To see ice floating in a stream of clear water, denotes that your happiness will be interrupted by ill-tempered and jealous friends.
To dream that you walk on ice, you risk much solid comfort and respect for evanescent joys.
For a young woman to walk on ice, is a warning that only a thin veil hides her from shame.
To see icicles on the eaves of houses, denotes misery and want of comfort. Ill health is foreboded.
To see icicles on the fence, denotes suffering bodily and mentally.
To see them on trees, despondent hopes will grow gloomier.
To see them on evergreens, a bright future will be overcast with the shadow of doubtful honors.
To dream that you make ice, you will make a failure of your life through egotism and selfishness. Eating ice, foretells sickness.
If you drink ice-water, you will bring ill health from dissipation. Bathing in ice-water, anticipated pleasures will be interrupted with an unforeseen event. ... ice dream meaning
To a woman, this omens a happy marriage.
A barren island, indicates forfeiture of happiness and money through intemperance.
To see an island, denotes comfort and easy circumstances after much striving and worrying to meet honorable obligations.
To see people on an island, denotes a struggle to raise yourself higher in prominent circles. ... island dream meaning
To feel an iron weight bearing you down, signifies mental perplexities and material losses.
To strike with iron, denotes selfishness and cruelty to those dependent upon you.
To dream that you manufacture iron, denotes that you will use unjust means to accumulate wealth.
To sell iron, you will have doubtful success, and your friends will not be of noble character.
To see old, rusty iron, signifies poverty and disappointment.
To dream that the price of iron goes down, you will realize that fortune is a very unsafe factor in your life.
If iron advances, you will see a gleam of hope in a dark prospectus.
To see red-hot iron in your dreams, denotes failure for you by misapplied energy. ... iron dream meaning
To see children eating it, denotes prosperity and happiness will attend you most favorably.
For a young woman to upset her ice cream in the presence of her lover or friend, denotes she will be flirted with because of her unkindness to others.
To see sour ice cream, denotes some unexpected trouble will interfere with your pleasures.
If it is melted, your anticipated pleasure will reach stagnation before it is realized. ... ice cream dream meaning
If a young woman sees ink, she will be slandered by a rival.
To dream that you have ink on your fingers, you will be jealous and seek to injure some one unless you exercise your better nature.
If it is red ink, you will be involved in a serious trouble.
To dream that you make ink, you will engage in a low and debasing business, and you will fall into disreputable associations.
To see bottles of ink in your dreams, indicates enemies and unsuccessful interests. ... ink dream meaning
To a young woman, it augurs many prized distinctions.
If she sees ivy clinging to the wall in the moonlight, she will have clandestine meetings with young men. Withered ivy, denotes broken engagements and sadness. ... ivy dream meaning
To see huge pieces of ivory being carried, denotes financial success and pleasures unalloyed. ... ivory dream meaning
If you dream you have the itch yourself, you will be harshly used, and will defend yourself by incriminating others.
For a young woman to have this dream, omens she will fall into dissolute companionship.
To dream that you itch, denotes unpleasant avocations. ... itch dream meaning
To dream that you are an idiot, you will feel humiliated and downcast over the miscarriage of plans.
To see idiotic children, denotes affliction and unhappy changes in life.... idiot dream meaning
A new job; see “baby” and “sex”... intercourse dream meaning
To dream that some of your family inherits an income, predicts success for you.
For a woman to dream of losing her income, signifies disappointments in life.
To dream that your income is insufficient to support you, denotes trouble to relatives or friends.
To dream of a portion of your income remaining, signifies that you will be very successful for a short time, but you may expect more than you receive. ... income dream meaning
2. Fear of problem or situation growing worse. ... infection dream meaning
2. Desire to be “up to date.” 3. Need to make oneself heard by more people.
4. Need for knowledge and ideas.
5. Curiosity about the world. ... internet dream meaning
2. One is considering a course of action.
3. Feeling of being scrutinized or appraised by someone else. ... interview dream meaning
2. Sexual interaction, especially with a stranger.
3. Sense of being violated or manipulated by others.
4. Inability to stop worrying about something.
5. A reflection of oneself. ... intruder dream meaning
To think you are one, portends you are threatened with displeasing circumstances. ... invalid dream meaning
2. The most important part of something is out of sight. ... iceberg dream meaning
2. The ability to exterminate insects indicates the ability to clear away problems. ... insect dream meaning
To set up an image in your home, portends that you will be weak minded and easily led astray. Women should be careful of their reputation after a dream of this kind.
If the images are ugly, you will have trouble in your home. ... image dream meaning
If a woman dreams that she burns her hands while ironing, it foretells she will have illness or jealousy to disturb her peace.
If she scorches the clothes, she will have a rival who will cause her much displeasure and suspicions.
If the irons seem too cold, she will lack affection in her home. ... ironing dream meaning
If the intestines are seen outside the stomach in a dream, they represent one’s step daughters, or an illness in that house.
If the tissue of the intestines has a cut, or if it breaks in the dream, then it means death. Intestines in a dream also mean money. Exposed intestines in a dream mean the surfacing of hidden money. Eating someone’s intestines in a dream means denying him his money, or discovering a hidden treasure.
If one’s intestines and bowels are taken out from his body for washing, then placed in a container in a dream, it means his death and the washer represents the undertaker. Noting here that embalming is not permissible in Islam. Islamic Laws.
(Also see Body’)... intestines dream meaning
For a young woman to dream some one is imitating her lover or herself, foretells she will be imposed upon, and will suffer for the faults of others. ... imitation dream meaning
To be at a dilapidated and ill kept inn, denotes poor success, or mournful tasks, or unhappy journeys.... inn dream meaning
If they are broken, the pleasure will be marred by uncongenial companionship.
For a young woman, this dream foretells for her the power to make her life what she will. ... musical instruments dream meaning
2. Being unable to discern what is right or wrong.
3. Loss of control.
4. Not knowing on what course to proceed.
5. Irrational fear of something. ... insanity dream meaning
If the partner in your dream was a total stranger then the dream may be much more personal and profound. It could be telling you something about the relationship that you have with yourself by giving you clues about the nature of your unconscious.... infidelity dream meaning
If you are reading them on tombs, you will be distressed by sickness of a grave nature.
To write one, you will lose a valued friend. ... inscription dream meaning
To dream that you are inventing something, or feel interested in some invention, denotes you will aspire to fortune and will be successful in your designs. ... inventor dream meaning
2. Masculine power.
3. Fertility symbol (note size). ... penis dream meaning
To see indigo water, foretells you will be involved in an ugly love affair. ... indigo dream meaning
2. One feels threatened sexually. ... impotence dream meaning
2. Admiration of someone who embodies heroic qualities. ... indian dream meaning
2. Fear of making choices or changing course of life. ... intersection dream meaning
2. If someone is invading the dreamer’s life, interference is involved.
3. Need to fight back and attack problems or other people.
4. Fear of the unknown.
5. Feeling of being unprepared. ... invasion dream meaning
1- Immobility in a dream can be extremely frightening. This feeling very often occurs as the dreamer is beginning to learn more about themselves.
A feeling of oppression and of not being able to move usually indicates that the dreamer needs to, quite literally; sit still and be immobile within their ordinary everyday lives. They need to achieve a kind of stillness which is foreign to most people, and therefore initially- frightening. while later on it can be a state of peace and tranquillity.
2- To be immobilised in a dream usually indicates that we have created circumstances around us which are now beginning to trap us. We need to remain absolutely still until we have decided what the appropriate action needs to be, and then we can move forward in an appropriate way. Often such a dream comes when we arc facing the darker side of ourselves that which could be called evil.
A superhuman effort needs to be made to overcome what is holding us down.
3- The Unconditioned State, the Liberated Self. Immobility in this sense is dynamic stillness.... immobility dream meaning
To see the heavens illuminated, with the moon in all her weirdness, unnatural stars and a red sun, or a golden one, you may look for distress in its worst form. Death, family troubles, and national upheavals will occur.
To see children in the lighted heavens, warns you to control your feelings, as irrevocable wrong may be done in a frenzy of feeling arising over seeming neglect by your dear ones.
To see illuminated human figures or animals in the heavens, denotes failure and trouble; dark clouds overshadow fortune.
To see them fall to the earth and men shoot them with guns, many troubles and obstacles will go to nought before your energy and determination to rise.
To see illuminated snakes, or any other creeping thing, enemies will surround you, and use hellish means to overthrow you. ... illumination dream meaning
2. One is being urged to make more frequent and better use of a computer. ... icon dream meaning
The man said : “Your Excellency! I hereby offer my repentance in your presence for I have been advocating the beliefs of the Qadriyyah sect since two months.... incident 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
The imp often has the same significance as the Devil (See Devil) in its aspect of tormenting one, of creating difficulty and harm within one’s life.
The imp can represent the uncontrolled negative part of ourselves, that part that instinctively creates chaos and takes great joy in doing so.
It is perhaps an aspect of loss of control.
The Devil as the Tempter can appear in dreams as an imp, or as a manifestation of a particularly irritating type.... imp dream meaning
To see your friends in idleness, you will hear of some trouble affecting them.
For a young woman to dream that she is leading an idle existence, she will fall into bad habits, and is likely to marry a shiftless man. ... idle dream meaning
For a young woman to be disappointed in attending an inauguration, predicts she will fail to obtain her wishes. ... inauguration dream meaning
2. Reluctance to get involved sexually with anyone.
3. Afraid to have a baby. ... condom dream meaning
If we fear failure, we will not meet the challenge of the new, and so can be imprisoned by the fear. Such feelings as being an outsider, unwanted, resentful, can also imprison us in particular situations. See escape, trapped. ... imprisoned dream meaning
To break idols, signifies a strong mastery over self, and no work will deter you in your upward rise to positions of honor.
To see others worshiping idols, great differences will rise up between you and warm friends.
To dream that you are denouncing idolatry, great distinction is in store for you through your understanding of the natural inclinations of the human mind. ... idols dream meaning
To dream that you are an imp, denotes that folly and vice will bring you to poverty.... imps dream meaning
To hear others repeating them, implies dissembling among your friends. ... incantation dream meaning
For a lover to dream of being industriously at work, shows he will succeed in business, and that his companion will advance his position.
To see others busy, is favorable to the dreamer.... industry dream meaning
If you are brought before an inquisition on a charge of wilfulness, you will be unable to defend yourself from malicious slander.... inquisition dream meaning
To see others insane, denotes disagreeable contact with suffering and appeals from the poverty-stricken.
The utmost care should be taken of the health after this dream. ... insane dream meaning
To see human beings swept away in an inundation, portends bereavements and despair, making life gloomy and unprofitable.
To see a large area inundated with clear water, denotes profit and ease after seemingly hopeless struggles with fortune. See Food.... inundation dream meaning
2. Emotional investment in something. ... investment dream meaning
2- To be totally immersed totally focused on something in a dream indicates we very definitely need to be able to concentrate entirely on one particular thought or idea to help us understand ourselves.
3- Transformation and rebirth can only be accomplished by a total immersion in spirituality.... immersion dream meaning
If you are intemperate in love, or other passions, you will reap disease or loss of fortune and esteem.
For a young woman to thus dream, she will lose a lover and incur the displeasure of close friends. ... intemperance dream meaning
2. One is not being paid properly. ... ingratitude dream meaning
2. Fear that others are prying into one’s life. ... investigator 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
(Also see Darkness)... ignorance dream meaning
If a poor person sees such a dream, it means that he will fall sick, or attract an incurable disease.
