This article will look at some alternative views of dreaming about being naked. Dreams are a mechanism for the mind (which loves to resolve internal conflict) to create scenarios where the individual is either warned that a conflict exists or is provided a fictional scenario where the issue is resolved.
Artists, for example, can go through periods of visual overwhelming when they become hyper observant of visual things. The artist can become quite ditzy and unfocused about other important matters. The mind cannot focus both on how light is shining through a leaf and on staying out of traffic for too long a period of time. The artist will eventually have a dream that is a “rolling video” or a “snapshot” of a fully formed painting. After that, the artist can focus on executing the picture and go back to using the mind to check the change at the cash register and watching for danger in the real world.
In dealing with nakedness, there is going to be enormous conflict between the human imperative to be naked and to get some Vitamin A from the Sun, if the weather is temperate, and the societal imperatives (with threat of criminal sanctions) for everyone to cover their nakedness.
Nakedness can be representative of lack of freedom in life. A person might be going through a period of over control and over influence by others or by circumstances, and have a feeling of being suffocated by rules, especially rules about what clothing to wear. (Those clothing rules can be ridiculously overwhelming!)
Clothing and nakedness dreams can represent other imposed rules that represent a serious lack of freedom in life. Work rules, military order, professional restrictions and other conflicts against freedom to do what one truly desires can be manifested in a dream where we are as free as a human can get: to be naked!
When the nakedness is in a completely inappropriate situation, such as church, the mall, or in a crowd, it is important to notice whether the crowd is reacting to the nakedness or seems to be completely unaware. This difference in attention from others, as well as the size of the crowd is an important factor in what the mind is trying to tell us.
When something has stripped, stolen, forced us to hand over, or taken our clothes, then there might be something about having our protection taken from us, or about our fears of being left vulnerable for some reason. It is important to notice whether the weather is cold and uncomfortable; is temperate and comfortable; or whether the scene contains harmful objects and surfaces that our clothes would protect us from. Clothes do represent protection from harsh surfaces and the cold and wet that might kill or hurt us humans.
If the weather is temperate and comfortable and our clothes have been taken, perhaps someone else is trying to get us to be more free in our lives.
In summary, there are meanings and alternative meanings for the stuff that happens in dreams. Sometimes the mind is just trying to resolve internal conflict through fictional scenarios and through visual images. Sometimes the mind is simply trying to tell our conscious to pay attention to the fact that we have conflict, but no way to resolve it yet. Nakedness is the most fundamental and powerful of symbols that the mind can use to represent many types of conflict in our lives.
