Dreams about time, space and shapes can tell us about the quality of our lives.
Time can have a big hold on your life. Do you never have enough time to do the things you want or need to do? Do you feel that time is passing you by? Do you spend too much time waiting for other people? Dreams about time may also be a reminder of the inevitability of death.
Many people think that time in dreams flows at a different pace than time in waking life. In fact, research has shown that this is not true. Sleep researcher William Dement studied dream logs and monitored dreamers’ rapid eye movements and found that time in dreams is almost identical to time in waking life. If you dreamt of an activity that would take ten minutes in your waking life, the dream would probably last for ten minutes.
Time travel is relatively common in dreams. It can indicate a wish to escape from your everyday life.
The way you feel about the spaces in your dreams can reveal how comfortable you feel in the physical world. Do you feel isolated or are other people crowding you in? Are you feeling exposed or protected? If you are in a small room, do you feel warm and cozy, or do you feel claustrophobic?
Your position in relation to other objects in your dream can also be important. If you are behind or in front of an object, you may be asserting yourself in relation to a quality represented by that object. Being below or behind something can indicate a need to hide or to be protected or it can reveal feelings of inferiority.
The shape and textures of objects can provide important clues to the meanings of your dreams. Symmetrical shapes can represent abstract concepts – a circle can stand for harmony and inclusiveness, while a square can represent order, symmetry and precision. Straight lines can stand for conformity and lack of imagination, but they can also represent security. Curves can stand for freedom, but they can also indicate confusion. Angles can represent dead ends. Whether or not a shape is open or closed can also be important. An open box can mean that you aren’t afraid to be honest about yourself.
The texture of an object in a dream can provoke an emotional response. Fuzzy surfaces can be comforting. Sharp edges and rough surfaces can feel threatening. Smooth or reflective surfaces can be attractive, but they can also make you feel as though you are being deceived.
Dreams about scales and rulers can mean that you are checking how you measure up against society’s expectations. They can also be a sign that you are trying to gain some control over your environment.