What does it meaning changed, in the dream?

If the dream is unusually pleasing, you will hear of the health of friends, and receive a legacy from unknown relatives.

If the dream comes as a token of warning, the dreamer may expect threats of scandal about love or money matters.

To wicked people, it is a demand to repent; to good people it should be a consolation. ... Ten Thousand Dream Interpretation

2. Indication that negative emotions should be changed.

3. Suspicion that someone is plotting against someone.

4. Problem is eating away at a person, perhaps lower­ing resistance. ... New American Dream Dictionary

2. Reluctance to face reality.

3. Reluctance to face someone.

4. An aspect of personality keeps people away, but can be changed. ... New American Dream Dictionary

2. Taking a hard look at oneself to determine what, if anything, can be changed—or should be changed—about oneself, perhaps things that one has been hiding for years.

3. Searching for reality.

4. Bar­ing one’s soul to self or to others if they are observing. ... New American Dream Dictionary

2. A feeling that fate is already decided; upcoming events cannot be changed.

3. Happy surprises in the offing. ... New American Dream Dictionary

If one’s wife is pregnant, and if she hands him a pearl in his dream, it means that she will deliver a beautiful son.

If the pearl has no glitter, or if he takes it from his wife and locks it inside a box in a dream, then it represents a servant.

A pearl in a woman’s dream means good news.

If she is unwed, it means that she will get married.

If one sees himself bartering a pearl or a gem for fake jewelry, or for chips of glass in a dream, it means that he has sold the reward of the hereafter for the temporary pleasures of this world, or that he has exchanged something precious for something worthless, or it could mean that he may commit a sin, or become an apostate. Pearls in a dream also represent the Quran, manner of proper talking, bezels of wisdom, children, servants, integrity, beauty, or money.

If one sees himself piercing a pearl in a dream, it means that he will give valuable interpretations to Quranic verses. Swallowing pearls in a dream means forgetting what one has learned from the Quran. Swallowing pearls in a dream also could mean acquiring wisdom and knowledge. Selling pearls in a dream means acquiring knowledge and growing to be famous and respected. Throwing pearls at people in a dream and seeing people collecting them while one remains aloof, represents a judge who issues his verdict, or admonishes people who accept what he says and abide by it accordingly. Receiving a pearl in a dream means caring for the daughter of a relative. Finding a pearl in a dream also means finding a wife. Borrowing a pearl from someone in a dream means begetting a son and giving him for adoption, or that the boy will die shortly after his birth. Pearls in a dream also mean becoming wealthy from an inheritance. As for a scholar, a pearl in a dream represents knowledge, and for a governor, it means expansion of his power. As for a merchant, it means a growing business, and for a craftsman in a dream, it means advancement in his craft. Pearls in a dream also represent the final step in adorning something and the proper way to display beauty, or they could represent fantasies and attractions. Drilling a hole in a pearl in a dream also means having sexual intercourse with a blood relation. Swallowing a pearl in a dream means hiding a testimony. Chewing on pearls in a dream means backbiting people. Vomiting pearls in a dream means scheming against people and deceiving them. Throwing a pearl into a river in a dream means helping people. Extracting a pearl from its shell, then throwing the pearl and keeping the shell in a dream means that one is involved in body snatching and in desecrating the graves. Opening a closet with a key and pulling out stored pearls from inside it in a dream means asking a question from a scholar. Counting pearls in a dream means going through hardships. Seeing pearls in a dream means becoming joyful and happy. Receiving a gift of pearls in a dream denotes a political appointment. Pearls in a dream also denote good words, money, or servants.

A pearl necklace in a dream means marriage, or a bundle of money, or it could mean memorizing the Quran. Carrying loads of pearls in a dream means carrying burdens. Throwing pearls to a swine or over a trash pile in a dream means giving knowledge to people who are not worthy of it, or people who do not understand it and who will consequently mock him. Burning pearls to cook with them rather than wood in a dream means putting a heavy burden on someone who cannot carry it and consequently having him explode. Large pearls in a dream provide for better connotations than the small ones. Pierced pearls in a dream mean easy and fast coming money. Pearls in a dream also may represent tears.

(Also see Counting pearls; Mother of pearl; Tears)... Islamic Dream Interpretation

If one sees that the gravestones were changed from marble into unfinished stones in a dream, it means alteration of a will left by the deceased.

(Also see Building)... Islamic Dream Interpretation

The monster in your dreams could be your fear, bad temper, negativity, smoking habit, or anything else that is hurtful and needs to be changed.

The way that you deal with the monster in your dream is generally symbolic of the way you are dealing with the corresponding negativity in your daily life.

If you wake up from this dream and are very frightened, just remember that your mind created those images and that their purpose is to teach you something about yourself.... The Bedside Dream Dictionary

When we are an inactive observer in our dream, are all the time on the receiving end of dream action, or as in the exam­ple make no effon to move from discomfort, we are in a passive role.

If this occurs frequently in our dreams, we are probably passive in our waking life. This can gradually be changed by such techniques as active imagination.

It is our own emotions, fears and sexuality we are meeting in our dreams, so it is wise to take charge of our being rather than be a victim.

The following dream illustrates an active dreamer: ‘As I walked toward a house a number of demons or devils came at me menacingly, trying to stop me getting near the house. Although they made all the ghostly noises, I wasn’t at all afraid of them. I felt they were a damned nuisance, and to show them I meant business I grabbed one and with my right hand I gripped its flesh and squeezed. It started to squeak in pain and I squeezed harder’ (Clive J). ... A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences

A ritual depicts important change, such as entrance into puberty; deeper levels of oneself; new attitudes or skills; just as marnage is an entrance into a new type of life and social situation. From the wider sense of self our unconscious has, things are seen as important which consciously we feel are trivial.

A ceremony in a dream brings such things to our atten­tion. ... A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences

If one suc­ceeds in touching the feelings and memories usually con­nected with a dream image, this becomes apparent because of the depth of insight and experience which arises. Although ideally the Freudian analyst helps the client discover their own experience of their dream, it can occur that the analyst puts to the client readymade views of the dream. Out of this has occurred the idea of someone else ‘analysing or telling us about our dream.

