I know this might sound weird, but in high school, I had a dream that my grandma died and said goodbye to me about an hour before she actually did. Now, I knew she was sick, but the proximity between the dream and the actual event were still a little spooky to me. While I know that the meaning of that particular dream was pretty obvious, it still gave me some concrete belief in the power of dreams, and to this day, gives me some reason to consider other figurative "red flags" in dreams that might signal trouble in your waking life — or that might even indicate stress or the need for change, you know?
As dream counselor and creative coach Laurel Clark told Elite Daily in an August 2017 interview, it really is important to pay attention and be aware of your dreams. "Dreams are messages from the subconscious mind, or from the inner self to the outer self," Clark told Elite Daily. "They tell us about waking life, and give us messages or feedback on how we are thinking or what we are doing."
Pay attention to what comes up when you turn in for the night, and you might just be more than a little surprised by how much insight your dream life offers in relation to your waking hours. Here are a few potential dream red flags, and what they could mean about your real life.
Funny, right?
Well, apparently, waving a flag in your dream just might be a sign of your subconscious trying to tell you something major. It's possible you're involved in an experience or relationship that's causing you distress, and deep down, you're desperately looking for some sort of change or solution.
Ask yourself this: Is it time to break up with your current SO who is, let's be honest, sometimes kind of a d*ck? Should you get that oddly growing mole checked out? Or do you simply need a little more time for yourself, before your anxiety goes through the roof and starts causing panic attacks?
Whatever it is, take a moment to ask yourself about important things you might be trying to ignore if you or someone else shows up in your dreams waving a flag or two.
Sure, maybe you just watched Band of Brothers again, but according to the online guide Dream Moods, wearing camouflage in a dream could mean that you're keeping something hidden from yourself or from others, whether it's an aspect of your personality that wants to shine, or a legit secret, like a crush on your roommate.
Maybe take your camo suit as a sign that it's time to really let yourself be true to you, even if that means taking a risk.
This one, according to Dreampedia, means you're having a little trouble taking some advice on a difficult situation, or you generally don't want to believe what someone is telling you. It's understandable; it happens to the best of us when we're given news we don't want to hear, like that suspicion your best friend has that your lover might have someone else on the side.
Choking can also mean you're not expressing yourself, or that you want to make sure you're keeping a situation or a piece of information under wraps and in your control.
Ever had a dream where you slowly realize all your teeth are loose and then they fall out? It's always a relief to wake up to feel your chompers are still in tact.
That being said, loose teeth falling out of your mouth or breaking could very well be a signal of emotional distress or anxiety, or a sign of insecurity and concern about what others think of you.
Given the fact that snakes usually inspire fear in most people, it's not that surprising to find out that dreams about snakes often indicate deep-seated fears or bad omens, and they've even been said to be predictors of death.
These dreams may also be symbolic of something or someone you feel is threatening your physical or emotional well-being.
Yes, my friends, crows and blackbirds can also be a predictor of death or a sign that you need to keep your secrets safe.
If you're struggling to trust someone, or you're about to strike a business deal, and a crow shows up in your dream, maybe take a step back and reassess everything before going forward. You're better safe than sorry, don't you think?
Then again, blackbirds and crows can also mean the end of something bad and the beginning of something positive, so that's also something to consider.
Sounds wonderful, right? A nice dream about taking a trip to Mexico or the Pacific Northwest? Hells to the yes.
Well, it could be nice, sure, but rumor has it that a dream in which you're arriving at your "final destination" is actually a subconscious warning of your own, ahem, last stop.
But remember, dream interpretation is totally individual at the end of the day, so don't get too worried about your dreams if they seem a little off or odd. Instead, simply use them as yet another pathway to get in touch with your mind and emotions. Plus, paying attention to any red flags, dreams or otherwise, is always a good idea.
