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My friend Subadra says her recurrent dream is the one where she is asked to sit for a test, by travelling from one examination centre to another. After answering the first question, she steps out only to realise she has missed the bus. At least a decade past her ‘examination’ days, Subadra still wakes up after the dream, in a cold sweat!

Mine have been weirder – air planes always nose-diving close to where I stand. But, many of my dreams revolve around my teeth falling off or failing the examinations. Now, that’s familiar, is it not? That’s because those are the most common dreams. According to www.dreammoods.com , being naked in a public place, flying, and being chased, too, fall under the category. Add accidents and deaths to the list. So, remember, while you wake up with ‘18 marks in Physics’, your tennis idol Roger Federer too, on a cold Switzerland morning, perhaps, woke up after a first-round defeat in Rolland Garros! To say nothing of an old man in Tripoli who dreamt he was running on the market road, Archimedes style…

Have you ever wondered what a dream is? According to the big daddy of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, it represents the fulfilment of a wish. For instance, if you go to bed after a salty meal, and feel thirsty, you may dream of having water. End of it, you either wake up and have water or be satiated with just the dream.

However, Alfred Adler, founder of individual psychology, begs to differ. He believed that dreams were correlated with the problems in our daily life, and, so, the more the dreams we have, the more the problems we are likely to face.

D. Pradeep, professor of psychiatry, Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, says dreams are strong, emotion-laden thoughts affecting the conscious mind of an individual. “Dreams, like our thoughts, are recollections of everyday activities, often insignificant. They are said to allow ventilation of bottled up emotions.”

Are all dreams in colour? A few may dream in colour, while others dream in black and white. However, the influence of colour cinema in this aspect is a point to consider, says Pradeep. As for dreams coming true, there is no evidence, he adds.

An interesting inference by Freud is that ‘dreams are the guardians of sleep and not its disturbers’. He proposed that one function of dreams is to protect our sleep. He believed that it was the purpose of dreams ‘to hold one’s attention so as not to awaken from any outside stimuli.’

Sometimes an external stimulus may have an immediate and intruding influence on the dream, says Pradeep. “For instance, a mosquito bite may feel like a snake bite or even as a homicidal stab!” He adds: “Disturbing dreams may leave the person anxious. And, a disturbed mind can cause disturbing dreams — vicious cycle!” How fascinating is that?

In one of my recent dreams, I, unusually, topped the class, and incurred the wrath of my classmates. Now, that was fascinating!

Examination – Lack of confidence and self-esteem; frustration

Missing teeth – Questions on social acceptability; relationship setback; age issues

Death – Grief; concern

Falling – Instability; insecurity; anxiety

Nudity – Vulnerability; dishonesty; unfound fear; pride; freedom

Flying – Accomplishment; power; challenges

Chasing – Coping with stress

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