Carl Jung used a different approach. He applied amplifica­tion (see entry), helped the client explore their associations, used active imagination (see entry) and stuck to the structure of the dream. Because amplification also put to the client the information and experience of the therapist, again the dreamwork can be largely verbal and intellectual, rather than experiential.

In the approach of Fritz Perls (gestalt therapy) and Moreno (psychodrama), dream analysis is almost entirely experiential.

The person exploring the dream acts out or verbalises each role or aspect of the dream.

If one dreamt of a house, in gestalt one might stan by saying I am a house’ and then go on to describe oneself just as one is as the particular house in the dream.

It is important, even if the house were one existing externally, not to attempt a description of the external house, but to stay with the house as it was in the dream. This is like amplification, except the client gives all the information. This can be a very dramatic and emotional experience because we begin consciously to touch the immense realms of experience usually hidden behind the image. When successful this leads to personal insights into behaviour and creativity. See dream processing; amplification; gestalt dream work.

dream as a meeting place Any two people, or group of people who share their dreams, particularly if they explore the associated feelings and thoughts connected with the dream images, achieve social intimacy quickly. Whether it is a family sharing their dreams, or two fnends, an environment can be created in which the most profound feelings, painful and wonderful, can be allowed. Such exposure of the usually pri­vate areas of one s feelings and fears often presents new infor­mation to the dreamer, and also allows ventilation of what may never have been consciously expressed before. In doing so a healing release is reached, but also greater self under­standing and the opportunity to think over or reconsider what is discovered.

Herbert Reed, editor of the dream magazine Sundance, and resident in Virginia Beach, Va., initiated group dreaming ex­periments. It started because Reed noticed that in the dream groups he was running, when one of the group aired a prob­lem, other members would subsequently dream about that person’s problem. He went on to suggest the group should attempt this purposely and the resulting dreams shared to see if they helped the person with the problem.

The reported dreams often formed a more detailed view of the person’s situation. In one instance the group experienced many dream images of water. It aided the woman who was seeking help to admit she had a phobia of water and to begin thinking about learning to swim. In another experiment, a woman presented the problem of indecision about what college to transfer to and what to study. Her group subsequently said they were confused because they had not dreamt about school. Several had dreams about illicit sex. though, which led the woman to admit she was having an affair with a married man. She went on to realise that it was the affair which was underlying her indecision. She chose to end the affair and further her career.

Whatever may be underlying the results of Reed’s expen- ments, it is noticeably helpful to use the basic principles he is working with. They can be used by two people equally as well as a group—by a parent and child, wife and husband, busi­nessman and employee. One sets out to dream about each other through mutual agreement. Like any undertaking, the involvement, and therefore the results, are much more pro­nounced if there is an issue of reasonable importance behind the experiment. It helps if one imagines that during sleep you are going to meet each other to consider what is happening between you. Then sleep, and on waking take time to recall any dream. Note it down, even if it seems far removed from what you expected. Then explore its content using the tech­niques in dream processing.

Example: My wife and I decided to attempt to meet in our dreams. I dreamt I was in a room similar to the back bedroom of my previous marnage. My present wife was with me. She asked me to help her move the wardrobe. It reminded me of, but did not look like, the one which had been in that bed­room. I stood with my back to it, and reached my hands up to press on the top, inside. In this way I carried it to another wall. As I put it down the wood broke. I felt it ought to be thrown away’ (Thomas B). Thomas explored the dream and found he connected feelings about his first marriage with the wardrobe and bedroom. In fact the shabby wardrobe was Tom’s feelings of shabbiness at having divorced his first wife. In his first marriage, represented by the bedroom, he always felt he was married for life. In divorcing, he had done some­thing he didn’t like and was carrying it about with him. He says ‘1 am carrying this feeling of shabbiness and second best into my present relationship, and I need to get rid of it.’

dream as a spiritual guide Dreams have always been con­nected with the spiritual side of human experience, even though today many spiritual leaders disagree with consider­ation of dreams. Because dreams put the dreamer in touch with the source of their own internal wisdom and certainty, some conflict has existed between authoritative priesthood and public dreaming.

A lay person finding their own ap­proach to God in a dream might question the authority of the priests. No doubt people frequently made up dreams about God in order to be listened to. Nevertheless, despite opposi­tion, Matthew still dreamt of an angel appearing to him, Jo­seph was still warned by God to move Jesus; Peter still dreamt his dream of the unclean animals.

The modern scientific approach has placed large question marks against the concept of the human spirit. Study of the brain’s functions and biochemical activities have led to a sense of human personality being wholly a series of biological and biochemical events.

The results of this in the relationship between doctor and patient, psychiatrist and client, some­times results in the communication of human personality be­ing of little consequence. It may not be put into words, but the intimation is that if one is depressed it is a biochemical prob­lem or a brain malfunction.

If one is withdrawn or autistic, it is not that there is a vital centre of personality which has for some reason chosen to avoid contact, but that a biochemical or physiological problem is the cause—it’s nothing personal, take this pill (to change the biochemistry, because you are not really a person). Of course we have to accept that human personality must sometimes face the tragedy of biochemical malfunction, but we also need to accept that biochemical and physiological process can be changed by human will and courage.

In attempting to find what the human spirit is by looking at dreams, creativity stands out.

The spiritual nature may not be what we have traditionally considered it to be.

An overview of dreams and how dreamers relate to them suggests one amaz­ing fact. Let us call it the ‘seashell effect’. When we hear sounds in a shell that we hold to our ear, the noises heard seem exterior to oneself, yet they are most likely amplification of sounds created in our own ear, perhaps by the passage of blood. Imagine an electronic arcade machine which the player could sit in and, when running, the player could be engulfed in images, sounds, smell and sensation. At first there is shim­mering darkness, then a sound, and lights move. Is it a face seen, or a creature. Like Rorschach’s ink blots, the person creates figures and scenes out of the shapeless light and sound.

A devil appears which terrifies the player. People, de­mons, animals, God and angels appear and fade. Scenes are clearcut or a maelstrom of movement and ill-defined activity. Events arise showing every and any aspect of human experi­ence. Nothing is impossible.

If, on stepping out, we told the player that what occurred was all their own creation due to unconscious feelings, fears, habits, thoughts and physiological processes occurring within them, like the seashell effect, they might say ‘Good God, is that all it was, and I thought it was real. What a waste of time.’

