To see many elephants, denotes tremendous prosperity. One lone elephant, signifies you will live in a small but solid way.
To dream of feeding one, denotes that you will elevate yourself in your community by your kindness to those occupying places below you. ... elephant dream meaning
To eat with others, denotes personal gain, cheerful environments and prosperous undertakings.
If your daughter carries away the platter of meat before you are done eating, it foretells that you will have trouble and vexation from those beneath you or dependent upon you.
The same would apply to a waiter or waitress. See other subjects similar. ... eating dream meaning
The eclipse of the moon, portends contagious disease or death. ... eclipse dream meaning
If you escape from some place of confinement, it signifies your rise in the world from close application to business.
To escape from any contagion, denotes your good health and prosperity.
If you try to escape and fail, you will suffer from the design of enemies, who will slander and defraud you. ... escape dream meaning
If you see one go down and think you are left, you will narrowly escape disappointment in some undertaking.
To see one standing, foretells threatened danger. ... elevator dream meaning
If you are defamed by your enemies, it denotes that you will be threatened with failures in your work. You will be wise to use the utmost caution in proceeding in affairs of any moment.
To overcome your enemies in any form, signifies your gain.
For them to get the better of you is ominous of adverse fortunes. This dream may be literal. ... enemy dream meaning
2. If fertile, bodes well for a project.
3. If arid or barren, bodes ill for a project.
4. It’s time to get back to basics. ... earth dream meaning
To see stars shining out clear, denotes present distress, but brighter fortune is behind your trouble.
For lovers to walk in the evening, denotes separation by the death of one. ... evening dream meaning
If you are shocked by it you will face a deplorable danger.
To see live electrical wire, foretells that enemies will disturb your plans, which have given you much anxiety in forming.
To dream that you can send a package or yourself out over a wire with the same rapidity that a message can be sent, denotes you will finally overcome obstacles and be able to use your enemies’ plans to advance yourself. ... electricity dream meaning
To think your face, or the face of others, is blackened or mutilated, signifies you will be accused of indiscretion which will be unjust, though circumstances may convict you.
To see the air filled with smoke and de’bris, denotes unusual dissatisfaction in business circles and much social antagonism.
To think you are enveloped in the flames, or are up in the air where you have been blown by an explosion, foretells that unworthy friends will infringe on your rights and will abuse your confidence. Young women should be careful of associates of the opposite sex after a dream of this character. ... explosion dream meaning
For a lover to see an emerald or emeralds on the person of his affianced, warns him that he is about to be discarded for some wealthier suitor.
To dream that you buy an emerald, signifies unfortunate dealings. ... emerald dream meaning
To see them broken, indicates that gossip of a low order will be directed against you. ... earrings dream meaning
For young people to dream that they are engaged, denotes that they will not be much admired.
To dream of breaking an engagement, denotes a hasty, and an unwise action in some important matter or disappointments may follow.... engagement dream meaning
2. A generalized term for hatred. ... evil dream meaning
To dream that you are about to be executed, and some miraculous intervention occurs, denotes that you will overthrow enemies and succeed in gaining wealth. ... execution dream meaning
To see an eel in clear water, denotes, for a woman, new but evanescent pleasures.
To see a dead eel, signifies that you will overcome your most maliciously inclined enemies.
To lovers, the dream denotes an end to long and hazardous courtship by marriage. ... eel dream meaning
To eat eggs, denotes that unusual disturbances threaten you in your home.
To see broken eggs and they are fresh, fortune is ready to shower upon you her richest gifts.
A lofty spirit and high regard for justice will make you beloved by the world.
To dream of rotten eggs, denotes loss of property and degradation.
To see a crate of eggs, denotes that you will engage in profitable speculations.
To dream of being spattered with eggs, denotes that you will sport riches of doubtful origin.
To see bird eggs, signifies legacies from distant relations, or gain from an unexpected rise in staple products. ... eggs dream meaning
For a married man to see embroidery, signifies a new member in his household, For a lover, this denotes a wise and economical wife. ... embroidery dream meaning
2. A new idea.
3. If pregnant, hoping that the baby passes scrutiny, comes out okay. ... embryo dream meaning
To dream that you are in places of learning, foretells for you many influential friends. ... education dream meaning
To dream of being out of work, denotes that you will have no fear, as you are always sought out for your conscientious fulfilment of contracts, which make you a desired help. Giving employment to others, indicates loss for yourself. All dreams of this nature may be interpreted as the above. ... employment dream meaning
To dream of brown eyes, denotes deceit and perfidy.
To see blue eyes, denotes weakness in carrying out any intention.
To see gray eyes, denotes a love of flattery for the owner.
To dream of losing an eye, or that the eyes are sore, denotes trouble.
To see a one-eyed man, denotes that you will be threatened with loss and trouble, beside which all others will appear insignificant. ... eye dream meaning
To embrace relatives, signifies their sickness and unhappiness.
For lovers to dream of embracing, foretells quarrels and disagreements arising from infidelity.
If these dreams take place under auspicious conditions, the reverse may be expected.
If you embrace a stranger, it signifies that you will have an unwelcome guest. ... embrace dream meaning
If you dream of being envied by others, it denotes that you will suffer some inconvenience from friends overanxious to please you. ... envy dream meaning
For a young woman to dream that she is exchanging sweethearts with her friend, indicates that she will do well to heed this as advice, as she would be happier with another. ... exchange dream meaning
An emotional volcano... eruption dream meaning
2. Going down an escalator means that one has successfully dealt with something. ... escalator dream meaning
2. If one takes off glasses, the situation is unpalatable.
3. If glasses are broken, something may be wrong with one’s view of life. ... eyeglasses dream meaning
For a young woman to feel that she is disappointed with the sights of Europe, omens her inability to appreciate chances for her elevation. She will be likely to disappoint her friends or lover. ... europe dream meaning
To see one broken down, foretells accident or serious loss For a young woman to ride on one, denotes she will engage in some unladylike and obnoxious affair. ... fire-engine dream meaning
1- The dreamer’s attitude to sex often becomes apparent in dreams through the sexual act, and to ejaculate in a dream may be an effort to understand negative feelings. It could also simply be indicative of the need for release, and the satisfaction of sexual needs.
2- The act of ejaculation may be the giving up of old fears and doubts about oneself and one’s sexual prowess.
3- Ejaculation, quite literally, may- signify a loss of power or ‘the little death’.... ejaculation dream meaning
If you experience ecstasy in disturbing dreams you will be subjected to sorrow and disappointment. ... ecstasy dream meaning
2. Masculine power.
3. Fertility symbol (note size). ... penis dream meaning
If one sees himself harkening to another person in a dream, it means that he desires to defame him or expose his pitfalls.
If one sees himself listening to some talks of which he follows the better avenues in the dream, it means that he will receive glad tidings.
If one sees himself listening to admonition but ignoring it in a dream, it means that he lies as a habit.... eavesdropping dream meaning
End of path, road: the end of one’s life, the boundary of what one already knows or has done; end of a relationship (especially if walking with person). End of tunnel, cave, finding the way out of a difficult or depressed stage of life. End of table, queue: feeling left out, unconsidered, forgotten; putting oneself last. End of garden, room, road: can be used to show polarity or opposites, as in following. Example: ‘1 found myself alone in the garden at the far end of the house near the stables’ (MM). Here the end’ relates to being alone, as opposed to being in the house with people. Idioms: at an end, end of one’s tether, wits’ end; end of the day, be the end of; a sticky end; dead end, the deep end; end it all, end of the line; both ends meet; not the end of the world; loose ends; to no end; light at the end of the tunnel. See cul de sac. ... end dream meaning
To the young, this is a dream of many and varied pleasures and the high regard of friends. ... entertainment dream meaning
To see others thus clothed, you will be associated with wealthy people, polished in literature and art.
For a lover to see his sweetheart clothed in ermine, is an omen of purity and faithfulness.
If the ermine is soiled, the reverse is indicated. ... ermine dream meaning
For a young woman, this dream portends that her inheritance will be of a disappointing nature. She will have to live quite frugally, as her inheritance will be a poor man and a house full of children. ... estate dream meaning
For a young woman to dream that she impersonates Eve, warns her to be careful. She may be wiser than her ancient relative, but the Evil One still has powerful agents in the disguise of a handsome man. Keep your eye on innocent Eve, young man. That apple tree still bears fruit, and you may be persuaded, unwittingly, to share the wealth of its products. ... eve dream meaning
To see them in the garden, Adam dressed in his fig leaf, but Eve perfectly nude save for an Oriental colored serpent ornamenting her waist and abdomen, signifies that treachery and ill faith will combine to overthrow your fortune.
To see or hear Eve conversing with the serpent, foretells that artful women will reduce you to the loss of fortune and reputation. ... adam and eve dream meaning
It is a free presentiment of prosperity to all classes. ... evergreen dream meaning
2. Suppressing one’s feelings. ... epilepsy dream meaning
2. Mistakes need to be cleared up. ... eraser dream meaning
2. A quick trip to failure. ... express dream meaning
For instance one may feel trapped by one’s own feelings of dependence upon family.
Example: ‘1 am trapped in a bricked room with no way out and I shout for somebody to help me. Then either a big bird or a creature with long arms tries to catch me, and I scream’ (Karen S). Karen had previously lost a baby, been divorced, had an unsatisfying relationship with a man. She feels trapped by the defences she has herself built ‘brick by brick’, but is frightened of the opportunity of change represented by the bird. What encloses or traps us in our dream gives a clue to what constrains us in waking.
Example: ‘As I go through a tunnel it either gets smaller so I can’t get through, or it goes on so far there is no end to it. I am trapped and terrified’ (Don M). This son of enclosed dream is typical of trauma relating to a difficult binh. In fact Don’s mother was in labour for four days, and never had another child because of the pain. ... enclosed, enclosure dream meaning
If there is a tendency to repress the sexual need, it may happen that one masturbates during sleep, in an attempt to release sexual pressure. Because the person has consciously decided not to allow sexuality, this might give rise to a feeling of being possessed by another will. In fact our unconscious will to express our needs has overridden the conscious decision during sleep. Out of such a split in the person, ideas about devils and possession probably arose. Although Christianity at a fundamental level appears to teach the love and acceptance of all sides of human nature—therefore integration through love thy neighbour as thyself, so love thyself—in practice it becomes tight morality which creates devils through rejection and splits in human nature. In many Christians, there are enormous conflicts between sexuality, love, work and spirituality. ... masturbation dream meaning
2- Dreaming of an Easter egg indicates there is a great deal of potential available to us on a mental level that needs releasing.
3- An Easter egg is associated with Spring, as in ‘hope springs eternal’. Rebirth and resurrection.... easter egg dream meaning
2- Occasionally in order to understand a dream it is easier to ignore the symbols and simply work with the moods, feelings and emotions that have surfaced. Doing this will yen,- often give us a clearer interpretation of what is going on inside us, rather than confusing ourselves by trying to interpret myriad symbols.
3- Our emotional requirement, particularly responsiveness, to something which is a more subtle energy permits us to begin the process of development.... emotions dream meaning
To dream of engineering works as in roadworks is to recognise the need for some adjustment in part of our lives.
2- Engineering suggests ability to use forces which arc not normally available to us through techniques and mechanical means.
To dream of engineering in this way highlights our ability to take control of power which is external to us. We are able to manipulate in order to achieve.
3- Spiritual engineering signifies gaining control of our own inner power and being able to make use of it.... engineering dream meaning
For a young woman, this is a prognostic of favorable opportunities to make a reasonably wealthy marriage.
If the elbows are soiled, she will lose a good chance of securing a home by marriage. ... elbows dream meaning
To dream of the entrails of a wild beast, signifies the overthrow of your mortal enemy.
To tear the entrails of another, signifies cruel persecutions to further your own interests.
To dream of your own entrails, the deepest despair will overwhelm you.
To dream of the entrails of your own child, denotes that the child’s, or your own, dissolution is at hand. See Intestines.... entrails dream meaning
For a young woman to send some person on an errand, denotes she will lose her lover by her indifference to meet his wishes. ... errands dream meaning
2. Reluctance to get involved sexually with anyone.
3. Afraid to have a baby. ... condom dream meaning
If a ewe leaves one’s house in a dream, it means divorce or the death of one’s wife.
If a ewe turns into a ram in a dream, it means infertility.
A pregnant ewe in a dream means expecting to receive some money. Fighting with a ewe in a dream means an argument with a woman. Seeing a ewe in a dream also means distress, adversities, loss of one’s husband or job.
(Also see Ram; Sheep)... ewe dream meaning
The dreamer in the example was a man in his 40s who had taken up meditation on the suggestion of a friend. It shows him discovering and uncovering a pan of himself he had not known before. In doing so he meets explosive emotions and conflicts he is not used to dealing with. Digging usually depicts delving into hidden or buried areas of ourself. We may uncover feelings from our childhood—creative realisations, features of the unconscious, even dead bodies or ancient creatures. Digging can also represent our work on renovating our attitudes, personality structure or habits. See garden. ... digging, excavation dream meaning
2- In a dream to be planning an elopement is creating circumstances where others do not understand the motives behind our actions. We are aware of our own need for some sort of integration within our personalities but cannot do this without people misunderstanding.
3- Elopement signifies a union Spiritual or otherwise particularly in adversity.... eloping / elopement dream meaning
If you are sent on an errand, you are planning on being unfaithful.... errand dream meaning
If you are dialing 911, then you are calling out for help. You are in a situation that leaves you feeling helpless and you need support to return to balance. See Hospital.... emergency dream meaning
If you continue your drive without unpleasant incidents arising, you will succeed in turning these forebodings to useful account in your advancement.
To ride on horseback along one, denotes you will fearlessly meet and overcome all obstacles in your way to wealth and happiness.
To walk along one, you will have a weary struggle for elevation, but will &ally reap a successful reward. ... embankment dream meaning
To dream of an empress and an emperor is not particularly bad, but brings one no substantial good. ... empress dream meaning
To dream that you an epicure yourself, you will cultivate your mind, body and taste to the highest polish.
For a woman to dream of trying to satisfy an epicure, signifies that she will have a distinguished husband, but to her he will be a tyrant. ... epicure dream meaning
2. One does not belong to a group.
3. One does not feel capable of coping with a particular situation.
4. Desire to rid oneself of a certain personality characteristic.
5. Desire to rid oneself of a person or relationship.
6. Desire to rid oneself of a person who symbolizes an undesirable characteristic of the dreamer’s. ... eviction dream meaning
(Also see Deserted)... emptiness dream meaning
The highranking officer or the review officer in such a dream also represents a compassionate person who cares, and who frequently asks about his friends, helps them solve their problems, and assists them in every possible way.
(Also see Hearing board; Inquisitional court)... exhibition dream meaning
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.... evaporation dream meaning
1- The enchantress is such a strong image within both the masculine and feminine psyches that she can appear in dreams in many guises. She is the feminine principle in its binding and destroying aspect; the evil witch or the beautiful seductress. She has the power to create illusion, and the ability to delude others.
2- As the negative aspect of the feminine, the enchantress can appear in dreams as a woman meets her self-destructive side. She is to be understood rather than feared.
3- An enchantress exudes the destructive side of the Feminine, as represented by Lilith.... enchantress dream meaning
2- To be walking in woods of evergreen trees indicates a need for peace and tranquillity.
3- Evergreens because of their ability to survive any conditions signify everlasting life.... evergreens dream meaning
An earthquake represents spiritual upheaval.... earth / earthquake dream meaning
It is in this sense that the wise old man represents an inner wisdom.... elder / elderly dream meaning
The first suggests vulnerability and the second the ability to reveal – for instance, a truth.... expose / exposure dream meaning
To the married, it denotes that you hold places which you are unworthy to fill, and if your ways are not rectified your reputation will be at stake.
To the unmarried, it foretells disappointments in love and the unfaithfulness of men.
To dream that your lover has eloped with some one else, denotes his or her unfaithfulness.
To dream of your friend eloping with one whom you do not approve, denotes that you will soon hear of them contracting a disagreeable marriage. ... elopement dream meaning
To dream that you are looking at yourself embalmed, omens unfortunate friendships for you, which will force you into lower classes than you are accustomed to move in. ... embalming dream meaning
If he is pleasant and has communications of interest, you will find no cause for evil or embarrassing conditions upon waking. ... employee dream meaning
The young should heed the benevolent advice of their elders.
To resist enchantment, foretells that you will be much sought after for your wise counsels and your liberality.
To dream of trying to enchant others, portends that you will fall into evil. ... enchantment dream meaning
2. Wise.
3. Seek out someone who’s experienced to get help with a problem. ... elderly dream meaning
2. Desire to get more respect. ... elegance dream meaning
2. Yearning to be free—and happy. ... eloping dream meaning
2. Exercise control.
3. Desire for someone. ... erection dream meaning
2. Being in an empty town indicates one has a feeling that he/she will be deserted. ... evacuation dream meaning
2. A change for the better (to change into clean ones).
3. Exposure, shame, embarrassment (to be caught in).
4. Feminine self; an exploration of sexuality. ... panties dream meaning
The action of the hean on the other systems is obvious, and the influence of emotions on the organs is also becoming obvious. What is not so well established is the importance of the feedback occurring when we gain insight into our own functioning through understanding a dream. Although our being is already a self regulating system, the ability to turn consciousness inwards to make clear aspects of unconscious function appears to increase the efficiency of self regulation. This is shown in the first example of reptiles, lizards, snakes, where David finds a long-standing neck pain and goes through insight into its cause. In this way wc might be seen as a conscious organism which not only reprogrammes mental patterns or habits, but to some extent can renovate or change body efficiency as well. See dream analysis; dream processing; the Introduction. ... interpretation of dreams dream meaning
Folklore: Your wishes will be fulfilled quickly.... emergency room dream meaning
The house only had two bedrooms, and the children’s room was directly opposite ours. Both of us had had the same thought—”Oh no, it’s the children again.” Much to our annoyance they had been waking in the middle of the night claiming it was morning and time to play. We had tried to suppress it, but here it was again.
As these thoughts went through our minds we heard the sound of feet clomping down the stairs. This was strange as the children usually stayed in their room. Brenda got up, determined to get whoever it was back into bed. I heard her switch the light on, go down the stairs, switch the sitting room light on, and I followed her via the sounds of her movement as she looked in the kitchen and even toilet—we didn’t have a bathroom. Then up she came again and opened the children’s door—strange because we had assumed it had been opened. When she came back into our room she looked puzzled and a little scared. “They’re all asleep and in bed ‘ she said. ‘We talked over the mystery for some time, trying to understand just how we had heard the door handle rattle then footsteps going down the stairs, yet the door wasn’t open. Also, the door handles on our doors were too high for the children to reach without standing on a chair. There was a stool in the children’s bedroom they used for that, yet it wasn’t even near the door when Brenda opened it.
Having no answer to the puzzle we stopped talking and settled to wait for sleep again. Suddenly a noise came from the children’s bedroom. It sounded like the stool being dragged and then the door handle turning again but the door not opening. “You go this time” Brenda said, obviously disturbed.
‘I opened our door quickly just in time to see the opposite door handle turn again. Still the door didn’t open. I reached across, turned the handle and slowly opened the door. It stopped as something was blocking it. Just then my daughter Helen’s small face peered around the door—high because she was standing on the stool. Puzzled by what had happened, I was careful what I said to her. “What do you want love?” I asked.
‘Unperturbed she replied, “I want to go to the toilet.” The toilet was downstairs, through the sitting room, and through the kitchen.
‘Now I had a clue so asked, “Did you go downstairs before?”
“Yes,” she said, “but Mummy sent me back to bed.” * (Tony C).
This is an unusual example of an out of body experience (OBE). Mostly they are described from the point of view of the person projecting, and are therefore difficult to corroborate. Here, three people experience the OBE in their own way. From Tony and Brenda’s point of view what happened caused sensory stimuli, but only auditory. Helen’s statement says that she was sure she had physically walked down the stairs and been sent back to bed by her mother. Tony and Brenda felt there was a direct connection between what they were thinking and feeling—get the children back to bed—and what Helen experienced as an objective reality.
OBEs have been reported in thousands in every culture and in every period of history.
A more general experience of OBE than the above might include a feeling of rushing along a tunnel or release from a tight place prior to the awareness of independence from the body. In this first stage some people experience a sense of physical paralysis which may be frightening (see paralysis). Their awareness then seems to become an observing point outside the body, as well as the sense of paralysis. Then there is usually an intense awareness of oneself and surroundings, unlike dreaming or even lucidity. Some projectors feel they are even more vitally aware and rational than during the waking state. Looking back on one’s body may occur here. Once the awareness is independent of the body, the boundaries of time and space as they are known in the body do not exist. One can easily pass through walls, fly, travel to or immediately be in a far distant place, witnessing what may be, or appears to be, physically real there.
Sir Auckland Geddes, an eminent British anatomist, describes his own OBE, which contains many of these features. Example: Becoming suddenly and violently ill with gastroenteritis he quickly became unable to move or phone for help. As this was occurring he noticed he had an A and a B consciousness.
The A was his normal awareness, and the B was external to his body, watching. From the B self he could see not only his body, but also the house, garden and surrounds. He need only think of a friend or place and immediately he was there and was later able to find confirmation for his observations. In looking at his body, he noticed that the brain was only an end organ, like a condensing plate, upon which memory and awareness played.
The mind, he said, was not in the brain, the brain was in the mind, like a radio in the play of signals. He then observed his daughter come in and discover his condition, saw her telephone a doctor friend, and saw him also at the same time.
Many cases of OBE occur near death, where a person has died* of a hean attack for instance, and is later revived. Because of this there are attempts to consider the possibility of survival of death through study of these cases. In fact many people experiencing an OBE have a very different view of death than prior to their experience.
Early attempts to explain OBEs suggested a subtle or astral body, which is a double of our physical and mental self, but able to pass through walls. It was said to be connected to the physical body during an OBE by a silver cord—a son of lifeline which kept the physical body alive. This is like the concept that the people we dream about are not creations of our own psyche, but real in their own right. Whatever one may believe an OBE to be, it can be observed that many people in this condition have no silver cord, and have no body at all, but are simply a bodiless observer, or are an animal, a geometric shape, a colour or sound (see identity and dreams).
The person’s own unconscious concepts of self seem to be the factor which shapes the form of the OBE. If, therefore, one feels sure one must travel to a distant point, then in the OBE one travels.
If one believes one is immediately there by the power of thought, one is there.
If one cannot conceive of existing without a body, then one has a body, and so on.
This approach explains many aspects of the OBE, but there is still not a clear concept of what the relationship with the physical world is.
The many cases of OBE which occur during a near-death experience also suggest it may be connected with a survival response to death; not necessarily as a way of trying to transcend death, but perhaps as a primeval form of warning relatives of death.
If there is survival of death, then the OBE may be an anticipatory form, or a preparatory condition leading to the new form. See hallucinations, hallucinogens. ... out of body experience dream meaning
Increasing personal energy and zeal for a goal or project. Frequently elder is used to bolster fires because it has hollow branches that catch well.
Some type of ending or death. Elder is a traditional funerary wood.
In Serbia, this is a symbol of fortune and luck smiling upon you.
Carrying an elder branch in a dream represents devotion in your relationships.
Among Celtic tribes, elderberry wine was used to inspire divinatory visions, and was only drunk by the initiated. As such, this dream may reflect a personal initiation into the psychic realms (see Beverages).... elder dream meaning
The elements fire, air, water and earth are the first principles of creation.
The chinese way of thought includes metal as the fifth element.
It is these core meanings that come across in dreams.... element / s dream meaning
To be at the end can mean exploring the subconscious and sometimes the consideration of death.... end / ending dream meaning
To see one perched on distant heights, denotes that you will possess fame, wealth and the highest position attainable in your country.
To see young eagles in their eyrie, signifies your association with people of high standing, and that you will profit from wise counsel from them. You will in time come into a rich legacy.
To dream that you kill an eagle, portends that no obstacles whatever would be allowed to stand before you and the utmost heights of your ambition. You will overcome your enemies and be possessed of untold wealth. Eating the flesh of one, denotes the possession of a powerful will that would not turn aside in ambitious struggles even for death. You will come immediately into rich possessions.
To see a dead eagle killed by others than yourself, signifies high rank and fortune will be wrested from you ruthlessly.
To ride on an eagle’s back, denotes that you will make a long voyage into almost unexplored countries in your search for knowledge and wealth which you will eventually gain. ... eagles dream meaning
To fail in impressing others with your eloquence, there will be much disorder in your affairs. ... eloquent dream meaning
For a woman to dream that she is introduced to a person wearing epaulets, denotes that she will form unwise attachments, very likely to result in scandal. ... epaulet dream meaning
For a young woman to see her lover with an eyeglass on, omens disruption of love affairs. ... eyeglass dream meaning
2. Rebelliousness. ... electric guitar dream meaning
2. Lack of self-confidence.
3. Sexual insecurity. ... embarrassed dream meaning
2. One wants to go on a trip abroad. ... embassy dream meaning
2. Desire to expand knowledge of the world. ... euro dream meaning
2. Trying to get to the funda mental cause of something.
3. Need to work on oneself. ... excavating dream meaning
2. Tired of a particular situation or person. ... exhausted dream meaning
2. If long objects, phallic symbols. ... explosions dream meaning
(Also see Rainworm)... earthworm dream meaning
(Also see Ear)... earwax dream meaning
(Also see Hill)... elevation dream meaning
If these are seen in ones dream (individually or collectively) they may very likely mean men.... examples of geneses of thing dream meaning
The nature of birds is to fly. Therefore, the one towards whom a bird is associated may be said to be traveling very often and widely.
A peacock may be interpreted as a wealthy non-Arab king who adopts much embellishments and who has many followers.
The same applies to a royal white falcon or eagle. But if it is a crow or a magpie, it represents an evil person.
As shown in the above examples, the Mu’abbir should be able to drawn analogies before interpreting a dream.
If he does so, he will be rightly-guide, by the will of Allah.
And Guidance is from Allah alone.... examples of the nature and characteristics of things dream meaning
If the numerous facts emerging from a dream are such that they correspond with each other logically then such a dream will be deemed as a genuine and authentic dream. But if the facts emerging from such a dream are such that they do not correspond with each other then the interpreter should reflect on the apparent meaning of the words. Whichever meaning is nearest to the rules of interpretation, such a meaning should be adopted
If a dream is of a complicated nature so that if cannot be weighed on the scale of the rules of interpretation then such a dream will be deemed as meaningless.
If a certain dream causes the interpreter to become dubious then he should appeal to the conscience of the observer of such a dream: If the dream concerns Salaah, he should question him about Sallah; if it concerns a journey he should question him about the journey; if it concerns marriage, he should question him about marriage. Thereafter, the mu’abbir will interpret to the best of his knowledge
The interpreter should be extremely cautious when interpreting a dream: If the dream evidences obscenity and indecency he should either use pleasant words when interpreting it or simply avoid interpreting it.
It is necessary for a mu’abbir to establish the biological and logical classification of thins and give its interpretation accordingly.
The biological and logical classification of things can be made as follows : (a) geneses (b) species (c) nature and characteristics.... facts to be taken into consideration before a mu’abbir interprets a dream dream meaning
Similarly, if two persons are seen fighting in the dream then the one who loses the battle will be the one to gain victory.
Similarly, if a person sees himself being cupped it means he will be compelled to fulfill certain conditions in an agreement or contract. Or if a person sees himself being made to agree on certain conditions, it means he will get cupped.
The reason being that in Arabic the word shart (condition) is sometimes used to mean “cupping*”
*Cupping: The use of a cupping glass from which the air has been exhausted, to draw blood to the surface of the skin-Collins).... interpretation according to the contrasting meaning of things dream meaning
(*Pillory: a wooden board with holes for the head and hands in which petty offenders were formerly locked and exposed to public scorn).
.... interpretation according to the varying conditions of people dream meaning
The example shows how our sexual needs attempt to satisfy themselves even though we may make a conscious attempt to deny them.
The ejaculation, male or female, shows the sexual nature of one’s dream, even if the symbols seem to have no obvious connection.
The attitudes in one’s dream also show something of our relationship to sex. This may be mechanical, fearful, loving, etc. Alan sees sex as a problem to be solved, and has difficulties around commitment. ... ejaculation, emission dream meaning
The color of the evening gown has great symbolic importance.
As a “wishful dream”: a longing for social advancement. It may be that there is happiness about reaching it, or a failure to know how to handle it.
Folklore: The more beautifully the woman is dressed, the worse the omen.... evening gown dream meaning
It is important to note what it is that is being excavated (a submerged potential?).
Freud looked on the process of psychoanalysis as an act of excavation.... excavation dream meaning
If you can open the Envelope and remove the contents, then some worry will be smoothed away.... envelopes dream meaning
To dream of watching someone else give a eulogy, suggests that your inner feelings are being made known to those around you. Consider what is said in the speech, for more clues to the dream’s meaning. TO dream of someone giving a eulogy about you means that you are trying to ignore a situation that needs to be confronted and dealt with directly. You may need to let go of old feelings, or an old way of thinking, in order to move on with your life.... eulogy dream meaning
If you’re not taking exams in real life then this dream is a metaphor for some kind of difficulty you are facing at work.
• This is a fear of failure dream and reflects where you feel you are going to be assessed or judged by others on your performance.
• The dream reflects your lack of confidence in your abilities. It can also occur with other kinds of tests in life from auditions to interviews to driving tests. Where are you being tested in your life?... exams dream meaning
Don’t be influenced.... emu dream meaning
The ears are open and vulnerable to all outside stimuli unless impacted by an external object. While people often use various items to minimize incoming sound, the purpose of the earphone is to replace the naturally occurring inflow of sound with something of the individual’s choosing, usually music. This is where the element of escapism becomes an important consideration of the meaning attached to this symbol.... earphones / ipods dream meaning
If the eggshells are intact, there is a need to be most cautious.
If the eggshells are already broken, there is an implication of a previous tactless maneuver that has left its mark.... eggshells dream meaning
A particular way of being in the world as represented by the character being executed is no longer necessary.
If it is you who is being executed, then it is your whole sense of identity that is being confronted with drastic change.
If you are doing the executing, then your ego mind is getting ready for some dynamic housecleaning.
If neither of these scenarios is the case, consider what you know about the person being executed. You will find what is currently up for transformation in the character aspect that the individual embodies.... executions dream meaning
2. Feelings of success (dancing with spouse).
3. A sense of betrayal by friends (single person dancing with a married person). ... ball (social event) dream meaning
2. Social anxieties. ... date (social engagement) dream meaning
2. Reaction to stress.
3. Returning to the safety of childhood. ... eczema dream meaning
2. Get “turned on.” ... electric plug / sockets dream meaning
2. Not acknowledging feelings. ... emotionless dream meaning
2. One’s romantic relationship needs “life support.” ... emt dream meaning
2. Horse refusing to take oats indicates rejection of care. ... oats (horse eating) dream meaning
2. To feel a need for vigilance, to be “on guard.” 3.
A need or desire for confidence, to be free of anxieties. ... tiger’s-eye dream meaning
2. Different worlds. ... united arab emirates dream meaning
2. Possible health issue.
3. A need to focus on current issues. ... vision (eyesight) dream meaning
The same applies to seeing an ass which has only one eye.... ass with weak eyesight dream meaning
Breast Feeding : If a person sees himself breast feeding or being breast fed, he will soon be imprisoned and the prison doors will be closed on him for a long time.
And Allah knows best.... delivery by an expectant wife dream meaning
The same interpretation is given when such a thing is seen speaking to a person which does not possess the faculty of speech.... dialogue with the earth dream meaning
If the disappearance is in a hole or grave, it means he will encounter something extremely offensive as a result of committing a crime or by being cheated.... disappearance into the earth dream meaning
If the pot is made of brass or ceramic in the dream, it may represent a poor woman.
An earthenware pot in a dream also means decision making, concealing one’s secrets, or it could represent a woman who has frequent miscarriages.
(Also see Earthenwarejar; Jar; Pot)... earthenware pot dream meaning
A quake on mountains points towards evil Ulama.
A quake on one’s own body suggest that one is bereft of all goodness and worthiness.
A tremor is one’s house suggest that his house will become a venue for adultery.
To seen an entire house or part of it in ruins as a result of a tremor is an indication that he owner’s life will terminate shortly.... earthquakes and tremors dream meaning
If one who desires to maintain secrecy around his life and goals sees a dream interpreter in his dream, it means that he will find an intimate friend or a confidant to complete his intention.
If one is expecting news from an associate or if someone in a different land sees a dream interpreter in his dream, it means that he will receive the desired news.Adream interpreter in a dream also represents knowledge of sings, deciphering messages, analyzing substances, a tracer, a religious scholar, a lawyer, a good advisor, a compassionate friend, ajudge or a physician.
A dream interpreter in a dream also represents someone who does not keep a secret or someone who brings people both happy or sad news. In a dream, he is also a preacher, an advisor, one who balances things, a money changer, a garment cleaner, an undertaker, a barber, a comedian, a news broadcaster or someone who searches for people’s faults. Seeing oneself as a dream interpreter in a dream, and if one qualifies to sit on the bench, it means that he will become ajudge.lfhe is seeking knowledge, he will acquire it.