To have sexual intercourse with a male in a dream also means falling into sin, committing the unlawful, or engaging in sexual intercourse with a female member of one’s own family, a blood relation, or a consanguineous person whom one is forbidden to marry. Molesting a child in a dream means suffering from a great affliction. Fornication with a young servant in a dream means suffering from continuous stress and a lasting depression. Sleeping with a beautiful woman one recognizes in his dream means profits. Sleeping with an ugly looking old woman in a dream means the opposite. Having sexual intercourse with an unknown woman in a dream represents the type of interactions and dealings one fosters with people in general. Accordingly, and depending on the condition of the woman one is sleepingwith in a dream, one’s actions will substantiate. Sleepingwith someone’s wife in a dream means engaging in a profitable business with the husband.
If a sick person sees himselfhaving sexual intercourse with his mother in a dream, it means his death, for the mother here represent the earth.
If a woman sees herselfengaging in tribadism, or a lesbian relationship with another woman she knows in a dream, it means that she will confide her personal life to her, or divulge all her secrets, become her intimate friend or a fan, shares opinions with her and emulate her actions and look in public. Ifshe does not know that woman in the dream, it means that she will indulge in sin.
If a married woman sees herself engaging in tribadism with another woman in a dream, it means that she will separate from her husband or become a widow. Engaging in sexual intercourse with a deceased person, be it a man or a woman in a dream means one’s own death, unless if one is travelling, then it could mean visiting that country where the deceased person is buried. Any sexual intercourse in a dream that culminates in ejecting semen and necessitates a complete ritual ablution in wakefulness represents disturbed dreams, or engaging in a forbidden sexual intercourse from the anus, or it could represent wet dreams. Having sexual intercourse in a dream also signifies paying one’s debts, or it could mean relief from pressures. Having sexual intercourse with a prostitute in a dream means love for the world, or it could mean profits. Having sexual intercourse with one’s wife in a dream means success in one’s trade. Having sexual intercourse with a heavenly woman in a dream means religious and spiritual attainment.
(Also see Anus; Semen; Pleasure; Sodomy; Tears; Vagina)... sexual intercourse dream meaning
I saw myself in a lush and green land. Then I suddenly saw myself in a barren land. At this stage I saw you clasping your neck with both your hands”.
Hadhrat Aboo Bakr As-Siddeeq (RA) : “if what you are saying is true then I am afraid you will forsake the Deen of Islam.
As for me all my affairs will remain protected and my hands will not be contaminated through worldly pursuits”.
The narrator says that during the Khilaafat of Hadhrat Umar (RA) Rabee’;ah Left Medinah to live in Rome . There he embraced Christianity in the presence of the then king and died as one.... true incident 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
To dream of an iguana symbolizes a person who brings inspiration, anxiety, and experience.... iguana dream meaning
To dream that you lose your I.D., denotes confusion about your own self-identity.
If you dream of fake I.D., you may secretly feel that you’re not good enough, and worry that others don’t really like you. Try to improve your confidence level!... identification dream meaning
For a bachelor to dream of meeting his ideal, denotes he will soon experience a favorable change in his affairs. ... ideal dream meaning
If the implements are broken, you will be threatened with death or serious illness of relatives or friends, or failure n business.... implements dream meaning
To dream of an increase in your business, signifies that you will overcome existing troubles.... increase dream meaning
For a young woman to dream that her sweetheart is indifferent to her, signifies that he may not prove his affections in the most appropriate way.
To dream that she is indifferent to him, means that she will prove untrue to him. ... indifference dream meaning
For a young woman to dream she has an infant, foretells she will be accused of indulgence in immoral pastime.
To see an infant swimming, portends a fortunate escape from some entanglement. ... infants dream meaning
To dream that you see others infirm, denotes that you may have various troubles and disappointments in business.... infirmities dream meaning
To see friends in high positions, your companions will be congenial, and you will be free from vexations. ... influence dream meaning
To dream that others are insolvent, you will meet with honest men in your dealings, but by their frankness they may harm you.
For a young woman, it means her sweetheart will be honest and thrifty, but vexatious discords may arise in her affairs. ... insolvent dream meaning
2. A phallus.
3. A call to repent, a moral question (as in a shofar).
4. A feeling that joyful news is coming. ... horn (musical instrument) dream meaning
2. A warning to take care in a particular situation, sexual or otherwise. ... inoculation dream meaning
2. Need to communicate.
3. Message from the unconscious. ... intercom dream meaning
2. Need for protection or concealment.
3. Sense of being forgotten or ignored. ... invisibility 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
If injustice is practiced by people of knowledge, or religious scholars in a dream then it denotes Allah’s forgiveness for one’s sins. Seeing an unjust person in a dream means poverty.
If one sees himself confessing to being unjust in a dream, it means that he will repent for his sin.
If one sees an oppressed person invoking a curse upon him in a dream, it means that he should await a painful punishment from Allah Almighty.
The oppressed in a dream will always triumph over the oppressor.
If one sees his oppressor cursing him in a dream, it means glad tidings, for the oppressor is always a loser.
(Also see Darkness)... injustice 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
If one’s itching results in bleeding or puss in the dream, it means that they will get what they want. Otherwise, one’s toiling for his livelihood will prolong. Ifone sees himself itching in a dream, it also means that he will investigate the conditions of his relatives and suffer from their state.
If one’s itching seems to last with no solution in sight in the dream, it means that he will suffer from a condition he cannot bear in wakefulness.
If one sees people on the road afflicted with itching in a dream, it means that he will earn moneybut with a headache. Astate he will become known by it.
(Also seeMangy; Plague; Scratching)... itching dream meaning
The age indicates maturity or the lack of it.... self-image dream meaning
It is such an incredible journey, so heroic, so impossible of achievement, so fraught with dangers and triumphs, that it is the greatest story in the world.
We find it told over and over symbolically in all the ‘holy’ books as the binh of the holy child; the journey of the hero/ ine; the creation of the world—our consciousness, the journeys of Moses. All penain to the difficulties and means we use to be; to the an of keeping balance amidst the multitude of forces acting on our human psyche.
The hero/ine is the one who dares, even though they feel afraid and in pain.
The avoidance of fear and pain in our society, where chemical anodynes or tranquillisers are sought to remove any tiny discomfort, is a great tragedy. Not that we need to become mas- ochists, but we miss our own wholeness through fear of our own power of experiencing. In other cultures the ability to meet pain and fear were considered spiritual strengths. They still are.
The following example shows one dreamer meeting his own fear and uncertainty. Example: 4I was in an ancient room. It had the feeling of being an old church. Then my wife and I were in bed in the room.
A middle aged woman was in the room. She was a ghost. I felt afraid of her, but to meet the fear I tried to confront her. I reached out my hand to her. I was crying out in my sleep from fear. As she took my hand I was amazed and shocked to feel it was physically real’ (see Christ within this entry, above). ... hero / ine dream meaning
It is probably most helpful to think of this action as similar to the process of memory. In seeking information from memory we hold a question or idea in consciousness, the resulting associated memories or information being largely spontaneous.
The question held directs what information is taken from the enormous pool of memory.
A question might even call together scattered pieces of information which are then put together into a new composite, a new realisation. So the process is not only recall of existing memory, but also creative. It may also access skills, such as the ability to subtract one number from another. Because of these factors our conscious queries can influence the process of dreaming, causing them to respond. As dreams have access to our full memory, our creative potential as well as learnt skills, such response to concerns or queries are often of great value.
To make use of this, first consider the query as fully as possible while awake. Look at it from as many viewpoints as possible, talk it over with others. Make note of the areas that are already clear, and what still remains to be clarified. Just before going to sleep, use imagery to put your question to your unconscious resources. Imagine standing before a circle of gentle light—a symbol of one’s total self—and ask it for the information sought. Then, as if you have asked a question of a wise friend, create a relaxed state as if listening for the considered reply. In most cases, dreams which follow will in some way be a response to what is sought, though not necessarily in the way imagined. See dream process as computer; creativity and problem solving in dreams. ... incubation dream meaning
An ice cube may also mention emotional coldness as in a hard hearted individual.... ice cube dream meaning
Depth Psychology: Listening or hearing beautiful music: inner peace and harmony.
If the music is annoying, of course, it means the opposite.
The dream might also be an expression of your musical talent. Do you play an instrument? If so, what kind? See Dance.... music, musical instrument dream meaning
To dream of yourself as an imposter indicates certain denial of your own feelings.
The message is to stop and take stock of your emotions in order to renew your intention to honor your own truth in all situations.... imposter 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
Worsening (or a fear of it).
Exaggerating or amplifying.
Something becoming more important or urgent.
For more clues, consider the context and what was increasing.
See also: Swelling; Climbing; Bigger, Getting; Many; Extra; Infinite... increasing dream meaning
To dream that you gain an independence of wealth, you may not be so succcessful{sic} at that time as you expect, but good results are promised.... independent dream meaning
If you stretch it, you will try to establish a greater business than you can support.... india rubber dream meaning
To see them filled with ink, if you are not cautious, enemies will succeed in calumniation.... ink-stand dream meaning
To see your own intestines, denotes grave situations are closing around you; sickness of a nature to affect you in your daily communications with others threatens you. Probable loss, with much displeasure, is also denoted.
If you think you lay them upon something, which turns out to be a radiator, and they begin to grow hot and make you very uncomfortable, and you ask others to assist you, and they refuse, it foretells unexpected calamity, which will probably come in the form of a desperate illness or a misfortune for which you will be censured by those formerly your friends. You may have trouble in extricating yourself from an unpromising predicament. ... intestine dream meaning
To hear others using them, enemies are closing you in to apparent wrong and deceits. ... invective dream meaning
If you are invited to make a visit, you will receive sad news.
For a woman to dream that she is invited to attend a party, she will have pleasant anticipations, but ill luck will mar them.... invite dream meaning
If they appear distorted or unnatural, the dream is more unfortunate than good.... life-insurance man dream meaning
To walk on it, signifies distasteful engagements. ... sheet iron dream meaning
2. Hostility. ... ice pick dream meaning
2. Frustration in thinking that goals will be difficult or impossible to attain. ... implements (tools, damaged) dream meaning
2. Challenge to create or build. ... implements (tools, good) dream meaning
2. Making a verbal faux pas that is embarrassing to someone else and/or oneself. ... indiscreet dream meaning
2. Life situation not “bearing fruit.” ... infertility dream meaning
2. Dissatisfaction with current relations.
3. Adventure. ... infidelity dream meaning
2. Need to continue or strive for new situation or places. ... inn (broken down or dilapidated) dream meaning
2. Escape.
3. Return to childhood. ... inn (in good condition) dream meaning
2. Liberal attitude toward social standards, especially sexual relations. ... intermarriage dream meaning
2. Lack of confidence in completing tasks or handling situations.
3. Fear of saying or doing the “wrong thing.” ... interrupt(ions) dream meaning
2. Becoming part of something that is very important to one’s sense of self. ... investiture dream meaning
2. Contemplation or expectation of event or challenge for a long time.
3. Restlessness or uneasiness. ... itch(ing) dream meaning
2. A need to start a project, goal or relationship over again, i.E., “From scratch.” ... scratch(ing) dream meaning
2. Inability to scream in the face of threatening situation indicates a suppression of thought or emotion. ... scream(ing) dream meaning
(Also see Circumambulation; Cradle; Ka’aba;Muzdalifa; Pelting stones; Pilgrimage; Responding; Station ofAbraham)... cradle of ismail dream meaning
The same applies to purchasing a female slave.... delivering a female issue dream meaning
The same applies to buying a male slave.... delivering a male issue 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
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
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
(Also see Feast of Breaking the Fast; Ram; Sacrifice)... feast of immolation dream meaning
If the idol is of silver it means he will either be in close proximity with sins or he will say falsehood (lie) to his wife.