Whether we can accept it or not, as a species we have created out of our own longings, fears, pain and perhaps vi­sion, God, with many different names—politics, money, dev­ils, nationalism, angels, an, and so on and on. All of it has flowed out of us. Perhaps we even deny we are the authors of the Bible, wars, social environments. Responsibility is diffi­cult.

It is easier to believe the source is outside oneself. And if we do take responsibility for our amazing creativity, we may feel ‘is that all it is—me?’ Yet out of such things, such fears, such drives, such unconscious patterns as we shape our dreams with, we shape our life and fonune, we shape our children, we shape the world and our future.

The shadow of fear we create in our dream, the situation of aloneness and anger, becomes a pattern of feelings, real in its world of mind. We create a monster, a Djinn, a devil, which then haunts and influences us. Or with feelings of hope, of purposiveness and love, create other forces in us and the world. But we are the creator. We are in no way separate from the forces which create our existence. We are those creative forces. In the deep­est sense, not just as an ego, we create ourselves, and we go on creating ourselves. We are the God humanity has looked so long for.

The second aspect of the human spirit demonstrated by dreams is consciousness.

The unconscious mind, if its func­tion is not clogged with a backlog of undealt with painful childhood experience and nonfunctional premises, has a pro­pensity to form gestalts. It takes pieces of experience and fits them together to form a whole. This is illustrated by how we form gestalts when viewing newsprint photographs, which are made up of many small dots. Our mind fits them together and sees them as a whole, giving meaning where there are only dots. When the human mind is working well, when the indi­vidual can face a wide range of emotions, from fear and pain to ecstasy, this process of forming gestalts can operate very creatively. This is because it needs conscious involvement, and if the personality is frightened of deep feeling, the uniting of deeply infantile and often disturbing cxpcrience is cut out. Yet these areas are very rich mines of information, containing our most fundamental learning.

If the process is working well, then one’s expenence is gradually transformed into insights which transcend and thereby transform one s personal life.

For instance, we have witnessed our own binh in some manner, we also see many others appeanng as babies. We see people ageing, dying. We see millions of events in our life and in others.

The uncon­scious, deeply versed in imagery, ritual and body language, out of which it creates its dreams, picks up information from music, architecture, traditional rituals, people walking in the street, the unspoken world of parental influence.

The sources are massive, unbelievable. And out of it all our mind creates meaning. Like a process of placing face over face over face until a composite face is formed, a synthesis of all the faces; so the unconscious scans all this information and creates a world view, a concept of life and death.

The archetypes Jung talks of are perhaps the resulting synthesis of our own expenence, reaching points others have met also.

If so, then Chnst might be our impression of humanity as a whole.

If we dare to touch such a synthesis of experience it may be seanng, breathtaking.

It breaks the boundaries of our present personality and con­cepts because it transcends. It shatters us to let the new vision emerge. It reaches, it soars, like an eagle flying above the single events of life. Perhaps because of this the great hawk of ancient Egypt represented the human spirit.

Lastly, humans have always been faced by the impossible.

To a baby, walking and not wetting its pants is impossible, but with many a fall and accident it does the impossible.

It is a god in its achievement.

To talk, to fly heavier-than-air planes, to walk on the Moon, were all impossible. Humans challenge the impossible every day. Over and over they fall, back into defeat. Many lie there broken. Yet with the next moment along come youngsters with no more sense than grasshoppers, and because they don’t know what the differ­ence is between right and left, do the impossible. Out of the infinite potential, the great unknown, they draw something new. With hope, with folly, with a wisdom they gain from who knows where, they demand more. And it’s a common everyday son of miracle. Mothers do it constantly for their children—transcending themselves. Lovers go through hell and heaven for each other and flower beyond who they were. You and I grow old on it as our daily bread, yet fail to see how holy it is. And if we turn away from it, it is because it offers no certainties, gives no authority, claims no reward.

It is the spir­itual life of people on the street. And our dreams remember, even if we fail.

For this is the body and blood of the human spirit.

dream as a therapist and healer There is a long tradition of using dreams as a base for both physical and psychological healing. One of the earliest recorded incidents of such healing is when Pharaoh’s ‘spirit was troubled, and he sent for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men; and Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none who could interpret it’. Then Joseph revealed the meaning of the dream and so the healing of Pharaoh’s troubled mind took place (Genesis 41).

The Greek Temples of Asclepius were devoted to using dreams as a base for healing of body and mind (see dreams and ancient Greece).

The Iroquois Amerindians used a social form of dream therapy also (see Iroquoian dream cult).

The dream process was used much more widely throughout his­tory in such practices as Pentecostal Christianity, shaktipat yoga in India, and Anton Mesmer’s groups (see sleep move­ments).

Sigmund Freud pioneered the modern approach to the use of dreams in therapy, but many different approaches have developed since his work. Examples of the therapeutic action of gaining insight into dreams are to be found in the entnes on abreaction, recurring dreams, reptiles.

The entry on dream processing gives information about using a dream to gain insight and healing. See also dream as meeting place.

A feature which people who use their dreams as a thera­peutic tool mention again and again is how dreams empower them. Many of us have an unconscious feeling that any impor­tant healing work regarding our body and mind can only be undertaken and directed by an expert, the expert might be a doctor, a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, or osteopath. Witness­ing the result of their own dream process, even if helped by an expert, people feel in touch with a wonderful internal process which is working actively for their own good. One woman, who had worked on her dream with the help of a fnend (non expert), said It gave me great confidence in my own internal process. I realised there was something powerful in myself working for my own good. It was a feeling of cooperating with life.’ One is frequently amazed by one’s own resources of wisdom, penetrating insight and sense of connection with life, as met in dreamwork. This is how dreams play a pan in helping one towards wholeness and balance.

The growing awareness of one’s central view of things, which is so wide, piercing and often humorous, brings developing self respect as the saga of one’s dreams unfolds.

There may be no hint of this, however, if a person simply records their dreams without attempting to find a deeply felt contact with their contents.

It is in the searching for associ­ated feelings and ideas that the work of integrating the many strands of one’s life begins. Gradually one weaves, through a co-operative action with the dream process, a greater unifica­tion of the dark and the light, the painful and transcendent in one’s nature.

