Unlock the power of your dreams
Bestselling author and renowned dream expert Kelly Sullivan Walden decodes the dreams of four FIRST readers.
“I’m swimming with whales!”
DREAM: “I keep dreaming that I’m swimming with whales. I wake up feeling incredibly relaxed and peaceful. What do these dreams mean?”
—Patty Heffner, Santee, CA
WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “Dreaming that you’re swimming with such intelligent, magnificent animals suggests that you’re tapping into your own wisdom and power. In fact, you wake up feeling so serene because these dreams are boosting your belief in yourself. Since everything in our dreams represents aspects of ourselves, the whales likely symbolize your strength and resilience. When you’re facing a challenge, call upon your inner whale and imagine that you’re swimming in the ocean, feeling confident, courageous and free.”
“I can’t get over him!”
DREAM: “Every night I dream of being with the man I’ve long had unrequited feelings for.
I’m trying to get over him, but he keeps showing up in my dreams. Sometimes he even kisses me!”
—Makayla Barnett, Bloomington, IN
WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “I believe your subconscious is helping you fulfill in your dreams what remains unfulfilled in your waking life so you can find closure and move on. To do that, imagine that you’re back in your dream, but this time, you’re in control. Exaggerate every detail: For example, if you wish this man would take more initiative, visualize him becoming obsessed with you—so much so that you become overwhelmed and begin to crave space. You’ll soon find yourself letting go of this one-way ‘relationship’ and embracing new possibilities, including the true love you’re destined to find.”
“I’m still teaching”
DREAM: “I’m a recently retired teacher, but I’ve been dreaming that it’s my last day at work and, rather than leave, I linger behind in the classroom. Why do I have these dreams so often?”
—Sue Schneider, Selden, NY
WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “Your dreams show just how dedicated you were to your students and how seriously you took your job. In fact, for you, teaching was likely more than a job—it was a vocation you poured your heart and soul into. I believe it was so important to you that your identity as a teacher didn’t ‘retire’ when you left school. Perhaps these dreams are telling you that it’s time to find a new way to share your passion and wealth of experience with others, by, say, tutoring or volunteering to work with kids. Indeed, these dreams are reminding you that you have the ‘teacher’s manual’ for your life and all the tools you need to embark on a fulfilling next chapter.”
“My bump isn’t big enough”
DREAM: “I’m long past the age of having babies, but I dreamed I was in my third trimester, and I was concerned that my stomach should have been bigger. What could this mean?”
—Denise Hoover, Tacoma, WA
WHAT IT’S TELLING YOU: “Being pregnant in a dream suggests that you’re in the midst of a creative growth spurt and are preparing to ‘give birth’ to a new endeavor. Perhaps this dream is helping you work through a concern you have in your waking life about the progress of an important project that, like the pregnancy in your dream, you believe should be further along. I suggest asking yourself if there’s something you can do to make this project grow to ‘full-term’ and fulfill its potential. Consider journaling or meditating on this question— you’ll be delighted by the answers you discover.”