An idol of gold suggests that he will soon face an unpleasant situation provoking him to become angry.
A wooden idol suggest that he will soon associate with a man who is a renegade.
An idol of steel, iron or copper means his single obsession in life is to seek the wealth and pleasures of the world.... idol worship dream meaning
The person who leads prayers in a mosque; Guide; Leader; Ruler) If one sees himself building a prison in a dream, it means that he will meet a righteous man or an Imam who will guide him on the straight path.
An Imam in a dream also represents the spiritual leader of all Muslims.
(Also see Five times prayers; Pharaoh)... imam dream meaning
To dress oneself in a traditional costume of another religious group means to celebrate, befriend and to participate in their religious festivities.... imitating dream meaning
If one sees himself in such a state and finds no water to perform his ablution in the dream, it means adversities and inability to sustain one’s needs in this world, or to satisfy one’s aspirations in the hereafter. Washing oneself or washing one’s clothes of impurity in a dream means paying someone his due rights. In-laws; (Adversities; Benefits; Brother in-law; Distress; Father-in-law; Motherin- law; Profits; Son in-law; Stress) Having in-laws in a dream for someone who does not have in-laws means strength, peace and tranquility.... impurity dream meaning
(Also see Prompting)... incite dream meaning
An incomplete job in a dream also means despair.
(Also see Finished business)... incomplete job dream meaning
The same applies with salaah which is incomplete.... incomplete wudhu dream meaning
(Also see Cursing; Injustice; Insulting)... infringement dream meaning
(Also see Exasperation; Frothing at the mouth)... infuriating dream meaning
If it breaks or is stolen his wife will die.... ink pot or ink bottle dream meaning
An inkwell in a dream also represents marriage, business, or a servant. Ifone is presented with an inkwell in a dream, it represents a fight with a relatives or with a woman.
If a respected witness is present when the inkwell is handed to the person seeing the dream, then it means a marriage to a relative. Licking an inkwell in a dream means engaging in sodomy or homosexuality.
An inkwell in a dream also could mean that one may seduce his servant for an unlawful sexual intercourse and that she will no longer serve that house.
To buy an inkwell in a dream means that one’s marriage will see no happiness since one’s writing pen comes out of it with ink only.
An inkwell in a dream also means ulcer.
The pen represents iron (See Iron), and the ink means time.
If one sees a section of his body transformed into an inkwell, whereby he can draw ink from it and write in a notebook in the dream, it means that he will receive an inheritance.
An inkwell in a dream also means medicine.
If one is sick, then seeing an inkwell in a dream also means finding the right medicine and, God willing, one will be cured from his illness.
(Also see Pederasty; Sodomy)... inkwell dream meaning
(Also see Hearing board)... inquisitional court dream meaning
To visit one’s institute in a dream means remembering a place which is fraught with memories, plans, emotions, anxieties, hopes, or it could denote one’s old home. Visiting one’s college, institute, or school in a dream also may mean that one will revisit them again.
(Also see School)... institute dream meaning
To insult ignorant people in a dream also means commanding them to follow the path of righteousness.
To insult one’s parents in a dream means disobedience to God’s command.
(Also see Insult)... insulting dream meaning
If one sees the Day of Reckoning in a dream and people searching for an intercessor among the prophets, upon all of them be peace, it means social unrest and privation ofthe poor and needy from one’s assistance.
If one’s neighbor intercedes for him on such a day in a dream, it means that one will benefit from his neighbor, or receive his help, or find a helper in a friend in times of difficulty. Ifone sees his own son interceding on his behalf in a dream, it means that he will benefit from him or through his business connections, and the same is true if one intercedes on behalf of someone else in a dream.
(Also see Day of Reckoning)... intercession dream meaning
(Also see Dream interpreter)... interpretation dream meaning
(Also see Voice)... invisible caller dream meaning
(Also see Drunkenness; Marijuana)... intoxicants dream meaning
It is also interpreted to mean attending to one’s prayers without the ritual ablution. Irrationality in a dream also may mean insolent behavior, or ill speaking ofpeoples, honor or chastity.
(Also see Insanity; Mental derangement)... irrationality dream meaning
A gathering of irreligious people in a dream represents one’s children in their infancy.
An irreligious person in a dream also represents a farmer who plants a seed, then when it becomes a seedling, he covers it with earth again.
(Also see Disbelief)... irreligious dream meaning
If one has a son who ran away in disobedience to his father, and if he sees God’s prophet Ishaq in a dream, it means that he will return to his home and be obedient again. This dream also indicates a surge of glad tidings, peace and tranquility. Seeing Ishaq (uwbp) in a dream also means suffering from persecution by the senators of one’s town, or from some of his relatives, and finally God Almighty will come to his help, and grant him back his integrity and honor.
If one sees him in his best form and radiant beauty, it becomes a sign of glad tidings, whereby one’s progeny will engender leaders, governors and righteous people. Seeing him in a dream also may mean coming out of tight circumstances into a more relaxed ones, changingfrom heedlessness into guidance, poverty into richness, and from disobedience to one’s parents to obeyingthem again. Ifone sees himselftransformed into Ishaq(uwbp) or to wear his robe in a dream means that he may near his death then be saved from it.... ishaq dream meaning
If one sees himself renewing his Islam in a dream, it means safety from plagues, sickness, or adversities.
To proclaim the... islam dream meaning
(Also see Retreat)... itikaf dream meaning
If one sees the archangel ‘Izra’il angry with him in a dream, it means that one will die unrepented.
If one sees ‘Izra’il standing above him, or battling him in a dream, it means that he will recover from a severe illness. Seeing the archangel ‘Izran in a dream also means longevity, or going through unavoidable circumstances, or experiencing extreme fear.
If one sees himself being ‘Izrail in a dream, it means rising in status to govern and to oppress others, or he might become an executioner, or perhaps that some major events may take place at his hand. Kissing ‘Izran in a dream means receiving an inheritance. Seeing ‘!zra’il in a dream also means separations, death of sick people, losses, destruction, fire, bad news, forfeiture of properties, stagnation of the economy, losing one’s source of livelihood, imprisonment, breach of promise, forgetting one’s knowledge, neglecting one’s prayers, obstruction of charities, hindrance of alms distribution, negating the rights of others, retreating to one’s privacy, rising prices, bad crop, a tyrant ruler, glass blowing, or bankruptcy. As for one who loves to meet his Lord, seeing the archangel ‘Izran in a dream means attainment of one’s goal, fulfillment of a promise, freedom from prison, good news and glad tidings. Ifan unknown or a common person approaches someone in the street and whispers something in his ear in confidence, the commoner here represents the angel of death.
It is said that each human being will see the archangel ‘Izrafl three times during his lifetime, and it is the third time that ‘Izratl, upon whom be peace, will J... izrall dream meaning
(Also see Anus; Inkwell; Satan; Scorpion; Sexual intercourse; Sodomy)... pederasty dream meaning
If one sees himself shedding his skin or skinning himself in a dream, it means money he will part with, and ifhe is sick, it means his death.
(Also see Dry skin; Skin)... skin inflammation 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
Some Ulama say that its recitation in the dream is an indication that the reader will be amuwahhid (ie monotheist). Moreover, he will have a son who will live so long that he will be the last amongst his family members to die.... soorah ikhlaas dream meaning
If a bachelor sees string instruments in his dream, it may mean that he will get married.
If a wife sees herself playing a string instrument in her dream, it means that she will put a child in her lap. Ifone sees himself playing a string instrument in front of the governor’s house in a dream, it means that he will preside over people should he qualify. Otherwise, it could mean that he will piece together or fabricate a story. Seeing a lute or a guitar in a dream denotes no harm if one sees them or intends to hold them, except if one hears their music. Playing or hearing a string instrument in a dream represents lies. Playing them in one’s house in a dream represent a calamity that will befall that family.
It is also said that playing such an instrument in a dream also means winningfame and presiding over others, though it could also denote distress for the player.
If a string of such an instrument breaks in a dream, it means relaxation and relief from stress.
A broken string of a lute or a guitar or similar instrument in a dream represents a precious property that causes its owner a headache. Every time he remembers it, he suffers from heartburn or stomach pain. Seeing such an instrument by a layman or a hardworking person in a dream means consolation and a lesson to learn from life. Seeing it by an insolent person in a dream means further corruption, while if a a tyrant or an unjust person sees it in a dream, it means oppressing others, terrorizingthem and cuttingthemofffrom their families.
(Also seeBanjo; Musician)... string instruments dream meaning
A way to learn the technique is to take a dream in which a fairly defined person appears. It can be a child or adult. One then sits in a quiet situation alone, or with a sympathetic listener, and imagines or feels oneself back in the dream. One does not need to develop clear images unless these come easily. Just holding the idea of the dream is often sufficient. Then in a playful way develop a conversation with the dream person. Ask them what they are doing; why they appear in your dream; what do they represent of yourself? With a little practice the dream characters can come to life for you if you can let yourself play or free-wheel a little.
As we learn active imagination, it can give us other ways of entering into the life of our dreams. We can imagine ourself as the dream character, or even as the objects or animals, and allow ourself to experience and speak from their viewpoint. We can enter the dream and carry it forward from where it slopped, imagining what would satisfy us, thus becoming more active in dealing with our own inner and outer life. See dream processing. ... active imagination 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
It is also noticeably something which develops during childhood and reaches different levels of maturity during adulthood. Although it is our central experience, it remains an enigma—a will o’ the wisp, which loses itself in dreams and sleep, yet is so dominant and sure in waking.
In dreams, our sense of self—our ego, personality or identity—is depicted by our own body, or sometimes simply by the sense of our own existence as an observer. In most dreams our T goes through a series of experiences, just as we do in waking life, seeing things through our physical eyes, touching with our hands, and so on. But occasionally we watch our own body and other people as if from a detached point of bodiless awareness.
If we accept that dreams portray in images our conception of self, then dreams suggest that our identity largely depends upon having a body, its gender, health, quality, the social position we are bom into, and our relationship with others. In fact we know that if a person loses their legs, becomes paralysed, loses childbearing ability or is made redundant, they face an identity crisis. But the bodiless experience of self shows the human possibility of sensing self as having separate existence from the biological processes, one’s state of health and social standing. In its most naked form, the T may be simply a sense of its own existence, without body awareness.
Dreams also show our sense of self, either in the body or naked of it, as surrounded by a community of beings and objects separate from the dreamer, and frequently with a will of their own.
If we place the dreamer in the centre of a circle and put all their dream characters, animals and objects around them; and if we transformed these objects and beings into the things they depicted, such as sexuality, thinking, will emotions, intuition, social pressure, etc., we would see what a diverse mass of influences the ego stands in the middle of. It also becomes obvious that our T sees these things as outside itself in nearly all dreams. Even its own internal urges to love or make love may be shown as external creatures with which it has a multitude of ways to relate.
If we take the word psyche to mean our sense of self, then in our dreams we often see our psyche at war with the sources of its own existence, and trying to find its way through a most extraordinary adventure—the adventure of consciousness. One of the functions of dreams can therefore be thought to be that of aiding the survival of the psyche in facing the multitude of influences in life—and even in death.