The result is an extraordinary process of educa­tion. ... A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences

Example: I was walking up a steep hill on a sunny day when my husband came running down the hill with blood pouring from his right arm. He couldn’t stop running. As he passed me he called to me for help. I was happy and peaceful and ignored him. I calmly watched him running fast down the hill, then continued on my way’ (Joyce C). Out of the infinite number of situations Joyce could have dreamt about, this was the one produced. Why? There are many factors which appear to determine what we dream. How events of the day influ­enced us; what stage of personal growth we are meeting—we might be in the stage of struggling for independence; prob­lems being met; relationships, past business such as child­hood traumas still to be integrated. And so on.

If Joyce had dreamt she and her husband were walking up the hill the whole message of the dream would have been different.

If we can accept that dream images are, as Freud stated, a form of thinking, then the change in imagery would be a changed concept.

If the language of dreams is expressed in its images, then the meaning stated is specific to the imagery used.

In processing our dreams, it is therefore profitable to look at the plot to see what it suggests. It can be helpful to change the situation, as we have done with Joyce s. Imagining Joyce walking up the hill on a sunny day, arm in arm with her husband, suggests a happy relationship. This emphasises the situation of independence and lack of support for her hus­band which appears in the real dream. Seeing our dreams as if they were snatches from a film or play, and asking ourself what feelings and human situations they depict, can aid us to clarify them. As a piece of drama, Joyce’s dream says she sees, but does not respond to, her husband’s plight.

Our internal ‘dream producer’ has an amazing sense of the subtle meanings of movement, positioning, and relationship between the elements used. And some of these are subtle.

A way of becoming more aware of what information our dream contains is to use visualisation. Sit comfonably and imagine yourself back in the dream. Replay it just as it was. Remember the whole thing slowly, going through it again while awake. As you do so, be aware of what it feels like in each scene or event. What do the interactions suggest? What does it feel like in the other roles? We can even practise this with other peo­ple’s dreams.

If we imagine ourself in Joyce’s dream, and replay it just as she describes it, we may arrive at a feeling of detachment from the husband.

If we stand in the husband’s role we may feel a great need which is not responded to as we go down hill fast*. In this way we gather a great deal of unspoken’ information from dreams.

Looking at our own dreams in this way can be more diffi­cult, simply because we do not always want to see what is being said about ourself. See amplification; dream process­ing; postures, movement, body language; word analysis of dreams; settings. ... A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences

For instance, a loss of boy­friend or stress caused many young women to have an increased need for sleep. Some people who had undergone successful psychotherapy for their emotional difficulties, and some meditators, found their sleep need was decreased.

Wanting to know more about why these situations changed sleep need, Hartmann went on to study dream sleep in a group of women who suffered premenstrual tension (PMT). This group were prone to depression and irritability during PMT—records show there is an unusually high rate of mur­der, suicide and admission to psychiatric hospitals during this time. Although Hartmann found this group needed a little more sleep time than a control group, the main feature of change was their increased need for dreaming. Their length of time spent in dreaming increased in relationship to their de­pression.

The conclusion reached was that one of the func­tions of dreaming is to help deal with difficult states of emo­tion or anxiety. ... A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences

At its most fundamental, the human religious sense emerges out of several factors. One is the awareness of ex­isting amidst external and internal forces of nature which cause us to feel vulnerable and perhaps powerless. Such natu­ral processes as illness, death, growth and decay, earthquakes, the seasons, confront us with things which are often beyond our ability to control. Considenng the information and re­sources of the times, one of religion’s main functions in the past was the attempted control of the ‘uncertain’ factors in human life, and help towards psychological adjustment to vali­ne rability. Religions were the first social programmes aiding the human need for help and support towards emotional, mental, physical and social health and maturity. Even if prim­itive, such programmes helped groups of people to gain a common identity and live in reasonable harmony together. Like a computer program which is specific to a particular business, such programmes were specific to a particular group, and so are outdated in today’s need for greater integra­tion with other races. Religions also offered some sort of con­cept of and connection with the roots of being.

Example: ‘For two nights running I have dreamt the same nightmare. I am in a chapel walking down the first flight of several flights of steps when I hear loud noises behind me. I am told to run, being warned of the soldiers who ride the cavalry horses nght down the steps, and who run you over if you are in their way.

The horses are fierce and they absolutely race down the steps at the same time every day, and you literally have to lock yourself away in a nearby room which is a long way down the chapel. I ran into the room hearing the pounding of the horses’ hooves. It was a terrible pandemo­nium in that chapel. In the room were school children the same age as me and some perhaps younger’ (Maria H). Maria, who is 16, in describing her dream says she had recently been confronted with whether to have a sexual relationship with her boyfriend. Religion, represented by the chapel, is Maria’s way of locking out her powerful sexual urges. Many dreams show that religion, as a set of beliefs, is used as a way of avoiding anxiety in the face of life’s uncertainties.

For many people, the rigid belief system helps them to avoid uncertainty in making decisions.

Dreams also portray and define the aspect of human expe­rience in which we sense a kinship with all life forms. This is the side of spiritual expenence through which we find a con­nection with the roots of our being. While awake we might see the birth of a colt and feel the wonder of emergence and newness; the struggle to stand up and survive, the miracle of physical and sexual power which can be accepted or feared. In looking in the faces of fellow men and women we see something of what they have done in this strange and painful wonder we call life. We see whether they have been crushed by the forces confronting them; whether they have become ngid; or whether, through some common miracle, they have been able to carry into their mature years the laughter, the crying, the joy, the ability to feel pain, that are the very signs of life within the human soul. These things are sensed by us all, but seldom organised into a comprehensive view of life, and an extraction of meaning. Often it is only in our dreams, through the ability the unconscious has to draw out the signif­icance of such widely divergent expenences, that we glimpse the unity behind phenomena which is an essential of spiritual life, i.e. we all have a life, we breathe, we have come from a mother, so share a universal experience.

Example: To quote J.B. Priestley from his book Rain Upon Godshill: ‘Just before I went to Amenca, dunng the exhausting weeks when I was busy with my Time Plays, I had such a dream, and I think it left a greater impression on my mind than any experience I had ever known before, awake or in dreams, and said more to me about this life than any book I have ever read.

