a physical death and these include a stopped clock (“time has run out”), river that has stopped flowing (“river of life”), casket, your funeral, your will, your tombstone, or a hearst.

A client who once had a drinking problem was courageous enough to share a dream of impending death with me: she saw a tombstone with her name on it and an empty vodka bottle on top of it. The symbolism was impossible to miss! This very short and succinct dream motivated her to seek counseling for some issues at the root of her alcohol abuse. Through therapy she was able to experience healing on all levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Because of her commitment to healing she was able to transform her life and is now a successful healer who has helped countless people with her wisdom. Her willingness to understand her dreams was the springboard for a remarkable life.

Physical dreams vary and some may seem irrelevant, and, some are. However, always take a few minutes to notice if there is a “physical warning” within the dream. If you’re unsure, ask your dreams for guidance and trust any messages with a repeated dream theme. Physical dreams can be a powerful way to receive information about every part of your body.

To watch the video that accompanies this blog, please click this link: https://youtu.be/lmvYz3gp5Yk 

Namaste,

Laura V. Grace, PhD