If he is seeking to become a physician, he will become one. Otherwise, he might become a money changer, a banker or any of the earlier mentioned trades. Telling a dream interpreted a dream in one’s dream, and if the explanation agrees with the common wisdom and religious norms of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of God’s Prophet, upon whom be peace, then whatever one is told in his dream is true. Ifone does not understand the explanation of the dream interpreter in his dream, then he might need to find a qualified interpreter in wakefulness to satisfy his needs.
(Also see Astrologer; Divination; Fortuneteller; Founder; Interpretation; Seer)... dream interpreter dream meaning
The extent of such assets will depend on how much meat he eats.
The same interpretation is given if a person sees himself taking possession of the skin, bone or any other portion of the elephant.... eating elephant meat dream meaning
The same is the interpretation if – instead of eating them-he sees himself or another picking them up or carrying them.... eating one’s intestines, liver and kidney dream meaning
And Allah knows best.... eating the head of an animal dream meaning
The same is the case if the becomes the owner of any portion of the innards. There is no difference as to whether they are cooked, roasted or fried. There is also no difference as to whether they are of a goat or any other animal. But the innards of a human being is regarded as more excellent.... eating the innards of a goat dream meaning
And Allah knows best.... eating the shell or white of the egg dream meaning
An educator in a dream also means a coach or an animal trainer. Seeing oneself as an educator in a dream means advancing in one’s field. Amath teacher in a dream represents intellect and wisdom. Adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing in a dream represents common benefits and losses one incurs during the course of his life.
A Qur’[m teacher in a dream represents singing, honor or favors.
An unknown teacher in a dream represents the Almighty God Himself.
(Also see Teacher)... educator dream meaning
(Also see Sexual intercourse; Vagina)... effeminate dream meaning
(Also see Grandfather)... efforts dream meaning
An eggplant in a dream also represents the element of arrogance, self adulation, perfidy, cheating others, and a man with many faces. As for fishermen, seeing eggplants in a dream means a good catch, joy and success.... eggplant dream meaning
If the unknown elderly person looks strong in the dream, he represents one’s strength. Otherwise, if he looks feeble, then he represents one’s weakness. Whatever physical conditions an elderly person is seen with in the dream, such condition will reflect in one’s own state.
If an elderly person comes toward the person seeing the dream, it means that someone will help him attain a praiseworthy rank. Ifone follows an elderly person in a dream, it means that he follows a good path.
If one sees an elderly person and displeases him in the dream, it means that he will displease a close friend or reject his advice. Ifhe pleases him in the dream, it means that he will consent with a close good friend and they will walk together on the path to reap material as well as spiritual benefits. Ifone sees a gathering of friendly people but could not determine whether they are young or elderly in a dream, it means that he will discover new avenues in his life and he will draw material and spiritual benefits from them.
If he sees a gathering of young people he does not recognize in the dream, it means that he will associate himself with rich people.
If he sees a gathering of elderly people he does not recognize in the dream, it means that he will associate himself with good friends.
If a woman sees an elderly person she could not recognize in the dream, he represents the world.
If a young man sees himself turned into an elderly person in a dream, it means that he will acquire knowledge and wisdom. Listening to a good looking elderly person in a dream means receiving honor and rank.
If an elderly person sees himself turned young in a dream, it represents his strength, wealth, good living and a healthy life, or it could mean material or religious losses, or it could mean his death. Ifan elderly person sees himselfbeingborn again in a dream, it means his death.
If he is ill, it could represent his attachment to the world, and if he is poor, it could denote his earning.
If an elderly person sees himself as a youth in a dream, it could also mean committing a childish act or an unwise act.
A wise elderly person in a dream represents honor, rank, dignity, wealth, blessings and longevity. On the other hand, seeing an elderly person in a dream could represents failure, weaknesses, defeat, disablement or inertness.
(Also see Gray hair)... elderly person dream meaning
(Also see Elephant)... elephant trainer dream meaning
(Also see Monogram)... embroiderer dream meaning
(Also see Tayammum)... enacting dream meaning
If a sick person sees himself in a dream inflamed with love it may mean his death. Fire in a dream also means love. Love in a dream also means heedlessness and failure to fulfill one’s religious obligations. It also means financial losses, losing one’s child, divorce, despise of one’s friends, hunger, travels, sickness or dangers. Being enamored with God in a dream means a strong devotion and certitude. Pretending to be in love in one’s dream means straying from God’s path. Ifone finally reaches his beloved to mates with in the dream, it means that adversities may strike at him, or affect his or her beloved.
(Also see Love)... enamored dream meaning
To face someone’s animosity in a dream, means becoming friendly with him, for enmity means uncovering what is hidden.
(Also see Enemy; Rupture of relations)... enmity dream meaning
If what one donates for this purpose is a house or a book or money in the dream, it means repentance from one’s sins and guidance on the straight path, or it could mean begetting a son. Offering a swine or wine as an endowment in a dream means rising in rank in the world, injustice, and causing harm to others.... endowment dream meaning
A stone carver in a dream represents someone who deals with people of ignorance.
A copper engraver represents disputes and illness. Gold and silver engraver in a dream represents clear wisdom and putting things where they belong.
An engraver in a dream also represents a worldly person.
If he also deals with fabrics in the dream, it means that he is a peacemaker. Seeing him also means spending one’s money to serve evil people or investing money in their projects, lies, falsehood and hypocrisy.
The customers in the dream represent people who prefer worldly and temporary benefits over the eternal reward and benefits of the hereafter. Ifthe engraver sells the merchandise but does not accept money for them in the dream, it means that he prefers his spiritual life over his temporary material pleasure and that he is grateful to God Almighty.
If he asks for a price for his services, then it means the opposite.
If the engraver barters what he sells for wheat or flour in the dream, it means that he whlbecome detached from worldly interests, and that he is grateful for his Lord’s blessings.
An engraver in a dream also represents a person who teaches arts and science.... engraver dream meaning
To enter the house of the governor and to feel comfortable and at ease therein in a dream means that he is soliciting the governor’s assistance in a personal business.
The coming of a just person to a house in a dream means blessings.
If an unjust person enters a place in a dream, it means that evil and calamities will befall such a house.
If it is customary for such a person to enter that place, then no harm will incur from his coming or going.
If one sees himself entering a house of unfamiliar substance, ground or structure, and if he meets departed souls whom he recognizes in the dream, it.means that he has entered the realms of the dead.
If he sees himself going into that sphere, then coming out of it in the dream, it means that he will near his death, then recover from a serious illness. Entering the Sacred House in Mecca in a dream means entering one’s house as a newlywed.
(Also see Marketplace)... entering a house dream meaning
If a pilgrim sees himselfentering paradise in a dream, it means that his pilgrimage is accepted or that he will reach God’s House in Mecca.
If he lacks faith in God Almighty, it means that he will become a believer.
If a believer who is bedstricken sees himself entering paradise in a dream, it means that he will die of his illness.
If a non-believer who is bed-stricken sees himself entering paradise in a dream, it means that he will recover from his illness.lfhe is unwed, it means that he will get married. Ifhe is poor, it means that he will become rich or receive an inheritance.
If a sick person sees himselfin the abode of the hereafter healthy again in a dream, it means that he will reach it free from the ills of this world, its adversities and temptations. Ifhe is not sick, then entering the realms of the hereaftermeans glad tidings, business success, a pilgrimage, ascetic detachment from this world, sincere devotion, acquiring knowledge, strengthening of one’s kinship or exercising patience toward a calamity which derives from one’s own sins.
If one sees himself entering the abode of the hereafter to visit and see around, and should he be a person of good deeds and character who is a capable person and who acts upon his knowledge, it means that he will be without work or suffer from business losses.
If he is scared of something, or if he is accused of something, or if he is under stress, it means that his fears will dissipate. Mostly, entering the abode of the hereafter in a dream means travels or migration from one’s homeland. Thus, if one sees himself returning from a journey to the hereafter in a dream, it means that he will return to his homeland. Entering paradise in a dream means a pilgrimage to God’s House in Mecca.... entering paradise dream meaning
(Also see Escape; Running away; Take a flight; Turning)... escape from danger dream meaning
(Also see River)... euphrates dream meaning
To be non-existent for the people of the path in a dream signifies an everlasting existence.
(Also see Disappearing)... evanescence dream meaning
To utter the Exalting God’s oneness and sovereignty in a dream means receiving financial compensation for pain and suffering.
To utter the formula: ‘La ilahe: il Allah’’ (there is no god other than Allah) in a dream means that one will only die having faith in his Lord.
(Also see Exclamation of God’s Sovereignty)... exalting god’s oneness dream meaning
If one sees himself infuriated or irritated by someone in a dream, it means that he will suffer the consequences of his qualities or lose his money. Exasperation, infuriation or irritation in a dream all mean poverty and loss of money.
(Also see Infuriating)... exasperation dream meaning
(Also see Exalting God’s oneness)... exclamation of god’s sovereignty dream meaning
If it gives off a bad smell it symbolises unlawful wealth.
The stronger the odour the greater the unlawfulness.... excreta of man and animals dream meaning
If it is an abnormal discharge of liquid matters from one’s bowels in the dream, it means that he will squander most of his money.
If one uses a lavatory near a known ablution area in the dream, it means that his spendings relate to his passion, desires and wantonness. Ifthe location is unknown in the dream, it means that he unknowingly, but willingly spends his wealth in unlawful avenues, whereby he will reap no reward or benefit from it. Discharging feces in the open and covering it with dirt in a dream means burying money in a hole and covering it with dirt.
(Also see Impurity; Feces; Urinating)... excretion dream meaning
A grave robber or a body snatcher in a dream represents a deliberate and a premeditated scheme to unravel a mystery, or forming an expedition to search for a hidden treasure. Digging the grave of a renowned scholar in a dream means studying his school of thought and the restoration of his studies, life, traditions and prominence.
(Also see Graue digger; Graue)... exhume dream meaning
If one sees himself in a dream smothering an already dead fire, it means that he is trying to rekindle an old war or to provoke evil between people.... extinguishing a fire dream meaning
If one is exiled from his homeland in a dream, it means that he may enter a jail.
If one is expelled from paradise in a dream, it means that he may experience poverty. Ifone evicts a man of knowledge or screams at him, or bewilders him in a dream, it means that he will face an extraordinary misfortune and confront a threatening and a cruel enemy.
If a religious and a pious looking person is evicted or driven away from a place in a dream, it means that he is failing to fulfill his religious vow, or it could mean that he is avoiding to remain in the company of true pious people, ascetics, people of knowledge and noble ones. Expulsion in a dream also could denote misbehavior or ill conduct on the part of the evictor.... expulsion dream meaning
(Also see Juice; Oil press; Wine press)... extracting oils from seeds dream meaning
The healthier they are the greater its preservation and the more he will respond to its message.... eyebrows and eyelashes dream meaning
(Also see Body’)... eyelash dream meaning
If one’s eyelids have little skin, or if they are bleared, or if they develop sores in the dream, they represent difficulties, agony, anger, sickness or distress. Eyelids in a dream also represent one’s defenses and protection. They also represent one’s teacher, brothers, sisters, family, wife, children, coffer, veil, guards, confidant or trustees. Eyelids in a dream also mean something to be overlooked. Having bleared eyelids in a dream means being in love. Ifone’s eyes are interpreted to represent his wealth, then they mean protection, or paying alms tax.
If the outer edge of the eyelid turns white in a dream, it means an illness affecting one’s head, eyes or ears.
(Also see Body’)... eyelid dream meaning
(Also see Dream interpreter)... interpretation dream meaning
And Allah knows best.... grave digger and excavator dream meaning
A money exchanger in a dream also represents a religious doctor or a scholar who takes religious questions and interprets their definitions. He also could be a dream interpreter who measures everything he takes in and gives an appropriate answer. He takes a pearl necklace for a price and gives words in return, or he takes scattered words and gives a beautiful pearl necklace in exchange.
If one who is experiencing difficulties in wakefulness changes some money in a dream, it means that his difficulties will diminish.
If one buys gold coins and gives silver money in exchange in a dream, it means reparation, financial obligations or liability. Seeing a money exchanger in a dream also represents wealth, or quick richness from suspicious sources, or he could represent an accountant, a bookkeeper, or a ledger keeper.... money exchanger dream meaning
(Also see Anus; Inkwell; Satan; Scorpion; Sexual intercourse; Sodomy)... pederasty dream meaning
(a sect who believes in the freedom of will).
If he performs Salaah facing west (When Qiblah is not in that direction) it means he will advocate the beliefs of the Jabriyyahn i.e.
The sect of the fatalists, believing that man has no power of will: he is involuntarily forced by Allah to do good or bad).... salaah towards east or west dream meaning
It is also said that he will be safeguarded against the mischief of certain person while fearing a crisis of which he will be innocent.... soorah bani isra’eel dream meaning
If the ear is seen not functioning (or as dead) it means he will divorce his wife or she will die. It could also mean his daughter will get married.... the ear dream meaning
The same applies to deserts. These are only two examples. Read on to learn more about it.... the earth dream meaning
The same applies to his ability to see. Any defect in the eye or the faculty of sight bespeaks of similar defect in his Deen. Any excellence in the eye or the faculty of sight bespeaks of similar excellence in his Deen.... the eye dream meaning
The oil is to the car as blood is to the body.... oil (auto / car) engine dream meaning
For Cayce, humans are cosmic beings.
A lifetime was a brief interlude of learning in an eternal pilgrimage through time and space.
The conscious personality we so often raise so high is but a temporary experience assumed by an older larger being, the Individuality, or Self as Jung called it.
The ego dies at death, but the Individuality absorbs its experience. Dreams are the meeting point between this older self and the personality it assumes but briefly.
(Cayce’s biography is There Is A River by Thomas Sugrue. Cayce dictated 14 million words from his sleep state; a record of these is kept at the Association for Research and Enlightenment, Virginia Beach, Va.) ... cayce, edgar dream meaning
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. ... dream analysis dream meaning
The word computare is Latin, and comes from putare, to think. Neither is a computer anything like a human brain. But there are parallels. Christopher Evans, a psychologist, computer scientist and world authority on microprocessors, says the brain and computers are both information handling devices, taking impulses which in themselves mean nothing, like sound waves, and processing them.
It is also his theory that both computers and the waking-brain function are taken off-line to re-program. Our behaviour responses and information bases need bringing up to date with any new experience and information that is relevant. In the case of the computer, off-line means having modifications made to programs, in the human it means sleeping and dreaming, the dream being the powerful activity of review, sifting and reprogramming. Thirdly, the brain and computer use programs. In humans, a program means a learnt set of responses, values or activities, such as walking or talking, but including more subtle activities such as judging social or business situations.
If, as Christopher Evans believes, dreaming is partly a period of revising and updating responses, insights and skills, then by working with the process one can make it more efficient.
The background for this statement is that many people have recurring dreams which change very little. Looking at this from the programming’ view, the attempt to revise is thwarted. But individuals can free such ‘stuck’ dreams by using dream processing.
Also, as some dreams are obviously a synthesis of experience and information gathered over a lifetime, the dream process is much more than a computing function which sorts new information and updates.
It is also capable of creative leaps through synthesis and conjecture. J.B. Priestley’s dream of the birds (see religion and dreams) appears to be a massive synthesis of things observed over a lifetime. It also depicts a brain function like computer simulation, which takes information and forms it into an expenmental view of possibilities arising from the thousands of millions of separate bits of gathered data. See ESP in dreams; creative and problem solving dreams. ... dream process as computer dream meaning
What is the background to the dream? The most imponant aspects of your everyday life may have influenced the dream or feature in it. Briefly consider any aspects of your life which connect with what appears in the dream. Example: ‘1 have a plane to catch. I get to the plane but the suitcase is never big enough for my clothing which I have left behind. I am always anxious about stuff left behind. I wake still with the feeling of anxiety’ (Jane). When asked, Jane said plane flights had been a big feature of her life. She had moved home often, travelling to different pans of the world, leaving friends and loved ones behind.
What is the main action in the dream? There is often an overall activity such as walking, looking, worrying, building something, or trying to escape. Define what it is and consider if it is expressive of something you are doing in waking life. Activities such as walking or building a house need to be seen as generalisations; walking can simply represent taking a direction in life. When you have defined the action, look for further information under the other headings in this book, such as swimming or sitting.
What is your role in the dream? Are you a friend, lover, soldier, dictator, watcher or participant in the dream? Consider this in relationship with your everyday life, especially in connection with how the dream presents it. Where possible, look for the entry on the role in this book. See dreamer.
Are you active or passive in the dream? By passive is meant not taking the leading role, being only an observer, being directed by other people and events, If you are passive, consider if you live in a similar attitude in your life. See active/passive.
What do you feel in the dream? Define what is felt emotionally and physically. In the physical sense are you tired, cold, relaxed or hungry? In the emotional sense do you feel sad, angry, lost, tender or frightened anywhere in the dream? This helps clarify what feeling area the dream is dealing with.
It is important also to define whether the feelings in the dream were satisfyingly expressed or whether held back.
If held back they need fuller expression. See emotions and mood.
Is there a because’ factor in the dream? In many dreams something happens, fails to happen, or appears . . . because! For instance, trapped in a room you find a door to escape through. All is dark beyond and you do not go through the door ‘because’ you are frightened of the dark. In this case the ‘because’ factor is fear.
The dream also suggests you are trapped in an unsatisfying life through fear of opportunity or the unknown.
Am I meeting the things I fear in my dream? Because a dream is an entirely inward thing, we create it completely out of our own internal feelings, images, creativity, habits and insights. So even the monsters of our dream are a pan of ourself.
If we run from them it is only aspects of ourself we are avoiding. Through defining what feelings occur in the dream you may be able to clarify what it is you are avoiding. See nightmares; dream as spiritual guide.
What does the dream mean? We alone create the dream while asleep. Therefore, by looking at each symbol or aspect of the dream, we can discover from what feelings, thoughts or experience, what drive or what insight we have created the drama of the dream. In a playful relaxed way, express whatever you think, feel, remember or fantasise when you hold each symbol in mind. Say or write it all, even the seemingly trivial or dangerous’ bits. It helps to act the pan of each thing if you can; for instance as a house you might describe yourself as ‘a bit old, but with open doors for family and friends to come in and out. I feel solid and dependable, but I sense there is something hidden in my cellar’. Such statements portray oneself graphically. Consider whatever information you gather as descriptive of your waking life. Try to summarise it, as this will aid the gaining of insight.
Try amplifying your dream You will need the help of one or two friends to use this method.
The basis is to take the role of each part of the dream, as described above. This may seem strange at first, but persist. Supposing your name is Julia and you dreamt you were carrying an umbrella, but failed to use it even though it was raining, you would talk in the first person present—I am an umbrella. Julia is carrying me but for some reason doesn’t use me.’ Having finished saying what you could about yourself, your friend(s) then ask you questions about yourself as the dream figure or object. These questions need to be simple and directly about the dream symbol. So they could ask Are you an old umbrella?’ Does Julia know she is canying you?’ ‘What is your function as an umbrella? ‘Are you big enough to shelter Julia and someone else?’ And so on.
The aim of the questions is to draw out information about the symbol being explored.
If it is a known person or object you are in the role of—your father for instance—the replies to the questions need to be answered from the point of view of what happened in the dream, rather than as in real life. Listen to what you are saying about yourself as the dream symbol, and when your questioneKs) has finished, review your statements to see if you can see how they refer to your life and yourself.
If you are asking the questions, even if you have ideas regarding the dream, do not attempt to interpret. Put your ideas into simple questions the dreamer can respond to. Maintain a sense of curiosity and attempt to understand, to make the dream plain in an everyday language sense. Lead the dreamer towards seeing what the dream means through the questions. When you have exhausted your questions ask the dreamer to summarise what they have gathered from their replies. See postures, movements and body language for an example of how to work with body movement to explore a dream meaning.
Can / alter the dream to find greater satisfaction? Imagine yourself in the dream and continue it as a fantasy or daydream. Alter the dream in any way that satisfies. Experiment with it, play with it, until you find a fuller sense of self expression.
It is very imponant to note whether any anger or hostility is in the dream but not fully expressed.
If so, let yourself imagine a full expression of the anger. It may be that as this is practised more anger is openly expressed in subsequent dreams. This is healthy, allowing such feelings to be vented and redirected into satisfying ways, individually and socially. In doing this do not ignore any feelings of resistance, pleasure or anxiety. Satisfaction occurs only as we leam to acknowledge and integrate resistances and anxieties into what we express. This is a very important step. It gradually changes those of our habits which trap us in lack of satisfaction, poor creativity or inability to resolve problems.
Summary To summarise effectively gather the essence of what you have said about each symbol and the dream as a whole and express it in everyday language. Imagine you are explaining to someone who knows nothing about yourself or the dream. Bnng the dream out of its symbols into everyday comments about yourself.
A man dreamt about a grey, dull office. When he looked at what he said about the office he realised he was talking about the grey, unimaginative world he grew up in after the Second World War, and how it shaped him.
Further information on using these techniques can be found in Tony Crisp s work The Instant Dream Book, published by C.W. Daniel. See amplification; plot of dream; adventure of the dream world; dreamer; postures, movement and body language; settings; symbols and dreaming; word analysis of dreams; wordplay and puns. ... dream processing dream meaning
If we take away the images and events occurring in a dream and simply look to see what feelings or emotions are evident, the dream is often more understandable than if we try to interpret the symbols. Feelings in dreams are nearly always undistoned. We therefore do not need to interpret them, simply to acknowledge them and see if we can recognise where they occur in waking life.
The images in a dream may be the way we unconsciously pictorialise our flux of feelings and the play of internal energy flows.
For instance love or sexual drive can give rise to physical movement—as in sexual intercourse. Repression of sex or love also represses such physical movements, leading to tension and conflict, which might be presented in the drama of a dream.
Example: ‘I was with my wife, walking along a street, on holiday with her. But I felt awful tension. It was the son of stress I feel when I have turned off my sexual flow—as I have at the moment’ (Brian V). Brian can easily see the connection between the dream feelings and his everyday life, although sometimes we need to practise this. But the situation could as easily be expressed as a dream image of a blocked river.
The underlying feelings would then be less easy to grasp.
Example: ‘I was in a very ancient crumbling building, confronted by a large stone door, deeply engraved with many designs and creatures. I began to open the door and felt high feelings of anxiety. I realised this was an initiation and I must calm my feelings in order to pass beyond the door, i.e. if I were controlled by my feelings I would run away’ (Derek F). How we meet the emotions in our dreams illustrates our habitual method of dealing with them.
The feelings of anxiety in Derek’s dream were met and moved beyond, but this is unusual. This is because most of us change our direction as soon as there is a hint of fear.
The amount of nicotine and alcohol human beings consume suggests how poorly we meet anxiety. Going beyond fear or pain is an initiation which opens doors for us. We might now apply for the job, ask for the date, raise the issue, express the creativity, make the journey abroad, which anxiety previously kept us from. We see this in the next example: I had a ring on my marriage finger. It was a thin band of gold. I woke up frightened’ (Angela). Angela is not married and feels anxiety about the commitment.
Dreams give us a safe area to express emotions which might be difficult or dangerous to release socially. Anger in a dream may be expressing what we failed to express in a waking encounter, or it might be our habitual response. It may also be directed against ourself. Dreams also contain many positive emotions. Sometimes they present a new aspect of feeling which is life enhancing.
A person who habitually felt at odds with her father and relatives experienced a dream in which she felt forgiveness for the first time. This was entirely new for her and led to a reconciliation with her family.
Some feeling states in a dream are subtle, and may be more evident in terms of the symbols than the feelings.
A grey drear environment suggests depression and lack of pleasure.
A sunny light environment with flowers and colour shows pleasure and good feelings.
A country landscape depicts quite a different feeling state to a smoky busy city street. We can define these for ourself using the techniques described under dream processing.
Whatever feelings or emotions we meet in our dreams, many of them are bound to be habitual responses we have to life. Where these habits are negative we can begin to change them by working with the dream images as described in the last question under dream processing. See love; hostility. ... emotions, mood dream meaning
A person who doesn’t handle anxiety or stress can easily fail in work or in relationships. Many people do not enter a relationship because of the problems it poses. Dr Evans suggests that dreams are the means by which we both practise and update our programs of survival. Our experience of the day may question or enhance our behaviour stratagems for success at work or in relationships. Without the reprogramming occurring in dreams we would be stuck at one level of behavioural maturity. ‘As we gain in experience, as our input gets richer and more diverse, we modify our programs rather than replace them with a completely fresh set/ ... evans, christopher dream meaning
The dam is also a term used for the perineum, the area between rectum and genitalia.... dam (as in railroad embankment) dream meaning
Astrology: The sign of Virgo.... ear (as in an ear of corn) dream meaning
A poor financial situation.... ebb tide dream meaning
If such a fear-based dream image appears, experiment with different behaviors. Changing your behavior almost always leads out of the dead-end situation.
The experience of a dead-end street is, from a developmental point of view, absolutely essential.... dead’end street dream meaning
What you should keep in mind if you start a dream diary:
1. Make a note about the date of the dream (use the date of the morning following the dream).
2. Start out by describing the events in the dream without any kind of interpretation and in the sequence you remember them.
3. Write whether the dream you remembered is complete or only a fragment.
4. Write how you felt before and after the dream.
5. Give each dream a title at the conclusion, one that best characterizes the content of the dream.
For interpretation, remember the following:
1. The attitude you adopted toward the dream. Were you a passive observer or actively involved in the event?
2. Which persons appeared in the dream and what your attitude is toward them, emotionally and behaviorally.
3. The mood of each individual scene and of the dream in general.... dream diary dream meaning
If there is an accident in an power plant, and you can’t handle internal tension, this indicates repressed urges—see Termination, Attack, Fire, Surf, Kidnapping, Defloration, Flame, Violence, Greed, Harem, Skin Rash, Wire (High-Tension), Hooker / Prostitute, and in part Elf.... electricity (as in power plant) dream meaning
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. ... plot of the dream dream meaning
If the lift is moving up fast—advancement, high hopes.
If the elevator is moving down fast—to the point that it is uncomfortable—fear of letting go. See Abyss and Trapdoor.
If the elevator gets stuck, inferiority complex or strong inhibitions.
A symbol of Kundalini, vitality in Yoga. Advancement and wish for self-affirmation; or, fear of Falling, and Shooting. Being constricted, as in Siege, Amber, Village, and Trap, except not so extreme. Emotional transformation; becoming more aware without effort.... elevator / lift dream meaning
The image of the elk is also connected to the sense of wide-open spaces that is usually expressing a longing for mental clarity and openness. As a mighty animal, the elk elicits awe about the nature of passion.
A symbol of self-development and redemption. Also masculine power and superpower. In myth, it corresponds to the “Huhertus Elk,” a white elk with a cross between his antlers.
To see him is considered a sign of special grace.
Folklore: Erotic meaning.... elk (reindeer) dream meaning
2. Problems of “inner pollution”; emotional burdens and uncertainties.
3. A positive intention to create your own environment, an expression of realizing or ignoring complex personal needs and wishes. See Earth, Fire, Air, Water, Garbage, Spring, World.... environmental pollution dream meaning
Folklore: News about a Birth.... evening meal (dinner) dream meaning
One of the most common dreams is failing an exam. In the dream one is not prepared for the exam. In a variation, one is onstage and doesn’t know the lines. Both situations refer to a fear of failing in public.
The dreamer should examine his self-esteem. In the exam situation, usually the subject—or question one doesn’t know how to answer—gives an indication of the field in which one feels insecure. Onstage, the play or scene is sometimes a key to the field of fear.... exam / test (university) dream meaning
Folklore: Well-being.... fair / exhibition dream meaning
2- To be on the underground or subway usually signifies the journeys we are prepared (or forced) to take towards understanding who we are.
3- T he subconscious or the unconscious is often perceived in dreams as a cave or place underground.... und erg ro und dream meaning
If it is a passionate one, you should beware of your feelings getting out of hand.... embrace / hug dream meaning
Inconsistency to the point of losing all focus of the self and one’s sense of identity apart from a group or situation.
The ability to change or blend in when necessary for self-preservation.
Pliny attributed this creature to the element of air, saying it lived on this etheric substance.
Because the chameleon’s eyes see independently of each other, it also represents awareness, specifically of the past and future.... cham eleon dream meaning
To eat bacon means triumph over enemies.
If you are smoking or curing bacon, someone close to you will become ill.
Biscuit / Cookie: There will be great rejoicing.
Boiled or Roast Meat: You will tend to be melancholy and dwell a lot on the past.
Brandy: Indicative of living “high off the hog with little thought for tomorrow and little regard for your friends.
Bread: To smell bread means you will be given an opportunity to make some money.
A loaf of bread handed to you could mean a new child on the way.
To slice bread is to divide up your luck into small amounts.
To eat fresh bread is to enjoy good friendship.
To eat stale bread is to open yourself up to possible sickness.
Butter: You will have good fortune mixed with sadness. Wealth to come, but at a price.
Cabbage: To dream of eating cabbage means you will receive good luck.
To dream of cooking cabbage means you will go into debt.
Cake: Eating cake means good luck. Strangely, if a woman dreams she is eating wedding cake, it means she will have a period of bad luck.
To make and bake a cake means you will bring your own luck.
Capon: You have been deceived in your affections.
Champagne: Symbolizes money.
A bottle of champagne is the chance to make money.
To drink champagne is to receive money.
To toast a newly married couple with champagne is to be assured of success in business.
Cheese: Vexation; frustration, but final success.
Chocolate: Eating or drinking chocolate means that you will soon be going through an illness, though not a serious one.
Coffee: To drink or smell coffee is a sign of long life.
Corn: Corn on the cob indicates coming financial gain. Corn growing in a field means you will have a good and happy marriage. Popcorn means a sudden, unexpected windfall.
Cream: If you are drinking cream, you will receive an unexpected gift.
If you spill cream, you will have to pay an unexpected bill.
Eeels: Malicious enemies.
Egg: A wealth of family love.
Flour: To see flour, either packaged or at the mill, means it is a good time to invest, but don’t put all your money into one thing.
Ham: You will meet a very jolly person.
Honey: You are being falsely sweet to someone and it shows!
Jam / Jelly: To dream of putting up jam preserves means you will develop good friends among your neighbors.
Lettuce: To dream of lettuce is good, according to the Gypsies.
For a woman, it signifies a wonderful time to come with her lover(s).
For a man, it signifies the attention of a number of beautiful women.
Liquor / Liquers: You may do something you will very much regret afterwards.
Macaroni: A symbol of great distress.
Milk / Milking: To dream of drinking milk indicates you will be very lucky in love.
To dream of milking a cow means you will have to work at winning the person you desire, but you will eventually be successful.
Millet: A sign of poverty
Mustard: There will be a number of family quarrels.
Oysters: To dream that you are eating oysters is a very favorable sign, usually signifying a large family.
If you are married, your spouse will be very much in love with you and you will have several children; if you are not married, you soon will be and then will go on to have children.
Pancakes: Seeing, cooking, or eating pancakes means that some of the things you presently think of as curses in your life are going to turn out to be blessings.
Pastry: To be eating pastries means you will miss an important appointment. You could suffer illness at a most inconvenient time.
Rice: As with millet, a sign of poverty.
Salad: Various embarrassments.
Salmon: A sign of deceit.
To eat salmon means you will discover the deceiver.
Salt: You will be recognized for great wisdom.
Sausages: You will be accused of interfering in some one else’s love affair.
Soup: You will return to good health.
Vinegar: You will labor in vain for a while.
Wine: To dream that you are drinking wine is a good omen. It prognosticates health, wealth, long life, and happiness.
If you are in love, you will marry the person you adore.
If you are married, you will draw especially close to your spouse.... eating / drinking dream meaning
For example, some people are uncomfortable talking about what really makes them feel good, or about what types of things they fantasize.
Fears and uncertainties about your physical performance in bed.
Unexpressed desires toward specific individuals. Sometimes these people are unobtainable and uninterested. In this case, the dream allows you to live out the fantasy in a socially acceptable manner.... sexual encounters dream meaning
The egret may warn of someone who is getting emotionally too close for comfort, or announce a relationship that will benefit you.
(See Birds.)... egret dream meaning
A short in tlie outlet may represent blocks in your nervous system or feeling burned out from some neganve experience.... electrical oudet dream meaning
The presence of this battery may also suggest that you are all wound up about something.... eveready batteries dream meaning
An expressway may mention that you need to express your feelings in order to get the results you want.... expressway dream meaning
To others it is good to have little store of them; for plenty of them signifies care, pain, noise, and lawsuits.
To dream you see broken eggs is a very ill sign, and signifies loss to the party dreaming.... egos dream meaning
The eagle-owl is a symbol of your cumulative experiences from which you could gain wisdom.... eagle-owl (combination) dream meaning
If you see electrical sparks, the adventure will rapidly come to an end.... electrical current dream meaning
If you are indifferent to the affliction of others, expect great misfortune to knock on your door.
Depth Psychology: Dreaming about being in a serious, distressing situation is usually a sign that you are facing problems in real life. It also is a symbol of your own Tighrfistedness, which you need to remedy.
The emergency is an urgent warning to get out of a real-life situation immediately if serious losses are to be prevented!... distress, emergency dream meaning
The best “specialist” to do this is you.