See Individuation; dreamer. ... identity and dreams dream meaning
The area of our being we refer to when we say T, ‘me’ or ‘myself’ is our conscious self awareness, our sense of self, which Jung calls the ego.
The autobiography of Helen Keller has helped in understanding what may be the difference between an animal and a human being with self awareness. Helen, made blind and deaf through illness before learning to speak, lived in a dark unconscious world lacking any self awareness until the age of seven, when she was taught the deaf and dumb language. At first her teacher’s fingers touching hers were simply a tactile but meaningless experience. Then, perhaps because she had leamt one word prior to her illness, meaning flooded her darkness. She tells us that ‘nothingness was blotted out’. Through language she became a person and developed a sense of self, whereas before there had been nothing.
The journey of individuation is not only that of becoming a person, but also expanding the boundaries of what we can allow ourselves to experience as an ego. As we can see from an observation of our dreams, but mostly from an extensive exploration of their feeling content, our ego is conscious of only a small area of experience.
The fundamental life processes in one’s being may be barely felt. In many contemporary women the reproductive drive is talked about as something which has few connections with their personality. Few people have a living, feeling contact with their early childhood, in fact many people doubt that such can exist. Because of these factors the ego can be said to exist as an encapsulated small area of consciousness, surrounded by huge areas of experience it is unaware of.
In a different degree, there exists in each of us a drive towards the growth of our personal awareness, towards greater power, greater inclusion of the areas of our being which remain unconscious.
A paradox exists here, because the urge is towards integration, yet individuation is also the process of a greater self differentiation. This is a spontaneous process, just as is the growth of a tree from a seed (the tree in dreams often represents this process of self becoming), but our personal responsibility for our process of growth is necessary at a certain point, to make conscious what is unconscious.
Because dreams are constantly expressing aspects of individuation it is wonh knowing the main areas of the process. Without sticking rigidly to Jungian concepts—which see individuation as occurring from mid-life onwards in a few individuals—aspects of some of the main stages are as follows. Early babyhood—the emergence of self consciousness through the deeply biological, sensual and gestural levels of experience, all deeply felt; the felt responses to emerging from a non-changing world in the womb to the need to reach out for food and make other needs known. Learning how to deal with a changing environment, and otherness in terms of relationship.
Childhood—learning the basics of motor, verbal and social skills, the very basics of physical and emotional independence. One faces here the finding of strength to escape the domination of mother—difficult, because one is dependent upon the parent in a very real way—and develop in the psyche a satisfying sexual connection. In dream imagery this means, for the male, an easy sexual relationship with female dream figures, and a means of dealing with male figures in competition (father); see sex in dreams.
The dream of the mystic beautiful woman precedes this, a female figure one blends with in an idealistic sense, but who is never sexual.
The conflict with father—really the internal struggle with one’s image of father as more potent than self—when resolved becomes an acceptance of the power of one’s own manhood. Women face a slightly different situation.
The woman’s first deeply sensual and sexual love object—in a bonded parent-child relationship—was her mother. So beneath any love she may develop for a man lies the love for a woman. Whereas a man, in sexual love which takes him deeply into his psyche, may realise he is making love to his mother, a woman in the same situation may find her father or her mother as the love object. In the unconscious motivations which lead one to choose a mate, a man is influenced by the relationship he developed with his mother, a woman is influenced by both mother and father in her choice. Example: ‘I went across the road to where my mother’s sister lived. I wanted to cuddle her and touch her bare breasts, but we never seemed to manage this. There were always interruptions or blocks.’ (Sid L).
At these deep levels of fantasy and desire, one has to recognise that the first sexual experience is—hopefully—at the mother’s breast. This can be transformed into later fantasies/ dreams/desires of penis in the mouth, or penis in the vagina, or penis as breast, mouth as vagina.
For most of us, however, growth towards maturity does not present itself in such primitively sexual ways, simply because we are largely unconscious of such factors. In general we face the task of building a self image out of the influences, rich or traumatic, of our experience. We leam to stand, as well as we may, amidst the welter of impressions, ideas, influences and urges, which constitute our life and body. What we inherit, what we experience, and what we do with these creates who we are.
One of the major themes of individuation is the journey from attachment and dependence towards independence and involved detachment. This is an overall theme we mature in all our life. In its widest sense, it pertains to the fact that the origins of our consciousness lie in a non-differentiated state of being in which no sense of T exists. Out of this womb condition we gradually develop an ego and personal choice. In fact we may swing to an extreme of egotism and materialistic feelings of independence from others and nature.
The observable beginnings of this move to independence are seen as our attempt to become independent of mother and father. But dependence has many faces: we may have a dependent relationship with husband or wife; we may depend upon our work or social status for our self confidence; our youth and good looks may be the things we depend upon for our sense of who we are, our self image. With the approach of middle and old age we will then face a crisis in which an independence from these factors is necessary for our psychological equilibnum.
The Hindu practice of becoming a sanyassin, leaving behind family, name, social standing, possessions, is one way of meeting the need for inner independence from these in order to meet old age and death in a positive manner. Most people face it in a quieter, less demonstrative way. Indeed, death might be thought of as the greatest challenge to our identification with body, family, worldly status and the external world as a means to identity. We leave this world naked except for the quality of our own being.
Meeting oneself, and self responsibility, are further themes of individuation.
The fact that our waking self is a small spotlight of awareness amidst a huge ocean of unconscious life processes creates a situation of tension, certainly a threshold or ‘iron curtain’, between the known and unknown.
If one imagines the spotlighted area of self as a place one is standing in, then individuation is the process of extending the boundary of awareness, or even turning the spotlight occasionally into the surrounding gloom. In this way one places together impressions of what the light had revealed of the landscape in which we stand, clues to how we got to be where we are, and how we relate to these. But one may remain, or choose to remain, largely unconscious of self.
The iron curtain may be defended with our desire not to know what really motivates us, what past hurts and angers we hide. It may be easier for us to live with an exterior God or authority than to recognise the ultimate need for self responsibility and self cultivation.
To hide from this, humanity has developed innumerable escape routes—extenonsed religious practice, making scapegoats of other minority groups or individuals, rigid belief in a political system or philosophy, search for samadhi or God as a final solution, suicide. This aspect of our matunng process shows itself as a paradox (common to maturity) of becoming more sceptical, and yet finding a deeper sense of self in its connections with the cosmos. We lose God and the beliefs of humanity’s childhood, yet realise we are the God we searched for. This meeting with self, in all its deep feeling of connection, its uncertainty, its vulnerable power, is not without pain and joy. Example: ‘On the railway platform milled hundreds of people, all men I think. They were all ragged, thin, dirty and unshaven. I knew I was among them. I looked up at the mountainside and there was a guard watching us. He was cruel looking, oriental, in green fatigues. On his peaked cap was a red star. He carried a machine gun. Then I looked at the men around me and I realised they were all me. Each one had my face. I was looking at myself. Then I felt fear and terror’ (Anon).
The last of the great themes of individuation is summed up in William Blake’s words ‘1 must Create a System, or be en- slav’d by another Man’s; I will not Reason and Compare: my business is to Create.’ A function observable in dreams is that of scanning our massive life experience (even a child’s life experience has millions of bits of information) to see what it says of life and survival. Out of this we unconsciously create a working philosophy of what life means to us.
It is made up not only of what we have experienced and learnt in the general sense, but also from the hidden information in the cultural riches we have inherited from literature, music, art, theatre and architecture.
The word hidden” is used because the unconscious ‘reads’ the symbolised information in these sources. It is, after all, the master of imagery in dreams. But unless we expand the boundaries of our awareness we may not know this inner philosopher.
If we do get to know it through dreams, we will be amazed by the beauty of its insight into everyday human life.
In connection with this there is an urge to be, and perhaps to procreate oneself in the world. Sometimes this is experienced as a sense of frustration—that there is more of us than we have been able to express, or to make real. While physical procreation can be seen as a physical survival urge, this drive to create in other spheres may be an urge to survive death as an identity. Dreams frequently present the idea that our survival of death only comes about from what we have given of ourself to others. ... individuation dream meaning
An idea of ‘reality’ in the sense of what is probable, and what would be dangerously out of norm, has been formed. We gather information in ways little recognised. How our parents relate to their environment and to other people is all recorded and leamt from, bringing about enormous ‘programming’ affecting how we act in similar circumstances.
As explained in the entry on the dream as spiritual guide, we have great ability in ‘reading’ symbols, ritual, an, music, body language, architecture, drama, and extracting ‘meaning’ from them. So we have immense stores of information from these sources. Work done with people exploring their dreams over a long period suggests that some of these information resources are never focused on enough to make conscious what we have actually learnt. Sometimes it is enough simply to ask oneself a question to begin to focus some of these resources. Such questions as what social attitude and response to authority did I learn at school? What feeling reaction do I get when I am in the presence of someone I know well? These may help to bring to awareness aspects of information gathered but remaining unconscious. These unfocused, or unconscious, areas of information can explain why we have apparently irrational feeling responses to some people or situations.
the body A lot of what we call the unconscious are basic physiological and psychological functions.
For instance in a modern house, when we flush the toilet, we do not have to bring a bucket of water and fill the cistern again.
A self regulating mechanism allows water to flow in and switches it off when full. This is a clever built-in function that had to be done manually at one time. Nowadays we have built into some dwellings fire sprinklers or burglar alarms. Through repeated actions over thousands or millions of years, many basic functions, or functions only switched on in emergencies, have been built into our being. We do not need to think about them, just as we do not have to give awareness to the fire sprinkling system or toilet each time we walk through a room or flush the toilet. They are therefore unconscious.
Research with animals in connection with rewards and conditioned reflexes has shown that by gradually leading an animal towards a certain performance by rewarding it each time it gets nearer to the goal, it can do the most amazing things. It can increase the circulation of blood to its ear, slow its heart, and in fact influence body functions which were thought to be completely involuntary. Where human beings have learnt to use some of these techniques—such as raising the temperature of an arm at will, or helping to increase the efficiency of the immune system—the actual processes still remain unconscious. In general, however, the body’s functions are thought to be outside our awareness, and so are one of the areas of the unconscious. ... information processing dream meaning
If your dreams are about severe seizures (particularly when specific organs are involved), consider seeing a psychologist.
ASTROLOGY: Cosmic connectedness, ancient and profound wisdom, or superstition, relinquishing responsibility for oneself. Search for one’s own star.... assaults / attacks of illness dream meaning
If it does not receive these desires it becomes angry.
The Iroquois therefore developed a system of allowing the dreamer to act out their dreams socially. Although a moral and disciplined group, during such acting out the dreamer was allowed to go beyond usual social boundaries. This included receiving valuable objects and making love to another person’s spouse. This was to allow unconscious desires to be expressed, thus avoiding sickness of body or mind. Such hidden desires were seen as the basis of social as well as individual problems. ... iroquoian dream meaning
The dream probably evokes unhappy feelings or conditions from the past, as the person used rocking to cope with their past distress, it occurs as an habitual accompaniment of the distressing dream. ... sleep rocking ian dream meaning
To agree with others or with the different sides within yourself. Herd instincts, as in Uniform.... institution dream meaning
Freud dreamed in his youth about a prison in the shape of a Box, which to him was the symbol of a uterus.... prison / being imprisoned 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
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 not, this symbol may be pointing to the ability to digest and to metabolize, to be receptive, and to deal with intellectual and emotional “food.”
