What would this dream mean to you?

Hmm…pieces of your worries or troubles or concerns from now are stemming from something that happened to you at school?

Is there anything in your life you’re currently like, super-stressed about? I’m not a professional, but is there any chance your clothes in the dream can represent something here in the real world?

@bobbyb_ That’s what I think, too. I’m also “not an expert”, but would guess the clothes symbolize either thoughts or worries.

Are you leaving the clothing on purpose? Or do you have the feeling of forgetfulness throughout the dream?

And when you come across the clothing that you’ve left, are you surprised to find it? Or do you specifically return to get them, and know exactly where and what they are?

Well, most of us are not professionals like Sigmund Freud.

Freud claimed that dream interpretation is easier for small children, as they dream quite straightforwardly of the fulfilment of wishes that were aroused in them the previous day (the ‘dream day’). In adults, however, the situation is more complicated—since in Freud’s submission, the dreams of adults have been subjected to distortion, with the dream’s so-called ‘latent content’ being a heavily disguised derivative of the ‘manifest’ dream-thoughts present in the unconscious. As a result of this distortion and disguise, the dream’s real significance is concealed: the dreamer is no more capable of recognising the actual meaning of their dream than the hysteric is able to understand the connection.

I like dreammoods.com for this kind of stuff, but there are other dream interpretation sites. Clothes seem to be a symbol of identity or persona:

Clothing
To dream of your clothes, is symbolic of your public self and how you are perceived. It is indicative of the act you put on in front of others. Clothes are also an indication of your condition and status in life. Thus, if you wear clothes that do not suit you or that you normally would not wear, then it suggests that you are putting up a front and trying to deceive others. The dream may be a pun that something in your life is “unsuitable”. It may be a symbol of hypocrisy and being someone that you are not. Alternatively, it could also mean that you are revealing a hidden part of yourself to the world.

To dream that your clothes are soiled and you are trying to clean them, signifies your attempts to change something about your character. You may need to change your old habits and old ways of thinking. If your clothing is torn or ripped, then it indicates that there are some flaws in your thinking or thought process. Your logic is not making sense. You need to alter your reasoning and make a stronger argument.

To dream that you are constantly changing your clothes, represents the need for change and your need to fit into a new situation or role. You need to establish a new self-image.

To dream that you are shopping for or buying clothes, signifies your anxieties about trying to fit in or being “well-suited” for your changing role.

@kevbo
I like that one and I always appreciate somebody who does a little thoughtful research.

@mattbrowne I love dreams and regularly work with my own for insight into what’s happening in my life. I find Freud’s basic interpretation to be woefully limited. All dreams are wish-fulfillments, and we’re too complicated to figure them out? With this clothing dream, that means that he wants to find his old clothes? Come on.

I believe dreams contain symbols from our unconscious. Each of us has our own particular associations with those symbols. So while interpretative books and sites like dreammoods.com can be interesting and occasionally useful, if yetanotheruser answers some of the questions we’ve posed, we’ll have a lot more possibility of honing in on what his unconscious is trying to tell him.

If it were my dream, I’d wonder what memories – especially painful memories – I left buried under my old school.

It might mean that you want to pursue a career in the laundering or dry cleaning business.

@Trustinglife – Yes, Freud is very limiting. I like many of Carl Gustav Jung’s ideas. Thanks for this very interesting link. I just thought about my own dreams and tried the “interpret” button:

“To see a tornado in your dream, suggests that you are experiencing some extreme emotional outbursts and temper tantrums. Is there a situation or relationship in your life that may be potentially destructive? To dream that you are in a tornado, signifies that you are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. You will be met with a series of disappointments for the next week or so. Your plans will be filled with complications. To see several tornadoes in your dream, represent people around you who are prone to violent outbursts and shifting mood swings. It may also symbolize a volatile situation or relationship.”

I had a couple of tornado dreams, but the interpretations to some extend reads like a horoscope. I’m not a fan of astrology. Well, as you said: occasionally useful. So I gave it a second try:

“To see the galaxy in your dream, represents your creativity. It also means that you are looking at the broader picture and are more aware of your surroundings.”

Now, that sounds a lot more like me ;-)

I’m guessing this has to do with assessing where you are in life, and comparing it in some way to your identitiy as a younger person. So perhaps, for instance, you’re wondering whether you will ever fulfil those dreams, or perhaps where the dreams went? If I were you I’d take some time to think about what you wanted for yourself when you were younger, and what you’ve actually done with your life.

I went through a VERY long phase (many years) of having dreams set in my old school. I think it’s to do with internal landscapes… for me, if I dream of houses or cars, they seem to symbolise ME. But as your first responder wrote, archetypes are very personal. I’d put money on an identity crisis of sorts though.

could it be something about what you have aquired over your lifetime that might kinda be useful in some way?
Like what you’ve left behind at your school, maybe things about your former self you have forgotten or left, but need again?
Or maybe what you’ve buried in the past but dont want to unearth, im just guessing the most random stuff here..