The setting of the dream was quite simple, and owed something to the fact that not long before my wife had visiied the lighthouse here at St Catherine’s to do some bird ringing. I dreamt I was standing at the top of a very high tower, alone, looking down upon myriads of birds all flying in one direction; every kind of bird was there, all the birds in the world. It was a noble sight, this vast aerial river of birds. But now in some mysterious fashion the gear was changed, and time speeded up, so that I saw generations of birds, watched them break their shells, flutter into life, mate, weaken, falter and die. Wings grew only to crumble; bodies were sleek, and then, in a flash bled and shrivelled; and death struck every­where at every second. What was the use of all this blind struggle towards life, this eager trying of wings, this hurried mating, this flight and surge, all this gigantic meaningless ef­fort? As I stared down, seeming to see every creature’s ignoble little history almost at a glance, I felt sick at heart. It would be better if not one of them, if not one of us, had been bom, if the struggle ceased for ever. I stood on my tower, still alone, desperately unhappy. But now the gear was changed again, and the time went faster still, and it was rushing by at such a rate, that the birds could not show any movement, but were like an enormous plain sown with feathers. But along this plain, flickering through the bodies themselves, there now passed a sort of white flame, trembling, dancing, then hurry­ing on; and as soon as I saw it I knew that this white flame was life itself, the very quintessence of being; and then it came to me, in a rocket burst of ecstasy, that nothing mattered, nothing could ever matter, because nothing else was real but this quivering and hurrying lambency of being. Birds, men and creatures not yet shaped and coloured, all were of no account except so far as this flame of life travelled through them. It left nothing to mourn over behind it, what I had thought was tragedy was mere emptiness or a shadow show; for now all real feeling was caught and purified and danced on ecstatically with the white flame of life. I had never before felt such deep happiness as I knew at the end of my dream of the tower and the birds.’

Some Nonh American Indians developed the totem out of similar processes. In one generation a person might learn to plant a seed and eat the results. Later someone might see that through fertilisation more food was produced. Still later some­one found that by irrigating, still more improvement was made. No one individual was responsible for such vital cul­tural information, and the collective information is bigger than any one person, yet individuals can partake of it and add to it.

The totem represented such subtle realities, as it might in a modem dream; as Christ might in today’s unconscious. That older cultures venerated their collective information, and that modem humans seem largely apathetic to it, shows how our ‘religion’ has degenerated. Yet utilising the power of the unconscious to portray the subtle influences which impinge upon us, and building the information gained into our re­sponse to life, is deeply important.

With the growth of authoritarian structures in western reli­gion, and the dominance of the rational mind over feeling values, dreams have been pushed into the background. With this change has developed the sense that visionary dreams were something which ‘superstitious* cultural groups had in the past. Yet thoroughly modem men and women still meet Christ powerfully in dreams and visions. Christ still appears to them as a living being.

The transcendental, the collective or universal enters their life just as frequently as ever before. Sometimes it enters with insistence and power, because a too rational mind has led to an unbalance in the psyche—a bal­ance in which the waking and rational individuality is one pole, and the feeling, connective awareness of the uncon­scious is the other.

Although it is tempting to think of the transcendent as ethereal or unreal, the religious in dreams is nearly always a symbol for the major processes of maturing in human life. We are the hero/ine who meets the dangers of life outside the womb, who faces growth, ageing and death.

The awe and deep emotions we unconsciously feel about such heroic deeds are depicted by religious emotion.

See angel; Christ, rebirth and Devil under archetypes; church; evil; fish, sea creatures; example in whale under fish, sea creatures; heaven, hell; sweets under food; dream as spiritual guide. See also hero/ine; mass; masturbation; old; paralysis; colours; sheep under animals. ... A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences

A woman is not likely see herself as a castrated man, and aggressive masculinity is today accepted by man and woman as an important part of themselves and does not need to be punished with castration. Castration dreams today are mostly seen as referring to work and vitality. Also, castration dreams dreamed by women and men are often a reference to their relationship.

If a relationship is problematic and a partner feels restricted, fantasies and images about castration are normal. Castration dreams, in rare cases, may also have a positive side: one is liberating oneself from burdensome tasks. See Donkey, Genital Organ, Sexuality.... Little Giant Encyclopedia

Men seldom experience this dream. Men usually dream of toads.

If a man dreams of a frog, it usually indicates cowardice.

Folklore: Business success.... Little Giant Encyclopedia

According to Jung, this is the place where you get something that you don’t have and that you have to pay for. See Businessman, Cash Register.... Little Giant Encyclopedia

If not, this symbol may be pointing to the ability to digest and to metabolize, to be receptive, and to deal with intellectual and emotional “food.”

A full stomach points to overstimulation and too much consumption.

An empty stomach is an indication of greed; you feel short-changed.... Little Giant Encyclopedia

1- When we dream of monsters or prehistoric animals we arc touching into very basic images which have the power to frighten and amaze us. Because thev are considered to be so large, we need to be aware of whether it is their size or their power which is frightening. Urges as basic as this can threaten our existence, by either their size or power.

2- We are in touch with an archaic or outmoded part of ourselves. Remembering that the dinosaur is extinct, and that for most people they are perceived as fossils, such a dream can recognise the part of ourselves that has become set in stone.

3- We all have within us a chaotic past which has been a huge part of our lives. Spiritual progress dictates that we understand that this part can be changed and our present selves can grow from that ability to change. Old standards have to break down.... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

2- By raising one’s consciousness, the energy within a situation can be changed for the better. We have it within our power to create opportunities for transformation.

3- Fire and water combined is an alchemical svmbol for the transformative power of the Spirit.... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

1- Many people associate the frog with a visible growth pattern which mirrors the growth to maturity of the human being. In dreams, to see a frog at a particular stage of its growth depicts the feeling we have about ourselves.

For instance, to see it at the stage where it has grown its back legs would suggest that we capable of moving forward in leaps and bounds.

2- The frog is a symbol of fertility and eroticism. In dreams it is also representative of an aspect of character that can be changed, something nasty that can be changed into good. This image is seen in myths and legends where the frog becomes a prince.

3- Transmutation.... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

The images will reflect how we are feeling, what obstacles there are, possible courses of action and what our ultimate goal should or mav be.

The dream will bring in images from the past or recognisable scenes to help us interpret what is going on and move forward to meet our destiny.