A full stomach points to overstimulation and too much consumption.
An empty stomach is an indication of greed; you feel short-changed.... stomach / stomach illness dream meaning
According to classical depth psychology, a phallic symbol.... wood instrument dream meaning
2- On a psychological level there is healing and self-awareness.
3- A Red Indian represents an inner power of which we may or may not have been aware.
The dreamer should now be prepared to investigate his spirituality further.... red indian dream meaning
A god or goddess: Each varies here by the specific visage seen, but ecumenically any such appearance indicates a higher consciousness, morality, and the divine spark within each of us.
Christ: An image of healing, forgiveness, protection, and renewal.
If crucified, an emblem of martyrdom, or giving too much of yourself (see Cross, Sacrifice).
Buddha: Introspection.
The path of positive speech and acting in accord.
Gandhi: Empowerment that comes from knowing your own mind.
A just cause fought for without violence. Peaceful negotiations.
A guru: Looking for, and dependence upon, spiritual insights from other people. Remember that your own heart is the best guru to guide your life.
Mother Teresa: The highly underestimated power of gentility, kindness, and compassion.
Moses: Redemption that first requires the trying of your beliefs.
A wizard: Mastery over the elements, and the ability to foresee the consequences of actions. Alternatively, a stage magician represents trickery and illusion meant to fool people.
King Arthur: Wise and peaceful leadership. Having a real understanding of equity.
Merlin: A tutorial image from your Higher Self who helps you see things differently, from a more metaphysical perspective.
Kings and queens: People, situations, or ideals in your life that have some authority over you.
The questions to ponder here are how much control do they have and how healthy is it for you? Look at other elements in the dream to determine this. Alternatively, these may be reflections of your own Higher Self, and self-rulership.
Mary: An alternative image of the primordial goddess, who through obedience and faith gave birth to the Messiah.... icons dream meaning
Since meteorites often supply one of the few sources of pure iron, this is sometimes called the sky stone and can herald a reconnection with more “cosmic” awareness.
Everyday life, and how effectively you use the simple tools you have available. In ancient times, iron was rarely used magically or religiously. People believed the metal would hinder metaphysical energy. Instead, iron became a favored metal in hand tools.
Because of its metaphysical neutrality, iron did find its way into amulets and talismans to protect people against fairies, jinni, ghosts, and dragons (China). Consequently, dreaming of it may portend a visitation from or the need to safeguard oneself from the Devic realms.
Roman: Strength and health. Athletes carried iron for endurance, and if worn as a ring or bracelet, they believed it could draw out maladies (see Jewelry).
Have you been daydreaming a lot, or are your goals too lofty? Iron reminds us to keep at least one foot in reality.... ironore dream meaning
If spirituality is taken to be an inner truth, and religion as that which links us back to source, then it must be the case that religious imagery partly assists in that function of recognition. Using images that cannot be interpreted successfully in any other way reinforces the idea of spirituality being something separate in us. Because the images are so specific they may be startling.
2- When the individual, through deliberate or spontaneous neglect, denies himself access to the store of religious imagery in waking life, dreams will often react to this lack and try to compensate by jolting the dreamer back into an awareness of his inner spirit. In today’s society it is very easy to fasten on the hypocritical aspects of religion and to acccpt that hypocrisy.
It is also easy to make the assumption that the outward forms of religion often deny the existence of a true inner reality. This rejection can be valid, since it is not until the individual accepts responsibility for his own existence that true spirituality emerges.
If spirituality the inner truth that we all hold is neglected, it will not go away: it will simply reappear in its negative and terrifying form. In waking life the closest image we have to that is the Devil (see Devil), or the more vengeful Indian gods. Our own personalised demons can be more frightening than those.
3- If we are prepared to accept that each truth will have its own personal slant, and that we must get back to the basic truth, all dreams can be interpreted from a spiritual point of view. This is especially true of religious imagery. Most interpretations have had to be stated in general terms and are given here only as guidelines. When the reader can throw away the book and say that the interpretations are not valid, then he will have taken on personal responsibility.
Angel In spiritual terms the angel symbolises pure being and freedom from earthly matters.
Angels tend to be androgynous, and arc not recognised either as male or female. There is a hierarchy of angels; 1) Angels (the realm closest to the physical), 2) Cherubim and 3) Seraphim. As more people are seeking spirituality; there are those who have become more aware of the angel form, particularly in dreams.
It is vital that the dreamer is able to differentiate between the personalised aspect of the Higher Self, and the angelic form, since they arc similar but different. Dark angels are reputed to be those angelic beings who have not yet totally rejected the ego or earthly passions. When this image appears in a dream, we are being alerted to a spiritual transgression, which often has already happened. Warning angels usually symbolise what should not be clone. Buddha (also see individual entry) The figure of Buddha appearing in dreams highlights the necessity to be aware of the Qualities of Being which Buddha taught. It links us to the power of renunciation and of suffering, but in the sense that experience of suffering is valid. Ceremony/Ritual (also see individual entries) Ceremony and ritual are all part of the heightening of awareness which occurs on the path to spirituality. In dream ceremony the images are even more vivid.
Christ appearing in dreams epitomises the recognition of the ability to reconcile the physical and the spiritual, God and Man. He personifies Perfect Man, a state to which we all aspire. Appearing on the cross he signifies redemption through suffering. We do not need to be crucified physically to suffer.
The ideal Christ is that part of ourselves which is prepared to take on our portion of the sufferings in the world by- working within the world.
The anarchic Christ is the part of us whose love and lust for life permit us to break through all known barriers.
The Cosmic Christ is the part that is prepared to take on Cosmic Responsibility that is, to be connected with the Universal Truth. While these aspects have been spoken of in Christian terms, obviously they- are also present in all religious figures. Church, chapel, temple (also see Church Buildings) We all are aware of our need for sanctuary from the batterings of the everyday world. Within the church we / are free to form a relationship with our own personal God. In dreams we may also have the realisation that our body is our temple. Church or Religious Music These sounds, dedicated to the perception of God that one has. are sacred sounds and are a way of expanding the spirit. Crucifixion images in a dream link with the human being’s need to sacrifice himself through passion and through pain. Devil (also see individual entry) In dreams the Devil represents temptation. This often arises from the repressed sexual drives which demand attention. It may also signify the Shadow (see Introduction). Ghosts (also see individual entry) Independent forces within, which arc separate from the individual’s will. It will depend on the dreamer’s belief as to whether lie accepts the appearance of ghosts as psychological or spiritual apparitions. Gods/Goddesses (also see individual entries) We are each given the opportunity to make real our fullest potential. In doing so, we must undertake an exploration and possibly a confrontation of our perception of gods and goddesses.
Hell is a state of being where nothing is ever as it seems and could be thought of as continually existing in a state of negative illusion. Reputedly it is a state of Spiritual Agony where one’s worst dreams are fulfilled. Heaven is a state of being where the energy is of such a high frequency that there is no suffering. In dreams it appears when the individual is transmuting his awareness into dimensions other than the physical.
It is reputedly a placc where bliss exists.
It is also known as Nirvana and Samadhi. Holy Communion The belief that Christ’s body was transmuted into heavenly food symbolised by the Last Supper appears in dreams as the intake of spiritual food. Holy Communion represents a sacred sharing. Icon (also see individual entry) An icon is a representation of a religious figure or concept. It can, through usage, become revered as a holy object in its own right. Incense (also see individual entry) Incense is an offering to the gods and a physical form of prayer through perfume and smoke. Initiation takes place when some barrier is transcended to enable us to have access to other ways of being.
Mary, the Mother of God/Virgin Mother flic symbolism of Mary, both as the maiden and as the mother, is a potent one. She epitomises all that is woman, and all that is holy Moses often appears in dreams as the holy figure who will lead us out of difficulty.
Old and New Testaments or all religious books A resource and a repository for knowledge is available in dream imagary this will often appear as books. Priest/Prophet A conflict between the present and the future.
A Religious Service is the act of worship which is used to bring people together.
It is recognised in dreams, perhaps as an act of integration of the whole self, and as an illustration that the whole is greater than the parts. Third Eye This is the developed clairvoyant perceptiveness that comes with spiritual development.
It is the Third Eye of Buddha and symbolises unity and balance. In no case does it represent a physical quality, though it is thought to link with the pineal gland.... religious imagery dream meaning
A broken image portends a broken vow and is a very unlucky dream.... images dream meaning
To the poor it is a sign of good; to the sad and fearful an end of heaviness and fear, for none spend the night in dancing, good cheer, and mirth, but those that are joyful.
To persons of evil morals it is the revelation of their deeds; to the rich and wealthy, trouble and divulgation.... iollity 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
If you are being incinerated: it is a warning not to get involved in something where you could get burned.
Depth Psychology: What is most important in this dream is what and who has been incinerated. Pav attention to the rest of the dream symbols. See Burning, Fire.... incineration dream meaning
Depth Psychology: People who dream about India often have difficulty managing their lives because they are constandy “living in another world.” More self-criticism and realism would be in order. Are you trying to deceive others or yourself? Do you often float too much in a “mystical dimension”?... india, indian dream meaning
Depth Psychology: This dream suggests more self-examination and self- knowledge. It would be a good idea to get more information about a certain matter or person. See Speaking.... interrogation dream meaning
Depth Psychology: Italy is the symbol of heightened sensuality, beauty, and creativity. Sometimes the dream is a warning of too much emotion, superficiality, or a craving for pleasure (La Dolce \rita). Looking at Italian art means your own creativity wants to be expressed.... italy, italian dream meaning
Depth Psychology: Mentally ill people in a dream are a sign that your thoughts and actions don’t make sense. Use your head! You have a good mind! Seeing yourself as mentally ill: stay away from people with too much imagination, people that love to build “castles in the air.” See Fool.... mentally iii person dream meaning
If you are rollerblading: you are working on an important project and would like to get it over with—don’t be in a hurry, that won’t work. Looking at rollerblades: you must act fast.
Depth Psychology: Depending upon the rest of the images, the dream could have either meaning—slow down or get moving because others might overtake you.... rollerblading, inline skating dream meaning
If the person you have a crush on is younger or older then you, then this is a sign that you suffer guilt for misleading the innocent party, after you have plumbed the shallow depths of your emotions.... crush (love interest) dream meaning
If you dream that you are 111, you can rest assured that your health is good. ... fever or illness dream meaning
The intruder can also represent your unintegrated shadow that will continue to threaten you until you face and embrace it.
If you dream of being the intruder, then your dream is giving you the message to only go where you are invited, and not to waist your time and energy attempting to put your energy where it is not desired or appreciated. See Integration Dreams and Burglar.... intruder / intruding dream meaning
If you dream of interviewing an applicant, then you are realizing that you are at choice to discern who and what you want in your life. See Interview and Audition.... job interview dream meaning
If we do not, we will be continually faced in life by our own sense of inferiority.
It is a lot easier to confront our own inadequacies in the dream state where we are safe. Often this is the first opportunity we have to meet the shadow. Indigenous peoples such as aboriginal, maori, native american: see individual entry.... inadequate person dream meaning
If intercourse is interrupted we may have inhibitions of which we are not consciously aware. Often intercourse in a dream can mark the integration of a particular part of our personality.
If a child is then born in the dream that integration has been successful.... intercourse (or petting) dream meaning
The shaman is an important figure in their belief structure, being able to converse with the spirits. In dreams, the inuit reflect the harshness of life lived as hunters close to nature.... inuit dream meaning
For example, if the saint was St. Christopher, then you may be on your way to taking a long journey.