An expert dream analyst or a psychotherapist would at best be a “midwife” or guide, and then only if your dream presented clear indications that there was emotional illness and that psychological support was important.
A dream symbol often points to several possibilities.
For instance, the question of whether you are the victim or the perpetrator plays a major role that only honest self-examination can answer. Dream interpretation is not a game, some thing you do every now and then. It only makes sense if it becomes—like daily hygiene—a consistent part of your daily routine—a form of “emotional hygiene.” The rewards are well worth the effort. Nothing can replace self-analysis followed by self-awareness. Only in this way can you lead a happy and productive life and be at peace with yourself.
Your unconscious is often the best friend you can have, because it provides advice and suggestions about how to deal with the problems that arise.
The wisdom of your unconscious can even open a window into the future—allowing you to face the unknown with confidence.
The increase in the number of people who suffer from emotional problems can be laid at the door of today’s culture, with its emphasis on acquiring money, property, and success. But those who are in touch with their unconscious and its messages won’t easily violate the natural needs of their soul.
The best protection we have against depression, anxieties, and coundess other emotional problems is effective dream interpretation.... dream interpretation remarks dream meaning
Depth Psychology: Easter eggs are a symbol of fertility and the desire for physical love. See Egg. Easter, on the other hand, symbolizes your longing for redemption in a certain matter.... easter, easter eggs dream meaning
Depth Psychology: Someone is embracing you: a person wants to “possess you” completely, or vice versa.... embrace, embracing dream meaning
If you see both emperor and empress, they represent your parents. What the emperor or empress is doing is important for getting specific information about the dream’s meaning.
If you are the emperor or the empress: don’t set your hopes too high. Being a servant at the court of an emperor means support from a person of authority.
Depth Psychology: Being the emperor or the empress: you are expecting too much and will face disappointments. See King.... emperor, empress dream meaning
Depth Psychology: Fireworks mean you love attention and being the cen- terof attraction. See Fire.
The tire engine represents that part of your personality (self-control) that deals properly with all urges and passion.... fire engine, fireworks dream meaning
Depth Psychology: A dream about escaping means you are going to escape danger in time.... flee, escape dream meaning
Depth Psychology: The meaning of the dream depends on what you have or are trying to extinguish. See Candle, Fire, Lamp, Lantern, Light.... extinguishing, quenching dream meaning
Vision: Dreaming about blue eyes: either somebody is secretly in love with you or you are secredy in love with someone. Dark or brown eyes: prepare yourself for a disappointing romance. Dreaming about an eye illness (eye patch, eye injury, or blindness): you are unable to see a situation in your life clearly, or you have a problem facing the real truth.
An eye patch indicates that you can do your job even with your eyes closed! Visiting or seeing an ophthalmologist: you will soon see things as they really are. See Cross-eyed.
Depth Psychology: Dreaming about eyes means you are too preoccupied with yourself.
The eye is considered the organ of light. Dreaming about eyes always has something to do with understanding life. Dreaming about an eye that is looking at you might be a warning from your conscience. Eyes by themselves are symbols of intelligence, spirit, alertness, and curiosity. Other events in the dream are important here.... eyes, ophthalmologist dream meaning
Depth Psychology: Dreaming about a mistake reveals a fear of being disappointed or lied to. This dream is a warning: you are either being lied to and deceived—or you are lying and deceiving yourself!... mistake, error dream meaning
The appearance of a fleshy earlobe shows the potential to grow sexually either within your relationship or through the healthy exploration of your own energy.... earlobe dream meaning
To dream of an eating contest suggests a need to re-evaluate your expectation to succeed. Slowing down may bring success more quickly in the long run.... eating contest dream meaning
To dream of speaking to someone in the Garden could mean you are being unduly influenced in an important decision. This may be a decision that only you are able to make and the Garden of Eden in a dream suggests you follow your heart.... garden of eden dream meaning
To dream that you are furnishing your home with dark furniture shows many quarrels and domestic unrest.... ebony (black) dream meaning
If you set out to go somewhere, or to do something, and fail in your purpose, then expect money losses and worry in business.... expeditions dream meaning
The exposure of the ego in all of its grandiosity, defensiveness, and outrageous demands is very healthy, as long as your intent is wholeness and integration.... ego dream meaning
If you dream of being an employer, then this dream reflects you are coming into your power, and you are grappling with your feelings about having authority and responsibility.... employee / employer dream meaning
It is as though we can only become privy to this deeper knowledge by meeting our teacher first. Also consult the individual entries for magic / magician, witch and wizard.... esoteric figures dream meaning
If you dream that someone else gives you ear plugs, or makes/asks you to wear them, this suggests you are feeling left out of things socially.
If you dream of wanting to give someone else ear plugs, or making someone wear them, you may be trying to hide something. Perhaps you are concerned about people learning the truth about you, or a certain situation.... ear plugs dream meaning
Egypt is a land of mystery, and therefore if you dream of Egypt or things Egyptian there is probably some mystery in your life that you’d like to have resolved. Look to other symbols in the dream to discern what it is and what you should do about it.
Egypt is a land where a lot of secrets are being dug out of the ground. What secrets are you hiding? Or are others around you keeping things from you that you really need to know? If the other symbols in the dream support this idea, honest communication with those involved is definitely called for.... egyptian dream meaning
If you were eaten by an animal in your dream, also look up that animal in this Dream Dictionary for further meaning.
If you were eaten by humans, look up “Cannibals”.... eaten / eaten alive dream meaning
If you dream of a friend being anorexic or bulimic, again this could signify an actual eating disorder they have.
If you’re sure that’s not the case, then it could mean your friend is crying out for more attention and affection.... eating disorder dream meaning
If you saw an emo person/people in your dream, you could be feeling a clash between what you believe or value, and the way others expect you to act.... emo dream meaning
To dream that you have a third eye, symbolizes inner vision and insight. You need to start looking within yourself for the answers to the problems that challenge you. Strange or disembodied eyes in a dream foretell that positive events are soon to come.
To dream that your eyes are closed suggests your refusal to see the truth about something. This dream can also mean that you are avoiding intimacy. You may be expressing feelings of hurt, pain or sympathy.
To injure your eyes, get something in them, or be otherwise worried about them is a warning that someone is trying to trick you.
If the main feature of your dream was the beauty of the eyes, the meaning is that you can count on the sincere love of those who matter to you. Crossed eyes are a lucky omen for money matters. Red eyes or squinting eyes are a warning against an unwise love affair.
To see animal eyes, especially in the darkness, are a sign of hidden rivalry or jealousy in your close social circle. Blue or light eyes mean a new friendship, and dark eyes symbolize a new love affair. Yellow eyes mean you need to pay close attention to your instincts. Someone in your friendship circle may not be trustworthy.
To dream of having a black eye symbolizes your refusal to see the truth about something. You may be experiencing emotional pain, possibly related to a romantic situation. Also see “Blind” and “Optician”... eye / eyes dream meaning
If you purchased or sold a house through the agent in your dream, this predicts an increase in material wealth, possibly through inheritance.... real estate agent dream meaning
For example, clothing that is tattered or torn may signify that you feel emotionally shredded by an experience. You may also be expressing a "poor me" attitude.
For the hero, the horse cames him to his mission, perhaps over long distances, and thus it may signify the need to travel. A wild horse can represent unleashed and untamed power. Horses may also trot into your dream to indicate the need to stand your ground in a power struggle.
JumpingThe quality of water often describes the situation of your emotions. Crystal clear, clean, adulterated, calm mostly provides strong insights about the state of your feelings.
On the site there are six different source dream interpretation.
Interprets dreams as a scientific DreamEncyclopedia.org
This dictionary of Christian Dreams, China interpretation of dreams, India interpretation of dreams contains over 44.500 indexed entries and this dictionary of islamic Dreams contains over 5.500 indexed entries.
Also, Psychological / emotional perspective, Material aspects and Gives gender - specific, interpreted of dream.
Dream Analysis and Interpretation. Understand the meaning of your dreams. Great dictionary of dream interpretations.
... dream dictionary and dream interpretation dream meaning
It is hoped that this dictionary of dream interpretation will prove useful to students of culture and spirituality, but above all to seekers after truth. This is the most comprehensive report on islamic dream interpretation that you will ever read! Not only does it include timely tips and advice understanding how and why you dream, but also clues to help you zero in on and understand common symbols in dreams.
The dream of the prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son, his obedience to the Divine will and his willingness to submit in absolute faith to God made him the first true Muslim and the father of prophets.
The true interpretation of the dreams of the king of Egypt by the prophet Joseph saved both the Egyptians and the children of Israel from famine and death.
The dreams of the Prophet Muhammad, upon him and all the prophets of God be peace and blessings, marked the beginning of his revelation, the noble Qur’fm which changed the face of human history and civilization. Although dreams belong to the domain of personal experience, they are a universal phenomenon, and thus have played a crucial role in the formation of human culture. Throughout recorded human history, dreams and the interpretation of dreams have inspired sages and prophets, poets and kings, as well as the most creative psychologist/philosophers of our day.
The science of psychoanalysis of Carl Jung and his school rests on the fact that dreams form the inner diary of every human individual, and hence the need to read and interpret them correctly. This fact has for long been recognized by the sages and prophets of traditional cultures and religions. Not all dreams, however are either true or authentic. Those of the prophets and friends (awliya’s) of God are Divine revelations, true and sacred.
The dreams of pious men and women are almost always true and meaningful. Some dreams come from Satan, and are thus misleading. Others may be caused by physical or psychological problems such as stomach discomfort or emotional disturbance.
It is therefore important to distinguish true dreams from empty fantasies, and inspired dreams from satanic insinuations. This is a Divine gift to inspired prophets, holy persons and insightful sages. ... islamic dream dream meaning
It might cause you more embarrassment than you think possible.... embalm dream meaning
Back off befofe you get let down.... enamel dream meaning
Unless, of course, you are English or live in England, in which case the national aspects of the dream have no significance and only the other details should be considered.... england dream meaning
The point is that if we are being given these messages for our own well-being, it would behoove us to try to understand them, to listen to the spirits.
The uncon¬scious, or the spirits, employ symbols with which we are familiar. They present the message using objects that per¬tain to our everyday life, the better that we may under¬stand what is being communicated. Sigmund Freud believed that the unconscious mind contains repressed material—wishes, thoughts, experi-ences—that the individual will not accept into the con¬scious mind. These things are therefore repressed and often disguised. Carl Jung called this repressed material the “Personal Unconscious.” He believed that there was also the “Collective Unconscious,” which contained elements from racial memories and experiences. Discover how to:
See also Unconscious and Sleep.... ether dream meaning
The beginner in this field must know that there are two types of dreams: one type that comes from God Almighty, and the second type comes from satan. What is good comes from God Almighty, which is a type of revelation that comes to a righteous person and carries either glad tidings, or warnings. Such dreams also cause one’s heart to reflect upon his actions and to beware of heedlessness.
dreamencyclopedia.org
The Islamic Dream Interpretation, keys to interpreting your dreams successfully.
On the other hand, they could be a reprimand for an ignoble act one is pondering, or an act one may mistakenly thinks that it is the correct thing to do, or a new friendship that could lead him to hell-fire, or a clarification concerning his treatment of his family and friends and about his business dealings, or they may bring spiritual guidance, etcetera.
This is the type of dream which is referred to in God’s Prophet’s sayings: “Atrue dream representsone offorty-six branches of a prophecy.” Both religious and irreligious people may see a true dream that could come true.
The second type of dream connotes deception, cunningness, contriving, jealousy, or a scare, causes pain, depicts any type of eavesdropping, engaging in mundane conversation, the call of one’s mind and desires, or imagination, or occur after eating a heavy late meal or even going to bed hungry, etcetera.
This type of dream comes from satan. God’s Prophet (uwbp) has said: ‘As time draws nearer to the conclusion of this world,dreams will become confused.
The most true of dreams are those ofa truthful person. Thus, if one sees a dream that he dislikes, he should tell no one about it, and he should immediately leave his bed and perform his prayers.” He also said: “The best of ropes is steadfastness to one’s religious life.”
Interpreting dreams is a process of analyzing the nature of things and their opposing possibilities, connecting their roots, and assembling the fragments of one’s thoughts to better understand his or her real condition.
In a dream, one may see things that may connote equilibrium or the opposite, while his passive and inert participation urges him to examine the elements and to awaken his consciousness. Sometimes, the elements themselves may be opaque or unclear. In this case, if one recognizes a person in the dream, perhaps the name of that person, or his trade, or his look, or the meaningofthe individual letters of his name, or their combined numerological value, etcetera, mayprovide a clue to the meaning of one’s dream. The foundation of all Islamic knowledge is revelation contained in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah.
Since good dreams are also a form of revelation from Allaah, any legitimate attempt to interpret the symbolism of dreams should rely primarily on the symbolism found in the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
A dream interpreter must listen to the complete story, and its minute details. He also must investigate and find acceptable religious references for each element in the dream.
If the does not fully understand the dream, or if he is unable to find such references, then it is better for him to refrain from making up an interpretation.
In that case, he will be giving a religious ruling, though dreams relate to psychology. Indeed, it will be a sin to tell a false interpretation, while one will be rewarded if he remains silent when he does not know the answer. Imam Ibn Sirin was the most renowned master in this science, and he often refrained from interpreting someone’s dream. Perhaps, he would interpret only one out of every forty dreams when askedto do so. Of three out of four such dreams, he used to say: “I do not know the meaning of this dream.”
The dream interpreter must investigate the dream and establish its acceptable religious references.
It is related that Imam Ibn Sirin used to spend a good part of the day questioning the person about himself, his life, type of work, living condition, and surrounding circumstance, for a dream interpreter is not a prophet and cannot tell about the future.
This dictionary for Islamic dream interpretation contains over 6000 indexed entries.... dream meanings dream meaning
This dictionary of Christian Dreams, China interpretation of dreams, India interpretation of dreams contains over 44.500 indexed entries and this dictionary of islamic Dreams contains over 5.500 indexed entries.
Also, Psychological / emotional perspective, Material aspects and Gives gender - specific, interpreted of Dream Analysis and Interpretation.
Understand the meaning of your dreams. Great dictionary of dream interpretations.... dream sources dream meaning
See also Odor, Perfume, Steam, etc.... evaporate dream meaning
The theme of missing an exam, to take one example, commonly begins during college years, when the stress of performing well may be more intense than ever before. However, this theme may then carry forward as a recurring dream for many years, even as one moves on to a career.
The “missing the exam” dream may reappear the night before an important job interview or an evaluation at work.
The circumstances may change, but the same feelings of stress, and the desire to perform well, can trigger the relevant recurrent dream. Theorists suggest that these themes may be considered “scripts” (Spoormaker, 2008) or perhaps “complexes” (Freud 1950); as soon as your dream touches any aspect of the theme, the full script unfolds in completion. Dream theorists generally agree that recurring dreams are connected to unresolved problems in the life of the dreamer. In a previous post I discussed the idea that dreams often portray a Central Image, a powerful dream image that contextualizes a certain emotion or conflict for the dreamer.
The Tidal Wave dream is an example of a Central Image that represents overwhelming emotions such as helplessness and fear.
The Tidal Wave dream is a common dream to experience following trauma or abuse, and often becomes a recurrent theme that reflects a person’s struggling with integrating and accepting the trauma. Resolution of this theme over time is a good sign that the trauma has been confronted and adaptively integrated in the psyche. Empirical research has also supported findings that resolution of a recurrent dream is associated with improved well-being (Zadra, 1996). This is one way that keeping track of your dreams can be extremely informative and helpful in a therapeutic, or even self-help, process.
The dream repeats because you have not corrected the problem. Another theory is that people who experience recurring dreams have some sort of trauma in their past they are trying to deal with. In this case, the dreams tend to lessen with time. Nightmares are dreams that are so distressing they usually wake us up, at least partially. Nightmares can occur at any age but are seen in children with the most frequency. Nightmares usually cause strong feelings of fear, sadness or anxiety. Their causes are varied. Some medications cause nightmares (or cause them if you discontinue the medication abruptly). Traumatic events also cause nightmares. Treatment for recurring nightmares usually starts with interpreting what is going on in the dream and comparing that with what is happening in the person’s life. Then, the person undergoes counseling to address the problems that are presumably causing the nightmare. Some sleep centers offer nightmare therapy and counseling. Another method of treating nightmares is through lucid dreaming. Through lucid dreaming, the dreamer can confront his or her attacker and, in some cases, end the nightmares.... what does it mean when you have a recurring dream? dream meaning
(2) The sun may symbolize self / light / consciousness. Its eclipse may therefore represent an obscuring of your true self; a fear that unconscious forces may overpower the conscious ego; or a needed compensation of reason by intuition or instinct.
(3) The moon is a symbol of mother or the feminine. Its eclipse may therefore mean getting rid of the sort of attachment to mother that is detrimental to your development as an individual in your own right; or the obscuring of your femininity (your anima, if you are a man). (For anima)... edipse dream meaning
If so, the dream is probably recommending that you do this.... exhumation dream meaning
When the nature of the entanglement is personal and you are involved in a situation of misunderstanding with people around you, the dream augurs good relationships and good environment for communication and understanding.... entanglement dream meaning
It is interpreted as a moment of exhaustion and defeat.... erasing dream meaning
(2) What is empty in the dream may be something that symbolizes the self - a room, for example, or house. In that case, it may represent your own (feeling of) emptiness. According to Freud, when a person suppresses or represses something, it often happens that nothing else comes to take the place of what has been suppressed / repressed, and the consequence is that the person’s life becomes empty. (For suppression / repression)
(3) Emptiness, an empty landscape or an empty container, may be a symbol of potentiality: where there is nothing, there is room for anything. The unconscious is sometimes visualized as an empty container, but — again — as containing the potential for all future personal growth.... emptiness / empty dream meaning
It is divided in solid (earth), liquid (water), and gaseous (air). Each part can transform into the other two by using energy (fire). Psychological traits of the dreamer may be represented in each of these elements. Its balance denotes completeness and integrity. (See WATER, EARTH, AIR, and FIRE)
In astrology, the four elements are the essential qualities of human beings. The earth is fertility and loyalty; water, imagination; air, intelligence; and fire, ambition and will. The mystics believed in a fifth element that permeated everything. It was a fluid state of existence called ether. Today, many mediums believe that, thanks to it, astral travels are possible.... element dream meaning
If circumstances have become so overwhelming, you may need this release or break that the subconscious gives you while you sleep.... evasion dream meaning
It is possible that, in real life, you are carrying a really heavy responsibility or do not feel capable of solving a particular problem. In addition, if the dreamer witnesses someone else’s flight, the dream reflects a tricky situation: the protagonist knows of a secret truth and fears the consequences that may entail its disclosure.... flight (escape) dream meaning
If something feels risky to you, the presence of an expiration date is the confirmation you need to proceed. This can be applied to any aspect of risk in your current life. Also to be considered is the notion of time running out on something that needs your immediate attention.... expiration date dream meaning
The dream about the ex has nothing to do with the real-life ex.... exes dream meaning
Love and happiness were not the only feelings expressed by these floral epistles. Infidelity, jealousy, disdain and rejection were also expressed by a suitably chosen bloom. Whilst a simple flower may have been sent to a young lady to propose marriage, another seemingly innocuous blossom may have been sent in response, telling the gentleman caller to ‘get lost’. The color of the flower was extremely significant; to cite a few examples, red usually meant love, yellow indicated friendship, lavender suggested enchantment, and orange fascination.
As far as dream interpretation goes, the list of meanings is seemingly endless, as nearly every flower has been attributed with a specific meaning at some point in time. In Victorian times, the range of available flowers was limited, and so certain flowers had specific meanings; today, with so many flower choices, there are no rules—it’s the sentiment and personal association that gives the flower meaning to you in a dream. For those interested in the historic or generally accepted meanings of flowers, the list below has been compiled from a variety of different sources, including the American Society of Florists.
Historic and generally accepted meanings of flowers Acacia: Concealed love, chaste love
Agapanthis: Secret love
Alstroemeria: Aspiration
Amaryllis: Pride, drama
Ambrosia: Your love is returned
Anemone: Sincerity, fragility
Apple blossom: Promises
Arbutus: Thee only do ı love
Aster: Symbol of love, daintiness, contentment
Azalea: Take care of yourself for me, abundance, symbol of womanhood (china)
Baby’s breath: Festivity
Bachelor’s button: Anticipation
Begonia: Deep thoughts
Bells of Ireland: Good luck
Bittersweet: Truth
Black-eyed Susan: Encouragement
Bluebell: Humility
Cactus: Endurance
Caladium: Great joy, delight
Camellia (general): Graciousness, good-luck gift for a man
Camellia (pink): Passionate longing
Camellia (red): A flame in the heart
Camellia (white): Admiration
Carnation (general): Fascination, women, love
Carnation (pink): Gratitude, ı’ll never forget you
Carnation (purple): Caprice, whimsy
Carnation (red): Passion, drama, admiration
Carnation (solid color): Affirmation
Carnation (striped): Refusal, sorry ı can’t be with you, wish ı could be with you
Carnation (white): Sweetness and loveliness, innocence, pure love, remembrance, woman’s good-luck gift
Carnation (yellow): Cheerful for all occasions (except in matters of the heart, when it means rejection)
Cattail: Peace, prosperity
Chrysanthemum (general): Cheerfulness, rest
Chrysanthemum (bronze): Excitement
Chrysanthemum (red): Sharing
Chrysanthemum (white): Truth
Chrysanthemum (yellow): Slighted love, secret admirer
Cosmos: Peace
Crocus: Foresight, cheerfulness, gladness
Cyclamen: Resignation, good-bye
Daffodil: Chivalry, respect, regard, unrequited love
Daisy: Innocence, loyalty, loveliness, purity
Dandelion: Faithfulness, happiness
Delphinium: Boldness
Fern: Magic, fascination, confidence, shelter
Fir: Time
Flax: Domestic symbol
Forget-me-not: True love, good memories
Forsythia: Anticipation
Freesia: Full of spirit, trust
Gardenia: Joy
Geranium: Comfort
Ginger: Pride
Gladioli: Sincerity, strength of character, flower of the gladiators
Gloxinia: Love at first sight
Heather (lavender): Admiration, solitude
Heather (white): Protection, wishes will come true
Holly: Defense, domestic happiness
Honeysuckle: Happiness
Hyacinth (general): Sincerity
Hyacinth (blue): Constancy
Hyacinth (purple): Sorrow
Hyacinth (red/pink): Play
Hyacinth (white): Loveliness
Hyacinth (yellow): Jealousy
Hydrangea: Perseverance
Iris: Inspiration
Ivy: Wedded love, fidelity, friendship, affection
Jasmine: Grace and elegance
Jonquil: Desire for affection returned
Larkspur: Beautiful spirit
Lavender: Distrust
Lily (calla): Regal beauty
Lily (day): Enthusiasm, emblem for mother (china)
Lily (Eucharis): Charms
Lily (tiger): Wealth, pride
Lily (white): Virginity, purity, majesty
Lily (yellow): I’m walking on air
Lily of the valley: Sweetness, return to happiness, humility
Magnolia: Nobility
Marigold: Jealousy
Monkshood: Beware, a deadly foe is near
Moss: Maternal love, charity
Myrtle: Love, emblem of marriage
Narcissus: Egotism
Nasturtium: Conquest, victory in battle
Oleander: Caution
Orange blossom: Innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness
Orange mock: Deceit
Orchid (general): Love, beauty, refinement, symbol for many children (china)
Orchid (Cattleya): Mature charm
Palm leaves: Victory, success
Passion flower: Burning passion
Peony: Healing, happy life, happy marriage
Petunia: Resentment, anger
Pine: Hope, pity
Poppy (general): Eternal sleep, consolation, imagination
Poppy (red): Pleasure
Poppy (white): Consolation
Poppy (yellow): Wealth, success
Primrose: Longing
Primrose (evening): Inconstancy
Queen Anne’s lace: Delicate femininity
Ranunculus: Radiance
Rhododendron: Beware
Rose (bridal): Happiness, love
Rose (dark crimson): Mourning
Rose (Hibiscus): Delicate beauty
Rose (leaf): You may hope
Rose (pink): Friendship
Rose (red): Love, ı love you
Rose (tea): I’ll remember always
Rose (thornless): Love at first sight
Rose (white): Innocence and purity
Rose (white and red mixed): Unity, flower emblem of england
Rose (yellow): Decrease of love, jealousy
Rosebud (general): Beauty and youth
Rosebud (moss): Confessions of love
Rosebud (red): Pure and lovely
Rosebud (white): Girlhood
Roses (bouquet of mature blooms): Gratitude
Roses (single full bloom): I love you, ı still love you
Smilax: Loveliness
Snapdragon: Presumption
Spider flower: Run away with me
Star of Bethlehem: Hope
Statice: Success
Stephanotis: Happiness in marriage, desire to travel
Stock: Bonds of affection, you’ll always be beautiful to me
Sunflower: Pride, sunshine, adoration
Sweetpea: Shyness, thank you for a lovely time
Tulip (general): Love, flower emblem of holland
Tulip (pink): Caring
Tulip (purple): Royalty
Tulip (red): Declaration of love
Tulip (variegated): Beautiful eyes
Tulip (white): Forgiveness
Tulip (yellow): Passionate longing
Violet (general): Modesty, faithfulness
Violet (blue): Watchfulness, faithfulness, ı’ll always be true
Violet (white): Adventure, risk taking
Viscaria: Celebration
Wisteria: Welcome, steadfast
Zinnia (magenta): Lasting affection, thoughts of friends
Zinnia (mixed): Thinking (or in memory) of an absent friend
Zinnia (scarlet): Constancy
Zinnia (white): Goodness
Zinnia (yellow): Daily remembrance ... dream it with flowers dream meaning
First letter of the alphabet. The corresponding letter of the Greek alphabet is alpha. Alpha and omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet, symbolize the beginning and the end and, in the New Testament, Christ. In musical notation, the letter is the symbol of a note in the scale. The symbol can also refer to a blood group, a vitamin, the months August and April, or any word, place, sound or name represented by the letter ‘a’. In education, a grade of A typically represents the highest score that students can achieve.
The Letter B
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘b’. The second in a series. Something shaped like the letter B. The second best or second highest in quality or rank. A mark of‘B’ on a term paper. A written or printed mark representing this note. A string, key, or pipe tuned to the pitch of this tone. One of the four major blood groups in the ABO system. The symbol for the chemical Boron.
The Letter C
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘c’. The third in a series. Something shaped like the letter‘c’. The third best or third highest in quality or rank; a mark of C on a term paper. The first tone in the scale of C major or the third tone in the relative minor scale.
Symbol for the element carbon and the Roman numeral 100. A circled‘c’ represents copyright or ownership.
The Letter D
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘d’. The fourth in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘d’. The lowest passing grade given to a student in a school or college. A string, key, or pipe tuned to the pitch of this note. In Roman numerals, the number 500.
The Letter E
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘e’. The fifth in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘e’. In education, a grade that indicates a ‘fail’. A string, key, or pipe tuned to the pitch of this note. The hypothesized traditional source of those narrative portions of the Pentateuch in which God is referred to as Elohim, so therefore a word of great power. In weather forecasting and geography, E stands for east, one of the four cardinal directions.
The Letter F
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘f’. The sixth in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘f’. In education, a grade that indicates a ‘fail’. A string, key, or pipe tuned to the pitch of this note. In chemistry, F is the symbol of the element fluorine.
The Letter G
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘g’. The seventh in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘g’. A string, key, or pipe tuned to the pitch of this note. In physics, G stands for the gravitational constant, the force that brings you back to earth.
The Letter H
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘h’. The eighth in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘h’. In chemistry, H is the symbol for the element hydrogen.
The Letter I
Any name, word, place or sound represented by the letter‘i’. The ninth in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘i’. A symbol for the self, the person you are.
The Letter J
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘j’. Symbol of January, June and July or the Jack in a deck of cards. The tenth in a series. Something shaped like the letter‘j’. The hypothesized traditional source of those portions of the Pentateuch in which God is referred to with the Tetragrammaton rather than as Elohim, therefore a letter of power.
The Letter K
Any name, word, place or sound represented by the letter‘k’. The 11th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘k’. In chemistry, K is the symbol for the element potassium. In law, K is a symbol for contract and in baseball for a strikeout.
The Letter L
Any name, word, place or sound presented by the letter‘l’. The 12th in a series. Something shaped like a‘k’. In the movie Men In Black, agent‘L’ (as in ‘elle’, French for‘she’) is the lead female character.
The Letter M
Any name, word, place, or sound represented by the letter‘m’. The 13th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘m’. In information systems, M is often used as the abbreviation for the male sex in personal data records. In calendars, M is often an abbreviation for Monday, or for the months March or May. In French, and some English works by French authors, M. is an abbreviation for Monsieur.
The Letter N
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘n’. The 14th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘n’. In weather forecasting and geography, N stands for north, one of the four cardinal directions. In calendars, N is often an abbreviation for the month November. In chemistry, N is the symbol for nitrogen.
The Letter O
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘o’. The 15th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘o’. One of the four major blood groups in the ABO system. Zero or nothing. In chemistry, O is the symbol of the element oxygen, essential for life.
The Letter P
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘p’. Symbol for the smallest unit of the British currency, the penny. The 16th in a series. Something shaped like the letter‘p’. In chess, P is a symbol for the pawn. In chemistry, P is the symbol for phosphorus, something that spontaneously combusts at room temperature.
The Letter Q
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘q’. The 17th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘q’. A hypothetical lost manuscript, consisting largely of sayings of Jesus, that is believed to have been the source of passages in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. In chess, Q is a symbol for the queen. It is also the symbol for a question, as in
The Letter R
Any word, name, place, or sound represented by the letter‘r’. The 18th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘r’. In film, R is a rating given by film classification boards meaning‘restricted’. R is sometimes used as a symbol for river.
The Letter S
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘s’. Symbol of the snake. The 19th in a series. Something shaped like the letter‘s’. In chemistry, S is the symbol of the element sulfur. In weather forecasting and geography, S stands for south, one of the four cardinal directions.
The Letter T
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘t’. The 20th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘t’. In calendars, T is often an abbreviation for Tuesday or Thursday. In propositional logic, T is the symbol for true.
The Letter U
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘u’. The 21st in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘u’. A grade that indicates an unsatisfactory status. In communication, U is an abbreviation for the word‘you’ in SMS or instant messaging.
The Letter V
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘v’. The 22nd in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘v’. V is for Victory. In computing, V is an operation on a semaphore, used for process synchronization. In grammar, v is an abbreviation for verb or action.
The Letter W
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘w’. The 23rd in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘w’. In weather forecasting and geography, W stands for west, one of the four cardinal directions.
The Letter X
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘x’. The 24th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘x’. A mark inscribed to represent the signature of someone who is unable to sign their name. An unknown or unnamed factor, thing or person. To delete, cancel, or obliterate with a series of Xs. Often used with the word‘out’. In films, X used to be the rating given to films suitable for an adult-only audience. A symbol for Christ, as in Xmas. In genetics, X denotes the X chromosome and XX denotes female in the XY sex-determination system
The Letter Y
Any name, word, place or sound represented by the letter‘y’. The 25th in a series. Something shaped like the letter ‘y’. In genetics, Y denotes the Y or male chromosome and XY denotes male in the XY sex- determination system. In Internet slang,‘why’ is commonly denoted by Y due to the similarity in pronunciation.
The Letter Z
Any word, name, place or sound represented by the letter‘z’. The 26th or last place in a series. Something shaped like the letter‘z’. In cartoons, multiple Zs are slang for sleep. In mathematics, z denotes a complex variable.
... letters in dream dream meaning
Cedar
If your dream featured a cedar, could this be a reference to Lebanon (just as a maple might be a reference to Canada)?
Perhaps you associate it with the precious furniture of the Middle East, or is it a reference to the Bible, in which it was often mentioned?
Cypress
Common in graveyards, the cypress or false cypress is a symbol of the inevitability of death, but also conjures up the hope of rebirth and new beginnings.
Fir/Spruce
Strongly associated with Christmas, the fir or spruce is linked to the birth of Jesus. The image in a dream may express strong positive or negative feelings about family occasions.
Holly
Traditionally associated with Christmas, holly is a dream symbol of family festivity and joy, mingled with pain.
Leylandii
If you dream of this fast-growing conifer, is someone trying to erect a boundary between you and them in waking life? Or perhaps you are undecided about something and are ’hedging your bets’?
Pine
If you dream of pine trees, are you pining for someone or something in waking life? A pine cone, depending on the context of your dream, may also symbolize masculine virility or feminine fecundity.... conifers and evergreens dream meaning
Blinkered horse: Not allowing yourself to see what is happening around you; anxiety and worries about life. Controlling the horse, or fear of it: Trying to control your feelings of passion and sexuality. These natural drives can motivate you or drag you along unwillingly.
Dead horse: Serious loss of energy or motivation which could lead to illness or depression; an old and dying set of habits and motivations or way of life.
Falling off horse: A sign that you are relating badly to your basic urges and needs.
If you continue to deny these, poor health could be the unwelcome result.
Grooming and caring for a horse: Taking care of your basic needs such as food, shelter and sex.
