Dream Theories: Men have more naked dreams than women???

We’ve talked about examining, grouping, and interpreting your dreams. Now that I’m back from Summer break, let’s get specific and have a little fun. Starting with getting naked ;o) The most common take on being naked in dreams is that these images represent the dreamer’s fear of being vulnerable. Remember, dreams are all about emotions/feelings. Except, not every culture views nakedness as something to be ashamed of, and not every dream about taking our clothes off in front of other people is about exposing ourselves to ridicule…

naked exposure

Yes, in North America, nudity is most often forbidden, even illegal in some situations. So it’s a normal, literal interpretation to think your naked dreams are about being embarrassed or mortified. And, yes, studies have told us that men have more naked dreams than women. Which, metaphorically, could mean that men have a greater fear of being exposed.

Still, remember that dreams are often not quite as literal as we think they are. What if naked dreams are telling us we’re tired of covering up, and that we’re wanting people to notice something we’ve been hiding too long. What would that say about the men (and women) in our society who dream of letting it all hang out ;o)

In a lot of naked dreams, we discover ourselves standing in front of strangers, rather than keeping parts of ourselves hidden the way we often do in our everyday lives. So, if we feel anxious and cover up, or if we feel proud and confident in front of faceless or nameless onlookers in our dreams, what does that mean?

We’re all born naked and learn to feel embarrassed by our exposed bodies based on cultural and social norms . But in the right places, even in conservative societies, being without clothes is the goal–say when we’re having sex. Naked doesn’t always mean safe. Our naked dreams can be about no longer needing to protect ourselves so closely. They can be about wanting to experience a more natural lifestyle. Which would be a good thing, right?

naked newborn

The types of clothes you dream you’re taking off (or staying in) can be significant, too. Cool, huh? Okay, maybe it’s a girl thing, but I’m digging the idea that a dream about being in a uniform means something different than taking off evening wear or casual clothes. That dreaming of taking certain types of clothes off could be about leaving one social norm behind and striving  to appear as we did at birth (naturally), or as something that we can’t be as long as we continue to hide behind whatever masks we wear in the every day.

If naked dreams are about the dreamer feeling vulnerable in front of others, or his confidence when others would feel vulnerable, then it’s the expressions on the onlookers faces that can be more important to examine than what anyone is or isn’t wearing. In your dream, are you feeling liberated, or the need to hide? Do you look at others when you’re exposed, or do you stand proudly in defiance of whatever they might be thinking?

I’ve said it over and over (and I’ve written two fiction novels about the  dynamic). Dreams show us our deepest selves.

In the context of naked dreams, they can be showing us the parts of ourselves we feel most sensitive about (perceived personal imperfections we need to work most on moving beyond). If this is the case, then the simple fact of dreaming about these body parts might be telling us that we’re ready to deal with those feelings. We’re more confident, and we’re ready to conquer something about ourselves that’s held us back. Even if the dream makes us feel horribly uncomfortable and self-conscious, our minds might be challenging us to take a step away from that very limitation.

Lost in the Dream

Never forget. Our dreams are very much a part of our identity. Don’t be afraid of them. Learn from the amazing way our minds work for us, even when we sleep. Relax into dreams about exposing your most vulnerable self. Let yourself see what your dream focuses on the most.

Whether it’s clothing or others’ faces or the part of you that’s exposed, there’s a message there, an emotion, that’s a clue to how you’re seeing your world and how you want your world to see you. Each dream is another chance to grow, to be stronger and more vividly engaged in your life.

Take every dream as the gift it is, especially the naked ones…

And check back next Monday, when we examine another common dream dynamic–when we change gender while our sleeping mind plays ;o)

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