Any sense of having completed a journey - arriving home, touching down and so on indicates the successful completion of our aims. Collisions represent arguments and conflicts which arc often caused by our own aggression.

A difficult journey now behind us means we have come through the difficulties and setbacks of the past.

The obstacles ahead indicates we are aware of the difficulties which may occur.

We do need to be aware that we ourselves create the problems. Our own attitude to life is perhaps responsible. Turning a corner shows we have accepted the need for a change of direction. We may have made a major decision. Avoiding an accident means we are able to control our impulses. Stopping and starting suggests there is conflict between laziness and drive. At a standstill/in a traffic jam indicates we arc being prevented, or are preventing ourselves, from moving forward. This needs handling with care, since to stop may be appropriate. Departing (departures from airports, stations, etc.) Formerly all departures were interpreted as death. Nowadays the symbolism is much more of a new- beginning. We are leaving the old life in order to undertake something new. When someone in outlives leaves us, wc may dream of departures and the grief’ that parting causes. In certain circumstances, to dream of wanting to leave but not being able to suggests that there is still further work to be done.

To be conscious of the time of departure might suggest that we are aware of a time limit within an area of our lives.

The destination, when it becomes apparent, will give some ideas about the aims and objectives we have. Our declared hopes and ideals may not correspond with those we subconsciously have our inner motivation may be totally- different to our outer behaviour and dreams will highlight this discrepancy.

The exact nature of our objective is often not known to us until after we have confronted the obstacles and challenges along the way.

It is often enough just to have an aim for that particular section of the journey.

Driving The whole of the symbolism of driving in dreams is particularly obvious. It represents our basic urges, wants and needs.

If we are driving we arc in control.

If we are not happy when someone else is driving we may not trust that person and may not wish to be dependent on them. When someone else takes over, we are becoming passive.

If we are overtaking the car in front, we are achieving success, but perhaps in a competitive manner. When we are overtaken, we may feel someone else has got the better of us. Once again the way we are in everyday life is reflected in the dream. Our drives, aggressions, fears and doubts arc all reflected in our driving.

Engine This represents the sexual impulse or instinctive drives, one’s basic motivation.

Passenger It will depend if we are a passenger in a vehicle or are carrying passengers.

If the former, we may feel that we are being carried along by circumstances, and have not really thought out our own way forward.

If the latter, we may have know- ingly or inadvertently made ourselves responsible for other people. Travelling with one other passenger suggests we may be considering our relationship with that person.

Road The road in a dream suggests our own individual way forward. Just as each individual vehicle demonstrates the dreamer’s body and external way of being, so the road reflects the way of doing. Any obstacle in the road will reflect difficulties on the chosen path. Any turns in the road will suggest changes of direction. Crossroads will offer choices, while a cul-de-sac would signify a dead end.

If a particular stretch of road is highlighted il may be a period of lime, or may mean an efTort. Going uphill will suggest extra effort while going downhill will suggest lack of conlrol. Traffic accidents and offences These may all be to do with sexuality or self image; perhaps we are not being careful to ensure that our conduct is good.

A collision might suggest a conflict with someone. Road rage would signify not being in control of our emolions and so on.

2- The type of transport may- suggest how we are moving through this particular stage of our lives. Previously the horse was used as an image to depict how we dealt with life. Nowadays the car, the aeroplane and so on have been substituted.

The vehicle which appears in our dreams often conforms with the view we hold of ourselves.

For instance, we may be driving a very basic type of car or a Rolls Roycc (One dreamer described an image he had as a Rolls Rovce that thinks it’s a Mini’). Such an image may represent either our physical body or our personality.

If the dreamer is driving he perhaps feels more in control of his own destinv.

If he is a passenger he may feel others are trying to control his life.

If he is with friends he may be aware of a group goal.

If he does not know the other people he may need to explore his ability to make social relationships. Aeroplane (also see individual entry) An aeroplane suggests a swift easy journey with some attention to detail. We may be embarking on a new sexual relationship.

An airman or pilot This is a romanticised picturc of either the Animus or of the Self (see Inhvdiu tion). Bicycling This suggests youth and freedom, and perhaps the first stirrings of sexual awareness. Boats (and sea voyages) It will depend on what kind of boat is in the dream.

A small rowing boat would suggest an emotional journey but one done alone.

A yacht might suggest a similar journey clone with style, whereas a large ship would suggest creating new- horizons but in the company of others. What the boat does in the dream will have relevance as a reflection of our waking life, e.g. running aground, pulling into harbour etc. Making a long journey This suggests leaving friends and family as would running away to sea.

Disembarking The end of a project, successful or otherwise. Missing the boat We have not paid enough attention to detail in a project in our waking lives. Any narrow waterway or river suggests the birth experience. Ship A ship is usually taken as feminine because of its capricious- ness. Ferry, rowboat This holds all the symbolism of the journey across the River Styx after death.

It is the giving up of selfish desires.

After this we may be ‘reborn’ into a better life, or way of life. Bus (also see individual entry) A bus journey is that part of our lives where we are conscious of the need to travel and to be with other people. We perhaps have a common aim with them. Trouble with timetables, missing the bus, arriving too early, missing a connection We arc not in control of our lives and perhaps should sit down and replan how we wish to continue our lives. Getting on the wrong bus, going the wrong way There are conflicting desires and we need to listen to our own intuition. This is usually a warning of a wrong action. Not being able to pay the fare We do not have enough resources to set out on a particular course of action. It may be that we have not paid attention to detail.

Car (carriage, cart, chariot) (also see individual entries) The car is a reflection of the dreamer and how he or she handles life. It reflects the physical body, so anything wrong with the car will alert us to a problem.

For instance if the engine is not working properly we are not able to get up enough energy to go 011. If the starting motor was not working this would suggest that we need help to start a project.

It is for us to be able to translate the symbolism into our own lives. Even in everyday life it can be seen that a car is a reflection of a person’s self image and possibly sexuality. Any part of the car will have significance.

The back tyres might suggest the dreamer’s support system, the steering wheel the way we control our lives and so on.

If the brakes are not working we are not exercising proper control over our lives. Too many people in the car would suggest that we feel overloaded by responsibility. Lorry A lorry in a dream will have the same significance as a car. except that the drives and ambitions will be connected more with our work and how we relate on a business basis to the world in general.