Horse and carriage: The natural processes of life that carry you from birth to old age; natural forces that can move you forward either from within or as natural events.
Horse dragging the dreamer along: Impetuosity of feelings; feelings dragged along by natural urges.
Horse being playful or affectionate: Feelings of warmth and strength from within.
Horse race: The events of everyday life and your relationship with people; everyday competition and where you rate yourself in the race; what happens in the race shows how you are relating to opportunities or how you feel about your accomplishments.
Horse running freely: Allowing your emotions or sexuality free rein; a symbol of the love of life.
Horse unwilling to move or carry: Your dreaming mind is telling you that you are uncertain about the direction in which you are trying to go.
Mare: Symbol of femininity, receptiveness and fertility.
Newborn horse or pony: Symbol of refreshing energy or new motivations.
Old or worn-out horse: Current state of your feelings. You may be feeling worn out or overworked, or feel that a particular relationship has run its course.
Riding or leading horse easily: A symbol of a good relationship between your personality and your instinctive drives.
Running away from a horse or from charging cavalry: Fear of sexuality, including anxieties towards the responsibilities of parenthood and relationships; you may be avoiding the need to direct or control your feelings and urges.
Sick or dying horse: loss of health, energy and enthusiasm for life.
Stallion: Symbol of masculinity, power and virility.
Strange or unknown horse or horseman/woman: Message from the unconscious; a new opportunity or event.
Struggling to control the horse: Fighting your urges and natural drives. You may be having problems controlling your emotions or sexuality.
Tied-up horse: A symbol of inhibition. Your dreaming mind may be telling you that it is time to release your feelings and give free rein to your creativity.
Training a horse: This suggests that you are learning to direct your sexual and emotional energy.
Uneasy on ride: If this image appears in your dreams you may feel as if you are being taken for a ride or feel that your emotions are taking over your life.
White horse: An image of transformation or meeting with an expanded awareness of ourselves.
Winged horse: Shows how you can rise above your basic needs and urges to discover awareness and fulfillment beyond personal memories and experience.
Working horse: The energy or motivation needed to work. The condition of the horse will tell you how you feel about yourself in relation to your work. Do you feel you are only a workhorse or that you are being treated as such?... horse - equestrian issues dream meaning
Marathon: If your race was a marathon, this indicates that work or life has become an exhausting slog.
If you win the marathon, this suggests you have the confidence to achieve your aims, but if you fail to finish, this suggests that insecurities in waking life are holding you back.
Relay race: In the relay race of your life, were you successful at passing the baton or did you fumble things and ruin your team’s chances?... running events dream meaning
Shamans and exorcists conduct rituals for the release of negative spirits, and if this archetype appears in a dream, it suggests a form of possession by destructive or antisocial impulses in oneself or others, and the need to confront it.... exorcist dream meaning
If the eggs are smashed, have your dreams and hopes been smashed in some way? If you dream of hatching birds, this may suggest the birth of new ideas, projects and relationships, whilst if baby birds appear in your dreams, they are usually symbols of childhood and new beginnings.... bird egg dream meaning
If they appear in your dreams they can enlighten and inspire us to follow our dreams.... artists and entertainers dream meaning
Christianity and dreams
According to traditional Christianity, the purpose of dreams is to improve communication with God; this can be shown by the constant references in the Bible to communication through the medium of dreams between man and God, man and the angels, and between man and his higher self. The moral standards of the dreamer may be reflected in the clarity and degree of quality of their dreams.
Hinduism and dreams
Hindu dream interpretation puts great importance on individual dream images, and relates them to gods and demons. This belief that dream symbols may be universal as well as individual is similar to the more modern ideas put forward by Carl Jung in his theory of the ’collective unconscious’.
Islam and dreams
Dreams, according to Muslim scholars, are of three types. The first of these are sound dreams that are indicative of glad tidings. These can include premonitions of the future. A second type of dream is said to be evil and the result of Satanic whisperings or inspirations. A third type of dream can be termed as ’idle dreams’, and they are the result of eating unpalatable foods, the over-exercise of one’s imaginations, or experiences in life which might also be reflected in one’s dreams.
Judaism and dreams
Dreams have long been considered a legitimate form of divine revelation in Jewish mysticism and throughout Jewish history—from Hagar, Joseph and King Solomon to Sigmund Freud and beyond— Jews have honored their dreams and searched for their deeper meanings. Judaism takes dreams very seriously. In the Bible, we read of the dreams of the great people of Israel: Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and many of the prophets. Judaism is of the opinion that all prophecy, except for the prophecy of Moses, was transmitted to the prophets when they were in a dreamlike, almost catatonic, trance. The Talmud places heavy emphasis on the interpretation of the dream as the key to its fulfillment.
If a seemingly bad or frightening dream is interpreted positively, no ill effects from that dream will ever actually occur.
Other traditions and dreams
Oriental traditions concerning dreams are comparative and philosophical; the dreamer’s state of mind is thought to be of more importance than the predictive power of the dreams themselves.
Ancient Chinese philosophy holds that the soul is separated from the body whilst dreaming and that several levels of consciousness exist; the dreamer’s horoscope, time of year, and the individual’s physical condition are all taken into consideration when interpreting dreams.... major religions and dream interpretation dream meaning
Because REM sleep is recognizable in mammals and birds, but not in snakes and other reptiles, scientists think that most warm- blooded animals dream. Studies have monitored the sleep of goats, sheep, cats, dogs, rats, mice, monkeys and apes, and all had dream periods and symptoms; all except the spiny anteater, which seems to be a dream-free mammal.
Watch a sleeping dog or cat sometime, and you can tell if it is dreaming of running after something. Its eyes twitch, sometimes it moves its paws—something could be happening in its dreams.... do animals dream? dream meaning
Similarly, if you experience inappropriate happiness or elation at a dream funeral or death, this might point to your being in a state of denial in order to protect yourself from the reality of a personal loss.... incongruous emotions dream meaning
If you dream that someone is jealous of you, your dreaming mind may be telling you that this person harbors hostile feelings against you.... jealousy / envy dream meaning
Look at it this way...a dream is like a puzzle, and although there are several pieces that are quickly pieced together because they are so obvious, the puzzle isn’t complete until all the pieces are placed together bit by bit. Then you have the complete picture...until then, you’ll only have disjointed images that don’t add up to anything coherent, and you’ll still be confused.
So please remember that and try not to piecemeal a dream...it needs to be fully interpreted or it will most likely be totally wrong.
Let’s look at some of the more common dream images and what they could mean.
Teeth Falling Out
This is probably the most prevalent dream image that people report. It is disturbing to them because it affects vanity and personal appearance – but only in the dream! a dream about one’s teeth falling out usually symbolizes that the dreamer is having a challenge getting their voice heard, or feelings acknowledged.
This may be referring to their conversations with a particular person such as their significant other, boss, or friend; or can be generalized for people who are shy, to include almost everyone they come in contact with.
The dreamer needs to brush up on conversational skills, believe in the value of their own opinion, and learn how to be less intimidated by aggressive people, and become more assertive and make their voice heard. Once they do that, this dream (which is a common recurring dream) should evolve & show improvement...or disappear altogether.
Another theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxiety about your appearance and how others perceive you. Sadly, we live in a world where good looks are valued highly and your teeth play an important role in conveying that image. Teeth are used in the game of flirtations, whether it is a dazzling and gleaming smile or affectionate necking. These dreams may stem from a fear of your sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness and presentation to others. Everybody worries about how they appear to others. Caring about our appearance is natural and healthy.
There are cultural interpretations of this type of dream as well. A scriptural interpretation for bad or falling teeth indicate that you are putting your faith, trust, and beliefs in what man thinks rather than in the word of God. The bible says that God speaks once, yea twice in a dream or a vision in order to hide pride from us, to keep us back from the pit, to open our ears (spiritually) and to instruct and correct us.
In the Greek culture, when you dream about loose, rotten, or missing teeth, it indicates that a family member or close friend is very sick or even near death.
According to the Chinese, there is a saying that your teeth will fall out if you are telling lies.
It has also been said that if you dream of your teeth falling out, then it symbolizes money. This is based on the old tooth fairy story. If you lose a tooth and leave it under the pillow, a tooth fairy would bring you money.
Flying
Dreams about flying usually represent freedom from the physical body, as we experience in sleep while dreaming where we don’t use our physical bodies but instead use our mental & spiritual bodies to experience our dreams. It’s one of the first things people attempt to do when they gain control of their dreams and start lucid dreaming.
Everybody seems to have a natural inclination to want to fly, unless that is changed by a fear of flying due to a frightening incident in their waking lives. Flying = freedom; either a desire for freedom, an “escape” from restraints in your physical life (like a mini-vacation for the mind) or any number of possibilities.
Tie it in with the context of your dream...what were you doing in your dream besides flying? How did it make you feel? Also, the type of flying here is the person flying on their own without an airplane or any aircraft at all. That would be a different symbol dealing with spiritual awareness, among other things.
Flying dreams fall under a category of dreams where you become aware that you are dreaming, known as lucid dreaming. Many dreamers have described the ability to fly in their dreams as an exhilarating, joyful, and liberating experience.
If you are flying with ease and enjoying the scene and landscape below, then it suggests that you are on top of a situation. You have risen above something. It may also mean that you have gained a different perspective on things. Flying dreams and the ability to control your flight is representative of your own personal sense of power.
Having difficulties staying in flight indicates a lack of power in controlling your own circumstances. You may be struggling to stay aloft and stay on course. Things like power lines, trees, or mountains may further obstruct your flight. These barriers represent a particular obstacle or person who is standing in your way in your waking life. You need to identify who or what is hindering you from moving forward.
If you are feeling fear when you are flying or that you feel that you are flying too high then it suggests that you are afraid of challenges and of success.
In reality, we do not have the ability to fly. Thus such dreams may represent that which is beyond our physical limitations. In your mind, you can be anybody and do anything. Another way of interpreting flying dreams is that these dreams symbolize your strong mind and will. You feel undefeatable and nobody can tell you what you cannot do and accomplish. Undoubtedly these dreams leave you a great sense of freedom.
Being Caught In A Tornado
This symbol points to emotional turmoil, as in a “whirlwind of emotions”; and/or rapid or sudden changes in your life. It is a sign to “get a grip” on what is possibly spinning out of control & deal more effectively with your emotions. Meditation and finding some private “think time” for yourself would be a good idea.
Being Naked
Dreaming that you are completely or partially naked is very common. Nudity symbolizes a variety of things depending on your real life situation.
Becoming mortified at the realization that you are walking around naked in public is often a reflection of your vulnerability or shamefulness. You may be hiding something and are afraid that others can nevertheless see right through you. Metaphorically clothes are a means of concealment. With clothes, you can hide your identity or be someone else. But without them, everything is hanging out for all to see. You are left without any defenses.
The dream may telling you that you are trying to be something that you really are not. Or that you are fearful of being ridiculed and disgraced. If you are in a new relationship, you may have some fears or apprehension in revealing your true feelings.
Nudity also symbolizes being caught off guard.
Finding yourself naked at work or in a classroom, suggests that you are unprepared for a project at work or school. You may be uninformed in making a well-formed decision. With all eyes on you, you have this fear of having some deed brought to public attention. You fear that people will see through your true self and you will be exposed as a fraud or a phony.
Many times, when you realize that you are naked in your dream, no one else seems to notice. Everyone else in the dream is going about their business without giving a second look at your nakedness. This implies that your fears are unfounded; no one will notice except you. You may be magnifying the situation and making an issue of nothing. On the other hand, such dreams may mean your desire (or failure) to get noticed.
For a small percentage of you, dreaming that you are proud of your nakedness and show no embarrassment or shame, then it symbolizes your unrestricted freedom. You have nothing to hide and are proud of who you are. The dream is about a new sense of honesty, openness, and a carefree nature.
Being Chased
Chase dreams often stem from feelings of anxiety in your walking life. The way we respond to anxiety and pressure in real life is typically manifested as a chase dream. Running is an instinctive response to physical threats in our environment.
Often in these dream scenarios, you are being pursued by some attacker, who wants to hurt or possibly kill you. You are running away, hiding, or trying to outwit your pursuer.
Chase dreams may represent your way of coping with fears, stress or various situations in your waking life. Instead of confronting the situation, you are running away and avoiding it. Ask yourself who is the one chasing you and you may gain some understanding and insight on the source of your fears and pressure.
The pursuer or attacker who is chasing you in your dream may also represent a part of yourself. Your own feelings of anger, jealousy, fear, and possibly love, can assume the appearance of threatening figure. You may be projecting these feelings onto the unknown chaser.
Next time you have a chase dream, turn around and confront your pursuer. Ask them why they are chasin you.
One may be consumed by their own anger, jealousy, love, or self-destructive behavior. For example, you may be drinking too much or exhibiting open hostility toward others around you. You may subconsciously be threatened by these actions which have been jeopardizing your relationships and/or career. Your dreams are a way of calling attention to these self-destructive actions.
A more direct analysis of chase dreams is the fear of being attacked. Such dreams are more common among women than men, who may feel physically vulnerable in the urban environment. These dreams are inspired by fears of violence and sexual assault in which we are so over-exposed from the media. The violence that the media portrays magnifies our fears and how at risk we all are.
Falling
Falling dreams are another theme that is quite common in the world of dreams. As we said earlier, contrary to a popular myth, you will not actually die if you do not wake up before your hit the ground during a fall.
As with most common dream themes, falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life.
This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship or in your work environment. You have lost your foothold and can not hang on or keep up with the hustle and bustle of daily life. When you fall, there is nothing that you can hold on to. You more or less are forced toward this downward motion without any control. This loss of control may parallel a waking situation in your life.
Falling dreams also often reflect a sense of failure or inferiority in some circumstance or situation. It may be the fear of failing in your job/school, loss of status, or failure in love. You feel shameful and lack a sense of pride. You are unable to keep up with the status quo or that you don’t measure up.
According to Freudian theory, dreams of falling indicate that you are contemplating giving into a sexual urge or impulse. You may be lacking indiscretion.
Falling dreams typically occur during the first stage of sleep. Dreams in this stage are often accompanied by muscle spasms of the arms, legs, and the whole body. These sudden contractions, also known as myclonic jerks. Sometimes when we have these falling dreams, we feel our whole body jerk or twitch and we awaken from this jerk. It is thought that this jerking action is part of an arousal mechanism that allows the sleeper to awaken and become quickly alert and responsive to possible threats in the environment.
According to biblical interpretations, dreams about falling have a negative overtone and suggest that man is acting and walking according to his own way of thinking and not those of the Lord.
Taking An Exam or Test
To dream that you are taking an exam indicates that you are being put to the test or being scrutinized in some way. Such dreams highlight your feelings of being anxious and agitated. You may find that you cannot answer any of the questions on the test or that the test is in some foreign language.
Is time running out and you find that you can not complete the exam in the allowed time? Or are you late to the exam? Does your pencil keep breaking during the exam? Such factors contribute to you failing this test.
These dreams usually have to do with your self- esteem and confidence or your lack of. You are worried that you are not making the grade and measuring up to other people’s expectations of you. You may also experience the fear of not being accepted, not being prepared, or not being good enough. You feel nervous, insecure and tend to believe the worst about yourself.
These dreams also suggest that you may feel unprepared for a challenge. Rarely, are these dreams about the content of the test, but rather the process and how you are feeling during the exam taking process. Generally, you feel distressed and frustrated. These feelings may parallel how you are feeling in a particular challenge or situation in your waking like.
Dreams of this nature are also an indication that you are being judged and this dream is a signal for you to examine an aspect of yourself that you may have been neglecting and need to pay attention to. You may harbor some guilt because of your neglect in preparation for a school exam, meeting, business project, or some challenge. Most of the time people who have such dreams are unlikely to fail a test in real life. This dream goes back to their fear and own anxiety that they may not meet other’s standards of them. They are afraid to let others down.
Now let’s look at some specific symbols that appear in dreams and what they might mean.... most common dream images dream meaning
Toys in dreams not only reflect your desire for more play, or urge you to grow up in some way, they can also suggest nostalgia for childhood that has been lost. Dolls are especially important because they so resemble the human form, and because children endow them with emotions and characters. Your dreaming mind may therefore use a doll to symbolize something or someone in your life. For example, if you stick needles or pins in the doll, or mistreat it in any way, this can represent negative feelings towards a particular person. Many doll dreams use the doll as a target for violence and, if this is the case, it could also refer to how the dreamer felt as a child when smacked emotionally or physically—like a helpless child. Dolls can also represent emotions that the dreamer would like to discharge on someone else, or the feeling of wanting to be a precious doll to someone. It may also express some undeveloped part of the dreamer’s personality and the need to relearn some childhood lessons we may have forgotten.
If you dreamed that you were in a playground surrounded by other children, were you enjoying yourself or did you feel left out? If you felt exhilarated, your unconscious may once again be signaling your need to have more fun in waking life, but if you felt aloof or alone from the other children, it could suggest that you prefer to play no part in the immature behaviour currently displayed by a group of people in your waking life. See also references to toys and games in LEISURE.... activities and environments associated with childhood dream meaning
To dream that your arm has been injured or your arms are tied up signifies your inability to care for yourself, or your helplessness in reaching out to others. The right arm signifies your outgoing nature and is associated with masculine energy, while your left arm signifies your supportive or nurturing nature, and is associated with feminine qualities. Losing either arm may suggest that you are failing to recognize its respective characteristics. To dream that you rip someone else’s arms out, indicates that you are extremely upset with something that this person has done or represents, but you have not been able to fully express your anger.
If you see, notice or smell someone’s armpit in your dream, this represents the characteristics and personality that you choose to display to the public. To smell your armpit in your dream indicates that you are hoping for some kind of acceptance in waking life.
If you see your elbow in your dream, perhaps you need more personal space in waking life?... arm / armpit / elbow dream meaning
Just as there are different types of music—classical, rock, jazz—there are different kinds of dreams. Although different types of dream can blend and merge, modern dream researchers tend to break dream types into the following categories:
AMPLIFYING DREAMS
These can exaggerate certain situations or life attitudes in order to point them out sharply for the dreamer. For example, someone who is very shy may dream that they have become invisible.
ANTICIPATING DREAMSThese are dreams that may alert us to possible outcomes in situations in our waking life; for example, passing or failing an exam.
CATHARTIC DREAMS
Such dreams evoke extremely emotional reactions, when the unconscious is urging us to relieve pent-up feelings we may feel unable to express in waking life. For example, you may find yourself bursting into tears on a packed commuter train in your dreams, or you might punch your irritating neighbor or tell your boss exactly what you think of him or her.
CONTRARY OR COMPENSATORY DREAMS
In these types of dreams, the unconscious places the dreaming self in a totally different situation to the one we find ourselves in waking life. For example, if your day has been filled with unhappiness and stress due to the death of a loved one or the end of a relationship, you may dream of yourself spending a carefree, happy day by the seaside. Your unconscious may also give you personality traits that you haven’t expressed in waking life. For example, if you hate being the center of attention you may dream about being a celebrity. Such dreams are thought to provide necessary balance and may also be suggesting to you that you try incorporating some of the characteristics that your dream underlined in your waking life.
DAILY PROCESSING DREAMS
Also known as factual dreams, daily processing dreams are dreams in which you go over and over things that happened during the day, especially those that were repetitive or forced you to concentrate for long periods; dreaming about a long journey or a tough work assignment, for example. These kinds of dreams don’t tend to be laden with meaning, and most dream theorists think of them as bits and pieces of information your brain is processing.
DREAMS OF CHILDHOOD
Dreaming about your childhood may reflect a childhood dynamic which hasn’t been worked out yet and requires a resolution.
FALSE AWAKENING
It is thought that many reported sightings of ghosts are caused by false awakening, which occurs when you are actually asleep but are convinced in your dream state that you are awake. This is the kind of vivid dream in which you wake up convinced that what happened in your dream really happened.
INCUBATED DREAMS
This is when you set your conscious mind on experiencing a particular kind of dream. For example, you may incubate a dream of a loved one by concentrating on visualizing your loved one’s face before you sleep, or you may ask for a dream to answer your problems immediately before going to sleep. The theory is that your unconscious responds to the suggestion.
INSPIRATIONAL DREAMS
Many great works of art, music, literature have allegedly been inspired by dreams, when the unconscious brings a creative idea to the fore. For example, English poet and artist William Blake said that his work was inspired by the visions in his dreams. One night in 1816, Mary Shelley, her husband and a group of friends were challenged to write a ghost story. That night Mary Shelley dreamed of a creature that would later become the monster created by Dr Frankenstein in her yet-to-be-written novel.
LUCID DREAMS
These occur when you become aware that you are dreaming when you are dreaming. It takes time and practice to stop yourself waking up, but it is possible to learn how to become a lucid dreamer and control the course of your dreams.
MUTUAL DREAMS
When two people dream the same dream. Such dreams can be spontaneous or incubated, when two people who are close decide on a dream location together and imagine themselves meeting up before going to sleep.
NIGHTMARES
Dreams that terrify us or cause distress in some way by waking us up before the situation has resolved. Nightmares occur during REM sleep and typically arise when a person is feeling anxious or helpless in waking life. Once the dreamer has recognized what is triggering this kind of dream, and worked through any unresolved fears and anxieties, nightmares tend to cease.
NIGHT TERRORS
These are similar to nightmares, but because they occur in deep sleep (stage four) we rarely remember what terrified us, although we may be left with a lingering feeling of unexplained dread.
OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES
Also known as astral travel or projection, out-of-body experiences are thought to occur at times of physical and emotional trauma. Researchers tend to dismiss the idea but those that experience such dreams say that their mind, consciousness or spirit leaves their body and travels through time and space.
PAST-LIFE DREAMS
If you dream of being in a historical setting some believe this is evidence of past-life recall, although most dream theorists dismiss the existence of past-life or far-memory dreams, or genetic dreams when you assume the identity of an ancestor.
PHYSIOLOGICAL DREAMS
These dreams reflect the state of your body, so, for example, if you have an upset stomach, you may dream that you are being violently sick. These dreams may highlight the progress of serious physical conditions or in some cases predict the onset of them.
PRECOGNITIVE DREAMS
Most dream researchers dismiss these dreams but precognitive dreams are thought to predict real-life events of which the dreamer has no conscious awareness. These dreams tend to happen to people with psychic abilities. They are extremely rare but there have been many instances when people claim to have dreamt of things before they happened. For example, many people reported dreaming about 9/11 before it occurred. Other people tell of cancelling trains or flights because of a foreboding dream. There are also reports of people who dreamt the winning numbers of the lottery.
PROBLEM-SOLVING DREAMS
These occur when you have gone to bed mulling over a problem and found the answer in your dreams. This could be because your unconscious has already solved the dream and sleeping on it gives your unconscious a chance to express itself. Many famous inventions were allegedly prompted by a dream. For example, Scottish engineer and inventor of the steam engine James Watt (1736- 1819) dreamed of molten metal falling from the sky in the shape of balls. This dream gave him the idea for drop cooling and ball-bearings. The model of the atom, the M9 analogue computer, the isolation of insulin in the treatment of diabetes, and, as we have seen, the sewing machine, were also ideas that sprung from inspiration in dreams.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DREAMS
These are dreams that bring things we would rather not think about to our attention. They make us face an aspect of ourselves or our life that might be hindering our progress. They are often about our fears, anxieties, resentment, guilt and insecurities. For example, if you dream of yourself running around and around on the wheel of a cage unable to stop, this could suggest that in your waking life you are taking on too much and not giving yourself enough time to relax.
RECURRING DREAMS
Dreams that reoccur typically happen when the dreamer is worried about a situation that isn’t resolving itself in waking life. When the trigger in waking life is dealt with the dreams usually end. Recurring dreams can also occur when a person is suffering from some kind of phobia or trauma that has been repressed or not resolved. If this is the case the unconscious is urging the dreamer to consciously receive and acknowledge the issue and deal with it.
SEXUAL DREAMS
In dreams, sex can reflect the archetypal pattern which underlies the waking sex life or may represent a hoped-for reunion with another part of ourselves into a whole.
TELEPATHIC DREAMS
This is the kind of dream when someone you know appears in your dream in acute distress and you later learn that that person was experiencing a real-life crisis at the time, such as extreme unhappiness, an accident or even death. It is thought that telepathic dreams are a meeting of minds between two people who are close to each other emotionally.
VIGILANT DREAMS
These are processing dreams that involve your senses. For example, if your mobile rings or a picture falls to the ground while you are asleep, the sound may be incorporated into your dream but appear as something else, such as a police siren or a broken window. The smell of flowers in your room may also become a garden scene in your dreams.
WISH-FULFILLMENT DREAMS
These are the kind of dreams in which we quite literally live the dream; we might win the lottery, date a celebrity, ooze charisma or simply go on a long holiday. In these kinds of dreams our unconscious is trying to compensate for disappointment or dissatisfaction with our current circumstances in waking life.... dream types dream meaning
What happens when we sleep?
Why do we sleep? The answer is not as simple as it seems. We sleep so that our body can rest, we think at first. However, science has not been able to prove concretely that sleep is necessary for physical recuperation of the body. Experiments performed on rats have proven that when deprived of sleep, these animals die.
But human nature is not as simple as that of rats. Everyone knows people who barely sleep. The most extreme case, published in some scientific magazines, is that of a man who claims not to have slept since contracting a serious illness. In a similar vein, some individuals with a highly developed spirituality are able to remain conscious all night. We’re not referring to a student during exam time drinking coffee or taking stimulants to stay awake more than twenty-four hours straight. We’re talking about people who can achieve advanced levels of relaxation through deep meditation.
It is known that anxiety and lack of concentration increase considerably after a night or two without sleep. One theory related to sleep affirms that we sleep to conserve energy. However, another suggests that we rest to conserve our food stores, since when we lose consciousness, we repress the hunger mechanism.
How much do we sleep?
Sleep at different ages
In the course of his life, a person has, on average, 300,000 dreams. As we age, both the time we spend sleeping and the time we spend dreaming decrease gradually.
Newborns sleep almost all day, alternating hours of sleep with short spells of wakefulness. By one year of age, they sleep fewer sessions but for longer in total: they have cycles of 90 minutes of sleep followed by another 90 minutes of waking time. Gradually, the child will sleep more at night and less during the day. By 9 years of age, most need between 9 and 12 hours of sleep a day.
The average for an adult is between 7 and 8.5 hours. But after age 70, we return to the sleep phases of childhood and sleep fewer hours continuously.
There are arguments that even claim we have slept since ancient times in order to appear a less tasty snack for nocturnal predators (when we sleep, our body looks like a corpse).
There are theories to suit everyone, but we shouldn’t forget the fundamental: for almost all of us, sleeping is a relaxing and pleasant experience that lasts between six and eight hours each night, an experience that is utterly necessary to “recharge the batteries” of our bodies.
It’s no coincidence that we choose nighttime to sleep. In the darkness our vision is reduced, the world becomes strange, and as a result, our imagination runs wild. Our minds remain occupied with images (that is, dreams). At night, our eyes don’t work, but we have a need to create images. If for some reason we are deprived of sleep, the following nights our dream production increases, since we spend more time in the REM phase (the period of sleep when oneiric thoughts are most active). Therefore it seems evident that we need dreams to live.
Some ancient civilizations believed that dreaming served, more than anything, to be able to dream. They were convinced that oneiric activity wasn’t the result of sleeping, but rather the reason for it. Some scientists, however, don’t share the theories of our ancestors when it comes to the reason behind our dreams.
There is a scientific school of thought that asserts that oneiric thoughts are simply a neurophysiological activity that comes with sleep. According to this theory, when we sleep we generate spontaneous signals that stimulate the sensory channels in the mind. The brain transforms these signals into visual images and induces the dreamer to believe that he is living real experiences.
Up to that point, perfect. But, why do dreams have such an interesting narrative? Why do they so often express metaphoric language? Why do they narrate stories that directly affect us? There is no concrete or scientific answer to these questions.
Percentages of REM sleep
Cold-blooded animals never dream; the cold temperatures at night cause them to hibernate and all their vital functions, including the brain, slow down. Only when the sun comes out or the temperature rises to an acceptable level do they recuperate all vital functions. The only cold-blooded animal that has shown signs of dreaming is the chameleon.
On the other hand, we know all warm-blooded animals dream, since REM-phase activity has been detected in all of them. Birds dream only about 0.5% of the time they spend asleep, while humans dream up to 20% of the time. There are exceptional cases, such as that of the Australian platypus, that never dream.
Other theories suggest that dreams serve to eliminate unnecessary facts from memory, since we can’t store everything that happens every day. According to this thesis, at night we erase the “archives” we don’t need, just like a computer. The sleeping mind tests the process of erasing in the form of dreams, which would explain why they’re so difficult to remember. There are obvious limitations to this theory if you keep in mind that, occasionally, oneiric thoughts work creatively (they go beyond the information that we give them). These don’t have much to do with the merely “hygienic” function that the aforementioned scientific community claims. Often, dreams don’t eliminate the useless leftovers of daily experiences. Quite the opposite: they give them a surprising new shape, so when we wake up, we can reflect more deeply on their meaning.
The phases of sleep
Even though we don’t realize it, when we sleep at night we pass through four different phases of sleep. Each phase is distinguished by the deepness of sleep. That is, when we are in phase 1, it is a fairly light sleep; during phase 4, we reach maximum intensity.
When we go to sleep, we enter a period in which we gradually pull away from the exterior world. Little by little, our sleep deepens until finally (phase 4) our breathing slows and becomes regular, our cardiac rhythm slows down, and our body temperature decreases. Therefore the body’s metabolism also reduces its activity.
More or less an hour after falling asleep, your body has already gone through the four phases. At this point you begin to go back through the levels until you return to phase 1. This brings along an increase in respiratory and cardiac rhythm. Parallel to this, brain waves once again start to register an activity close to that of consciousness. You are therefore in a moment of transition, demonstrated by the fact that at this point the body tends to change position.
All signs indicate that any noise might wake us. But that’s not the case: since your muscle tone has been reduced, this is actually the moment when it’s most difficult to regain consciousness. At the same time, your eyes begin to move behind your eyelids (up and down and side to side). This ocular phenomenon, which anyone can observe easily, is known as the REM phases, which stands for “rapid eye movement.”
Certain areas of the brain are associated with different functions and human skills, translating external sensory stimuli into a well-organized picture of the world. In dreams, those same stimuli produce different reactions. If a sleeping person hears a sound or touches something repulsive, those stimuli will probably be integrated into their dream before they wake up.
The REM phase
The REM phase is particularly important for those interested in dreams. All studies indicate that during this brief spell (from five to ten minutes) we typically experience the most intense oneiric activity. Some of these studies, done in a sleep laboratory, have observed that eight out of ten individuals relate very vivid dreams when woken up right at the end of the REM phase. These periods alternate at night with what we could call non-REM phases, that is, periods when no ocular movement is registered.
How many times do we reach a REM stage at night? It is estimated that each cycle is repeated four to seven times. As the hours pass, each phase gets longer. This way, the final REM stage might last twenty to forty minutes. On average, an adult enjoys an hour and a half of REM sleep each night, although for older individuals it may be less than an hour and a quarter. Babies, on the other hand, remain in the REM phase for 60 percent of the time they spend asleep.
In any case, let’s make this clear: not all dreams are produced during this period. It has also been demonstrated that humans generate images in other stages. However, these are dreams of a different quality, since during the non-REM phases, our oneiric activity tends to generate only undefined thoughts, vague sensations, etc. Nothing close to the emotional content that characterizes dreams produced in the REM phase.
The oneiric images produced in the most intense phase (REM) are more difficult to remember. One method to remember them consists of waking up just after each REM phase.
As we’ve commented already, those who wish to read their dreams have to first do the work of remembering them. If we want this work to be 100 percent effective, we can use a method that, although uncomfortable, almost never fails: wake up just after every REM phase. If you want to try this method, set your alarm (without music or radio) to go off four, five, six, or seven and a half hours after falling asleep. You can be sure that if you wake up just after one of the REM phases you go through each night, you will enjoy vivid memories.
This is the process used in sleep laboratories, where oneiric activity is studied through encephalographic registry of electrical brain activity.
The people in the study—who are volunteers—sleep connected to machines that register their physiological reactions (brain waves, cardiac rhythm, blood pressure, muscle activity, eye movement, etc).
At certain points during the night, these reactions indicate that, if you wake them, they will be able to tell you what they dreamed. This is because the phase that produces the most intense dreams (REM) is characterized by a physical reaction easily observed: the rapid movement of the eyes of the dreamer.
With this method, sleep laboratories can collect proof of precisely
when subjects are dreaming. And given that oneiric images are difficult to remember, the lab techniques have been a great advance in dream research. Some experts assert that thanks to the scientific advances of the second half of the twentieth century, we have learned more about sleep processes in the last fifty years than in all the history of humanity.
What do we dream?
A wide study done in France on the subject of dreams produced these results:
Hypnagogic images: between waking and sleep
As we’ve seen, throughout the night our sleep is divided into four distinct phases. But what happens just before we sink into the first phase? Are we still awake? Not exactly. In the moments when our mind decides between wakefulness and sleep, we begin to lose contact with the world around us, without the characteristic physiological changes of sleep.
