Falling is one of humanity’s earliest fears; in fact, a baby is typically frightened by only two things: loud noises and falling. Falling remains a fear throughout life and can even result in death. However, falling is also a natural part of life, and the fear of falling has to be overcome as part of learning to walk, run, and ride a bike. By understanding dreams about falling, the dreamer can learn to confront and overcome the fears in life that are holding him/her back from further development.
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Analysis: Falling in a Dream Can Relate to the Physical Process of Falling Asleep
There is another explanation as to why dreams about falling are so common. They are said to typically occur when the dreamer is on the brink of sleep, just about to “drop off” when they are actually “falling asleep.” These common idioms for the process of going to sleep point clearly to what could be happening in such cases.
The dreamer will experience the rapid mental descent into the unconscious as a physical fall. Since this occurs at the boundary between sleep and wakefulness, the dreamer may be jolted into awake by the shock of the falling sensation in the dream. This may account for why so many dreams about falling are often recalled very clearly.
Interpretation: Dreams about falling can indicate a fear of losing control.
Falling often indicates a lack of control, a sense of helplessness or a helpless situation that nothing can be done about. “Falling in love” is an example of this lack of control – the idiom indicates that nothing can be done about these feelings; they are as natural and powerful as the force of gravity. Falling in these circumstances is often a positive thing. It is sometimes a relief to be in the grip of circumstances beyond control, as it can take away the responsibility for decision making. It can also be exhilarating – people travel to fairs and theme parks to experience the delights of a safe fall, and babies love to be thrown up in the air and caught.
Falling in a dream may mean the fear of losing social standing or “falling from grace.” It may indicate a perceived threat to normal sources of security such as relationships, income, status or beliefs. It may point to a loss of confidence and self belief. It can also represent the fear of being confronted with inner conflicts that the dreamer blocks out in waking life.
Dreams about falling may relate to uverwork and the fear of breakdown
Many falling dreams consist of the dreamer approaching the edge of a cliff, perhaps too fast, and unable to stop the individual falling. In other cases, the cliff edge can crumble away. These dreams may indicate that the dreamer is working too hard or living at a pace that’s too frantic. Falling can indicate the fear of mental or physical breakdown in these circumstances.
To dream of another person falling may indicate a wish to be rid of them, or a wish to be rid of what they represent – if a baby or child is falling it may be a wish to let go of infantile qualities in the dreamer’s self. To dream of a house falling down can point to personal stress, illness or personal growth from letting old certainties crumble away. If a dreamer watches as an object falls, this can reveal a sense of danger related to that which the object represents.
How to change a dream about falling
By using techniques of dream self analysis, the dreamer can explore their dreams about falling to see what inner conflicts are being played out. It is then possible to alter the dream to explore a wider variety of positive outcomes. Recurring dreams about falling may show the dreamer’s fear of “letting go” and what might happen to them if they do. Visualisations of a safe landing in a net, on a large mattress or in clear water may help the dreamer to be more realistic about their fears. Like the first flight of a baby bird, it may even be possible to convert falling into flying!
Free dream analysis and free dream interpretation are easily available online for specific dreams. But the dreamers themselves hold the best answers.
You may also use these suggestions to improve your sleep quality.
