Learning to recognize and interpret these objects, and learning about your dreams can be an exciting and fun exercise as well as a great learning experience.  Since dreams and their symbols are often manifestations of real fears and anxieties, dreams can provide much help in working through these serious issues.

Let’s examine a few of the most common dream symbols and scenarios.

Dreaming Of School

Dreams of school, including taking tests, forgetting about a test, showing up to school without your books, and they like are among the most common of dreams for students and non students alike.

For those currently in school, dreams about school can be reflections of anxiety about grades, peers, social issues and other concerns.  For those who are not in school, dreaming about school or taking a test is often a manifestation of anxiety about work, or even your personal life.   Dreaming about school is often related to your latest lesson in life.

Dreaming Of A Car Or Other Vehicle

Dreams of driving in a car or other vehicle often symbolize a desire to escape.  Cars and other forms of transportation represent freedom, and dreaming of driving, especially of driving fast, can symbolize a desire to get away from an unpleasant or undesirable task.

Dreams about car crashes or near misses can symbolize the feeling of being out of control.  Such dreams often occur when you are feeling overwhelmed by pressure and unable to cope with the stresses of everyday life.

Dreams in which you are the passenger instead of he driver can also symbolize this sort of lack of control.  This is especially true if the vehicle in the dream seems to be out of control.  Such dreams may signal a need to relax and avoid additional stress.

Dreams About Houses

Dreams about a the house you grew up in can represent a desire to go back in time to when life is simpler.  These dreams often occur at turning points in our lives, such as just after college graduation, prior to a marriage, or during or after a move.

Dreaming about an unfamiliar or threatening house can represent a fear of the unknown or an unwillingness to change.  Again, these dreams often take place during times of upheaval or change, and they can be your unconscious mind’s reaction to such sudden change.

Dreams About Tornadoes

If you live near an area prone to tornadoes, or if you have been the victim of such a force, then a tornado can simply be a tornado.  Unpleasant experiences can be relived through dreams, but most of the time the tornadoes we dream about are symbolic and not literal.

Most of the time, a tornado represents an emotional turmoil.  People in such a state are often described as being whirlwinds of emotions, so a tornado is a fitting symbol of that state.  Dreams of tornadoes often accompany sudden upheavals or changes in life, such as a sudden career change or cross country move.  A dream about a tornado can indicate that you feel your life is spinning out of control.  Those experiencing tornado centered dreams may want to take a step back, meditate and concentrate on the positive aspects of change.

Dreams About Telephones

Dreams about telephone often carry important messages that the dreamer needs to pay close attention to.  When interpreting a dream about a telephone, it is important to pay attention to the details.  For instance, did you initiate the call, or did someone call you?  Was the voice on the other end of the telephone friendly or threatening?  Can you hear the other party or is their static on the line?  These details of a telephone dream can give you valuable insights into just what is being communicated.

The meanings of dreams are as personal and unique as the people who dream them.  No one interpretation, no matter how universal, will apply to every dream, dream symbol or dream situation.  When analyzing or interpreting a dream, it is always important to pay attention to the details of the dreams, your feelings within the dream world, and of course, what is going on in your own life.

If you do wish to interpret your dreams, either purely for fun or to pursue personal and spiritual growth, there are a few pointers that will help you get the most from your dream world.

Ø As you awaken, immediately replay the dream scenario in your head.  It is important to do this immediately, preferably before you even open your eyes.  The dream world slips away quickly, and as much as 50% of it can be gone in a mere five minutes.  By the time ten minutes has passed, more than 90% of the dream’s contents may be lost.  Replaying the dream in your head will help you remember more of those tantalizing details.

Ø Immediately write down a description of the dream, focusing on key objects, symbols or feelings.  Write a few words about each key element in the dream quickly, before they are forgotten, they go back later and fill in the gaps.  Again, it is important to write your dream down as quickly as possible.  Keeping a notebook by the bed will be a big help.

Ø Choose a quiet place in your home to begin your interpretation process.  Cutting yourself of from sources of distraction will be very important.  The space you choose should be as quiet and peaceful as possible.  If no such space is available, review your notes a final time, fill in any details you can remember, and come back to them later.

Ø Use your intuition as you review your dream notes and try to make sense of your dream.  You may already know on an instinctual level what your dreams are trying to tell you.  Connecting with your intuition can help you connect with your unconscious mind.  If you meditate, a short meditation session can often be a big help.  Connecting with your inner self is always a huge help when it comes to interpreting and analyzing dreams.

Ø As you review your dream notes, pay close attention to the emotions they stir in you.  Paying close attention to your emotional state, both at this moment and during the dream, can help you to understand what your dream really meant.

Ø Think very carefully about any vivid details, situations, locations, sensations or symbols that make the dream memorable.  Open your heart as well as your mind and carefully explore the possible meaning of each symbol, situation and event.  It may be helpful to jot down the impressions in your dream journal or notebook.  As you search for meaning, don’t limit yourself to obvious interpretations.  For instance, dreaming about a missed appointment could simply mean you are worried about being late for work, but that missed appointment could also symbolize a feeling of missed opportunity in your life.

Ø Running an inner dialog with the people or objects you dreamed about is often helpful as well.  This inner dialog is especially useful when trying to determine why you dreamed about certain people.  Try asking them in your head “why am I dreaming about you?”, “what are you doing in my dream?”.   It is also helpful to know that often people in our dreams are symbols of aspects of our own personality instead of literal people.

Ø If you are stuck for an interpretation, it is a good idea to leave your dream notebook and come back to it later.  It may also be helpful to discuss the dream with others, or to consult an expert on dream interpretation.