This intermediate point has been called the “hypnagogic state” by psychologists. This is a period when, despite the fact that we’re not asleep, our brains generate images that can sometimes be very beautiful. In some ways, these images rival those found in our dreams.
Hypnagogic images of great visual beauty evaporate like bubbles when we wake up and are barely remembered.
However, the hypnagogic state cannot be considered a truly oneiric state. Among other reasons, the scenes produced in this phase are unrelated to the episodes with a more or less coherent plot that characterize dreams.
In the hypnagogic state we produce unrelated images that hardly connect to each other and that, unlike dreams, are not linked to our daily experiences. This phenomenon occurs not only before sleeping but also in the moments before waking up, when we are not yet conscious enough to be aware of them.
Sometimes, before falling asleep we also experience a curious sensation of floating or flying, or we may see very sharp scenes, with a clarity comparable to that of real visual experiences. These types of images, like dreams, evaporate like bubbles when we wake up and we barely remember them, which is a shame because their beauty slips from our minds. In any case, unlike oneiric thoughts, the hypnagogic state is little use for understanding the messages our subconscious wants to send us, and we should value it more for its beauty than its transcendental content.
Salvador Dali, painter of dreams.
To remember them you must not lose consciousness during the apparition. That is, you must observe the process of the hypnagogic state without falling asleep. It seems simple but it is not, because you must submerge yourself in sleep while the mind remains aware of the events happening in its interior. With a little luck, we can see some of the marvelous “paintings” of our private museum.
The surrealist artists of the 20s and 30s knew all about this. This is how Salvador Dali, fervent lover of hypnagogic scenes, turned to what is known as “the monk’s sleep.” He went to bed with a large iron key in his hand. With the first dream, the key would fall to the floor and he would wake up suddenly. In his mind he recorded the hypnagogic images he would later transfer to the canvas in his masterful style.
The seven “chakras,” or centers of subtle energy in the ayurvedic hindu medicine (1).
The nadis according to Tibetan tradition (2).
The meridians of traditional Chinese medicine (3).
If you have difficulty retaining the hypnagogic state, try centering your attention on a concrete point. For example the “third eye” of the yogis (that is, between your eyes), in the area of the heart, or in the top of the head. These three positions are, according to the philosophy of yoga, the centers of subtle rather than physical energy in the human body. You need a place to direct the mind. Another trick to hold attention without effort is to think abstractly about the name of the object you wish to see. This doesn’t mean you have to “create” the images; you just have to induce its appearance during the hypnagogic state. Entering through meditation is also very useful and beneficial.
Sometimes, the hypnagogic scenes are not as pleasant as we would like, but we must confront them in order to strengthen our ability for self-control. If they persist, try following the previous advice. Think abstractly about the name of what you want to see, resisting the temptation to construct it in a certain way from the conscious mind.
The main advantage of the hypnagogic state is that it brings us progressively closer to our deep Self . . . and all that helps to understand and better benefit from dreams.
The same subject can have very different meanings depending on the circumstances and personal situation of the dreamer.... why do we dream? physiology of dreams dream meaning
ACADEMY
Denotes knowledge, especially of a philosophical and metaphysical nature. Intensive study will favor the dreamer.
ANGEL
An elevated characteristic, like friendliness, compassion, or An elevated characteristic, like friendliness, compassion, or healing, is found in the dreamer’s life. A direct encounter with an angel indicates that you should strengthen said quality.
ARM
Strength and great achievement. The dreamer has power in a particular situation. If the arm appears wounded, it symbolizes that this power grows weaker.
BABY
Something is born, possibly a relationship.
BRIDGE
Transition from one situation or point of view to another. The dreamer is experiencing a positive change in his life and attitude.
BRIGHT STAR
Divinity. Proximity of favorable events and good luck.
BLINDNESS
The dreamer cannot, or does not want to, see the truth about a part of their life. Dreams in which you are surrounded by darkness have the same meaning.
BOOK OR PARCHMENT
Knowledge is near.
CANDLE
It is the human soul. A candle that burns represents a strong soul; one that is dying little by little indicates a weakness of character.
CAVE
A place to take refuge from a threatening or stressful situation.
CHILD
Represents innocence and ingenuity, the desire to learn which benefits intellectual development. Sign of the importance the dreamer places on this virtue.
COFFIN, TOMB, OR CEMETERY
Something has died in the dreamer’s life. Everything will be fine if you accept it and move forward strongly.
COMET
A great change is coming in the life of the dreamer. It will be beneficial, but could bring a sudden loss of something, a disruption, or an unexpected turn.
CORPSE
Something has died and is rotting in your life. You should determine what it is and act immediately to “bury” it.
CLIMBING
The dreamer is searching for greater satisfaction from life. This image is very positive and signifies inner growth and advancement.
CRUISE
Higher spiritual growth and transformation. If the ship moves quietly over calm waters, the dreamer will find little stress in their life. If the waves are rough, on the other hand, it foretells tensions.
CUP or CHALICE
Divine blessing; very positive if it is gold or silver. If it is broken, it means the blessing will be rejected.
DANCING
Happiness and fun in the dreamer’s life.
DAGGER or WEAPON
Personal violence. Denotes that the dreamer is furious and holds feelings of aggressiveness inside.
DAWN, SUNRISE
A new start, either in a relationship or a job.
DAWN, SUNRISE
A new start, either in a relationship or a job.
DEAFNESS
The dreamer is ignoring the good advice of a friend or loved one. Indicates that you don’t want to hear a truth you are being told in real life.
DEMON
Symbolizes the lower passions such as jealousy, resentment, or vengeance. The dreamer should remove these from their life as soon as possible.
DESERT
Spiritual aridity in some aspect of the dreamer’s life. A way of avoiding it is to find a manner of achieving more productivity and spiritual wealth.
DARKNESS
Absence of divinity and saintliness. Ignorance. The more darkness that appears in the dream, the less spiritual illumination the dreamer will have.
DOOR
A barrier that can be overcome with willpower. Closed doors symbolize a lack of the right attitude when approaching a certain situation.
DOVE
Peace in general; pacific resolution of a particular situation. DUST. Humility before the greatness of God. Associated with destiny. It reminds you that you should cultivate qualities of deference and submission.
DRAGON OR MONSTER
Demonic or spiritually negative forces, such as black magic or malevolence. The dreamer should avoid any matter in life related to such aspects.
EAGLE
Imagination and creativity. If it flies very high it represents a greater emergence of these qualities; an eagle nest is safe place to strengthen them.
EARTH
The world is means of life, where all creatures must fight for their existence. Indicates that the dreamer has too many mundane worries.
ECHO
Everything you do echoes and has repercussions in the hidden worlds. Dreams of this kind remind you of said spiritual truth.
ELDER
Eternal wisdom, especially religious. The dreamer should seek this quality in their life.
EYE
A human eye represents that the dreamer has a correct judgment about some matter or situation. If the eye is wounded or blind, it means the opposite.
FALLING
The dreamer is falling in a lower level of consciousness and feels negative emotions such as rage, pride, or fear. Without exception, it is a negative symbol.
FISH
Abundance and material blessing in the dreamer’s life. Money,
FISH
Abundance and material blessing in the dreamer’s life. Money, properties, and other possessions will increase.
FIRE
Divine judgment of the imperfections and bad acts of the dreamer. Fire also indicates a need for exhaustive moral cleansing and self purification.
FIRMAMENT
Divine order in the universe that translates to the dreamer’s life.
FLYING
Freedom from mundane worries. Also means that you should use your imagination to experience a greater sensation of freedom when facing trivial problems.
FOUNTAIN
A good emotional state, vitality. The more water that flows, the greater capacity you have to express positive emotions, such as gratitude and compassion.
FUNERAL
Something has died in the dreamer’s life; a job, a relationship, or even an important belief.
GAZELLE
Precise and elegant decision that the dreamer should make. A very positive symbol.
GARDEN
Liveliness in attitude and beliefs. Reveals an excellent perspective and spiritual growth.
GENITALS
Generative capacity, the dreamer’s potent creativity.
GETTING LOST
The dreamer has gone astray, has diverted from the soul’s mission and his purpose in life. You must regain your spiritual orientation, above all.
GIANT
Egomania, pride, and arrogance. The dreamer or someone close to them is behaving ungenerously.
GOAT
Great ability to overcome and resist. The dreamer needs to develop other elevated qualities such as imagination or esthetic sense.
GREEN FIELDS
The dreamer’s life is full of vitality and good intentions.
HAIR
Virility and sexuality. If it is thick and voluptuous, it denotes sensuality; the opposite if you lose it. Brushing your hair is a sign of vanity.
HEBREW ALPHABET
Each of the twenty-two letters has a specific meaning. In dreams, they indicate elevated communication.
HIGHWAY
Symbolizes the road or life journey. If it is well traveled, it means the dreamer enjoys a close relationship with others. If the opposite, it denotes loneliness.
HORIZON
The near future. A clear horizon represents good luck; a hard one, on the other hand, indicates problems.
HUNGER
Physical or emotional deprivation. The dreamer feels some
HUNGER
Physical or emotional deprivation. The dreamer feels some bodily or personal need unsatisfied.
ILLNESS
The dreamer lacks balance in their life and soon could experience physical or emotional disorder.
JEWEL
Divine illumination. The more beautiful or brilliant it is, the greater the spirituality that will shine in your life.
JOURNEY
The present path of the dreamer. If the setting of the dream seems strange, it indicates a new situation or challenges. The presence of companion is a good sign; their absence denotes isolation.
KING
Power and divine judgment. Emphasizes the importance of these qualities in the dreamer’s life.
KISS
The taste of the transcendental soul. Whether consciously or not, we experience said condition in some aspect of life.
LAMB
Submission and sweetness. A shepherd directing his flock signifies that you are taking special care with a certain situation.
LAMP
Spiritual knowledge and wisdom. The Zohar speaks of a lamb of darkness, which is associated with evil and discord.
LEG
Resistance, especially in journeys by foot. Signifies that the dreamer has the strength necessary to successfully resolve a problematic situation.
LIGHT
Divinity, saintliness, and wisdom. This is a superior symbol.
LIMP
Inability to resolve a certain situation, caused by yourself or by external circumstances.
LION
Courage and spiritual strength. Traditionally, the lion also represents the Jewish community. The image of a lion nuzzling its cubs indicates that you give courage to others.
MARKET
Sustenance of human existence. Indicates your worries about how to earn a living.
MAKING LOVE
Ecstasy of the soul when it refers to a union with God.
MOON
Fantasy, intuition, and receptiveness in the soul of the dreamer. Traditionally, it is related to other hidden aspects of the soul, like imagination and creativity. Equally, it is associated with femininity. MIDNIGHT, however, represents a time of mystic study and contemplation.
MORNING
State of spiritual satisfaction and happiness. Also associated with physical pleasure, well-being, or healing.
MOUNTAIN
Place of divine inspiration and revelation. Indicates that the dreamer needs to find this place in real life.
MOUTH
Human speech and the capacity to create harmony or conflict. The dreamer should pay attention to the effect their words cause. The dreamer should pay attention to the effect their words cause. A wounded mouth symbolizes a lack of communicative skills.
NIGHT
Judgment and dark qualities. Night is usually associated with demonic forces and emotional negativity.
OASIS
A place of rejuvenation and replenishment. Indicates the end of the feeling of spiritual sterility in the dreamer’s life. It is a positive symbol.
PALACE
Dwelling of the divine. The dreamer should seek more consciously the sacred side of daily life.
PLANETS
Subtle, hidden forces in the life of the dreamer. Traditionally, the vision of this symbol was astrological and it was believed that it exercised a concrete influence on our daily experiences.
PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT
Exaltation and spiritual pleasure; also, experiencing the sacred through an esthetic activity.
QUEEN
Divine love and compassion. Her oneiric presence confirms the importance of these characteristics in the dreamer’s life.
RAINBOW
Protection and divine security. A hopeful and encouraging symbol for the life of the dreamer.
RIVER, STREAM
The vital spirituality is flowing correctly. Soon a positive change or great experience will arrive.
SNAKE
Deception and malevolence, disguised as sincerity and attention. Warns that there is someone or something in your life that may be dangerous.
SINGING
Gratitude. The act of singing, whether it is the dreamer or other people, means that you will soon have something to be grateful for and to celebrate.
SKY
The spiritual world; the intangible, pure, subtle, and mystic part of life. A cloudless sky signifies clarity; if it is clouded, it means there is confusion.
SLEEPING
Ignorance, passivity, and withdrawal. In its most positive interpretation, it represents waiting without hurry. Falling asleep symbolizes loss of consciousness and acuity.
STAIR
Character development and personal growth.
STAGNANT WATER
Blockage in the life energy, especially in the spiritual sense.
STRONG WIND
The force of change. To dream of this element means your life will undergo a complete metamorphosis. Hurricanes indicate that said change will be very violent.
STUDY
Acquisition of knowledge, above all spiritual. It is a positive dream that indicates the dreamer is above all spiritual. It is a positive dream that indicates the dreamer is developing internally.
SUN
Will and intention. The sunrise represents the birth of something new in your life. The sunset indicates that some matter is ending. Traditionally it is also associated with masculinity and it’s most characteristic traits such as stubbornness—in a positive sense as well as negative.
TEETH
Physical vitality. Losing teeth is a warning to the dreamer about their health.
THIRST
Spiritual desire. Represents that the dreamer is not receiving the spiritual satisfaction they desire.
THRONE
Physical manifestation of the divine. Indicates that the dreamer must be more conscious of the sacred side of their body.
TREE
Life and spiritual knowledge. A flowering tree also represents deserved success; a bare tree denotes a lack of achievement.
TRIPPING
Impatience and too much hurry in daily matters. You need calm and balance to avoid the possibility of a serious fall.
TURTLE
Good luck in life.
UNOPENED LETTER
The dreamer did not heed a very important message. It is necessary to pay attention immediately to any communication received in real life.
WAKING UP
The dreamer is recovering clarity, acuity, and personal energy to complete some personal matter.
WAVY OCEAN
Pride and arrogance. This dream indicates that the dreamer must cultivate humility.
WEDDING
Spiritual compromise, possibly related to a field of study, training, or an effort in the long term.
WILD
The absence of civilization. A place of power and potential danger.... a brief dictionary of dreams from the kabbalah dream meaning
Perhaps you were searching frantically for a toilet in your dream, but couldn’t find one.
If this is the case, you need to find the catalyst for emotional release. Dreams about being clogged-up, or about a lack of toilets, are not so much about emotional baggage as about a lack of proper outlets for your own creativity and selfexpression. They can also suggest that you are the kind of person who takes on the problems of other people, leaving no room for your own.
Dreams about frustrating attempts to find a toilet could also suggest that you have over-committed yourself in waking life, and that there is no opportunity for you to express your own feelings and talents. On the other hand, you may also feel that you have been taken advantage of or dumped on by someone in waking life? Finally, such dreams may also be due simply to a physical need to pee in the night.
Other elimination dreams include using a toilet in a strange place, in front of people or in the middle of a conversation. In such dreams, the elimination represents the expression of an opinion or insight unsuitable for public consumption, or not appropriate to the situation. It could also reveal concern that you might have been too impulsive in the way you have expressed yourself, and your dreaming mind is urging you to bear in mind the possible impact of your words.
If you can’t find a private toilet in your dream, perhaps you are living or working in a crowded environment and your dreaming mind is compensating for a lack of privacy and personal space in your waking life.
If you dream of a bathroom and a toilet, this may suggest your need to clean up your sexual attitudes or attitude to others and yourself.
If you put anything down a toilet in your dream, take careful note of what it is, as it will symbolize what your dreaming mind considers to be the least important or unpleasant aspect of yourself or your experience. Urine suggests letting go of strained feelings or the release of sexual feelings. Feces indicate letting go of parts of yourself that you need to let go of. It can also indicate new beginnings, as excrement makes great fertilizer. Evacuation of the bowel usually highlights a need to be free of responsibility, or sometimes the need to be uninhibited.
If you are eliminating over someone in your dream, this can indicate a repressed desire to belittle that person or feel superior.
Playing with excrement can represent money, so playing with it in a dream may suggest anxiety about money and fear of responsibility.
If the excrement is transformed into an animal, this suggests that the dreamer is coming to terms with the fact that he or she is responsible for managing their own instincts.
If you are vomiting in your dream, this indicates a discharging of unpleasant feelings, or experiencing something unpleasant. Finally, if you realize you are sweating in a dream, you are alerted to the amount of energy you may be expending handling your own emotions and fears in waking life.
... toilet and elimination themes dream meaning
If the dream eye is wide open, this can refer to innocence or the excitement caused by a new undertaking. Narrow eyes on the other hand may be a symbol of deceit or cheating. Dreams about eyes may also be a pun on ‘I’ or the self.
If you dream that your eyes have turned inside your head and you can now see the inside of your head, then it symbolizes insight and something of which you need to be aware. This dream may literally be telling you to look inside yourself, and trust your own intuition and instincts. To dream that you have something in your eye could represent your critical view and how you tend to see faults in others.
To dream that you have one eye indicates your refusal to accept another viewpoint. To dream that you have a third eye symbolizes inner vision and insight. You need to start looking within yourself. To dream that your eyes are closed suggests your refusal to see the truth about something or the avoidance of intimacy. You may be expressing feelings of hurt, pain or sympathy. To dream that you have crossed eyes denotes that you may be getting your facts mixed up. Loss of eyesight suggests loss of clarity, and, depending on which eye is lost, can be the loss of logic (right eye) or intuition (left eye) If eyesight is regained, this suggests a return to clarity or clear-sightedness. Lack of eye contact suggests avoidance of intimacy.
To notice eyebrows in your dream represents expressions of disbelief, surprise or doubt. Eyebrows are also thought to reflect dignity and honor, and could indicate the fact that you are about to be recognized or appreciated by some unexpected source.
If hair is being shed from the eyebrows, you may be worried about how others view your status. Eyelashes are thought to represent secrets or secretive pursuits.... eye / eyebrow / eyelash dream meaning
Reliability.
A purpose or activity.
Recognizing the life-force, spirit, or soul within that person.
The person being on your mind right now for some reason.
Dreaming that a deceased loved one is alive can mean they’re on your mind, perhaps because you miss them or feel that you have unfinished business with them.
See also: Life; Light (Spiritual); Moving Around; Life Force; Alert; Surviving... alive or exists dream meaning
If the building is run down or dilapidated, this may suggest a personality or body in need of attention, but if the building is well cared for and clean, it suggests confidence and good self-esteem. A building under attack may suggest that someone or something is trying to break in.
If a building is under construction or being demolished, this refers to your own ability to construct and destroy your life.
If the building is familiar, the reference may be to the actual building itself; for example, if you dream of a structural fault, you might want to get the design checked out.
If the building you are exploring in your dream is a public building such as a factory, law court, prison and department store, the building often represents the function suggested by its nature, such as work, education and healing. Bear in mind, though, that if these images appear in your dreams, they will also have personal connections and feelings associated with those buildings. For example, if a factory feels like a museum, both associations should be considered. Finally, consider carefully how you react to the building in your dream. Were you intimidated by it or did you feel comfortable? If the former, your dream may be warning that you are over-reaching yourself in waking life. The latter is more reassuring.... exploring a building dream meaning
If the house is being attacked or burgled, this suggests criticism or social pressure from others.
If the house is burning or falling down, this represents leaving old attitudes behind.
If the house feels cramped and dark, there is a feeling of restriction in waking life, whilst structural faults suggest broken relationships or illness.
If work or repairs are being carried out on the house, perhaps certain relationships are breaking down or health matters need to be attended to.
An impressive big house in dreams suggests that we are conscious of our potential.
If the house is small, the dreamer is perhaps seeking security and freedom from responsibility.
If you were living in a bungalow in your dream, there may be a suggestion that you are living too much on one level, both practically and emotionally.
If there are unfamiliar rooms in a well-known house, this represents unexplored potential.
If other people are in the house, they suggest different aspects of yourself you may feel threatened by, or other people you are involved with, or about to be involved with, in waking life. Going into or out of the house suggests that we may need to decide whether we need to be more introverted or extroverted.
If you go into another person’s house, this suggests that you are getting involved with that person, perhaps being a part of their life.
If you see a loved one move into someone else’s house in your dream, this may be your fear of their infidelity, but it may also reveal a growing distance in your relationship. Planning or altering a house, or building an annexe may refer to a change in your lifestyle or approach to life.
Rows of houses represent other people. According to dream lore, country houses suggest tranquility; building a house, a growth in confidence; a new house, a busy social life; an empty house or moving house, financial worries; a big house, good fortune, and a small house, misfortune.
If you are buying a house in your dreams this may relate to making a decision to change in waking life, or wanting to make some kind of change. Buying a house involves decision making and this points to the importance of clarifying what it is that you want in waking life.
If the house in your dream is an igloo, this is a symbol of security and completeness and, because it is warm on the inside and cold on the outside, it points to differences between what you feel on the inside and you do and say on the outside. In general dreaming about a flat or apartment has the same meaning as dreaming about a house, but the interpretation depends on whether or not you have lived in an apartment or flat before.
If you did, were you living alone in the flat or did you share, and what was this like? This will influence the feelings associated with the image in your dream.... dream houses dream meaning
Being forced to change, adapt, or take action of some kind in your life.
Feeling as if your options are very limited.
An obstacle or challenge.
Feeling pushed to an extreme or limit.
A sudden loss of support from others (perhaps giving you the opportunity to “fly” on your own somehow).
See also: Ledge or Cliff; Limit or Boundary; Sharp... edge, coming to an dream meaning
A nurturing or all-inclusive environment.
An egg that’s cracked or rotten can represent a problematic situation that you feel needs attention or action.
See also: Bird; Ovum; Fetus; Baby Animal... egg, bird dream meaning
Efficiency.
Intelligence, as in advanced technology.
Assistance, or a tool that assists.
The idea of automation or something that takes place without awareness.
See also: Electricity; Machine or Robot; Appliance; Music; Electrocute; Lightning... electric dream meaning
A “jolting” wake-up call that brings a certain realization.
The result of an unwise decision.
The power of nature.
“Short circuiting” or overwhelming the body, one of its systems, the mind, or the emotions (such as when you ate way too much sugar and it overloaded your system).
See also: Electric; Electricity; Lightning; Execution... electrocute dream meaning
If you fired any of these, your dreaming mind is warning you that you are in danger of exploding with frustration or anger. Are you currently on a short emotional fuse and in danger of detonating with burning anger? What was your target in the dream? This may help you understand what triggered your anger. On the other hand, could an explosive situation be building up around you? Again, if your firepower ran out, this could indicate lack of ammunition in a conflict in your waking life; perhaps there just isn’t enough reason for you to be involved.... explosive dream meaning
Feeling dramatically out of control in your personal life can trigger apocalypse dreams. These may be caused by hormones in adolescence, the menopause or andropause, the death of a loved one (especially a parent), or divorce and other significant relationship losses. The dream visions of the world ending are an escape mechanism to avoid dealing with a world so dramatically changed by new circumstances. In some cases, world-ending dreams feature the dreamer alone amongst generally unrecognized figures, reflecting the dreamer’s sense of isolation in waking life. When interpreting this type of dream, you should ask yourself, ‘How is the world ending and who is to blame?’ This dream may be calling for you to protect yourself against a risk that takes you well outside your comfort zone, to become more involved in a particular cause, or to think again about the rationale of your fears.
If you are religious in waking life, you may have a dream in which significant icons of your faith initiate, or withstand, the massive destruction. Another scenario is that adherents to your religious or belief system are identified in a particular way and thereby survive the destruction. In these dreams, the world is often reordered. Often, these dreams will accompany a time in the dreamer’s life when they feel that the entire world is against them, and it is only their association with something larger than themselves that can provide a resolution to the struggles being faced.... nuclear war / end-of-the-world scenarios dream meaning
If you dreamed of visiting or living by a volcano—perhaps a famous one such as Mount Saint Helen’s—and then having to run for your life as it suddenly erupted and spewed molten lava into your path, this dream may be referring to a struggle in waking life to suppress your mounting fury. Your unconscious may have used this dramatic image to warn you that you won’t be able to contain your anger for much longer. What is especially telling about the volcano is its unpredictability; it could erupt at any time.
If the lava is prominent in the dream, feelings will run deep, but if the lava has cooled, there has been a deep passion which has now cooled off.
If the explosiveness is more noticeable than the lava, anger may be more prominent. On the other hand, your dream may have reflected the volatile temper of someone you live or work with in waking life, and your fear of being at the receiving end of their anger. Or is a torrent of fiery emotion about to explode in waking life? If it is, or might be, the experience can be devastating and yet also cathartic. To dream of an extinct volcano can indicate that passions have been killed off or a difficult situation has ended.... volcanic eruptions dream meaning
The passage of time.
Usage over time.
See also: Deterioration; Rotten; Smaller, Getting; Decreasing; Disappearing; Depleted; Inferior; Sparse; Scarcity; Descending... eroding dream meaning
Something moving in a zigzag pattern could represent: high energy; a process of searching or exploration.
Consider the context of the action or shape and the motivation behind it.
See also: Chaos; Circles, Going in; Shape; Corner; Unstable; Curve; Mentally Unstable; Nomad... erratic dream meaning
Making an effort without making any real progress (such as “treading water” or “running in place” somehow in your life).
Self-sufficiency.
Isolation.
An artificial environment or activity (such as “busy work”).
See also: Exercising; Bicycle... exercise equipment dream meaning
They are divided into solid (earth), liquid (water), vapor (air) and energy (fire), and the ancient philosophers believed that these four elements sustained the world and influenced personality. According to Empedocles, a Greek philosopher, scientist and healer who lived in Sicily in the fifth century BC, all matter, including humankind, is comprised of four ‘roots’, or the elements of earth, air, fire and water. In astrology, the elements symbolize the four essential human qualities: earth for fertility; water for emotion; air for intelligence and fire for ambition. Since we know that Carl Jung studied mystical literature, astrology and alchemy, it is possible to conclude that his conceptualization of intuition, sensation, thinking and feeling as basic archetypes, or components of personality, is a derivation of Empedocles’ ancient theories about fire, earth, air and water.
When the elements feature in dreams, many dream analysts believe they represent the state of your psychological wellbeing. Listed below you’ll find the specific symbolism and dream-lore interpretation typically associated with each element. See also NATURE AND THE SEASONS; WEATHER.... elements dream meaning
According to astrological theory, people born under the earth signs of Taurus, Capricorn and Virgo are thought to have predominantly ‘earthy’ characteristics, such as emotional solidity, materialism, practicality and patience. Jungian analysts regard the earth as a symbol for sensation. In dreams, earth often represents the things you take for granted—yet rely on—in life, such as your body, the processes of life, and your family or cultural background. Earth also represents the past, the fallen leaves of your experience from which soil, new structures of self, are built.
Dreams associated with the earth, therefore, such as lying on the ground, may show that you need to be more grounded, practical and realistic in waking life. You may need to concentrate on worldly matters rather than flights of fantasy. To dream of the planet earth may be a symbol of your true self.
If you were gardening in your dream, creativity is probably indicated; the dream may be referring to your psychological growth and increasing emotional or financial security.... the element of earth dream meaning
The element of air is associated with the Zodiac signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. For Jungian analysts, air seeks to establish itself in the realm of the intellect; it is through the process of thinking that we develop ideas and communicate. Air contributes inventiveness, originality, creativity and versatility to the personality. It gives that feeling of freedom and objectivity, and the ability to appreciate the differences between people. In dreams, air encourages you to let your thoughts soar, helping you to realize your full potential.
When air’s influence is exaggerated in a person, we see them as living in a dream world full of unrealistic goals and flights of fancy. Air should seek to maintain practicality and develop consistency in dealing with the real world. You cannot live without air, so when it appears in your dreams, consider its quality. Is it foggy, misty, clear or polluted? The answer will give you an idea of the atmosphere that surrounds you in waking life.
If you are outdoors in your dream and conscious of the clarity and coolness of the air, your dreaming mind may be urging you to give freedom to your thoughts. Or perhaps you feel released from a recent problem or situation. Air may also refer to the way in which you behave. Are you putting on airs and graces, or behaving in a superior way that demeans other people?... the element of air dream meaning
Water is also a symbol of the spiritual life force. In most cultures there are tales of healing waters and in dreams, as in baptism, to be immersed in water is to be spiritually cleansed. As the governing element of the Zodiac signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, it is said to endow people born under that sign with the feminine qualities of gentleness and changeability.
Dreams of entering water suggest refreshment, healing and beginning something new. Deep water, pools and lakes are symbols of the unconscious or of being out of your depth, while shallow water represents a lack of energy. To dream of drawing water from a tap or well, or to be drinking it is in general a positive and creative sign. However, to spill water suggests setbacks. Flowing water signifies peace and security. To be immersed in water suggests pregnancy and birth or new beginnings, and coming out of water also suggests a fresh start. Fast-flowing water suggests lively encounters and fastmoving action; deep, still water suggests hidden depths, whilst also possibly warning against a person of few words with a hidden agenda.
If you see your reflection in water, this suggests the transient nature of life since the reflection can easily be lost.
The imagery may serve as a caution against trusting unworthy friends or projects.
If, in your dream, the water is dirty or muddy, it means your feelings are influenced by outer circumstances, worries, material problems, or values. If, however, the water is clear and sparkling, it symbolizes faith, honesty, hope and joy. Have you dreamed of boiling water? If you have, this may indicate the need to let off some steam. Is anything welling up that needs your attention? If you are on the water, for example in a boat, this suggests lack of emotional commitment, whilst to be in the water but not moving suggests fatigue.
If you dream of the elements of water and air clashing—such as strong winds creating a stormy sea—the symbolism suggests you might be contemplating human emotion in general, with all its ebb and flow from rage to calm and rage again. Finally, don’t forget that dreams featuring water may simply be triggered by raging thirst or a full bladder while you sleep.... the element of water dream meaning
Something you value or really want.
Something you feel others value.
Something you consider a goal in your life.
A thing, relationship, or experience you consider unattainable.
See also: Rich; Money; Treasure; Good; Wanting; Attractive... expensive dream meaning
In dreams, fire is a potent symbol of the passion of strong emotion and burning love, as well as of new beginnings. It has many different and conflicting meanings, and interpretation is sometimes difficult. Standing in, or being in, flames can therefore suggest the burning out of old attitudes or experiences to make way for the new; but such a dream could also represent your fears of a new phase in life, your own personal suffering for your beliefs, or that you are consumed by destructive emotions, such as passion or envy. Sometimes interpretation is easier; for example, if a house is burning down or there is a forest fire, this suggests you are consumed by passion. The exact interpretation will depend on whether the fire is being controlled or not.
If fire figures in your dream, consider whether your emotions have got out of control. Are you being a hot head? Is your passion burning?
A controlled dream fire can also symbolize security. The fireplace or hearth is the heart of the home and the center of warmth, and to dream of it may show that you feel comfortable with yourself. Freud said that fire was a symbol of the libido and passion, and to dream of poking a fire represented sexual arousal. Jung, on the other hand, said that fire suggested intuition and psychological transformation. Just as the alchemists used fire to transform base metal into gold, so fire is a symbol for personal growth. It destroys the past but lights the way for the future. It is the eternal flame in the temple of the soul and from the fire the phoenix of hope arises. Baptism by fire signifies a new awareness of spiritual power and transformation. Sometimes fire can be a warning of illness. It is also associated with the astrological signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
If a fire is put out by water, this suggests physical energy being restrained by the cooler processes of thought.... the element of fire dream meaning
To dream of a fireman represents selfcontrol and your ability to deal with your energies, burning desires or emotional emergencies in the waking world. To dream that you caused a fire may be a warning from your unconscious that you are playing with fire and may be in danger of getting your fingers burned if you go ahead with a certain project or get involved with a certain person.
If you find yourself on fire, your passions may be consuming you and you may feel hopeless and trapped in waking life. If, however, you managed to put a fire out, this shows that you are asserting control over the fire raging within you.
If someone else started a fire, your unconscious may have been telling you to watch that person carefully in waking life or to carry out some simple safety checks.... firework / explosion / inferno dream meaning
If clouds of black, choking smoke appear and there is no fire, what are you missing in waking life as there is no smoke without fire?
Smoke and smoking in dreams typically suggest a feeling of danger and if you are smoking, you are trying to control your anxiety. Smoke can also represent passion that has not yet flared into being. Contradictory interpretations are that smoke signifies cleansing and purification, as with incense, or contamination.
If you watched the glowing embers of a dying fire in your dream, this may suggest either that a passion is dying out, or a fondness for someone or something just won’t die out. It could also suggest that underneath your calm exterior you are smoldering with anger and resentment.
If you were raking over the ashes in your dream, upon which aspect of your past are you reflecting? Ashes in a dream often indicate penitence and sorrow, and the feeling that there is nothing more than can be, as the ashes or memories are all we have left. The important thing now is to learn from the experience. And bear in mind that your unconscious may also use the dream images of smoke, ember and ashes to warn you that you are at risk of physical or emotional burnout.... smoke / ashes / embers dream meaning
See also: Laboratory; Medical Office; Abuse; Attacked, Being... experimented on dream meaning
Obviousness or a desire for attention from others.
Aggressive intimacy or an attempt to act too familiarly with others.