Motorbike, motorcycle The motorbike is a symbol of masculine youth and daring. In dreams it is an image of independent behaviour, and is often a symbol for the sexual act. It can also be a symbol of freedom.

A Hell’s Angel would suggest some kind of anarchical behaviour. Trains A train will often highlight the dreamer’s attitude to social behaviour and relationships with other people. It will also clarify his attitude to himself.

A steam train would suggest that we feel ourselves to be outdated and obsolete, whereas an up-to-date electric turbo might suggest speed and efficiency. Catching the train shows we have successfully been able to have outside circumstances co-operate with us in achieving a particular goal. Missing the train We do not have the resources to enable us to succeed in an appropriate way either bccause we have forgotten something, or because we have not been sufficiently careful. We fear that we will miss an opportunity. Equally, we may feel that external circumstances are imposing an element of control over us. Often dreams of missing a train and then catching either it or a later one, suggest that we are managing our inner resources better. Dreams of missing a train alternating with those of catching one shows we are trying to sort out our motivation. Getting off the train before its destination We are afraid of succeeding at a particular project. This can also signify premature ejaculation. We do not appear to be in control. Getting off the train before it starts The dreamer has changed his mind about a situation in waking life. Railway lines and tracks will have significance as ways of getting us to our destination. Being conscious of the way the track runs ahead may give us an inkling as to what direction we arc going. Recognising the signals up ahead would have the same significance. Coming off the rails might suggest doing something inappropriate or of not being in control. Not wanting to be on the train might indicate we feel we are being unduly influenced by outside circumstances. Arriving at a station indicates we have completed a stage of our life journey. We may be ready for a new relationship with the world in general.

The carriages on a train suggest the various compartments or sections of our lives and the way we feel about them.

For example, if a carriage is untidy or dirty, we are aware that we need to ‘clean up’ an aspect of our lives.

Walk If in our dreams we are aware of having to walk, it usually suggests that we are capable of making a part of our life journey by ourselves without any help. Going for a walk We can enjoy the process of recharging our batteries and clearing our minds.

3- The image of a journey becomes more apparent as time goes on and death approaches. We become more aware of reaching our final destination.... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

2- Romantic memories figure largely in dream imagery.

To dream of something which is very precious to us, and has been given by someone else, allows us to recognise the beauty held within. 3A keepsake in the spiritual sense is an object which, because of the high regard the owner has for it, is sacred. It will probably have been blessed in some way.... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

2- Sometimes an experience which we have in waking life can be unpleasant in the immediate moment, but ultimately is good for us. In dreams, medicine can stand as such a symbol.

3- The spiritual need for a healing influence in our lives is indicated by medicine appearing.

The dreamer can look at what his own requirements are in this domain.... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

If it is a shop we know then we are probably consciously aware of what we want from life.

If it is an unknown shop then we may have to search our minds for information.

A supermarket would suggest we have to make a choice.

To be shopping is to be making a fair exchange for the satisfaction of our desires. We have the energy (money) which can be exchanged for something we want. What we are shopping for may have relevance.

If we arc shopping for food we need sustenance; if for clothes we may need protection.

In spiritual terms a shop has the same significance as a market (see Market).... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

2- Wax can also to be taken to represent insincerity.

It is something that is consumed by the flame for instance, of a candle - and therefore can be moved and changed into something else with qualities that it did not initially have.

3- Wax is symbolic of the need for spiritual pliability, and the desire to move away from rigidity.... Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary

Victory, recognition, and success. Bay crowns were used in Greece to honor kings, priests, poets, and heroes.

Unrequited love. Daphne was changed to a bay laurel tree to keep her safe from Apollo’s pursuit.

Averting emotional storms. Anciently this herb was considered a good amulet to protect the home against damage from thunder and lightning.... The Language of Dreams

Pointing at someone or something represents an accusation. Alternatively, in a magical setting this may symbolize directing power toward an intended goal.

A finger to the lips indicates silence as the best course of action right now. Hold your words and use this time to think things through.

Raising the two central fingers is a protective emblem from classical times, averting the influence of the “evil eye.” Consider from what or whom you feel the need to protect yourself and why.

Clenched fingers reflect tension or anger that has not been directed constructively.

The central finger of the hand is an emblem of the phallus, which actually dates back to Rome when prostitutes used it to beckon their customers. This usage slowly changed to our modern insult. Tlie question here is to whom is the insult directed and why?

Crossed fingers symbolize your wishes and hopes.

Fingernails have several implications. First, they were a common component for magical spells to gain power over another. Second, depending on how they’re used in the dream, these can be a kind of weapon. In addition, fingernails over a blackboard reveal irritations.... The Language of Dreams

Something precious, to be cared for and guarded with due diligence.

The gem of truth. Facts revealing themselves.

Commitments and devotion. Precious gems, especially diamonds, are exchanged as part of engagement or wedding rites.

In a ring: Authority. Popes, kings, and other authority figures often wear gold rings mounted with precious gems as a sign of office.

Metaphysically: Assisted health, protection, or improved personal characteristics. People in nearly every ancient culture carried or wore precious gems as amulets, charms, and talismans for a variety of positive purposes.

Each precious or semiprecious gem carries different meanings within a dream. Amber equates to feeling trapped, diamonds are for love, emeralds represent resourcefulness, and garnets portend the end to a period of questioning. Additionally, jade indicates health, moonstone stands for foresight and all things feminine, opal represents financial

situations, ruby is a type of fire dream, and sapphire shows faithfulness on your part.

For more ideas along these lines, try reading my book Folkways or any book that includes the lore of gems.

Faceted gems represent different aspects in something or someone, including the Divine and yourself.... The Language of Dreams

Being entangled by a very possessive personality.

Many hands make light work. Have you sought out assistance from those you know are capable of helping you right now?

An alternative figure for the number eight, a wheel, and a circle.

Inconsistency of words or actions, especially when you feel pressured.

The octopus, like the chameleon, changes color under stress.

Deceiving others through appearance. Both Pliny and Aristotle hypothesized that the octopus changed its colors to fool its prey.

Creativity gone awry. In oceanic cultures, the octopus holds a place in creation myths, but often those that don’t come out quite right.... The Language of Dreams

An alternative circle emblem denoting eternity, repeated cycles, or longevity.

