When I was in elementary school, I had a dream that kept repeating itself. I was walking to school and halfway down the block, when I looked down, I wasn’t wearing any pants. I was running late so going back home wasn’t an option. Arriving pantless was preferred to being tardy.
In another version, I was “safe” as long as I stayed under an enclosed archway that spanned the sidewalk. As long as I was under the archway, I had pants on. If I took one step to either side, I was clad only in my fruit of the looms. In real-life there was no archway, and I always wore pants. I woke up soaked in sweat many nights.
I looked for an explanation online the other day and the closest thing I found dealt with being naked in public. The site said, “Dreaming that you’re naked means there is a situation in your awake life that makes you feel vulnerable and exposed. Someone who is entering a situation that is new to him, and where they feel a lack of confidence in their abilities, often experience this dream.”
It went on to say, “Hiding your true self and your abilities may seem like a good solution because you prevent the possibilities of being judged and criticized. Yet, by dreaming that you are naked in public, your unconsciousness is telling you to uncover yourself and to express your skills.”
Makes a lot of sense to me now. Elementary school is full of new challenges and experiences. The archway may have represented being home and safe. My mom always expected me to be at the top of my game, so perhaps that’s why I had the underwear dreams.
In one study looking at the content of dreams, researchers found that some of the most common dream themes included: being attacked, being chased, being late, the death of a loved one or the return of a deceased loved one, falling, flying, school-related activities (taking exams, studying, going to class) and sexual activity.
In high school and college, I dreamt about current events. What I was doing and what I hoped to do. Most just ended up being dreams. None of them came true, and I don’t recall any recurring themes unless you count girls as recurring.
After marriage most dreams dealt with the issues of the day. Taking care of the kids, challenges at work, things like that. Most dreams concerned themselves with trying to figure out what to do. Determining a course of action was a common theme.
Today I sometimes wonder why I’m dreaming what I’m dreaming while I’m dreaming. I hope I’ll remember the dream when I wake up, but seldom do. All I get are bits and pieces that are difficult to string together. My short study of the topic tells me forgetting your dreams is normal.
I still dream, but I’m never naked in them unless I choose to be. I don’t know what that means, but I expect I’m pretty normal. A little nakedness in a dream now and then could be good for the soul.