Casualness, a relaxed mood, or a lack of concern about appearance.
See also: Naked; Underwear; Body Part; Cold; Discovering; Exposed (Object)... exposed (body) dream meaning
Vulnerability.
Honesty or being straightforward.
An object that is visible when you feel it should not be can represent: carelessness or oversight; a secret exposed; a particular intention on the part of whomever left the object exposed.
See also: Discovering; Seeing; Cold; Exposed (Body)... exposed (object) dream meaning
Perhaps you have come into contact with one particular item or situation more often than any other, this familiarity explaining its appearance in your dream. According to Christopher Evans, a British psychologist and computer scientist, the appearance of everyday things in dreams is simply the brain’s way of processing and arranging information. Most dream analysts, however, find this explanation unconvincing and argue that everyday things in dreams contain symbolic values and may represent far more than their everyday function might suggest. The ways in which common items are used and everyday situations are experienced in dreams have enormous significance, as does the context or scenario in which they appear. In other words, everyday images in dreams operate in much the same way as all symbols and their appearance in dreams is a testimony to their shared, as well as to their individual, meaning. In this chapter, some of the most common everyday items and experiences you may encounter in your dreams will be explored.... everyday things dream meaning
‘In the dream I was in this meadow. Suddenly I discovered a dark, rectangular, stone-lined hole in the ground. I had never seen it before. I ran forward curiously and peered down into it. Then I saw a stone stairway leading down. Hesitantly and fearfully, I descended. At the bottom was a doorway with a round arch, closed off by a green curtain. It was a big, heavy curtain of worked stuff like brocade, and it looked very sumptuous. Curious to see what might be hidden behind, I pushed it aside. I saw before me in the dim light a rectangular chamber about thirty feet long. The ceiling was arched and of hewn stone. The floor was laid with flagstones, and in the center a red carpet ran from the entrance to a low platform. On this platform stood a wonderfully rich golden throne. I am not certain, but perhaps a red cushion lay on the seat. It was a magnificent throne, a real king’s throne in a fairy tale. Something was standing on it which I thought at first was a tree trunk twelve to fifteen feet high and about one and a half to two feet thick. It was a huge thing, reaching almost to the ceiling. But it was of a curious composition: it was made of skin and naked flesh, and on top there was something like a rounded head with no face and no hair. On the very top of the head was a single eye, gazing motionlessly upward.
It was fairly light in the room, although there were no windows and no apparent source of light. Above the head, however, was an aura of brightness. The thing did not move, yet I had the feeling that it might at any moment crawl off the throne like a worm and creep toward me. I was paralyzed with terror. At that moment I heard from outside and above me my mother’s voice. She called out, “Yes, just look at him.
That is the man-eater!” That intensified my terror still more, and I awoke sweating and scared to death…
Later in his life Jung wrote the following about his reaction to this childhood dream. ‘From then on I always felt mistrustful when the word “love” was spoken. The feeling I associated with “woman” was for a long time of innate unreliability. Father on the other hand meant reliability and powerlessness.’... jung’s first dream dream meaning
If a particular ancestor is highlighted, then you need to explore your personal associations with that person. For example, your great-aunt could have been renowned for her psychic abilities, so a dream about her might represent that intuitive tendency in you. Family scenes in your dream may represent feelings of security and unity, or a desire for this in your waking life. The appearance of your whole family together in a dream can indicate that you are yearning for the security and togetherness of childhood and home. On the other hand, if you dream that you see your family but are not present among them or are ignored by them, perhaps you feel emotionally distant from them at present. The appearance or mention of your family name in dreamland calls attention to your heritage or family situation.
If family planning is a feature of your dream, this suggests the need to take responsibility for your future. A family room suggests congeniality. Members of the extended family (such as cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews) usually appear in a dream as an aspect of yourself relevant to the person you dreamed about. For example, if your cousin is shy in waking life, his appearance in a dream may refer to the inhibited part of yourself.
To dream of a family tree may indicate your true spiritual heritage, providing you with a record of your origins and your place in the overall scheme of things; alternatively, if you believe in reincarnation, particularly genetic reincarnation, it may represent your own past lives.
If you are finding it difficult to analyze the meaning of your dream, it may be that your unconscious has cast a feminine or masculine archetype in the role of the relation. To determine if this is the case, ask yourself if your dream uncle has more in common with the archetypal wise old man than your father’s brother, or if your dream niece has more in common with the archetypal amazon or huntress.... ancestors / extended family dream meaning
How or whether you express yourself in the world.
Questioning or doubting (as in a raised eyebrow).
See also: Eye; Vision; Eyelashes; Body Part... eyebrow dream meaning
The following list is merely a starting point, being far from comprehensive, but if any of these well-known figures appear in your dreams, try to find out why. They are such vivid and colorful examples of the potential power of good or evil in waking life that their appearance in dreamland should be taken extremely seriously as a powerful message from your unconscious.... good and evil people in dreams dream meaning
In short—even when using this encyclopedia—you may find that you get stuck every now and again when interpreting your dreams.
If this happens, you may want to share your dreams with a dream partner. Another approach would be to join a dream group that meets weekly or monthly.
Most of us have dream partners, and we don’t even know it.
Friends, partners, co-workers: all of them have probably heard us say at one time or another:‘I had the strangest dream last night!’ Such interaction is normal, and can be helpful and insightful; there can be problems, however, especially if your dream partner appears in an unfavorable light in your dream, or disturbing images appear in your dream that might make for uncomfortable listening
A dream group is a group of people who meet on a regular basis to share and help each another understand the meaning of their dreams. A group may consist of two or up to twelve members, although from five to seven individuals in this type of group works very well. Some are professionally facilitated or led by a well-experienced dreamworker; others are leaderless or egalitarian. Some‘organizers’ of the group charge a fee for participation; others don’t.
Each group has its own unique ethics and procedures, often based on those processes developed for doing dream group work over the past few decades. One of the most popular is Dr Montague Ullman’s‘If it were my dream’ technique, or variations on that theme.
Most groups don’t try to mimic the dream analysis or interpretation that would take place in a therapeutic situation; the intent is rather to provide a safe environment in which to allow a dreamer to be respectfully heard and questioned, respectfully listening to the dreamer, questioning them and ultimately helping them to come to a better understanding of what their dream is communicating.
Sharing dreams with a partner or with a group can be beneficial to everyone. But when you are dealing with something of such a personal nature, there have to be guidelines:
Everyone has to remember that dream sharing is NOT therapy.
No matter how tempting, do not interpret anyone else’s dream for them. All you will be doing is reflecting your own feelings about the dream.
Respect the dreamer’s experience of the dream, no matter how much you may personally disagree.
For the partnership or group’s work to be successful, the dreamers must feel comfortable enough to express as much (or as little) of their emotions as they want. Remember that the dreamer is vulnerable, and go to all lengths to ensure confidentiality.
Treat the dreamer with gentleness. When the dreamer wants to stop a discussion, they must be able to without feeling an excuse is necessary. Never pressure a dreamer to talk, no matter how helpful you may think it would be.... dream group dream meaning
Your mental “filter” mechanism (your biases, assumptions, or how you view situations, events, people, etc.).
Willingness to see, acknowledge, or deal with the truth or a particular situation in your life.
Ability or willingness to understand.
Ability to perceive (such as to be aware of what’s happening around you).
Ability to receive information or perceive cues from the world around you.
See also: Vision; Eye; Sunglasses; Glass... glasses (eyeglasses) dream meaning
Consider also the reason you missed or were late for the event (for example, missing an appointment because you forgot about it could represent feeling disorganized in real life).
See also: Late; Failure; Failing a Test; Feeling... missing an event dream meaning
Someone “sneaking up behind you” or backstabbing.
Being surprised by a new problem or challenge (or a fear of such).
See also: Accident... rear ended dream meaning
An intention, decision, or desire to act.
Transforming energy into action.
“Going somewhere” or making progress in your life (such as toward a certain person, situation, or goal).
Leaving or escaping, or a desire to do so.
See also: Beginning; Accelerator; Key; Keyhole; Engine; Vehicle... starting an engine dream meaning
If a dream comes just before dawn between about three or four o’clock in the morning—when the mind is vivid and clear—it is especially important. Always bear in mind when trying to pinpoint auspicious symbols in dreams for the purposes of interpretation that the meaning of symbols can vary from culture to culture; what is auspicious in one country might be considered to be a sign of misfortune in another. See alsoSYMBOLS.... auspicious dream dream meaning
If an email, fax or text message appears in your dream this may be a message from your dreaming mind to attend to some communication as soon as possible. Such dreams represent your desire to move on speedily with a current project.
Alternatively electronic communication or texts can also express your desire to go on the record and publicly state your intentions. As always pay attention to the content of your message. See also MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY.... email / fax / texting dream meaning
If you are a student or about to take some kind of test or exam in waking life, dreams in which you are actually sitting the exam are common; in these dreams you typically feel unprepared or unable to answer the questions or perform the required components. Such dreams are simply expressing your fear of failure.
If you are not a student or about to take an exam, this type of dream is usually a metaphor for some kind of difficult situation you are facing in your professional life or career. You feel that your performance will be judged by others and the dream reflects your lack of confidence in yourself. This type of fear-of-failure dream can also occur for other types of challenges you may face in waking life, ranging from driving tests and auditions to job interviews and presentations.
More often than not, you will be judged in these dreams by an audience’s reaction; that reaction is often negative.
If the audience starts booing or catcalling you in your dream, try to remember who the audience was and what you were humiliated for. Ask yourself whether the condemnation was justified or whether the evaluators or adjudicators in your dream were actually self-critical aspects of yourself.
If you stammered in front of your dream audience or adjudicator, this underlines your feelings of uncertainty and lack of self- confidence. Medical tests may be alerting you to the need to watch your health. A driving test may suggest a test of confidence or ability, and a written test an examination of your understanding of a certain situation. Testing something yourself in your dream means that you are trying to establish some kind of standard; alternatively, it might suggest that you are testing your own resolve.... test / exam dream meaning
A variation from the usual.
A force of nature that poses a real or imagined threat.
Something or someone that “sucks you into” something (such as into an activity, habit, way of thinking, etc.).
A perceived opening between levels or worlds.
See also: Flow or River; Tornado; Waves; Door or Entrance; Circles, Going in... swirl or eddy dream meaning
Dreams Communicate in Images Because of How the Brain Works
A dream speaks in pictures because your brain is hardwired to remember visually. As psychologists have confirmed, the brain stores much of its information (i.e., thoughts, memories, and experiences) as images that are linked up to your thoughts and feelings—becoming a mental picture in the mind’s eye. This is why visual pictures are the language of the brain. That is also why, in books on how to boost your memory, you are asked to link the words or names that you want to remember with a set of images, in order to remember them. When it comes to memory and your brain, pictures rule!
All Dreams Are Meaningful.
All dreams carry a message, and even a single dream image has meaning. Some dream messages are about your emotions while others relate more to your thoughts, attitudes, or actions. For example, in one such single-image dream, a man saw a large wooden wheel. At first, the image seemed meaningless, but later he remembered that when he was growing up, there had been a wagon wheel on his family’s farm. After his mother died, he often sat beside that wagon wheel as he mourned. The dream image of the wheel made him realize that he still felt bad about the recent loss of a good friend. The dream suggested he needed to take the time to grieve for his friend, just as he had grieved by the wheel for his mother.
Everyone Does Dream.
Those who say they do not remember any dreams often wonder if they dream at all. Research confirms that everyone experiences dreams. In fact, you dream about four to six times a night, whether or not you remember any of your dreams. Dreaming and recalling your dreams are two separate issues.
There Are Several Sources of Dream Messages
SOURCE 1 OF DREAM MESSAGES: YOUR MIND. Most dreams are communications from your psyche, the inner part of you that is aware of all your experiences, goals, and memories. Like a best friend, the psyche (your inner self) acts like a bridge between your waking and sleeping self and uses dreams to guide you to be the best you can be.
SOURCE 2 OF DREAM MESSAGES: THE SOUL AND BEYOND. Some dream insights come from the soul. You may be the captain of your ship but the soul is the ship’s owner, and on occasion, the soul has something to say about your path in life. Speaking of the great beyond, many believe that guardian angels can whisper in your ear through a dream, and that, on occasion, the divine itself bestows experiences of amazing grace, healing, or inspiration in dreams. Many dreamers have confirmed such extraordinary dream events.
SOURCE 3 OF DREAM MESSAGES: THE DEARLY DEPARTED. Some individuals believe that life continues after death and that dreams reconnect you with a loved one who has passed on. Anecdotal dream experiences suggest that the dearly departed visit on occasion to let you know they still love you (see Chapter 11, “Not All Dreams Are Dreams”).
Dream Analysis Is Easy.
There is a general misconception that learning to understand the message in a dream is difficult; however, if you can learn to drive a car, you can learn to analyze your dreams. Dream analysis is about understanding the language of symbols and metaphors and orienting yourself to a few rules of the road, such as the hints listed below. Once you master these concepts, you will be on your way.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 1: LEARN THE BASICS. Become familiar with the basics of dream interpretation such as those described in the Five-Step Dream Technique, which is introduced in later chapters. Once you crack open the nut of meaning of a dozen dreams, you will be on your way to a lifetime of amazing dream messages.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 2: LOOK FOR THE “AHA” EFFECT. When the meaning of a dream comes together, you get an “Aha!” rush of energy as a notable shift in perception. Understanding a dream message brings satisfaction, like watching a final puzzle piece fit into the big picture.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 3: BEWARE OF PERSONAL BIAS. Everyone has topics that trigger emotional reactions and sweep them away. Because of this, approaching a dream without preconceptions or reactions is important. If the topic of a dream is too intense, take a step back to avoid slanting your potential interpretation toward wishful thinking. Since initial reactions can steer you off course, a cool head is key to a correct interpretation. To correctly analyze a dream, put aside tinted eyeglasses and be willing to accept the truth, the whole truth, about the dream’s meaning.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 4: PUT AN INITIAL GUESS ON HOLD. As you wake up with a dream, the excitement of the story makes it easy to decide that you already know what it means. Hold that confidence in check and decide that you do not know what the dream means, at least not yet. As you apply the dream analysis techniques of your choice, your perspectives may shift and may bring a different result than your first thoughts about the dream.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 5: NOTE YOUR WORD CHOICES. Notice which words you select as you record your dream. The words that come to mind often alter your thoughts about the dream itself and create a shift in perception. This word-choice phenomenon is another way that the creative, unconscious mind reveals glimpses into the meaning of a dream.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 6: SYMBOLS ARE NOT THE WHOLE DEAL. A common misstep is to focus only on the meaning of a symbol and attempt to find dream message from the symbols, or to focus on the symbols first. Though dream symbols add depth to the message, focusing mainly on symbols tends to be a misstep. There are dreams where a symbol holds the entire message, but in general, the overall story tends to be the key to understanding the dream.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 7: YOU CAN DO IT. Despite these caveats, proceed without fear. Dream analysis is as easy as learning to drive a car. Once you know how to start the engine and observe a few rules of the road, you are on your way to dream analysis.
EASY ANALYSIS HINT 8: DREAMS AS A LUXURY VEHICLE TO GET THROUGH LIFE. Having paid attention to dream messages all my life, to me it appears as if those who do not analyze their dreams are trying to get through life using a bicycle. They miss out on a fantastic built-in Rolls-Royce of the mind—dream insights—that can get them where they want to go faster, more securely, and at their own speed.
Frightening Dreams Are Constructive Messages.
Even though a scary dream shakes you up, most nightmares carry a helpful message. The most common type of nightmare invites you to repair a character trait in yourself. Here’s how that works. In general, since people do not care to face something unpleasant about themselves, they push away a dream that makes them feel as if they are being scolded. As the dreamer pushes such a dream away—which, in psychological terms, is an attempt to suppress the dream—the dreamer’s clouded awareness “masks” the dream’s content. As a result, like seeing something in the distant, murky shadows, a friendly image now appears scary. Watching a dream about a personal flaw can feel like meeting an enemy in a deep, dark, empty forest. It is an “oops” that frightens the fragile ego, which reacts with “Who, me?” Though a rare nightmare can be a literal ESP dream warning, most scary dreams are distorted, but helpful, messages about your own flaws.
Dreams Help You Solve Problems.
As one of the main functions of dreaming, dreams can help you make decisions, clarify questions, and resolve daily challenges. In fact, experience dictates that the default stance of the sleeping mind is to assist you with any knot that you are trying to untie. Like a night-time Google session, your mind investigates the topic of your concern, compares the issue to your storehouse of past and current experience, and then cranks out an insight or a solution. Taking the time to plug into this “default nightly brainstorming” session can be highly productive on a wide range of matters, from advice to the lovelorn, daily questions, or even to achieve a scientific breakthrough.
Dream Messages Are Metaphors.
Dreams often exaggerate to make a point and most dream scenes are rarely literal. They are metaphors, and it helps to keep that in mind. For example, a scene about an avalanche that is going to engulf your home may scare you, but unless you live on a susceptible mountainside, the image is a metaphor about something that threatens your security, is off track, or is out of control. Positive scenes are also metaphors. A dream of winning the lottery suggests that you are a big winner, but what you are winning is not likely money. The win can signal career advancement, a great new relationship, or a talent that is being acknowledged—as your own kind of winning ticket.
Dream Dictionaries Cannot Tell You What a Dream Means
At best, a good dream dictionary can give you a general idea about what a symbol may mean, but it cannot tell you what that symbol actually means in the context of your specific dream. Dream dictionaries are a cookie-cutter approach to images. In contrast, the best part of a dream symbol is that it is a one-of-a kind communication uniquely tailored to you and in most cases, does not apply to anyone else. Check out the chapter on Symbols to get the exact and true meaning of dream images.
You Are the Best Interpreter of Your Dreams.
Once you learn the basics and stack up a dollop of experience, you become the best interpreter of your dreams. The reason is that dreams are about you and your life. Since you are the most familiar with the life areas about which your dreams speak, you are the best interpreter of your dreams.
What to do with a Cryptic Dream.
For every effort that you make to understand a puzzling dream which leads to a successful insight, it becomes easier to interpret the next dream. However, when you do come across a puzzling dream, there are a few options.
1. Wait awhile and try again a few hours later or a few days later.
2. Talk it over with a friend; sometimes the comments of a sympathetic listener can add new perspectives.
3. Browse through the example dreams at InterpretADream.com, check out books on dreams, or poll the Internet on specific dream topics.... fun dream facts and hints dream meaning
MYSTIC EVENTS HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY DURING SLEEP. Mystic and spiritual experiences tend to occur at night for several reasons. First, logic is placed on hold as you sleep, allowing the mind and soul to explore deeper depths and recesses of awareness. Second, there are no demands, no need for food or drink, and no enticements from electronic toys. As you drift into a peaceful sleep, your unfettered spirit is free to confer with the soul and explore what else is out there. Can anyone prove that mystical events take place during sleep? No, but dream enthusiasts regularly record fascinating examples, like the following.
DIVINE GRACES OFTEN HAPPEN DURING SLEEP. Some dreams are not dreams; they are experiences of divine grace. Whether you actively seek a blessing or it arrives as an unexpected gift, the divine hand at times sprinkles love, healing, and transformation as you sleep. As the New Testament bible phrase goes, “Seek and you will find, ask and you will receive.” One way to recognize a dream that is a sprinkle of divine love is by the results. The dream brings a jolt of energy that leaves no doubt you have been touched by amazing grace. You feel a combination of shock, upliftment, joy, and transformation, though a precise description is beyond words, say those who have had this experience.
DREAM EXAMPLE 1 OF DIVINE GRACE IN A DREAM: CALL IF YOU NEED ME. A young woman drew on her deep faith as she struggled through a difficult job situation. Focusing on her work, she tried to keep a good attitude despite the constant bickering among her coworkers. However, by evening, she often collapsed into tears. One night she dreamed that she was flying through the air on a carpet. As a soft evening breeze flowed through her hair, the carpet landed on a mountaintop. A beam of light appeared from the sky, revealing a phone number in gold letters, one at time, with the numbers 777-7777. As each seven appeared, she was zapped with energy and joy. She felt as though her cup of love was overflowing, and then she woke with a start.
Recognizing seven as a mystical number in many traditions, she knew that God had smiled on her efforts to remain positive in a difficult situation. From that day forward, she sailed through her work days, shrugging off the discord. To her astonishment, within six months the troublemakers had left and were replaced by new associates who had kind and positive personalities. The unseen hand not only bestowed a healing grace on her, in a dream, but its effects also spilled over into her life, transforming a difficult workplace into a pleasant environment.
DREAM EXAMPLE 2 OF DIVINE GRACE IN A DREAM: JUST ASK. Over a one-year period, a man fervently sought to renew his spiritual path and experienced several dreams of amazing grace. These divine zaps encouraged yet shocked him, leading him to wonder if his night-time experiences were a fluke or could happen to anyone. One night, he prayed, “God, if someone seeks your favor, do you always respond? Are you really there?” That night a booming voice answered in a dream, “If you or anyone wants my help, you just need to ask.” Like a strong wind that makes its presence felt, the message left him uplifted and joyous beyond words.
The Great Spirit had answered his question, leaving no doubt that God invites anyone to communicate and to ask for what they need. Such graces are often remembered as dreams. Some dreamers recount a direct physical healing; others speak of emotional healing in a dream as an answer to their prayers. Dreamers with these experiences describe feeling embraced by a divine love so strong that their lives are permanently altered. Most have a hard time finding words for their experience. However, all agree that there is an astonishing healing effect of the “love that surpasses all understanding” which they experienced, and say that it does not dim with time.
NIGHT MEETINGS WITH THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON. Loved ones who have died often appear in the dreams of family members and friends. The body of the deceased loved one often appears younger, whole, and full of life. Some say hello, others simply smile. Such nocturnal contacts hint that life is eternal. The encounters feel real and bring joy and consolation to the dreamer.
If your heart remains connected to a deceased loved one, they may say hello in a dream communication soon after passing or sometimes, years later. Such a visit by a deceased love one is remembered as a dream and may be a response to your feelings of loss. The person visits to assure you they are still alive in eternity, and in spirit. Such across-the-veil meetings are consistent with teachings about heaven and the afterlife that most religions mention but do not describe in detail.
Many believe the next realm of life is not far away in time or space, which allows loved ones who have passed on, to drop by. Mystics suggest that a bond of love makes it natural for a departed loved one to touch base from time to time, and bridging the gap between from afterlife to the dreamer is easiest during sleep.
DREAM EXAMPLE OF A CONTACT WITH A DECEASED LOVED ONE: TREAT HER RIGHT. Most dream visits by the dearly departed are marked by few words, though on occasion the deceased person may speak up. A striking example came from a father who died suddenly, about two years before his beloved daughter’s wedding. A few weeks before her wedding day, the groom, who had never met her dad, told the bride’s family about a dream that startled him. He described a dark-haired man with high cheek bones who said, firmly, three times, and each time louder than the last, “Take care of my daughter!” By the third time, the young man stammered, “Yes, sir,” in response, in the dream.
The family laughed, recognizing the man in the groom’s dream as the bride’s father who had passed on. The dream brought back fond memories of how protective her dad had been toward his baby girl. Leaping across the veil, her dead father introduced himself to the groom. Though the husband-to-be was a fine young man, he reminded him that he wanted the best for his little girl. When there is love, family ties are eternal.
ASTRAL TRAVEL DURING DREAMS. Mystics claim that the soul can leave the body at night, during sleep, to take short jaunts. The experience is called “astral travel,” also known as astral projection or an “out-of-body” experience. During astral travel, the sleeping body stays put while the soul soars out into the world and beyond, remaining connected to the body via a mystical thin, silver cord. The silver cord allows the soul to find its way back to its sleeping body.
TYPES OF ASTRAL TRAVEL. Anecdotal accounts report astral treks that give glimpses of other heavenly realms. Or, they can be journeys related to near-death experiences whereby a person dies or comes close to dying, visits the afterlife, but revives and lives to relate their experience. Astral travel can also happen during sleep—as a dream that is a mystic experience—remembered as a dream.
ASTRAL TRAVEL DREAMS. Some dreams of soaring down familiar streets at night, high above trees or buildings, may be experiences of astral travel. Ditto for dream scenes of enthusiastic chats with friends or associates that continue conversations that may have begun earlier in the day or renew a friendship, as a chat between friends. Astral travel dreams often depict real streets, people, and places that you recognize, and when you return from such night travels, the body may feel a jolt as it lands.
DREAM EXAMPLE 1 OF ASTRAL TRAVELS: A NIGHT VISIT WITH A FRIEND. A young woman who was concerned about a friend’s health dreamed that she was flying through the air and hurtling over familiar city landmarks during the night. Fully aware of where she was, she soaked up the scene of glowing streetlights and deserted city roads. She arrived at her friend’s home. Watching as the friend slept peacefully, she was assured that her friend was okay; the dreamer had accomplished her mission. She then realized that she had been away from home for a long time and was separated from her body. The awareness made her wake up with a jolt, as if her soul had landed back in to her body with a thud.
DREAM EXAMPLE 2 OF ASTRAL TRAVELS: A NIGHT STUDY SESSION. Teachers with an interest in dreams report dream experiences of “night study sessions.” Such dreams depict conversations with enthusiastic students that are a continuation of a topic that began in class, earlier in the day. The dreams feel real, like experiences of astral travel shared by a group, spurred to gather once again because of a mutual enthusiasm for a topic.
DREAM EXAMPLE 3 OF ASTRAL TRAVELS: JOURNEYS TO DISTANT LANDS. Dreamers report jaunts to distant lands to visit loved ones for a brief soul connection. Such an experience is common among twins separated by distance, or between married couples where one spouse is on deployment in a distant land. Details of conversations that take place during such a night visit may be forgotten, but the intense awareness of the connection they made with a loved one remains.
UNCHARTED TERRITORY. Such examples suggest that astral travel can be initiated by a concern for a loved one, a shared enthusiasm, or a longing for a loved one. Such heart links may initiate astral travels that are remembered as dreams. Mystics have described such experiences for centuries, which leave some to wonder how much we have yet to learn about uncharted soul horizons.... not all dreams are dreams: mystic experiences remembered as dreams dream meaning
2. Channel of the Spirit; John 4:14;
3. Arm of the Lord; Isa. 51:9.
• Large ears, big nose;
- Large prophetic influence.... elephant trunk dream meaning
The emotion may be symbolically represented or experienced in the dream or later on in the form of the emotions you experience after awakening. Most dream analysts believe that the emotional atmosphere and feeling of a dream are important clues for its interpretation. This is because when a symbol or dream scenario arouses a particular emotion, your dreaming mind is suggesting to you that this is an emotion that you need to either suppress or, more typically, release in waking life. According to Jung, dreams are a wonderful way of identifying repressed emotions and feelings, and, by so doing, they can encourage emotional and spiritual wholeness and healing.
Negative emotions, such as fear, anger and sadness, tend to occur more often in dreams than pleasant emotions. Fear and anxiety are the most commonly expressed emotions in dreams. Anger ranks next. As the language of dreams is symbolic, you might have trouble identifying what triggered your negative dream in some cases.
If this is the case, consulting CHANGE AND CONFLICT, DISASTERS, NIGHTMARES, LOSS AND FRUSTRATION, SPIRITS AND GHOSTS and STAGES OF LIFE or other dream entries that inspire negative emotions or situations may help. See also POSITIVE EMOTIONS.... negative emotions dream meaning
Perhaps you have woken up from a dream with feelings of euphoria or unexplained happiness, or found yourself laughing without knowing why. Every now and again your dreaming mind may give you an emotional and psychological boost by creating images in which you feel deeply secure, happy and loved. It may also conjure up images of freedom, adventure, success and excitement to spur you on. Dreams that leave you with such lingering feelings of joy and exhilaration are less common than those that leave you with feelings of dread and uncertainty. This may be because there are always constant challenges and responsibilities to face in the real world and your dreams tend to reflect your anxieties about meeting these challenges. Even though they are relatively rare, feelings of immense happiness in dreams are just as important to understand as feelings of sadness according to Jung and most other dream analysts. Joyful, uplifting dreams allow you to focus on the real-life experiences and situations that evoked them, as well as the way you feel about yourself and your life.
See also AMBITION AND SUCCESS; NEGATIVE EMOTIONS; RELATIONSHIPS; SEX.... positive emotions dream meaning
If you have looked through this encyclopedia and are still having problems understanding what your dream meant, it might help before you go to sleep to ask your dreaming mind to make a confusing situation clearer for you or to present you with images or symbols that you can understand. When a dream seems important but you find it impossible to understand, ask yourself just before you go to sleep to be sent another which will give you further insight.
If you can relate the dream to a particular incident, problem or situation in your waking life but cannot understand the message, think about the incident before making your request. Some dreams reflect the worry associated with problems, showing that you are wasting your energy and could be putting it to better use. Even insoluble problems can be helped by a change of attitude—and that is how dreams can help.
Put your request as a direct command to your dreaming mind. In your thoughts, just before you go to sleep, state to yourself quite clearly what you want to know, and tell yourself that in the morning you will remember all that you have dreamed. To show you are sincere, you might want to put a notebook and pen by your bedside in readiness to write down the first thing that comes into your mind when you wake up—your dream. Sometimes it can take a few requests, depending on the link between your conscious and unconscious mind, but eventually your efforts will achieve results.
found out in waking life. Cheating and faking in dreams may also suggest feelings of inadequacy in waking life.
If you were performing a trick in your dream, try to remember if your audience was impressed or not, as this dream may suggest that you are trying to manipulate people in waking life.
If you were plotting or scheming or are a part of a group of people plotting in your dream, your unconscious is telling you that you are not being completely open and honest in your dealings with everyone in real life. Dreams of hiding or dreams in which you lock up your possessions or hide them away in a safe, strong box, under the floorboards in the attic may also represent some form of deception or fear that you are not facing up to. See also Surreal impossibility entry in SURREALISM AND FANTASY.... dream mysteries dream meaning
If you are already married and dream that someone else, a person you know or a stranger proposed to you, you need to think about what your dream suitor could represent to you, as this will hold the key to the interpretation. The dream suitor may represent a commitment that you may be being asked to make in real life, for example a new job offer. Your dream reaction to both the proposal and to the engagement ring will give you an indication as to how you feel about committing yourself to this person or project.
Like dreams about proposals, dreams about weddings and marriage may be simple wish-fulfillment.
If you have such a dream and are about to get married, pay attention to how you feel. Are you beaming with joy or filled with panic? If you are feeling anxious, your unconscious may have been urging you to acknowledge your qualms and either come to terms with them or call off the wedding.
If the church altar features in your dream marriage, bear in mind that this is a symbol of sacrifice too; if you are wearing white, this is a symbol of purity and innocence. Are you in danger of sacrificing yourself to someone who isn’t good for you? If a wedding dress or cake appears in your dream, this may refer to your feelings and hopes about relationships and wedding.
If the wedding dress is given by your mother, it refers to qualities and strengths associated with your mother that are relevant to your relationship. Listen to the uncertainties your unconscious is expressing and try to resolve them before the wedding day.
If you have no intention of getting married in real life and you are getting married in your dream to someone you know, this could suggest that you harbor unconscious romantic feelings towards them. Alternatively, your dream may be sending you such a dream to highlight another form of joining together, such as a marriage of ideas or a merging of plans and projects. Another interpretation suggests that your dreaming mind has conjured up a marriage scenario to indicate the need to bring together two opposing aspects of your personality—Jungians would suggest the masculine and feminine qualities we all possess—to create a harmonious whole. Could your bride have been your anima if you are a man and your bridegroom your animus if you are a woman?
Similarly, marrying a stranger in your dream may suggest the possibility of uniting two different but complementary aspects of your personality—your intuition and your intelligence for example. Such a partnership may empower you to take a new direction in your life and any children of this marriage may suggest the outcome or result of this new potential.
If you dreamed of being at someone else’s wedding, your unconscious may also have been highlighting two different aspects of your personality. On the other hand, if you know one of the partners getting married in your dream, perhaps you are worried about losing a close relationship with them.
If you were the best man or bridesmaid in your dream, pay attention to your feelings; if you felt jealous, this could suggest your fear of loneliness in waking life as in ’always a bridesmaid and never a bride’. Finally, if you have been married for many years and dream of marrying again, this may suggest that your feelings for your partner are as vibrant as ever. It may also suggest that your mutual commitment is showing signs of strain and needs special care and attention to revive it. In some cultures, to dream of a wedding signifies a death in the family or change in the family’s circumstances. To dream about a honeymoon may reflect a period of happiness in your waking life.... marriage / engagement dream meaning
If your initials are carved on the desk, this also expresses your desire to make your mark on the world. Freudians would argue that opening a desk and searching inside is a symbol of sexual intercourse.
Many of us associate ink with our schooldays and if ink is spilled over a sheet of paper in your dream, this may suggest feelings of guilt. The shade of ink will be significant: black ink will symbolize evil thoughts or deeds, whilst red will symbolize impulsive acts. Dreaming of notebooks or schoolbooks can suggest a great deal; are the notebooks neat, suggesting an ordered mind or are they messy, suggesting confusion? If there are doodles alongside the scribbles, this suggests a creative personality that thrives in chaos. If, in your dream, your schoolbag is filled with pens, papers, books and apples, this suggests the happiness gained from happy experience but if the schoolbag is heavy and cumbersome, you may be feeling weighed down by the past. Pay attention to the quality and condition of the school bag as it could reveal a lot about your current approach to life.