Binding relationships. In written history, wedding rings were exchanged as early as ancient Rome, and probablv before.

If depicted as a nose ring, this relationship may be very manipulative.

A symbol of authority or belonging.

For example, high school rings indicate your place among that group, whereas a bishop’s ring denotes a position of leadership.

A brass ring speaks of goals and hopes (e.g., “reaching for the brass ring”). Consider where this ring appears in your dream to see how close you are to obtaining those desires.

An acrobat on a set of rings reveals someone who has an excellent grip on a difficult situation in which thev’re in the spotlight.

A ring appearing around the collar of a shirt either indicates that you are paying too much attention to superficial, or that you need to clean up your act (probably the way you talk considering where a collar lies).... The Language of Dreams

A recognition of finality and ending (e.g., “singing one’s swan song”).

Among Hindus, this bird is interchangeable with the goose, representing creative origination and the breath of life.

The Celts regarded the swan as a solar bird that was beneficent and a shape-shifter. In a dream, this can relate to your ability to adapt to a new situation gracefully.

Native American: An emblem of trust and forgiveness.

Swans are also representative of love interests, being sacred to Aphrodite, Venus, and Zeus, the latter of whom changed himself into a swan to pursue the affection of Leda.

Dreaming of two swans together portends very devoted relationships. Swans mate for life.

Because of the story of the Ugly Duckling, swans also represent positive transformations in self-image. It can also reflect spending time with the wrong groups of people who engender lower self-esteem.... The Language of Dreams

To be changed from little to great, and again from great to be greater, so that you exceed not reason, is good, for it is increase of business and goods; but to be greater than common use is death. Aiso, it is ill for an old man to be changed into a young man, or a young man into a child, for they shall change to a worse estate; but the contrary is good, for they shall come to a better estate.

To dream of being turned into a woman is very good for men in mean circumstances. Rich men who dream thus will meet with misfortunes; and such a dream is bad to all handicraftsmen whose labor is hard.

If a woman dream that she is an unmarried man, without children, she will have both husband and children; but if married, and having children, she will die a widow.

To be turned into brass shows some sudden quarrel and victory; it is good for military men. Iron shows hardness and misery. Clay or earth foretells dissolution; but those who deal in earthenware may reap good from such a dream. Rocks, stone, flint, etc. , show continuai hard usage, with mocks, reproaches, blows, and slanders.

To dream that you are turned into a beast, shows thai your nature partakes, or will partake, of the nature of that beast.... The Complete Dream Book

Vision: Seeing a baker: a present worry is going to be resolved; something changes for the better. Seeing a baker baking bread: be careful, people want something from you. Seeing a baker s oven actively being used: you can expect improvement in a financial matter; the same is true also when you are the baker, baking. See Cook.

Depth Psychology: Dreaming about a baker or baking indicates that a change will take place for the better. So—don’t stop dreaming about baking! The baker may reminds you of people with similar last names.

The oven means that your financial situation will improve. Seeing embers stands for harmony in all areas of your life.... Dreamers Dictionary

Dreaming of being executed: others are putting you down and you feel ashamed. See Gallows, Hanging. Murder.

Depth Psychology: Your opinions or assumptions are going to change (or have already).

A dream about an execution suggests revising an opinion you have had about certain events. Put your changed attitude to work.... Dreamers Dictionary

Depth Psychology: Being homesick is a longing for the past. Much has changed in your life, and you now can admit that much you held dear (in relationships) has been lost.... Dreamers Dictionary

Depth Psychology: Dreaming about moss: you need not worry about money; however, your emphasis on material things needs to be changed, because it hampers your freedom and keeps other parts of your personality hidden.... Dreamers Dictionary

A shoemaker is repairing your shoes: a friend is helping you and a project that seemed hopeless is going to turn out okay after all.

Depth Psychology: With help from others you have a changed attitude and correcting a mistake gives you new insight.... Dreamers Dictionary

To dream of hair falling out indicates extreme fears may be running unchecked in your emotional body. There is a strong message here to examine your inner world before stress manifests itself from uneasiness.

If the loss of hair in a dream is random and in clumps, a fear of death is lurking and needs to be addressed so as to improve your general demeanor.

Dreaming of watching someone else lose their hair may be a reminder to forgive a member of your immediate family and attempt to build bridges instead of waiting for the other party to make the first move.

To dream of waking up covered in hair suggests a need to come to terms with your body and begin to appreciate all it does for you. This is a message of self-love and that you can find the courage needed to make an all important connection with yourself.

Dreaming of hair in your mouth implies confusion related to responsibility.

It is possible that you may be abdicating responsibility, but more likely you are receiving mixed messages and consequently taking on responsibility that doesn’t belong to you. Seeing hair before you in a dream indicates an embarrassing moment best forgotten. Noticing hair in your food suggests you may have been dwelling on a humiliating moment from your past. This is something that cannot be changed and needs to be released.

To dream of hair tied in a sleek knot is an indication of special person in your waking life.

The knot is to remind you of the special gift you have received through having known that person.

Dreaming of hair in tangles or messy knots implies a messy waking life that needs some tidying up. Tangled hair is a reminder to examine your life for opportunities to simplify and organize. Braided hair in your dream is the unconscious recognition of childlike innocence and successful organization skills.

A rational mind and a playful heart may be the ticket to great success for you at this time.

To dream of a radical hairstyle change, indicates a potential holiday or change of scene in coming days. Some time away may broaden your perspective on a current idea and bring about an exciting outcome. Cutting somebody’s hair in a dream suggests a wish for control in a relationship, quite likely with a work colleague.

If your hair is being cut in a dream it is possible that you believe an idea of yours has been stolen and resentment is consequently building within you.

To be styling, combing or grooming your own hair or a loved one’s hair, implies special care is being given or needs to be given to an important undertaking in your waking life. Smelling hair in a dream is a message of secrets.

To be enjoying the aroma of hair may mean exciting and happy secrets that you will derive pleasure from.

To be dreaming of foul-smelling hair implies secrets you would rather not hear and that you are not obligated to keep.

It is also a subtle reminder to refuse to keep secrets when you know it is not healthy for you to do so.... Dream Symbols and Analysis

To dream that you are threatened by an outlaw indicates that you are afraid of an improper desire’s power over you.... Dream Symbols and Analysis