November | In Your Dreams
A DREAM COLUMN
Hi, dreamers. Welcome back to In Your Dreams, a monthly column where you tell us your unconscious fantasia, and we say, one sec brb Googling! On that note, we saw a fun graphic the other day that broke down the most Googled dreams by country. Some make total sense. In snake-inhabited countries, people dream a lot about snakes. The people of the small island country of Cyprus dream about the sea, understandably, being surrounded by it. But the Greeks, if their Google searches are to be believed, dream of, simply, hats. We are so intrigued. What kind of hats specifically? Is there a cultural significance? Does the hat always advance the plot, or sometimes is it just about serving a lewk? We couldn’t find out more, sadly, because their citations are suspiciously blurry. If you’re Greek and dreaming of hats, please write in! We want to know more.
And with the symbolism of various headwear in mind, let’s hear from this month’s dreamer…
I’ve had the same dream a few times over the years where I’m attending a wedding in my middle school gym, wearing a big black hat with a veil. During the ceremony, everyone stands individually to make a speech, and when it’s my turn, the hat suddenly feels off-kilter and heavy. I try to stand but the veil gets caught on something and I fall over and chip a tooth. What do you think it means?
A hat communicates a lot about its wearer. A cowboy hat implies rugged individualism, at least aspirationally. A French beret connotes something very specific on the head of an American teenager studying abroad. Those caps that say “Women want me, fish fear me” actually have quite a bit of subtext. And you’re wearing a funeral bonnet at a wedding. Hm. If this were real life, we’d ask who hurt you because it’s feeling passive-aggressive.
Dream theorists say hats can represent a few different things. Sometimes they convey confidence and authority, like a crown would. On the flip side they can also be used for protection and concealment, a tool to cover one’s anxiety. And you’ve got a veil on, so you can guess which way we’re leaning in our assessment. Are you in a time of hiding right now? It sounds like your anxiety, or the act of hiding it, might be literally weighing you down.
Your dream has another classic distress metaphor: teeth falling out. Looking back at the graphic, this one is popular in a handful of countries including Spain, Australia, the Maldives, and right here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. It’s usually considered a sign that you’re stressed, feeling out of control, or experiencing loss. You know, all the good stuff.
This dream isn’t exactly pointing to a carefree existence when you're awake. If you are feeling small and clumsy at the moment, remember that life ebbs and flows between periods of contraction and expansion, and there can be relief just in noticing where you are.
So. You’re not dressed for the occasion, which probably makes you feel out of place. Your movements don’t feel natural. You can’t stand up without chipping your tooth. This dream isn’t exactly pointing to a carefree existence when you're awake. If you are feeling small and clumsy at the moment, remember that life ebbs and flows between periods of contraction and expansion, and there can be relief just in noticing where you are. If you’re in one of those contraction periods, the only way out is through. Stay patient, do small things to take care of yourself, and trust the process. Time will do the rest. Eventually, day by day, things will start to feel less cumbersome. It’s not easy or effortless, but you’ll be glad you waited it out.
We’re rooting for you, and if you need us, we’ll always be here to remind you that the country of Albania dreams of breast.
If you’ve ever woken up from a dream like, what the hell was that, and would like to be featured in the next In Your Dreams, contact us at dreams@lunya.co with a detailed description of the inner workings of your unconscious mind. We're dreaming of hearing from you.