If the saint was St. Jude, something wonderful and totally unexpected will happen.
If the portrait was of the Virgin Mary, someone will intercede for you in a disagreement and put it to an end.
Icons in general seem to bring a message that coming changes in your life, however stressful they may be, are beneficial and can be dealt with fairly easily.... religious icon dream meaning
If you dream of missing the ice cream truck, or chasing it without catching it, you are feeling sad or frustrated because you missed out on an opportunity.... ice cream truck dream meaning
If you dream of someone throwing ice cubes at you, you feel neglected or mistreated by someone close to you. You may suspect that they are not sharing their true feelings with you.... ice cubes dream meaning
To dream that you are walking on ice floes, indicates that you are standing on shaky ground. You are taking risks that you shouldn’t be taking.... ice floe dream meaning
If you dreamed of the insecurity or shyness of others, you may be thwarted in your plans when someone you thought you could count on backs out.... insecure dream meaning
To dream that you are giving instructions refers to your goals and search for purpose. You are on a path toward self-realization.... instructions dream meaning
If you dream of people having an intervention for you, this means you may need to end an unhealthy relationship or situation in your life.... intervention dream meaning
If you dreamed of others being intoxicated, you will lose out when a loan is not repaid to you, but don’t worry - it won’t matter that much to you.... intoxicated dream meaning
If you dream that you weren’t invited to something, this reflects your anxiety about being accepted by your friends and the people around you.... invitation / invited dream meaning
The iPad is saying “put the pieces together to understand the overall meaning.” Also, if you use an iPad a lot during your waking life for work or play, your dream could be telling you to get outside more and take a break from the screen.... ipad dream meaning
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
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.
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
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
(2) The conflict may be within you, between opposed forces in the psyche. An obvious candidate is a clash between what you want to do and what you feel you ought to do. In this case, bear in mind that conscience is usually socially constructed and consists of the prohibitions and ideals that were imprinted in your psyche in your early years. Conflict between society’s moral demands and the individual’s wants or natural needs is probably at least as old as human history, and perhaps there is no complete solution: some degree of compromise may be inevitable. Do not assume, however, that social norms are always right. It may be that your conscience (super-ego) is an unreasonably severe one, perhaps the product of severe restraints in early childhood or a repressive religious upbringing. In any case, the conflict needs to be sorted out, and quite often this means allowing natural drives a little more expression.
(3) The conflict may be between what we are in fact and what we are potentially. Jung sees conscience as the voice of an inner wisdom that will lead us to our true selfhood. vSeen in this way, conscience keeps conflict alive in the psyche, not only between social morals and inner wisdom, but also between the actual conscious ego and the fully developed and integrated self. It would seem that the only satisfactory way out of these conflicts is to accept your ‘destiny’ - by which I mean, not some fate over which you have no control, but Nature’s plan for you, reflected in your fundamental individual constitution and offering the greatest possible self-fulfilment if you will only go along with it.
(4) If the conflict symbolized is between conscious ego and unconscious, the aggressor in the dream fight will probably represent the part of you that is demanding release from the dungeons of the unconscious. It will not hurt you unless you deny it expression. Identify it, and then welcome it as a talent or energy that can contribute to your well-being. Change the conflict into a dialogue, a respectful exchange between your conscious mind and your unconscious.
NB Where there is an unresolved inner conflict, there is a tendency to project the unconscious protagonist on to other people, often with dire consequences in personal relationships.
(5) More specific inner conflicts are those between opposite psychic qualities or forces, such as masculinity and femininity, thinking and feeling. (On ‘superior5 and ‘inferior5 functions) See also Brother / Sister, section (4).... fight(ing) dream meaning
It will turn out to be a matter of lasting regret, if not remorse, if you give way.... incest dream meaning
Make certain your records are in good order.
See also Scar(s).... incision 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:
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
The likely meaning is that what is (being) imprisoned is some repressed emotion or instinctive drive.... imprison dream meaning
(2) It may represent the way you see yourself; or the way you want others to see you; or the role-playing you do in life. Sooner or later, even in a business context, you may want to base your life - attitudes, beliefs, values, relationships and behaviour - on something more substantial, on the real centre of your being, which means finding your true self and fulfilling your ‘destiny’. Perhaps that is what you are doing in the mirror in the dream - looking for yourself. (On persona)... mirror (image) 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
If you try to look deeper at the symbols that accompany the inspection, it can be very useful to get to know yourself better.... inspection dream meaning
The dreamer may feel that he or she is being judged by others or by herself.... interviews 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: İnnocence, 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: İnspiration
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: İnnocence, 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): İnconstancy
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): İnnocence 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
Alexander the Great: Conqueror, empire building, warrior archetype.
Aristotle: İnfluential greek philosopher, the importance of asking questions and challenging conventional thought.
Bell, Alexander Graham: İnventor of telephone, communication, networking .
Bonaparte, Napoleon: French emperor, tactician, warrior archetype, exile.
Columbus, Christopher: Explorer, led europe to the americas, new territories to discover, new potential.
Confucius: The founder of confucianism, wise old man archetype.
Copernicus, Nicolas: Priest, astronomer, taught heliocentricity, the world revolves around the sun.
Daguerre, Louis: Pioneer of photography, vision, impressions, image change.
Darwin, Charles: Biologist, formulated theory of evolution, survival of the fittest.
Descartes, René: Rationalist philosopher and mathematician, logic, reason, ı think therefore ı am.
Edison, Thomas: İnventor of light bulb, illumination, insight.
Einstein, Albert: Physicist, theory of relativity, greatness achieved by power of the mind.
Fermi, Enrico: Father of atomic bomb, ultimate weapon of destruction, the last resort.
Fleming, Alexander: Penicillin, advances in bacteriology, immunology and chemotherapy, strengthening your defenses.
Ford, Henry: İndustrialist, revolutionized mass production, the repetition of the production line.
Galilei, Galileo: Catholic astronomer, accurately described heliocentric solar system, visionary, conflict of authority with freedom of thought.
Gutenberg, Johann: Developed movable type, printed bibles, communication, the printed word.
Machiavelli, Niccolò: Author of the prince, archetype of the manipulator.
Marconi, Guglielmo: İnventor of the radio, communication, words, reaching a large audience.
Marx, Karl: Social philosopher, marxist communism, class struggle.
Michelangelo: Painter; sculptor, architect, diversity, energy, talent.
Moses: God’s messenger, leader of people out of slavery.
Muhammad: Prophet of ıslam, founder of major world religion, military and political leader, pure ideals, indomitable will.
Newton, Isaac: Physicist, theory of universal gravitation, laws of motion, universe working like clockwork.
St Paul: Proselytizer of christianity, dogma, tradition, rules and regulations.
Plato: Greek philosopher, intellectual focus on spiritual concepts rather than physical elements of life.
Shakespeare, William: Playwright, understanding of complete range of human emotions, stupendous output.
Voltaire: Writer and philosopher, crusade against tyranny and bigotry, the importance of tolerance.
Washington, George: First president of the united states of america, the basic rights of the individual, david versus goliath.
Watt, James: Developer of steam engine, new possibilities, travel.
William the Conqueror: First king of modern england, beginning a new project, invasion.
Wright, Orville and Wilbur: Inventors of airplane, longing to escape, fly away or reach new heights... influential people in world history 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
If they appear in your dreams could they be urging you to go ahead with that idea, create that business or push ahead with your career.... business icons 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
If the top half of your body is missing, this indicates lack of reasoning and emotional intelligence.
If the bottom half is missing, this relates to loss, or denial of instincts and sexuality.
If the body is injured or you see injuries, this suggests emotional scars or hurts, or repressed anger.
If the body is cut open, this indicates a vital change within yourself or the release of emotional tension.
In times past, such dreams were interpreted as the release of ‘evil spirits’, hence the association of a sometimes painful release of tension.
Loss of limbs in a body usually indicates a sense of inadequacy, sometimes connected with the limb that is lost. For example, loss of legs could suggest an inability to stand up for yourself or someone dependent on you. Loss of an arm could indicate an inability to influence other people, or to give and receive.
If your body is burnt in the dream, this suggests an emotional scar, and if the burn is painful, this suggests that you are relating to this hurt in an unhelpful, self-destructive way. If, however, the burning isn’t painful, it has a more positive interpretation: feelings of potential and new beginnings.
Marks on the body in a dream suggest things you carry with you in life, or experiences that have marked you.
If your body is crawling with maggots, this indicates the need to cleanse your body of toxins, infection or resentment. A murdered body in a dream represents aspects of your life that you find hard to deal with, such as anger towards a family member. Sometimes such anger may be a way of avoiding the real issues involved and, if this is the case, the dream murder may show how you feel about being ‘murdered’ by lack of love or trust.
If you are pulling things out of your body in your dream, this suggests growing self-knowledge; you are becoming aware of thoughts and emotions of which you were previously unaware. See also SICKNESS AND HEALTH.... diseased, dismembered, injured and deformed body dream meaning
If it should appear in your dreams, it may be expressing your concern for the future of world peace, but may also be mirroring conflict, tension and hostility in your waking life.... iraq 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
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
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
If they are not identical, they suggest conflict between your inner and your outer realities.
If they are identical, they are a sign of inner harmony.... silent witness / mirror image dream meaning
In waking life, clothes protect, conceal and reveal and so in dreams they depict the façade, or persona, you create for other people; by so doing, they tell you where you may be vulnerable or exposed in waking life. The colors and condition of your dream clothes are especially important as they may symbolize how you are feeling about yourself, or how others perceive you. For example, if you were dressed in brightly colored designer clothes and were basking in the admiration of others, this may indicate good self-esteem, whereas if you were dressed in dark, shabby-looking garments in dreamland, and you felt miserable and self-conscious, it may be that this is how you are feeling in the real world.
Dreams about clothes can often focus on whether you are wearing the right outfit for the right occasion. For example, you may turn up at a party dressed totally inappropriately, you may have problems getting dressed, or you may find yourself walking naked down a busy street. Such dreams are rarely about sex and more about feelings of vulnerability, although they are sometimes about freedom from inhibitions. See also COLORS.... clothes and image dream meaning
If you are falling through ice in your dream, this suggests a breakthrough of emotion, although the experience will be uncomfortable. An iceberg denotes a significant problem that is blocking your progress in waking life. Could it symbolize a difficult problem you have put on ice or tried to avoid but now have no option but to confront? If you dreamed of walking carefully over a frozen lake or pond, could the message have been that you are walking on thin ice in waking life or that someone is making your feel so vulnerable in waking life that you are treading carefully around them?
The tip of an iceberg reveals only a small part of a larger mass; in dreams, therefore, an iceberg may symbolize the visible part of a problem, acting as a warning to the dreamer to think more deeply about something. In addition, icebergs are impressive and beautiful, so their hidden depths may be overlooked.
If an iceberg appears in your dream, ask yourself if you have hidden your feelings so well that people aren’t aware of them. Are you hiding how you really feel? On the other hand, are you being icy towards someone or is someone giving you the cold shoulder?... ice / iceberg 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
‘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 you are intrigued by the possibility that a specific flower in your dream may be sending you a message, the information below may help. It might also be worth researching the medicinal, historical and secular associations of the flower, as well as its spiritual symbolism. Another tip is to take the name of the dream flower into consideration as your dreaming mind may, for example, have featured a rose to remind you of a special friend called Rose, or if you dreamed of a bleeding heart wilting, is someone close to you heading for a broken heart? Don’t forget, however, that a specific flower may have individual meanings for you, so if the emphasis in your dream seems to be on one particular species, try to recognize any possible personal connections first.... individual flower meanings 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
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
Whitewash may represent your attempts to cover up something that causes you embarrassment, whether relating to your own feelings of guilt or your suspicion that others are not what they seem. Clearing or laying down new paths or foundations may relate to new approaches to life.