If the school bell rings suggesting that a lesson is over, this may indicate the end of a difficult phase in your life but if the bell comes at the end of a playtime, it could signify regret that a happy period in your life is coming to an end.... educational paraphernalia dream meaning
2. Listening to God’s voice; Exod. 21:5-6.... pierced ear dream meaning
animal or bird, an: expect too many favors from others, who wil cease to give them.
body, an: desire for immortality despite present life.
dignitary: are doing work with diligence and courage.
relative’s body being: must rely on own good judgment to remain in the status quo. ... embalmed dream meaning
If you find your name on a list of those who have not passed a school exam, you may feel that you have failed in some way in waking life or that someone is marking you down.... examination or test dream meaning
Dreams of carpenters and architects represent that side of yourself that is creative but practical at the same time. Engineers fix things for us in waking life and in your dream they may represent a friend or advisor who is helping you manage destructive emotions. The engineer is also a symbol of the desire to impose order over emotional chaos in waking life.... builder / carpenter / architect / engineer dream meaning
If you are prone to having dreams that are more than just glimpses of the future but include entire stories or sequences of events that later happen in waking life, you may find that as well as examining possible causes of action that lie ahead, they may also zero in on important junctures or decisions in life long before they arrive. Experts disagree over whether or not this is possible, but it is possible that your life previews are set up by your dreaming mind to alert you to, and help you recognize, the importance of your actions and decisions at these significant points in our life.
If you have a dream that you believe may contain a precognitive warning of a future accident or disaster, remember that it is only highlighting a possibility not a fact; if the time comes when it is fulfilled, you have the upper hand as your sense of familiarity with the situation will help you avoid or minimize harm or hurt. See also Precognitive dream entry in DISASTERS.... precognitive dream dream meaning
If you see yourself doodling or see a doodle in your dreams, there are several factors to be taken into account besides the doodle itself. The size and position of the doodle on the page have a significance that contributes to the overall meaning of the doodle.
For example, if you were to draw a very large doodle in the center of the page, then this would indicate how important you would like your role in life to be. However, if you doodle in the margin or corners of a page, you would be revealed as a quiet individual. The intensity of the ink or pencil marks can also indicate the mood of the person, lighter strokes indicating a good day, but dark, heavy strokes sometimes signaling depression. The symbolism of specific doodles in your dream will have much the same interpretation as the dream symbol itself if it wasn’t being doodled, but the interpretation would typically be personal and referring to your feelings and your creative expression, rather than to the feelings or situation of someone else. See also Drawing entry in ARTS AND CRAFTS and Writing entry in LETTERS AND COMMUNICATION.
... dream doodles dream meaning
being embraced by others: another wants to possess your lover.
unknown person, an: is a suitable time to pursue flirtations.
children: wil be given a secret which if exposed would destroy your family.
friend, a: treason from previously honest and chal enging friendship.
mate, others: wil have a fruitful emotional life.
relatives: wil be accused of indiscretion upon no evidence.
someone else, your mate: loneliness and trouble.
stranger, a: an unwelcome guest wil criticize you to balance the praise. ... embracing dream meaning
dress, on a child’s: the embel ishment of details enriches a young life.
linens, on: a true marriage requires simple truths and wise economical actions.
loved one, for: wil be accepted in society for your talent for embel ishing al you touch.
napkins: a marriage wil take place soon.
of: your innocent peccadil oes wil cause others to plot against you. ... embroidering dream meaning
If you are diagnosing illness in a dream, this points to insecurity and an over-sensitive approach to life.
If you dream that you are diagnosed with a fatal illness or have a fatal illness, it might be worthwhile seeing your doctor for a check-up as illness has been diagnosed in this way before; typically, however, such dreams represent any condition or situation that you feel is taking you away from the life you were meant to live.
There is a big difference between existing and leading a life that is worth living, and your dreaming mind may be urging you to find ways to live your life to the full, before it is too late.... examination / diagnosis dream meaning
If you watched the day become darker and colder as the sun seemed to disappear behind the moon, the message may be that the rational powers of your conscious mind are being overwhelmed by emotions (typically negative ones), or vice versa if it was a lunar eclipse. Another explanation suggests that in a man’s dream a solar eclipse suggests a dominant woman in his life and in a woman’s dream a lunar eclipse suggests an overbearing male figure. Is there someone in your life eclipsing your personality or putting you in the shade?... solar and lunar eclipse dream meaning
Or did you dream of someone who died of a disfiguring disease and in your dream they appear young and whole and beautiful again. Is this their spirit visiting you or your dreaming mind’s way of helping you move beyond what his pain and suffering did to your friend physically? It’s impossible to be able to prove that dream visits from those who have passed on do or do not occur. To a great extent it does not really matter. What matters is how you feel about the dream. What messages do you feel they were bringing you, and are those messages helping you heal your grief if the person who appeared in your dreams has recently died or if the person died years ago resolve issues you may have had with them in your life so you can move forward with your life?... visitation dream dream meaning
of: wil receive a letter from a friend in a foreign country.
others who are: watch out for treachery that wil put you in need.
trouble with immigration authorities, having: big joy is ahead.
refused admittance by, being: danger through a secret. ... emigrating dream meaning
being: evil influences that don’t relate to self.
others: are emulating one who enchants you, but are failing to enchant yourself.
relatives: loss in business matters can be regained with your wil ingness to share freely.
enchanting others: wil realize high ambitions by your own broadmindedness.
resisting an enchantment: your advice wil be sought by many, except yourself.
sorceress, by a: your sloth wil attract unsavory people with corrupt intent. ... enchanted dream meaning
being: wil be offended by the discovery your intentions were selfish.
children: wil have arguments with mate over child’s temptations.
friends: wil have sorrow because of your own actions.
needing encouragement: are being unjust because of jealousy.
relatives: are losing someone you are particularly attached to.
sick person, a: wil receive monetary assistance, which wil entrap you. ... encouraging dream meaning
children: family quarrels from curtailment of income.
man dreaming of: postponement of success.
woman: wil take many years to find a fine husband.
others: advancement within position.
relatives: a false friend is nearby. ... enlisting dream meaning
Intriguingly, near-death reports from different cultures around the world are generally consistent and in many instances are identical to the features of the post-mortem state that is described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead. There is also a marked similarity between NDEs and reports of the inner journeys of shamanism, astral travel and out-of- body experiences.
The term ‘near-death experience’ was coined by American doctor Raymond Moody in the 1970s to describe the phenomenon outlined above. Prior to publication of Moody’s book, Life After Life in 1975, NDEs were not openly talked about; once the book came out, more and more people began to talk about them. By 1982 a Gallup poll suggested that as many as eight million Americans had had some kind of NDE. Moody and a number of other NDE researchers, such as Kenneth Ring, a psychologist and founding member of the International Association of Near Death Studies at the University of Connecticut, were able to identify a number of traits common to all NDEs, even though the experience was always unique to each individual. They concluded that in a NDE, people typically experience one or more of the following phenomena in this sequence: a sense of leaving the material world behind or an out-of-body experience in which they feel they are floating above their bodies looking down; cessation of pain, a feeling of great calm and peace; traveling down a dark tunnel towards a light at its end; meeting spirit beings, many of whom are dead friends and relatives; meeting a spirit guide who takes them through their life story and puts their life into perspective without any negative judgment; and, finally, an abrupt and sometimes reluctant return to life.
The great majority of NDEs are described as being positive and uplifting; around three per cent are described as negative or frightening. Almost anyone can have the experience and it is not limited to those who have religious beliefs, although many people who have experienced a NDE do become more religious or develop a spiritual belief system afterwards. Almost all say they lose their fear of death, this being replaced by a strong belief in an afterlife. Many discover a meaning and purpose to their lives that they may have previously lacked. In some cases, the NDE leaves a person with heightened intuitive or psychic powers.
Even though millions of people claim to have had an NDE, it is impossible for researchers to prove scientifically that the experience is genuine. Evidence is therefore based entirely on anecdotal reports.
According to skeptics, the NDE is a dream or hallucination caused by, amongst other things, a lack of oxygen, the release of the body’s natural pain killers called endorphins and increased levels of carbon dioxide as the brain dies. NDEs were reportedly reproduced by Ronald Siegel, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, when LSD and other drugs were administered. NDE supporters stress, however, that drug-induced hallucinations and NDEs are totally different things. Such explanations also do not take into account the fact that many people brought back to life can give accurate accounts of their resuscitations, of medical procedures carried out on them or report conversations they overheard at the time they were allegedly dead. This suggests that some part of consciousness can separate from the body at death. There is no doubt that the near-death experiences are supported by impressive documentation and, for believers in them, these reports constitute a very powerful argument for the existence of an afterlife.... near-death experience dream meaning
enemies, by: are being watched by one with evil intentions.
envying others: il temper sees friends as enemies and enemies as fodder for ambition.
friends, by: your vigorous mind is respected for its liberal deference to others.
others, by: have a hard time resisting the efforts of others to cater to your wishes.
relatives, by: strength of character wil reduce tensions of those competing for your favor. ... envied dream meaning
buying any kind of: wil receive unexpected money.
getting, for the house: are jealous of neighbor’s good fortune.
for a store: good business is ahead.
of any kind of: poverty.
selling business: wil receive a valuable gift. ... equipment dream meaning
house, a: wil receive bad news.
household items from rooms: wil have unhappiness.
others, your furniture in payment of debts: death of distant relative.
others, your property: wil lose money by gambling.
place of business: wil make money in the future. ... evacuating dream meaning
ether or alcohol: wil live a long life.
of things: wil fal into poverty.
perfume: liking someone you’re meeting and receiving a kiss.
steam: must rely on your own good judgment.
unpleasant odors: disappointment in love. ... evaporating dream meaning
As always, the context of your dream will help you determine its meaning. It might help to create your own personal dream journal or dictionary to help you identify reoccurring personal dream images and their meanings. Here are some guidelines:
For one week write down as many images as you can recall for your dream. Try to use single words for each image; for example, dog, cup, spoon and so on. Do this as you first wake up when the images are still fresh in your mind. Then write down beside each symbol any associations that occur.
If a symbol crops up on more than one occasion, make a special mark by it and note whether the context was different. At the end of the week, organize your list alphabetically and see which images appear most often. You might want to repeat this for another week afterwards to add to your personal dream dictionary.
Bear in mind that dream images change as you do and may require additional meanings. You are also more likely to have dreams at turning points in your life, such as leaving school, finding a new job or getting married.
If you find yourself inundated with symbols and messages, try to concentrate on only one or two dreams, or on those dreams that you recognize as being important by their power and the feelings with which they leave you.... your dream dictionary dream meaning
The stimuli that you are not consciously aware of are nevertheless noted by the brain, but on a subconscious level (the drip of the bathroom water faucet, the remark by a coworker at the water cooler while you were on the telephone.)
Furthermore, you feel emotions all day. Some you acknowledge and act on (you say thank you and smile when you are complimented.) Some you repress or do not allow yourself to act on (you don’t punch your boss in the nose when he tells you the report you worked on for a week is no longer needed.)
Traumatic experiences occur that you face (you call the police) or if it too painful, you deny them happening and send them deep into your subconscious (repression.)
In addition to all these emotions and stimuli the brain must process daily, it also keeps your body functioning; it remembers names and faces; it allows you to talk and walk and chew gum (sometimes all at the same time); and performs numerous other activities that you take for granted.
You must admit -- that’s a lot to do. At night, when your body must rest, the mind continues working. When no longer called upon to type letters and do the grocery shopping, the brain concentrates on processing all of those subconscious stimuli and emotions (while still maintaining body temperature and breathing, etc.)
This is why we dream. Only you are not awake to receive the signals at a conscious level -- you can not hear or see or touch (at a conscious level) while you are sleeping. The brain must resort to other means to get the signals through to your conscious mind. This is why we dream the way we do.
The mind uses everything at its disposal (which is everything it has ever been exposed to) to get the message across. Simply put, dreaming is the minds way of processing all of the stimuli and emotions it has received during the day or repressed over time, so that you may act on them.
All in all, it’s a pretty neat system. But unless you are remembering and making sense of your dreams, you are missing out on countless opportunities to learn about yourself and experience life to its fullest.
Even though we’ve addressed it before, it bears repeating. Why should you try and remember your dreams?... why do we dream? dream meaning
happily, being: postponement of success.
others, being, by: poverty.
others exciting you to anger: wil suffer starvation.
unpleasantly, being: successful completion of plans. ... excited dream meaning
lady of, beauty: wil incur many debts.
man, meeting an: joy without profit.
taste, having: wil be sorry for present actions.
woman, flirting with an: wil have a sad future. ... exquisite dream meaning
What did man do with these odd images that appeared during their sleep? Well, they did what we do today – tried to interpret them!
Dream interpretations date back to 3000-4000 B.C. where they were documented on clay tablets. For as long as we have been able to communicate our dreams, we have been fascinated with them and strive to understand them.
People in primal societies were unable to distinguish between the dream world and reality. They not only saw the dream world as an extension of reality, but that the dream realm was a more powerful world.
Back in the Greek and Roman era, dreams were often seen in a religious context and messages from the gods. Temples, called Asclepieions were built around the power of dreams. It was believed that sick people who slept in these temples would be sent cures through their dreams.
In Egypt, priests also acted as dream interpreters. The Egyptians recorded their dreams in hieroglyphics. People with particular vivid and significant dreams were believed to be blessed and were considered special. People who had the power to interpret dreams were looked up to and seen as divinely gifted. In the bible, there are over seven hundred mentions of dreams. Tracing back to these ancient cultures, people had always had an inclination to interpret dreams
Dreams were also seen as prophetic and an omen from outside spirits. People often looked to their dreams for signs of warning and advice from a deity, from the dead or even the works of a demon. Sometimes they look to their dreams for what to do or what course of action to take.
Dreams often dictated the actions of political and military leaders. In fact, in the Green and Roman era, dream interpreters even accompanied military leaders into battle to help. Some interpreters aided the medicine men in a diagnosis. Dreams offered a vital clue for healers in finding what was wrong with the dreamer.
Dreaming can be seen as an actual place that your spirit and soul leaves every night to go and visit. The Chinese believed that the soul leaves the body to go into this world. However, if they should be suddenly awakened, their soul may fail to return to the body. For this reason, some Chinese today, are wary of alarm clocks.
Some Native American tribes and Mexican civilizations share this same notion of a distinct dream dimension. They believed that their ancestors lived in their dreams and take on non-human forms like plants. They see that dreams as a way of visiting and having contact with their ancestors. Dreams also helped to point their mission or role in life.
During the Middle Ages, dreams were seen as evil and its images were temptations from the devil. In the vulnerable sleep state, the devil was believed to fill the mind of humans with poisonous thoughts. He did his dirty work though dreams attempting to mislead humans down a wrong path.
In the early 19th century, dreams were dismissed as stemming from anxiety, a household noise or even indigestion. Hence there was really no meaning to it. Later on in the 19th century, Sigmund Freud revived the importance of dreams and its significance and need for interpretation. He revolutionized the study of dreams.... did we always dream? dream meaning
Gestalt psychologist Fritz Perls (1893-1970) believed that dreams project hidden aspects of our personalities and the best way to interpret them is to use a non-interpretative interviewing technique. In other words, you ask your dream character or object what they are trying to say. Then you try to adopt the dream’s mindset and answer the questions.
Australian dream expert Gayle Delaney suggests using an interviewing technique that addresses questions such as ‘how did the dream make you feel?’ or ‘how can you connect your dream with your waking life?’
Some dream theorists believe dreams deal with problems we can’t solve in waking life and offer solutions. Looking at them in the light of waking day, and believing them to be full of insight, we may sometimes come up with new ideas or insights while studying and interpreting them.
Thanks to the work of Jung and Freud and other influential dream theorists, dream interpretation is now accessible to everyone. It’s as popular today as it has ever been, with people from all walks of life using dreams as unique and personal sources of guidance and inspiration, or as tools for change, growth and personal development. As we’ve seen, there are many approaches to the study and interpretation of dreams and you’ll find a fusion of all of these in this book.... other important dream theorists dream meaning
fire, a: end the affair before it devours you.
in your home: wil prevail over difficulties.
flame, a: wil not have sufficient money.
lawsuit, a: wil be persecuted by a woman.
light, a: serious quarrels over love. ... extinguishing dream meaning
being: shame and sorrow from scandal of which you are its center.
husband: use caution in business ventures.
others: financial gains.
wife: wil realize high ambitions. ... extravagant dream meaning
Edgar Cayce once said, “Dreams, visions, impressions, to the entity in the normal sleeping state are the presentations of the experiences necessary for the development, if the entity would apply them in the physical life. These may be taken as warnings, as advice, as conditions to be met, conditions to be viewed in a way and manner as lessons, as truths, as they are presented in the various ways and manners.”
Cayce believed that our dreams serve several functions. Somatic dreams - dreams referring to the body - are extremely important to be mindful of. Very often dreams will offer solutions to health problems. For example, one man was plagued with food allergies for many years, but was unable to find the source of his discomfort. Then one night he went to bed and he dreamed of a can of coffee. He quit drinking coffee and his symptoms disappeared.
Cayce also believed that deceased friends and family members do occasionally visit us in our dream state. These occurrences may offer direct communication with those people or allow us to resolve our feelings about their death. The person may also represent some aspect of themselves.
During the dreaming state of sleep, we experience the different levels of consciousness and receive input from the different realms of the spirit world. Through dreaming, we have special access to our spirit within. According to the Cayce readings, there is not a question we can ask which cannot be answered from the depths of our inner consciousness when the proper attunement is made.
A dream may be of a physical, mental, or spiritual nature and may deal with all manner of psychic manifestations. These include telepathy, clairvoyance, prophetic visions, out of body traveling, remembrance of past lives, communication with beings in other realms including deceased friends and relatives, spirit guides, angels, Christ, and even the voice of God. Dreams can also give invaluable information on the status of the body.
Cayce felt that there is no dimension of human life, whether social, financial, emotional or physical, mental or spiritual with which the dream may not on occasion deal. Dreams may encourage or reprimand, instruct or deceive, inspire or seduce, guide or confuse.
The potential for an immense array of experiences in consciousness is always there. What we actually receive depends upon our attitudes, motivations, the measure of our attunement, and the extent to which we have made applicable what was received in earlier dreams and in waking experiences.
The dream world is a strange yet fascinating place! There are several different kinds of dreams. Let’s look at those in our next section.... edgar cayce on dreams dream meaning
I use the term “true meaning” to refer to the accurate translation of what your subconscious mind was portraying in the dream. The true meaning is usually the one that resonates with you as you’re considering various possible meanings, the one that rings true according to your intuition, and the one that your subconscious mind recognizes as the original meaning.
Intuition Is Your Dream Translator
Your intuition is your own personal translator of dream meaning. Intuition is key in understanding both the meaning of the overall dream and the meanings of its individual symbols because your intuition is the part of you that recognizes the truth.
Explore Until Your Intuition Says Yes
Rather than working in a linear or logical way (like when you’re solving a math problem), your intuition may require you to spend some time mulling over your dream symbol before an intuitive insight comes forward. So try looking at your dream symbol in different ways and considering different meanings until your intuition says, “Aha! That’s the one.” Keep exploring until you experience a flash of intuitive recognition, a sudden sense that everything within you is in alignment, or a sense of peace and completion. (You’ll learn to recognize this intuitive sense as you encounter it more often.)... recognizing dream symbol meaning dream meaning
Ancient art and literature are crowded with references to dreams. For thousands of years dreams have been credited with supernatural or prophetic significance by the majority of the world’s spiritual traditions. The Bible, for instance, makes it clear that dreams are divine messages and this explanation for dreams was shared by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, all of whom also believed that dreams had healing powers.
Certain cultures, such as the Australian Aborigines and many African and Native American tribes, have always believed dreaming to be a way in which an individual can enter into the collective spirit memory. To this day, dream pooling plays an important role in those societies where tribal members gather together for the purpose of interpreting dreams. Another view is held by the Inuit of Hudson Bay in Canada, who believe that when a person falls asleep and dreams, their soul goes wandering.
The Egyptians are thought to have been the first to develop a system of contrary dream interpretation; a positive dream, for example, predicts misfortune and a nightmare predicts an improvement in waking fortunes. They produced the earliest known dream dictionary, written approximately 4,000 years ago. Now called the Chester Beatty Papyrus, it came from Thebes in Egypt and is kept in the British Museum.
It was the ancient Greeks, however, who first proposed the theory that dreams were not from some external, divine source but internal communications, or the divine spark within. Plato (427-347 BC) suggested that dreams were expressions of a person’s hidden desires, whilst his pupil Aristotle (384-322 BC) speculated that dreams shared similar themes and were not divine oracles but coincidences. It was the ‘father of medicine’ Hippocrates (460-377 BC) who proposed that dream symbols reflect the state of the dreamer’s body—for example, fire denoted indigestion—and should be regarded as valuable diagnostic tools.
The first fully-fledged dream researcher to focus on dream symbols and dream themes was a Roman living in Greek Asia Minor called Artemidorus (AD 138-180), who wrote a book about dream interpretation that is still in print. As far as Artemidorus was concerned, dream symbols had certain meanings but the most important aspect of dream interpretation was the symbols’ personal significance to the dreamer, along with the dreamer’s personal circumstances.
In much of Europe, even though the early Christians respected dreams for their spiritual significance, the repressive control of the Roman Catholic Church put a stop to any attempts at dream interpretation. By the fifteenth century, dreams were regarded as no longer significant or important. Even a century or so later, Shakespeare called them ‘children of the idle brain’. This school of thought persisted into the eighteenth century, when dreams were still thought to be meaningless.
In the early nineteenth century, when the restrictive influence of the Church began to wane and members of the German Romantic movement—in their quest for spontaneous expression—rediscovered the potential of dreams, a revival of interest in dream interpretation began to trickle into the mainstream with the publication of popular dream dictionaries such as Raphael’s Royal Book of Dreams (1830). The stage was now set for Freud and Jung; two men who continue to have the greatest impact on the way we interpret dreams today.... a brief history of dream interpretation dream meaning
Dreams Are About You
Because dreams occur within a deep part of yourself, it’s not surprising that most of what they convey pertains to yourself and your life.
Dreams Tell About You and Your Life
Dreams very often portray a snapshot of some part of your daily life or something on your mind, presented from the perspective of (and in the language of) your subconscious mind. As you examine each dream, you can often find a parallel between each element in the dream and a certain element of your waking life or mind.
Dreams Show Your Perspective
In most dreams, everything in the dream (all the elements, people, settings, etc.) pertains to you personally. More specifically, most dreams portray your thoughts and feelings about things, rather than portraying the things themselves. Each dream symbol tends to represent your perspective of something from real life, rather than the actual thing. For example, your sister in a dream likely portrays your experience of her (rather than her, herself), your perception of something she said (rather than what she actually said or meant), or your assumption about what she was thinking (rather than her actual thoughts).
Dreams Convey a Distorted Reality
Because dreams portray people and things the way you view or interpret them, you can’t rely on a dream for an accurate representation of reality. Every dream has been filtered through the distorting lens of your subconscious mind and often infused with subconscious fears, desires, and imaginings. Therefore, it’s unwise to base a decision solely on a dream, which would mean blindly following the whims of your subconscious mind.... tips for translating dream symbolism dream meaning
Personal Meaning
Because dream symbol meaning is subjective and personal to the dreamer, consider what the symbol means to you personally. To help yourself better understand its personal meaning, you could ask yourself:
Context
A dream symbol’s meaning can be very specific to its context in the dream. So, think about how the symbol appeared in the dream and what that may convey about its meaning. For example, pay attention to:
A dream symbol often represents something beyond its obvious meaning. A rose could represent a real-life rose, but it’s much more likely to represent something else more symbolic (such as a feeling, characteristic, or event). So look beyond your symbol’s literal meaning by asking yourself, “What else could this symbol mean?”
Let Intuition Be Your Guide
(For more on intuition as a dream interpretation tool, see Recognizing Dream Symbol Meaning.)
Take the Winding Path
“When you start down the path of exploring a particular dream symbol, be willing to persevere even if the path is a winding one. You may not always know which way to go, but your intuition will guide you if you pay attention to it.
Since your goal in symbol exploration is to intuitively recognize the symbol’s true meaning, it’s a good idea to give your mind a chance to encounter that meaning so your intuition can recognize it. Sometimes the true meaning simply comes forward within your consciousness and then your intuition confirms it. However, more often you’ll need to put in a little more effort to discover it. If the true meaning isn’t evident, you can use a technique that parades various possible meanings past your “inner intuitive eye,” giving it a chance to confirm the true one. The technique can be as simple as mentally listing the meanings you associate with the symbol or reading the symbol’s description in this book. You could also use a dream analysis tool that prompts your subconscious mind to reveal the meanings it associates with the symbol, such as TOOL: Caveman Explanation, or many others in the Dream Analysis Toolkit in the first book of this series, The Curious Dreamer’s Practical Guide to Dream Interpretation.... learn dream symbol language dream meaning
Throughout recorded history humankind has valued the dream. A source of guidance, inspiration, prophecy, predic tion and problem solving, dreams are a common experience to us all. They know no boundaries between young and old, rich and poor, races, religions and nationalities, In every cul ture we find some version of “sleeping on a problem” before making a decision. The Bible and other ancient texts are filled with examples of how dreams have played important roles in people’s lives.
What is this wonderful dimension that is so near and yet so far? To understand the real meaning of dreams we must delve beneath the surface to the purpose of it all. Why are we here? How are we to answer the age-old question: Who am I?... what's in a dream? dream meaning
Literal Translation
If the dream symbol (person, event, object, action, setting, etc.) exists in your real life, it might represent that actual element of your waking life. For example, your mother who was hugging you might represent a particular time she hugged you, or her affection toward you in general. Consider whether the dream symbol might represent the same thing in your current life, past, or imagined future, and whether your feelings about the dream symbol remind you of feelings you felt about something in your real life (perhaps recently).
Emotions
The emotions you feel regarding the dream symbol are probably the same as the emotions you feel about whatever the symbol represents in your real life. For example, if you feel overwhelmed by a swarm of insects in a dream, the swarm might represent your to-do list that feels overwhelming in real life. (See more about emotions in the Emotions symbol category.)
Abundance or Lack
A dream symbol can represent something that you feel you have too much of, do too much of, or want less of in your real life. Alternatively, your dream symbol could represent something that you feel you lack, do too little of, or want more of. If your dream contained a pleasant experience (such as relaxing on a beach), your subconscious mind could be pointing to your desire for more relaxation in your life. If your dream was unpleasant (such as someone judging you), your subconscious mind may have been focused on trying to avoid that kind of experience in real life.
Personal Symbolism
A dream symbol may convey meaning that you personally associate with it based on your experiences, feelings, and other influences (as described in Subconscious Influences on Dream Symbolism). For example, one person might associate a baby with vulnerability and someone else might associate it with growth.
A particular dream symbol may bring more than one meaning to mind for you. For example, money might bring to mind how fun it is to spend, but you might also think of money as power or a solution to financial problems. If the first meaning that comes to mind doesn’t seem to relate to anything in your real life and doesn’t resonate intuitively, explore additional meanings (TOOL: Caveman Explanation is helpful for this).
Importance
The symbols you tend to notice in a dream are often the most important ones. So a good place to start when exploring your dream is with the symbols that stood out. Symbols may stand out because they’re so huge you can’t miss them (like a boulder falling on your house) or they could be small details that happen to stand out in your mind (like the chipped rim of a teacup). Sometimes an important symbol is highlighted in the dream with a bright color, illuminated with light, pointed to with an arrow, or emphasized in some other way.
Urgency
If there’s a sense of urgency involved in the dream, the dream might represent an urgent matter that you feel needs attention in your real life (or one that you fear or imagine needing attention). For example, a dream about trying to put out a fire at work could point to a real-life problem that arose suddenly at work that you feel requires quick action to avoid catastrophe.
Subject Context
A dream might be about you or it could represent your perception of a friend or a recent situation—even in the media, on TV, or in a movie. For example, in a dream about a girl wearing a cheerful flowered dress, the girl could represent a happier version of yourself or your desire to feel more cheerful. Alternatively, she might represent a friend who was in a happy mood when you saw her yesterday, an upbeat song you just heard, or an optimistic character you saw in a TV show last night.
Time Context
A dream symbol could represent something in your past, present, or imagined future. Look for elements that bring to mind a particular time frame, either in the characteristics of the symbol itself or in the other things associated with it in the dream (people, activities, clothes, places, music, books, etc.). Time-related cues could include things like hair or clothing styles, a person appearing younger or older than their current age in real life, technologies of a different era, or personal cues such as the cowboy boots you wore at age seven.
Emotional Exaggeration
When a dream portrays a real-life situation that’s particularly emotional for the dreamer, sometimes the situation shows up as exaggerated in the dream. In other words, the subconscious mind may amplify the real-life situation, “making a mountain out of a molehill,” expressing how strongly you feel about the dream’s subject matter. For example, if in real life you saw a baby snake in your yard, and you’re very afraid of snakes, the snake might show up in a dream as a huge serpent attacking you. So, consider whether a particular dream symbol could represent a similar but less extreme situation in your waking life, about which you feel strong emotion.... consider common dream symbolism first dream meaning
First, write down the dream as fully as you can. Second, write down all the symbols you can identify and the possible meaning beside them. Look them up; check an unabridged dictionary if necessary. Third, write out your interpretation. The following is a sample dream and its interpretation:
Step 1
The Dream
A woman was on a bus with a spiritual leader and members of a spiritual group. A man got on the bus wearing a dark coat and hat. He started robbing everyone. The woman had $600 in her wallet. She was lying in a sleeping bag. She wanted to hide her wallet but her left hand was asleep and she could not move.
Step 2
Recording dream symbols:
Step 3
Interpretation
The feminine part of the woman has a large capacity for growth. Many parts of herself are growth conscious and she is with or being led by her higher self. She has covered up or suppressed the strong, assertive part of herself. It is unknown to her. She allows people to take her energy without ever saying no. She gives her power away. The 6 is her guidance saying: look what you are doing. Be assertive!
She is afraid of losing her identity by being assertive and she is unable to do anything about it zipped up in her cocoon. She is unable to receive and allow others to give back to her. All her energy is going out, not returning. Her inability to receive is the main message of the dream.
Levels of Interpretation
A dream can be seen on many levels. There is a literal meaning which is usually not the correct interpretation. But it depends upon what you ask for.
For example, a woman asked that she be given insight on her marriage. She had tried many things to improve the situation, suggesting counseling, communication, and so on. In her dream she was shown herself and her husband in a desert, walking up to a trader selling phony wedding bands made out of tin. When she looked at her husband, his face was in a haze, distant. When they rode out of the desert and stopped at a little house for refreshment, she was greeted by a stranger who embraced her with a warmth and love that she immediately knew was missing in the relationship with her husband.
This dream could be interpreted that her masculine and feminine parts of self were not balanced, but she had asked specifically about the relationship. In this case the woman was working on balance within. As much as she did not want to hear it, she realized the relationship was not based on mutual love. It was not really a marriage, and no growth (desert) symbolized its present state. The series of dreams which followed indicated the same thing. She knew then that she had to leave.
This was a positive solution to the problem. Although some of the answers we receive may not be what we want to hear, they are always for our highest good. As soon as the woman was out of the relationship, she wondered what took her so long to see the situation and get on with her life.... dream interpretation and recording dreams dream meaning
Every character, object and building in your dream is symbolic of a part of yourself and your life. This one principle alone changes your entire view of dream interpretation.
It is a common mistake for people to misinterpret the people and objects in their dreams as the real thing. This is a big mistake! If I dream of Aunty Pat throwing a cream pie in my face, I certainly do not have to fear visiting her for Thanksgiving!
It is symbolic and Aunty Pat is a picture of a part of me. If Aunty pat is an aggressive woman that tends to dominate others, then she could represent my will in this dream. Identifying the characters in your dream is the very first step to gaining an understanding of what your dreams are saying.
In fact just by identifying your dream category and then identifying the symbols, you will already have an idea of what your dream is speaking about.
This goes for buildings, animals or any kind of object in your dream. If you dream that your house is being broken down, you do not need to rush out and buy more insurance. Your house is just a picture of your life.
This opens up a whole new world to you! Many common symbols crop up in our dreams and I will give you some interpretations for them later on. In fact, in my DAV Symbol Dictionary, I supply a comprehensive list of all the characters and scenarios and their interpretations.
2. Good is Great. Bad is...well...bad.
Understanding what the characters in your dream represent is just the first step. It is also very important to determine if that character is playing a positive or a negative role in your dreams.
This alone can turn your interpretation right around. If I dream that my house is being torn down, it can be positive or negative. If your house is being torn down so that something bigger can be built, it means that you are in a process of growing spiritually and mentally in your life right now.
However if your house is being bombed by terrorists or torn down by a storm, it means that you are facing some severe attack in your life right now and that you are falling apart.