If household breakages feature in your dream this may represent flawed ideas. A cracked cup can symbolize lost love. A dream of breaking things in the house may suggest anger or despair.
Dreams of housework in general suggest keeping your internal house in order, perhaps by taking time to clarify or define motives, opinions and feelings about others; they also stand for the cleaning out of non-functional or negative attitudes, thoughts and experiences. To dream that you are cleaning your house with a broom or dustpan and brush signifies your need to clear out your thoughts and get rid of old ways. You are seeking self-improvement.
If you, or a cleaner, are cleaning, this may also recall memories of your mother. Alternatively, the house being cleaned may symbolize the self and a need to give extra care and attention to neglected aspects of your personality.
When compared with sweeping up, vacuum cleaning suggests both a definite desire to do away once and for all with the effects of a past action, and a definite desire to move on and put the past behind you.
To dream of cleaning windows suggests that you are trying to get a clearer view of the world around you. Using a washing machine may suggest it is time to confront old issues that are destroying your peace of mind. The water may also point to deep-seated childhood issues that need to come out in the wash. Hanging your clothes out to dry may suggest a yearning for the lost innocence of childhood or a desire for uninhibited sexuality.
If you are washing the dishes in your dream kitchen, this may suggest a desire to wash away feelings of shame or disgust, or a wish to deny responsibility for something.... home improvement / housework dream meaning
According to Jungians, the general interpretation of insects in dreams closely follows the way they are perceived in real life: as irritating and potentially dangerous creatures that often attack in great numbers. Some insects do, however, have qualities we can admire and although still able to annoy us, they can set a helpful example when they appear in dreams. Use your common sense and some general impressions about the specific insect when interpreting your dream. For example, if you dream about bees stinging you, think about some of your relationships; if ants appear, then consider you social interactions and work ethic.
If you dream about wasps, are you in some kind of danger? Bear in mind, though, that dreams featuring insects are generally warning you of some poisonous or dangerous influence in your waking life.
Insects can also represent irritating, small problems in daily life with which you feel powerless to deal or feelings you would rather do without. These might be feelings of guilt or regret, or something that you cannot quite recognize tugging at your conscience. More often than not, insects represent negative feelings; they can symbolize how life requires you to form a brittle shell; they can also sometimes completely replace your own body, as in Franz Kafka’s novella Metamorphosis.
Arachnids—here comprising scorpions, spiders and ticks—often have a different symbolism; many people suffer from severe phobias for spiders in particular.
If you are fearful of spiders in the waking world, they will quite often simply represent something of which you are terrified in your subconscious.... insects and arachnids 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
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
Consider your feelings about losing the item, and also about finding it.
See also the item you lost.
See also: Losing an Item; Discovering; Catching Someone... finding a lost item dream meaning
If you see a swarm of insects around you, this suggests malicious rumors are being spread about you, but if you manage to kill the insects or escape, you will find an easy remedy for your problems.
If insects are taking something apart in your dream, this suggests you may be in the phase of ending something and you need to complete that process before starting something new.
If the insects have invaded your food or contaminated something in your dream, consider whether your lifestyle is a healthy one. A dream of killing or spraying insects may also recall childhood hostility towards a sibling that may persist into later life.
If the insects are flying off, this may represent children leaving home or the end of a particular problem that has been upsetting you.... swarm of insects dream meaning
If you are underdressed, it suggests that you feel out of place or are falling short of other people’s standards.
If you are overdressed, a misplaced air of superiority is indicated. Such dreams also reflect your insecurity about your social position and how other people regard you.
If you were completely naked whilst everyone else was dressed, did you feel liberated or mortified?
The clothes we wear in dreams are aspects of our persona, so when they are stripped away they enable you to see your—self for who you really are; in other words, the absence of clothes reveals not only your body, but also your true self.
If you felt embarrassed in your dream, do you feel vulnerable about exposing your true self or feel that it is lacking in some way? Are you afraid of being rejected if you show others what you truly feel? What are you afraid of exposing about yourself? If, however, you felt liberated, perhaps it is time to throw away your pretences and reveal to others who you truly are.
If nobody other than yourself noticed your nudity, your unconscious is comforting you by letting you know that it is safe to reveal your feelings in the real world. Another symbol of frustration in dreams is being refused a restaurant table, especially if there are plenty of spare tables in the restaurant. Such a dream, with its association with food and social interaction, may express a sense of social inadequacy.... inappropriate attire dream meaning
If someone makes you late, that person may be part of the reason for your insecurity.
If you are angry with yourself in your dream, you may be angry with yourself about missing opportunities in waking life.
Any dream in which your safety is threatened by natural disasters, such as floods, storms or earthquakes, may be a sign of feelings of insecurity in waking life. Scan your dream for any clues as to who or what is dragging you down, killing you or giving you reason to hope. Is there a lighthouse, lifeboat or coastguard in sight? Dreams in which you are abroad and unable to understand the language or culture are classic symbols of uncertainty about new situations in your waking life, as are dreams in which you are constantly outbid in an auction. Try to identify what you were bidding for as it might help you understand what is worrying or bothering you. Dreams in which you consult a therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor or fortune teller are telling you that you are not feeling as in control of a particular situation in your waking life as you feel you ought to. You may also feel unsure about who to turn to for advice.... insecurity dream meaning
Not wanting to hear or accept something.
Judging or distancing yourself from someone or something.
Being ignored can represent a feeling or fear of being overlooked, disrespected, or invisible in some aspect of your life.
Ignoring a warning can represent a feeling or fear of authority or consequences, or neglecting a responsibility or your better judgment.
See also: Turning; Watching; Distance... ignoring dream meaning
A feeling or fear of (physical, emotional, or mental) invasion, attack, or compromise.
A response to a real or imagined threat.
A combative environment somewhere in your life (or in a movie, the media, or a video game).
Your own inner mental or emotional conflict.
A real or imagined situation that triggers self-righteousness or againstness.
A feeling or fear of something you perceive as “foreign” or different.
An actual or imagined immune system battle against an infection or something else.
See also: Allergy; Inflammation; Infection; Invaded, Being; Attacked, Being; Attacking; Lymph; Body Part... immune system 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
Although the term is now applied to both men and women, at first it only referred to the male version of the complex. In women, the Electra complex was said to exist. In the myth of Electra, she masterminded the murder of her mother to avenge her father’s death. According to Freud, the Oedipus and Electra complexes are universal phenomena, being responsible for much unconscious guilt and for dreams that focus on the death of a parent or lover.
Jung saw the world of dreams and relationships quite differently.
He rejected Freud’s heavy emphasis on sexuality and the Oedipus and Electra complexes as a key to interpretation. For Jung, dreams were not just a way of helping us to understand conflicts and anxieties, but also a way to encourage the creative unfolding and development of a person’s whole potential. Jung developed a theory called the ’soul image’, in relation to the human need to create a sense of wholeness. The soul image tends to be an archetypal image. The symbols that represent the soul image often appear in dreams that involve intimacy with the opposite sex, but they can also be represented in countless other ways. For example, the sea is feminine in dreams as it is associated with waters of the womb and the earth is also feminine.
Symbols of masculinity can appear in dreams as bulls or lions or any other phallic symbol, such as a tall building. Jung felt that dreams can be used to discover and explore soul images to help us become a fuller and more balanced person.... influential relationship theories dream meaning
Comparing yourself to someone else or to a standard.
A judgment of something or someone as “less than,” bad, or wrong.
See also: Judgment or Disapproval; Bad; Low; Under; Broken Object; Cheating; Right or Wrong; Offensive or Ugly; Injured; Hole; Bottom; Sparse; Scarcity... inferior dream meaning
Freedom somewhere in your life.
An extreme idea, feeling, or place (such as “the best,” “the most,” or “the brightest”).
See also: Many; Big; Space; Limit or Boundary; Extra; Increasing; God... infinite dream meaning
Consider what process was interfered with, what the process represents (a relationship, project, communication, etc.), and the motivation behind the interfering.
See also: Interrupting; Bothered, Being; Invaded, Being; Sabotaged, Being; Betrayed, Being; Telling on Someone; Bothering; Invading; Sabotaging; Blockage or Obstacle; Gossiping; Privacy... interfering dream meaning
Interruption.
A person “getting into your business” or insinuating their way into a situation.
See also: Fight; Interfering; Bothered, Being; Attacked, Being; Violence; Privacy; Controlled, Being... invaded, being dream meaning
Other dreams that signal emotional imbalance in intimate relationships are dreams of houses on fire, bombs that are about to explode or images of starvation, loneliness, torture or neglect. These images are warning you that your relationship is out of balance, dangerously fragile or in need of rescuing in your waking life. An inappropriate meeting or pairing of two objects in your dream, for example a kangaroo and a light bulb, might suggest that you are somewhat concerned about an unsuitable partner; this might either be your own partner, or that of someone close to you—say a son or a daughter. Repeatedly getting the wrong person on the phone, seeing an email error message or simply being unable to communicate may also indicate a disturbing inability to communicate with someone in your life who is important to you.
If you are having problems with your cellphone, this might be seen by Freudians as a symbol of sexual dysfunction or anxiety. Another potent symbol of a relationship coming to an end is the image of gold dust or precious jewels running through your fingers in a dream. The image is even more eloquent if you are running with two cupped hands full of water in an attempt to quench your own or someone else’s thirst and the dream water falls through your hands
A real-life need to resolve relationship problems may be symbolized by dreams about repairing something, perhaps fixing a car or attaching things together with glue, sellotape or bluetac.
If you experience blocked communication in your relationship or suffer from an inability to get through to someone close to you, you may have dreams in which people are staring at one another in your dream but no one is saying. Such a dream may also suggest that now is an excellent time to deepen your relationship, as the silent figures await your signal for a new and exciting phase of your relationship to begin.... inappropriate pairing 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
Self-righteousness.
An intention to help or rescue.
A desire for more power or control.
A desire to retrieve something you’ve lost (such as your dignity).
Feelings of hostility.
A desire for revenge.
Consider also your motivation for invading, and others people’s reactions.
See also: Bothering; Interfering; Interrupting; Attacking; Privacy; Controlled, Being; Fight; Violence; Invaded, Being... invading dream meaning
The experience of your “true” state of being, without limiting beliefs or self-judgments.
Being invincible against harmful people can represent: not letting others’ judgments or negativity “get to you” in real life; a feeling or fear of too many demands on you (or on your time, energy, autonomy, privacy, etc.) See also: Powers; Superhero... invincibility dream meaning
Hope, goodness, or assistance, especially when it appears in the darkness (such as a lighthouse).
A spotlight can represent the idea of being focused on, seen, or recognized by others; an indication of something you consider important or worthy of attention.
See also: Lamp or Light; Glowing; Sun; Candle; Fire; Reflective Light; Gleam; Sparkle; Light (Spiritual); Turning On; Turning Off; Furniture... light (illumination) dream meaning
An issue of responsibility, or a reminder of an important responsibility.