Do you see what I mean? In both cases...once again the house is a symbol of your life. It does not speak of your actual house and you do not need to fear a sudden invasion of terrorists ok?
3. Everything is About You
It’s your dream. It’s your life. It’s about YOU!
Another big mistake that people make is that they think if they dream of someone else that the dream is for that person. It’s a bit ridiculous actually. If you dream that your co‐worker falls pregnant, I would certainly not rush to them and announce the good news!
Not only will you be wrong, but every time you head for the coffee machine the other co‐workers might suddenly find a reason to be somewhere else...
Hmmm, I get the feeling that some folks reading this might have made this mistake a few times. Not to worry though! There is hope.
Keep in mind that because the characters in your dream are a picture of yourself, the dream is a message for you. These dreams are a depiction of what is going on inside of you right now and often also refer to events that happened in the past.
Either way, you are the star of this show and it’s all about YOU!
4. Identifying the Message
It is important to remember that an internal dream has a single message. If your dream has lots of characters and scene changes, then it is a garbage dream and does not have an interpretation.
By identifying the symbols in your dreams and determining if they are given in a positive or negative context, you are armed with everything you need to identify the message.
To show you how simple this is, I am going to take a few of the dreams posted on our Dreams and Visions forum and I am going to break it down for you.
I will be using the entries from the DAV Dictionary so that you can see exactly how to use it.... interpreting dreams in 4 easy steps dream meaning
Excessive use of alcohol disrupts the natural pattern of sleep, so that chronic alcoholics who have completely abstained for extended periods of time have been shown to exhibit abnormal sleep patterns. It has been speculated that the disrup- tion of sleep patterns—particularly the reduction of REM sleep (often associated with dreaming)— by alcoholism results in irreversible brain damage. ... the effect of alcohol on sleep dream meaning
The archetypes predispose us to subconsciously organize our personal experiences in certain ways. We are, for instance, predisposed to perceive someone in our early environment as a father because of the father archetype. If a person’s biological father is absent during childhood, someone else (e.g., an older brother) is assimilated into this archetype, providing concrete images for the father complex (the reflection of the father archetype in the personal unconscious).
Archetypes are not specific images or symbols. They are more like invisible magnetic fields that cause iron filings to arrange themselves according to certain patterns. For example, Jung postulated the existence of a self archetype, which constitutes the unconscious basis for our ego—our conscious self-image or self-concept. In dreams, this self is represented in a variety of ways, often in the form of a circle or mandala (a circular diagram used as an aid to meditation in Hinduism and Buddhism). The self can also be represented by surrogate symbols, such as four of almost anything (according to Jung, four is the number of whole- ness and hence a symbol of the self), a pattern Jung referred to as a quaternity. These concrete manifestations of elusive archetypes are referred to as archetypal images or, when they appear in dreams, as archetypal dream images.
Jung asserted that much of world mythology and folklore represents manifestations of the collective unconscious. He based this assertion on his discovery that the dreams of his patients frequently contained images with which they were completely unfamiliar, but which seemed to reflect symbols that could be found somewhere in the mythological systems of world culture. Jung further found that if he could discover the specific meaning of such images in their native culture, he could better understand the dreams in which they occurred. The process of seeking such meanings is referred to as amplification.... archetypes (archetypal dream images) dream meaning
This tradition was transmitted from the folkloric tales about the arc of God's prophet Noah. In this sense, in dream interpretation, snot came to mean an impudent and insolent child or a newborn. In the same sense, ejaculated fluid and snout came to mean a son. (See Nasal mucus, p. 300.)
Equating slandering with curse, God Almighty says in the Holy Qur'an: "Those who slander chaste women-are cursed." (Qur'an 24:23). The common proverb says, "If you live in a glass house, do not cast stones at others." Here again, the interpreter made an association between one's own faults, weakness, and imperfection, and those of a glass house. Concerning severing relations with one's family, God Almighty says: ''We broke them up into sections on this earth." (Qur'an 7: 168). Equating washing one's hands with hope, people also say, "I washed my hands from it", meaning I have no further interest in it or any hope in it.... dream in traditions dream meaning
This tradition comes from examples such as crying when one is extremely happy; or when laughing in the face of adversities; or seeing the sun and the moon fighting and interpreting it as a fight between two people; or calling a flood an enemy and an enemy a flood, because both are destructive; or when eating a fig in a dream to mean regret and regret to mean eating a fig, because the fig tree is accursed in some traditions; or when one sees himself dead in a dream, though even if he does not have the look of dead people to mean losses or destruction of part of one's house; or interpreting locusts as warriors and warriors as locusts, because of the destruction they both cause to a land; etcetera.... interpretation by contraposition dream meaning
Crying in a dream is usually interpreted as happiness, but when accompanied with intonation or wailing, it means a calamity.
As for putting grease over one's hair, dream interpreters infer the meaning of adornment, while if it dribbles over one's face, they call it hypocrisy, fawning, or adulation.
As for saffron in a dream, they interpret it to mean praises or commendation, while should its color manifest in one's body or clothing, then they call it an illness.
As for feathers in a dream, they call them wealth or comfort, but when one sees himself flying with wings, they interpret it to mean travels or rising in station, depending on how high one reaches in his dream.
If one's hand is cut off in a dream, and if he sees himself carrying it, it means having a brother or a son, while if he loses it in the dream, it means an adversity or loss of a brother or a son.
If a sick person sees himself in a dream walking out of his house in silence, it means his death and funeral, while if he speaks in the dream, it means that he will recover from his illness. ... interpretation by correlation, relativity, and approximation dream meaning
An issue involving control, authority, or personal boundaries.
A feeling or fear of someone else having authority over you.
The idea of letting someone else make your decisions or take away your decision-making power.
Exploring your boundaries in terms of what you are or aren’t willing to allow, or how much control you’re willingly giving someone else.
See also: Decision, Your; Interview; Competition; Judge; Authority Figure; Approval; Judgment or Disapproval; Rule or Law; Agreement; Crossroads... decision, someone else’s dream meaning
Access to a different reality such as “the other side” or “another world.” A dream cue that indicates the dream story shifting from one setting or time frame to the next.
A door inside a house might represent a connection between two aspects of your life.
A house’s front door might represent a transition from your public life to your personal life.
Not being able to open a door can represent feeling stuck or unempowered, or a belief that you’re being held back (by a circumstance, a person, God, etc.).
A door that provides access (such as on a refrigerator or a safe) could represent the idea of access or permission to access something (an area, person, certain information, money, etc.).
A revolving door can represent a speedy or smooth transition; an obstacle or delay (if you got stuck); “going in circles” or being stuck in a pattern (if you went around and around).
See also: Passageway; Opening; Gatekeeper; Room; Entering; Lock; Faucet; Valve; Knocking; Knock, Hearing a; Password... door or entrance dream meaning
Consider the context (such as whether the ending was expected or a surprise), who or what was involved, and your feelings about the ending.
If you were the one ending the process, consider your motivation (which could point to a desire to end something, feeling a need or obligation to do so, or a belief that the activity has run its course).
See also the specific type of process that’s ending.
See also: Quitting; Interrupting; Failure; Breaking Up; Death of You; Ex; Phase or Process; Dying; Dead Acquaintance; Graduation; Starting Over; Closing... ending dream meaning
Change.
A new beginning, phase, project, or mode.
Making an agreement.
Entering into an area where you’re not allowed can represent: a fear or respect for authority; a feeling or fear of making a poor choice.
Entering someone else’s property or personal space can represent: compromising personal boundaries or integrity; disrespect, betrayal, anger, or an intent to harm.
Consider also your feelings, intent, and motivations for entering.
See also: Crossing; Edge, Coming to an; Limit or Boundary; Knocking; Door or Entrance; Doorknob; Opening; Traveling; Driving; Walking; Passageway; Bridge; Invading; Starting Over; Agreement; Joining... entering dream meaning
More than enough or too much of something in your life.
Something that you feel doesn’t fit in.
Having extra of something you like can represent abundance in your life (or a desire for more).
Having too much of something you don’t want can represent feeling burdened or oppressed somehow (or a fear of such).
Feeling like an extra person or “fifth wheel” might represent feeling left out or superfluous in your life somehow.
Playing an extra in a movie can represent feeling you have no meaningful role in the real-life process represented in the dream.
See also: Many; Enough; Leftovers; Orphan; Increasing; Enough; Storage; Fat; Rich; Variety; Infinite; Big; Bigger, Getting... extra dream meaning
The terrible, nightmarish quality of a Toxic Dream can signal that your body, emotions, or mind were in a toxic state at the time of the dream.
This type of dream can result from a number of factors from earlier in the day, including: eating refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour, etc.), processed or junk food, or additives or preservatives; eating too much too close to bedtime; ingesting drugs or other substances that tax the body; encountering environmental toxins (mold, exhaust fumes, etc.); physical, emotional, or mental stress; toxic feelings (such as going to bed angry); not resting your body and mind enough during the day.... toxic dream dream meaning
YOUR MUSCLES FREEZE. A little known fact is that when you dream, the large body muscles, like in your arms and legs, become immobile, as a temporary state of paralysis.
THE DREAMING AND WAKING STATES CAN OVERLAP. Though waking and dreaming are separate states of awareness, their boundaries are not always distinct and there can be a few rare moments of brief overlap. If you accidentally wake up at the end of a dream but are not yet quite awake—which can happen during an intense or scary dream—the effect can be startling. Your mind may still be partly lodged in the dream and yet partially awake. You may notice that you can’t move, an experience people often cite with trepidation. Not being able to move during a dream is normal. The paralysis vanishes when the dream ends or as you fully awaken. This is simply an overlap experience between waking and dreaming.
YOU DO NOT SLEEPWALK WHILE HAVING A DREAM. A common misconception is that people sleepwalk because they are acting out a dream. Not so. Because your arms and legs do not move when dreaming, you cannot physically act out your dreams. People who sleepwalk are not actually dreaming, even though they may report vivid images. Sleepwalking is a type of sleep disorder that most often occurs during deep-sleep, which is stage three, the deepest phase of sleep.
THE BOUNCE-BACK EFFECT. If you lose or reduce your “dream time” for even one night due to a lack of sleep, the next time that you sleep, you will experience extra dreaming time, until you catch up. This bounce-back effect restores the missed dream time, an effect that highlights the importance of dreaming as a built-in, physiological mechanism.... physiological effects on the body while you dream dream meaning
STEPS IN THE BIRTH OF A DREAM. The psyche’s nightly review goes something like this:
A QUICK FIRST SCAN AND SORT. Like a high-speed computer, the psyche scans how the day’s activities, thoughts, feelings, and observations, match up. It compares your new experiences to your similar past experiences. The psyche further observes how these new observations stack up against your goals, ideals, hopes, and wishes. During this first pass, the mind creates two piles: (1) the “completed” pile and (2) the “still needs attention” pile.
ITEMS IN THE “COMPLETED” PILE ARE FILED. The psyche first addresses the actions, thoughts, and feelings that were adequately handled and completed during the day. The items that have no emotional leftovers or loose ends are stored in memory. This is the equivalent of filing a stack of papers that no longer need your attention.
A SECOND, DELUXE SCAN TAKES PLACE FOR THE “STILL NEEDS ATTENTION” PILE. During the first scan, the “completed” pile was filed. During a second, more detailed scan, the psyche tackles the “still needs attention” list of unresolved thoughts, feelings, actions, and decisions that were triggered by the day’s events. As if the mind were a high-speed computer, the psyche prioritizes your issues and flags the questions, unfulfilled desires, and problems that require your attention. It also compares unresolved issues against your current and past experience. The end result is a set of conclusions and suggestions about what could be done to resolve those issues, conclusions that the mind now needs to transmit back to you.
THE PSYCHE’S FEEDBACK IS CONVEYED AS A DREAM. After evaluating your ongoing concerns, the psyche cranks out a report to summarize whatever may have escaped your attention, as gleaned from the previous day’s bulletin board notes. This report from the psyche may offer you a fresh perspective, a new insight, or a suggestion to get further information about a half-processed topic. As you sleep, this mini report is relayed to you in the form of a visual memo about your unresolved feelings, concerns, and decisions. You heard it here first—this mini report is otherwise known as a dream.
WHAT DOES A DREAM COMMUNICATE? A dream memo from the psyche can include one or more of the following topics:
• An overview of unresolved feelings or issues.
• Past influences or reactions that are relevant to a current issue.
• Current unnoticed factors that affect a topic.
• Feelings with which you may not be in touch.
• An invitation to change a perspective or a goal.
• Advice on how to deal with an issue.
• General or specific insights into a problem or concern.... the birth of a dream dream meaning
REASON 1: A NON-MYSTERIOUS EXPLANATION OF ESP IN DREAMS. In my experience, most dreams that relate to the future are “best guesses” about a question or a decision that is on your mind. Since the future is built on today’s decisions, one way to think about ESP in dreams is that your dreams have the ability to reveal what path your current decisions are taking. For example, suppose you throw a ball down a hill. It is easy to guess whether the ball will hit a shrub, bounce on a boulder, or land in the stream. In the same way, your psyche, the part of your mind that is aware of all your decisions, lines up at the top of the hill and makes a best guess about where your decisions are heading. Such a best guess is accurate—if and only if—you remain on your current course.
REASON 2: FATE AND THE DIVINE HAND. A less common type of ESP dream emerges from the soul or from the divine hand. This form of ESP dream sends shivers up your spine because it defies logic as it predicts what is beyond. J. B. Rhine, a modern researcher of paranormal phenomena, logged a famous example. He described how, years ago, a handful of children in a Welsh mining village pre-dreamed that their school would collapse under an avalanche. Several days later, the event happened.
REASON 3: YOU PRE-DREAM EVERYTHING OF IMPORTANCE. In the same vein, Virginia Beach’s famed mystic, Edgar Cayce, suggested that you pre-dream everything of importance that happens to you. Such dreams about the future that your soul portrays, may best be explained by what Shakespeare’s Hamlet said to Horatio: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Some things are yet beyond our ken.... reasons for esp in dreams dream meaning
Why Keeping a Dream Record Helps You Get the Message
1: YOU LOCK IN A DREAM MESSAGE. By recording a dream, you lock in its message. Otherwise, the odds are that you will forget the dream and lose whatever insight it is trying to share. If time is short, jot down key phrases and record the full version later.
2: IT KEEPS YOU IN TOUCH WITH YOUR PSYCHE. Recording a dream ensures that messages will keep coming. Dream communications are like talking to a friend, which, in this case, is your psyche or inner voice. If you do not return a friend’s calls or e-mails, they stop. Recording your dreams tells your psyche that you want to keep talking and hearing the advice your inner voice has to offer.
3: YOU SEE CRITICAL PATTERNS. A dream journal lets you notice patterns that relate to your emotional battles, decisions, relationships, and finding your path in life.
4: YOU NOTICE WARNINGS OR A POSITIVE HEADS-UP. It is said that you pre-dream everything of importance that happens to you. Whether a dream brings a health warning or is a heads-up about a promotion, recording your dreams regularly is like maintaining a flashlight on life’s dark roads. It can shed light on the unknown.
5: IT IS EASIER TO TRACK YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL PROGRESS. Dreams unveil patterns about your psychological and emotional health. Each time you spot a pattern in your dream journal, you empower your own progress. Plugging into those patterns via dreams can make a striking difference to the success, peace, and happiness that you achieve.
6: A DREAM JOURNAL CAN BE A SPIRITUAL DIARY. If spirituality is important to you, your dream journal becomes a reflection of your inner life. For those who keep an eye on their spiritual progress, dreams can connect you to your soul. Many traditions value dreams as a spiritual connection and perceive dreams as a door to divine healing and blessings. Spiritual dreams are messages that relate to the journey of your soul and can answer life’s big questions. A dreamer who had never felt that God was real asked herself, “God, are you there?” She received a dream that knocked her socks off and the experience left her convinced that God personally knew her and loved her unconditionally. She described the dream experience as feeling more loved than she had ever felt in her life. Whatever your spiritual questions, staying active with a dream journal helps such experiences unfold.
7: A DREAM JOURNAL CAN BE THERAPEUTIC. Need a therapist? One key function of dreams and dreaming is to serve as a built-in counselor. The very act of dreaming may in and of itself help to relieve stress and keep your emotions in balance. At the same time, dreams often unearth insights with the deft hand of a loving counselor. At other times, jarring images may arise to get your attention when you are emotionally veering off track. Don’t laugh. Maintaining an active dream journal can feel like instant therapy.
It Pays to Review Your Dream Journal
REASON 1: A REVIEW IS A FAST TRACK TO NOTICE INSIGHTS AND SOLUTIONS. Every time you sift through past dream messages, your dreams become clearer. It’s like getting to know a new friend. Over time, you understand each other better and can help each other more. After you review your dreams, your psyche may begin to fast-track new, amazing insights and solutions. Reviewing such insights that were logged in a dream journal can be especially valuable for those in professions that require problem solving.
REASON 2: GOING THROUGH YOUR DREAMS HELPS YOU GAIN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE. Whether it is months or years later, reviewing your dreams can be the equivalent of taking an inventory of your life, who you are, and where you are at. You may notice emotional patterns to which you were previously blind and may decipher dreams whose meaning had escaped you. As you explore with fresh eyes, you see deeper meaning in certain dreams and discover further revelations about yourself and your life. As you take a trek through your dream journals, magical ongoing threads that recount the story of your life can unfold.
What to Put into a Dream Journal
Tricks for Dream Entries. Recording a dream may seem obvious, but there are a few tricks that are worth noting. Recording a dream is not the goal—the goal is to understand the dream’s message and to apply it. Including the following items as you record your nightly tales can improve your dream skills.
DATE. Note the date; someday, when you look back, it will be of interest.
TITLE. Give each dream a separate title that highlights its main impact.
DETAILS. Record every detail, even if you think it is unimportant or repetitive; such details may later prove important.
AS IF IT IS HAPPENING. Write the dream in the present tense, as if you are re-experiencing it. Doing so often helps recall extra details or fill in a scene you had previously forgotten.
FEELINGS. Note how a dream made you feel. The mood that a dream brings out in you can be a clue to its meaning.
A ONE-LINE SUMMARY. Immediately jot down a quick story line, as if writing a movie trailer that explains what your mini movie dream is about. Let this one-liner capture the heart of the dream, as your first impression about the dream.
LIFE CONTEXT. Make brief notes about your life. The question to ask yourself is always, “To what in me or to what in my life does the dream refer?” It may take a week or two to get an “aha” for every dream, and if you lose the thread of what was happening at the time, you are less likely to zero in on the message. Jot down brief reminders about:
• What was on your mind as you went to sleep.
• Major feelings you have been experiencing.
• Main issues that day, that week, or that period.
• Major pending decisions.
• Challenges, crises or turmoil related to relationships or other circumstances.... the benefits of a dream journal dream meaning
1: EXAMINING EMOTIONS IS STEP ONE OF THE FIVE-STEP DREAM TECHNIQUE
EMOTIONS AND DREAM MESSAGES. According to step one of the five-step technique, what you feel during the dream or what you feel about the dream after you wake up are the first clues to its meaning. If you see a huge lion enter your yard, yet it lies down, looks friendly, and you feel content at the sight instead of terrified, the positive feelings indicate that the message is not about being in danger. Or suppose you dream of your spouse in the kitchen losing their temper and smashing a plate in anger, but in the dream you remain calm and continue to wash the dishes. The dream may speak of the angry sparks that flew during an actual disagreement between you and your spouse, yet your serene attitude in the dream hints that the real-life situation can be resolved by staying calm.
STRONG DREAM EMOTIONS GET YOUR ATTENTION. A dream scene can pack an emotional punch and it does so to get a point across about an issue that needs your attention. A scene of almost drowning can be a metaphor for feeling overwhelmed, a child having a tantrum may indicate someone acting childish or a circumstance veering out of control, and an explosion may relate to an explosive relationship or situation. When a dream creates supercharged metaphors that affect your emotions, the strong reaction you feel to the images is a red flag that tells you the message is important.
YOUR REACTION TO A DREAM CAN JUMPSTART CHANGE. Suppose you have a dream that creates feelings of emotional upheaval in you for hours or even days. Though that sounds bad, sometimes a dream deliberately “creates” turmoil in you to stimulate a change in you. Intense reactions that leave you reeling, emotionally, can invite a change in attitude or push you into a new perspective. For example, a senior in college who is slacking off from his studies dreams that he has failed a final exam and will not graduate. The dream feels so real that it scares him into studying. Or, a man in a dead-end job dreams that everyone around him gets promoted, except him. The anguish the dream evokes in him spurs him to investigate ways to move forward in his career.
EXAMPLE 1 OF DREAMS THAT JUMPSTART YOUR FEELINGS: HAVING SEX WITH SOMEONE YOU DESPISE. Dreams of having sex with someone you cannot stand are common. A woman dreams that she has sex with a boss she despises, yet to her surprise, the passion in the dream feels real and magnificent. She wakes up confused, aware that she hates her boss but finding it hard to dislike someone with whom she has just had great sex. Because of the dream, her feelings of hate for him are now in flux; the dream softens and changes her attitude to her boss, allowing her to make a fresh start in the relationship.
When people dream about having sex with someone they dislike, their first thought is that the dream points to a secret attraction to that person. Usually, that is not the case. Instead, because prolonged animosity toward another is unhealthy (emotionally and psychologically), the psyche manufactures an intense, pleasant experience to jumpstart a change in attitude about that person. A wise man once stated that the best way to deal with an enemy is to turn him into a friend. A dream of having sex with someone you hate arrives as a peacemaker, initiated by your psyche.
EXAMPLE 2 OF DREAMS THAT JUMPSTART YOUR FEELINGS: BLESSINGS FROM A DECEASED LOVED ONE. A depressed man dreams of his dead father, the only person who truly understood him. The father hugs his son, tells him how proud he is of him, smiles, and then disappears. The dreamer wakes up elated; his depression has lifted.
Dreams that jumpstart a change can at times accomplish more than hours of encouragement by a friend or therapist, and can have an ongoing impact on the dreamer.
DREAMS AS A THERMOMETER OF YOUR FEELINGS. In life’s daily rush, it is easy to get out of touch with your emotions. When riding a roller-coaster of ups and downs, dreams can help you notice your feelings and cope with the problems behind those jangled emotions.
At times you may ignore your feelings or feel overwhelmed by them. Dreams help you notice your feelings and label them, so that you can begin to deal with them. Watching yourself in a dream where you are riding a merry-go-round that will not stop can feel terrifying, and can be a metaphor for feeling emotionally out of control. Or, seeing yourself parachute out of an airplane, gliding joyfully through the sky, may put you in touch with the pride you feel about a successful accomplishment.
Suppose you are trying to be patient with an annoying work associate but they still drive you crazy. One night you dream that you punched out the co-worker. The dream is not suggesting that you hit your associate. Instead, the dream mirrors your frustration and invites you to fix your reactions to that associate, reactions that are creating knots in your feelings.
A dream can also indicate whether your emotions are surging or sinking. If a shy man dreams of giving orders at work as if he were a drill sergeant, the dream may hint that he needs to speak up and is capable of doing so; it invites him to come out of his shell. If a confident businesswoman dreams that her staff hide under their desks when she walks by, the dream is hinting that her confidence has veered into overbearing. It invites her to soften her stance with her employees.
EMOTIONS AS A MESSAGE TO SELF. Counselors often view emotions as “messages to yourself.” For example, a scene of depression in a dream can point to a hidden hurt that needs to be expressed. Anger can point to strong feelings that need to be channeled into leadership. Arrogance may mask a lack of confidence or indicate a desire to be appreciated. When the emotional impact is strong or leaves you puzzled, see whether the emotions are a message to yourself.... emotions as dream flags dream meaning
ADVANCED DREAM ANALYSIS HINTS
1: YOU OFTEN FIND ADVICE AT THE END OF A DREAM. Although an entire dream can produce insights, specific suggestions about what to do next often appear at the end. Check how a dream ends to see what may resonate as advice.
DREAM EXAMPLE: THE TARANTULA AND THE GUARD. Faced with rumors that his company was downsizing, a young man feared he might lose his job. He dreamed he was at a train station, lying down in the middle of the tracks as trains zoomed by without harming him. As he lay peacefully on a white blanket, a huge black tarantula above his head caught his eye. Feeling afraid and in danger, the man ran for help. He found a guard and pointed to the tarantula. As they watched, a train came by and crushed the tarantula. The guard turned to the young man and said, “There is no problem now,” and walked away. In the end, the danger disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived. The ending suggested that despite rumors about downsizing, the young man’s job was safe and he was not in danger.
Notice a dream’s final images. If you see someone in a terrible storm yet they find a safe haven, all will be well. Or suppose you witness a car crash, which might be a metaphor of a major clash or fight with a loved one. If at the end of the dream, no one is harmed and all is well, whatever the disagreement, peace will be restored.
2: TIME MARKERS IN DREAMS—WHEN WILL SOMETHING HAPPEN? Dreams often portray probabilities, and an occasional ESP dream gives you a glimpse into the future. Yet such dreams seldom specify when an event will take place. Time markers in dreams are rare, but if they do appear, the predicted timing tends to be accurate.
For example, a woman dreams of meeting her true love. The first question that pops into her head is “When?” and the answer is that no one knows. She may cross paths with a future love in a few months or in a few years; unless a dream provides a time marker, there is no way for her to know. An example of a timing marker would be a dream about a wedding that shows a current friend of the bride, as a bridesmaid. In the dream, the bridesmaid just turned thirty, which tells the prospective bride that she will marry when her friend turns thirty. Or, a time marker may show the date on a wedding announcement. Though rare, keep an eye out for timing markers in dreams.
3: SPOKEN WORDS IN DREAMS ARE OFTEN LITERAL. Dreams are visual metaphors, yet paradoxically, when words are spoken in a dream, their meaning is often literal. If a relative tells you to see a doctor, you should make an appointment. If a friend you have not spoken with for a while says, “I need help” in a dream, check out what is happening. If you dream about someone having surgery and afterward the doctor says, “It is fixed,” you or the loved one will recover. Suppose you feel discouraged in your career and then dream that your boss shakes your hand, saying, “Congratulations on your promotion.” You may want to work hard and persevere.
4: DREAMS OFTEN SHOW LOGIC. Though a lot of dreams may appear disjointed, dreams can demonstrate a high amount of logic as they assess a problem or concern. When a dream has several scenes or parts, see if you can spot a sequential logic. For example, the first part may state the problem, the next might discuss what you have done about the concern or what has not worked, and the latter parts may recommend points to consider or directions that may resolve the issue.
5: SENIORS OFTEN DREAM OF YOUNGER DAYS. Those fortunate enough to reach their eighties and nineties in good shape, often describe dreams that replay the days of their youth. These dreams often portray exact scenes of one’s childhood or their earlier years, in great detail.
Sometimes these dreams of former years contain a message. At other times, they simply replay wondrous moments, cherished memories, or long-forgotten scenes of pain and trauma. As the years catch up, the waking mind dips into the past more often, and as we age, such retrospective thoughts are mirrored in our dreams.
Anecdotal reports by seniors suggest that dreams about their past are not distressing. Revisiting one’s youthful memories often tends to comfort and uplift. Such dreams from one’s early days may also be a way to prepare, ever so slowly, for a new, eternal adventure.
SERIAL DREAMING—DREAMS THAT ARRIVE IN A SERIES
Noticing dreams that arrive in a group or in a sequence indicates that you have turned a corner in mastering dream analysis. Take a breath and have a look at the patterns you may meet in your dreams.
As if watching a television series, look for repetitive dreams that have similar stories or have repeating symbols. You can have a series of dreams about the same topic in a single night. Or, several dreams with the same story may occur over a period of days, weeks, or months. You may even notice symbols or backgrounds that keep cropping up. Take note. Every time a story line, symbol, or background element repeats in a dream, your psyche is working overtime to get your attention. It is up to you to find out why.
THE BOTTOM LINE ABOUT ADVANCED DREAMING
Let your psyche lead the way to amazing dream insights when the time is right. Like a flower that unfolds or an oak tree that grows strong and tall, letting dream understanding proceed at a natural rate is always a good idea.... advanced dream analysis hints dream meaning
STEP THREE: LINKING THE STORY LINE TO YOUR LIFE IS STEP THREE OF THE FIVE-STEP DREAM TECHNIQUE
1 TO LINK A DREAM TO YOUR LIFE: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION ABOUT WHAT A DREAM MEANS. As mentioned previously, the question is never “What does this dream mean?” The question is always “To what in me or in my life does the dream refer?” Retaining that focus bears repeating. When you keep in mind that a dream speaks of your life and is not merely an amusing tale, you stay on the right track to finding its meaning. Match the story line to an actual life area or experience, and the meaning surfaces.
2 TO LINK A DREAM TO YOUR LIFE: THE IMPORTANCE OF MATCHING THE STORY LINE TO AN AREA OF YOUR LIFE. As if moving a puzzle piece around a board to see how it fits, scan your life to see where the story line coincides with an attitude, a relationship, activity, or an ongoing situation. For example, suppose you dream that you ran a race in the Olympics and won a gold medal. The story line says, “After much effort, someone succeeds brilliantly” or, “By persevering, someone achieves great things.” Which success in your life is highlighted by the dream, depends on your life; only you can know what that success is for you. To some it may refer to fitting into a glamorous outfit after losing weight; to others it might be completing a degree or sprinting up the corporate ladder.
3 TO LINK A DREAM TO YOUR LIFE: TURN THE STORY LINE INTO A QUESTION. If you have trouble fitting a story line to an area of your life, try turning it into a question.
DREAM EXAMPLE 1 OF TURNING A STORY LINE INTO QUESTIONS: INVADING MY SPACE. A man dreams of walking into his office and seeing the manager’s assistant at his desk pulling off pieces of Scotch tape for her own use. She has no right to be in his office or go through his belongings. He walks up to her and asks her in a quiet voice, “What are you doing?” She knows she has been caught doing something off limits but ignores him and blatantly defies him by continuing to rip off tape. The man stays quiet and does not challenge her further because he is not sure what to do. The story line is, “Someone watches another misuse their position but does not know how to stop them.” The story line calls to mind questions like: Where in your life is someone overstepping their boundaries? Are you letting someone take advantage of you? Is there a situation at work or elsewhere in your life, where you would like to speak up but feel unsafe to do so? As you answer the questions that the story line initiates, the life area that the dream relates to should become clear.
DREAM EXAMPLE 2 OF TURNING A STORY LINE INTO QUESTIONS: THE WOUND. A dreamer is shocked to see a large, gaping wound dripping with blood. The story line is, “Someone sees something that needs a lot of help.” This story line begs these questions: Where in your life do you feel wounded or in pain? Have you overlooked someone around you who may be hurting? Have you, or someone close to you, caused emotional damage by your actions or habits?
DREAM EXAMPLE 3 OF TURNING A STORY LINE INTO QUESTIONS: A BEAUTIFUL SCARF. A woman dreams that her work associates are frantic and scurrying to get things done. She ignores them and peacefully puts on a wide, red silk scarf, carefully tying a bow in an artistic arrangement. The story line is, “Instead of getting caught up in the frenzy and chaos around her, someone peacefully focuses on creating something beautiful.” The story line brings up questions like: In what area of your life are others frantic? Would concentrating on doing your best resolve an issue? Are there creative activities that would distract you from the anxieties in your life?
HINT 4 TO LINK A DREAM TO YOUR LIFE: THE STORY LINE MAY RELATE TO YOUR INNER OR OUTER LIFE. As you search for answers raised by story line questions, insights about a particular situation in your life may begin to pop up. When matching a story line to an area of your life, remember that you lead two lives: an inner one and an outer one. Sometimes the life event about which the dream is commenting is an attitude, an emotion, a set of thoughts, or a perspective that is going on within you. Your inner life is also subject to lots of episodes and events, so to speak. We tend to look at outside circumstances and events for the meaning of a dream, but just as often, a dream relates to your character, attitudes, or thoughts about potential decisions, hopes, fears, and wishes.... a dream is not a mini-movie - it is a link to your life dream meaning
My curiosity led me on a ten year trek to find the answer. I read books and explored scientific journals. These helped me see what a dream does, but not what it is. The closest link to an answer emerged from Freud’s “day residue” idea which looks at dreams as leftovers about daily concerns, a concept later expanded by Montague Ullman. Dreams as day residue became the seed thought that led to a true definition. Mobilizing a lifetime of observations about dreams, a picture slowly unfolded about the mechanics of how a dream comes to be and what it is. As the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, here is the ultimate definition of a dream, the one that satisfied.... what is a dream? dream meaning
aiding and abetting a fugitive: the cops are not after you; set out on your own adventure.
being a, officer: wil have obstacles to overcome, not that you have a goal.
bailiff: clean up unfinished business, the poison of public opinion.
bondsman, a: wil soon be free of duties you have been forced to assume.
fugitive from justice, being a: violent confrontation with family forum.
innocent, being: are a passionate person whose opinions get distorted in others’ minds.
knowing you’re not: wil be exposed at a crucial point in an important position.
lynching, taking part in a: death to freedom; what you have done wil be done to you.
observing a: disgrace among your peers, that you made no step to bar.
something is impounded: wil seek to expropriate another’s possessions for yourself. ... law enforcement dream meaning
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