Losing your seat or your place in line to someone else can represent: the idea of someone “taking from you” in some way (such as stealing your limelight, taking advantage of you, or ignoring your rights or needs somehow).
See also the item you lost.
See also: Forgetting; Missing Person; Left, Being; Finding a Lost Item; Setting Down; Seat; Cheating; Waiting; Lost, Being; Failure... losing an item dream meaning
Horses, especially stallions, may be a symbol of sexuality and mounting a horse represents intercourse. Spectacular explosions are associated with orgasm. In the form of fireworks this suggests exhilaration but destructive explosions can express the desire to dominate. Water gushing from a tap, champagne spraying white foam or cascading waterfalls are also orgasmic symbols.
Dream analysts have noticed an association in women’s dreams between dreams of a plane crash and rape or fear of it. Freudians would interpret a man’s dream of a plane crash as fear of impotence. Churches with a steeple and an arched portal combine male and female symbolism and such an image may express conflict between sexual expression and moral responsibility.
Dreams in which you become invisible may simply indicate that you feel unnoticed by those around you, but they may also suggest an element of sexual voyeurism.
Disturbing Sexual Dreams... other symbols of intercourse and sex dream meaning
If you do wake up from a dream in which you have had sex with someone inappropriate or that contains graphic, disturbing or violent imagery, there is most likely to be a nonsexual interpretation. However, if you do find the dream distressing and it repeatedly recurs, be sure to seek professional counseling. Unless your erotic dreams are seriously disturbing (when psychiatric help should be sought), there is no reason why you should not enjoy them like any other fantasy.... distressing, violent and graphic images dream meaning
If you wake from such a dream with feelings of remorse, perhaps you have been unfaithful or less than honest with your partner in other ways. It is also worth bearing in mind when trying to interpret dreams that depict you making love to someone who plays a major, but definitely nonsexual, part in your life that your unconscious may simply be reflecting your waking preoccupation with them at the same time that you are becoming sexually aroused. So if you dreamt of making love to your unattractive boss, it may simply have been a coincidence that they stepped into the lover role in your dreams.... inappropriate partner 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
A feeling or fear of being taken advantage of.
See also the particular item.
See also: Stealing; Thief; Losing an Item... stolen item 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
2. Enticement;
3. Temptation;
4. Persuasion, Deception.
5. Prov. 7:7,10,13,17-18; Eccl 10:1 Song 3:6.... perfume-influence dream meaning
2. Pure;
3. Grace; Job 16:3-4; Rev. 1:14; John; 6:60.
• Dirty Snow
- No longer pure.
• Ice
- Cold attitudes.... snow and ice dream meaning
If you are having your appendix out in your dream, this represents inner pain or problems that urgently need to be attended to in waking life.
If you dream of your brain, are you concerned about your poor memory? In dreams, brains indicate your intellect, insight and creativity but they can also suggest what you really think. You may dream of something happening to your brain; something may tear at it, shoot it or it may be impaled. Things that invade or harm your brain in dreams typically represent current factors in your life that are coloring your perspective or outlook. On the other hand, if you dream of having brain surgery or of prying a foreign object out of your brain, this may reflect a change in your way of thinking.
In dreams, the heart generally indicates emotion, pity, sympathy and likes and dislikes; not just romantic love but your way of loving all things. It can also reflect problems with not having followed your heart or a change of heart. Being stabbed, shot or in any way injured in the heart may depict emotional hurt; it could also be a warning of a physical heart problem, reflecting an anxiety about, for example, your high blood pressure.
Unless you are a heavy drinker and your dream is urging you to take better care of your liver, in dreams this organ represents the liver as in someone who ’does the living’. The dream is reminding you that you are not a machine and life should be lived to the full if you are to find true fulfillment. In dreams, lungs might relate to tension or feelings of being suffocated in a relationship or situation; they may also be to do with smoking and your desire to give up.
Dreams of the ovaries and uterus (for women) and testes (for men) represent not just sexuality, but a sense of validity or adequacy in the real world. Such dreams may also represent fears or feelings about having children or the ability to express your creativity. But if you were to dream of the rectum—a place often seen by children as the origin of babies—it may indicate the place from which things begin, your deeply personal self, your need for privacy and your resentment of intrusion.... internal organ dream meaning
If you are the person doing the beating, is the dream referring to your ambition? If a man dreams of injury to his genitals, it may be highlighting his fear of impotence; for a woman, such dreams may highlight her anxiety about reproduction or sexuality. A dream of castration can be terrifying for a man as it alludes to his whole sense of power and virility.... breast, buttock and genital injuries dream meaning
being: wil reach own goals slowly but surely, but never quick enough for you.
business people, with: feel restrained from indulging in creative schemes.
children: a letter containing money from a source you expected to be paying.
friends: feel another deserves to be restrained.
others: wil get away with an act but wil receive punishment from God. ... impatient dream meaning
being an: be diligent in your own work to secure your enterprises.
different animals, being, of: wil enjoy much wealth; others wil dispute your attainments.
general merchandise: wil be ashamed of actions; outwit your enemies to rectify them.
others being: wil come into possession of valuables of questionable ownership. ... importers dream meaning
being: be prepared to resist strong temptations put in your path.
another, one, to: are in line for social advancement if you get past the fol y of vice.
others: wil be cheated by friends over your lack of modesty.
to you: are making excuses for being remiss in business transactions.
insolent to you, being: new position improves your finances, responsibility and respect.
children: wil have a vigorous mind if you keep your temper at bay. ... impudent dream meaning
Hair is an important sexual symbol for both men and women, so dreams of being forcibly shaven might be a symbol of castration or a sign of subjugation. Baldness in the dreams of both sexes suggests anxiety, not about going bald, but about a lack of intellect, either your own or someone else’s. Dreams in which your teeth fall out are very common and almost always associated with self- image or fear at having spoken out of turn (See also Tooth entry in BODY).... facial injury / facial deformity dream meaning
Alternatively, could your stomach have been protesting in your dream because it is literally crying out for nourishment, either literally or because you are feeling starved of love?
If your intestines were the source of discomfort in your dream, could your unconscious have been focusing your attention on them to ask if you have the guts to do something that you have been dreading? If you felt nauseous or sick in your dream, your dreaming mind might have been trying to pinpoint a bad or negative feeling in waking life with which you need to deal; if you were physically sick in your dream, this suggests you were getting rid of it. Perhaps you are sick of a job, a relationship or a situation in waking life. A dream of a stomach ache may refer to your having to stomach someone or something, and feeling unable to do so. Try to discover who or what is upsetting you.... indigestion / nausea / sickness dream meaning
If the idea of inoculation or vaccination is present as well, you may want to protect yourself from intrusive emotions or unwanted urges.
Injections imply healing and protection, so this dream may be trying to show you how to become emotionally fit. Bear in mind that the syringe is also a phallic symbol, so your dream may have sexual connotations. Although much disliked and feared, the syringe is generally a benign symbol in dreams that work for your benefit. It emphasizes the message that in life, sometimes a little hardship and pain is needed for the greater good.... anesthetic / injection dream meaning
If you are a woman, you may have suffered an incubus attack; if you are a man, you may have suffered a succubus attack. In the past, when sexual pleasure was considered sinful, women who had erotic dreams were said to have been visited by the incubus, or male demon, whilst a sexually voracious succubus, or female demon, was said to visit a sleeping man. These evil spirits were thought to pin down and paralyze their sleeping victims in order to have sex with them. The words ’incubus’ and ’succubus’ are still used today to describe the sensation of having a weight press down on your chest, accompanied by a feeling of dread and being unable to move while you are sleeping. They are no longer applied to dreams about sex, which are of course natural and normal.
Incubi (plural of ’incubus’, meaning ’one who lies upon’ in Latin) were thought to be particularly fond of seducing nuns and other women committed to the celibate life. Sexual repression is thought to be the most likely explanation but the cause of this phenomenon remains unclear. Dream experts have ruled out demons and malevolent spirits as the cause, suggesting instead that they may have been caused by temporary breathing difficulties combined with sleep paralysis, a condition that occurs in the state just before dropping off to sleep or just before fully awakening from sleep. The condition is characterized by being unable to move or speak. It is often associated with a feeling that there is some sort of menacing presence, a feeling which often arouses fear but is accompanied by an inability to cry out. The paralysis, which experts are unable to explain fully, typically lasts a few seconds but leaves a lasting impression on the dreamer.... incubus / succubus dream meaning
being: wil be offended by an inferior person on an impressive occasion.
people, other: expect solicitousness towards you by dignitary.
dealing with: wil be told of termination of your job.
position, acquiring an: wil marry a beautiful rich woman. ... influential dream meaning
being an: wil undertake affairs that wil fail to profit.
female, acting immorally: wil be unable to defend yourself from maliciousness.
having a fight with an: fruitless arguments over petty misunderstandings.
not paying the: a rival wil take affection of sweetheart; gossip wil injure prestige. ... innkeeper 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
If your body or face is distorted in your dream, it suggests you suffer from low self-esteem or have a body image issues, but if other people are distorted, is there someone in waking life that you distrust? Sex reversal dreams may suggest wish-fulfillment or simple curiosity, as well as the need to explore your anima or animus. A painting or a sculpture coming to life in a dream may be inviting you to become less inhibited. Is it time to become more animated and show the creative side of your personality? One object transforming into another can mean a wish to make changes in waking life; the two objects involved may suggest what direction that change will take. For example, a pen turning into a book may point to a desire to stop gathering information and to get to grips with the task in hand.
Talking animals may signal a need to draw on the instinctive side of your nature for inspiration and encouragement, whereas animals transforming into humans suggests the opposite: a desire to transcend instincts of which you may feel ashamed. If, however, a person transforms into an animal, this may suggest a desire to explore the deeper levels of your unconscious.
If you, or someone else, in your dream transform from a person into a plant or tree, this may suggest a need to withdraw from the world for a while. On the other hand, it could warn against being rooted to the spot, or being unwilling to make changes. The transformation of a plant into a person suggests some form of awakening, as when inertia finally gives way to action.... surreal impossibility 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
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
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
Remember that only you can interpret your dreams. Many people have published “Dream Dictionaries” that describe what each part of the dream symbolizes. Actually, the same dream can have infinite meanings, depending on the person who dreamed it. The important thing is, what does it mean to YOU?
Interpreting dreams isn’t something you can pick up and become an expert at right away. It takes time and practice. First, keep the following things in mind:
Determine the subject matter of the dream. The location where the dream takes place is one of the best methods for doing this. When you have determined the subject matter take each of the phrases or words in the ‘I AM’ column and fit them into the following sentence.
When it comes to my (subject matter)
I AM (phrase or keyword)
Change the phrase or keyword slightly to force the sentence to make sense. If you cannot determine the subject matter apply the keywords to yourself in general. This exercise tells you how you feel or react to the subject matter of the dream. When you have done this read through the ‘I NEED’ column to learn what you must do to correct the problem. To get the meaning put each of the phrases or keywords into the sentence,
When it comes to my (subject matter)
I NEED (phrase or keyword)
Let’s take an example. Using the sentence ‘The dead woman lay on the cold hard slab’. The negative keywords are; dead, cold and hard. Women, in dreams, can represent emotions so in this case the sentences constructed would be
The meaning is obvious. With analyzing just one sentence from a dream we have learned a lot about the dreamer. Using this technique you now have all of the information you need to start interpreting your dreams. However it takes practice to be able to apply what you have learned. Be patient with your efforts.
Not all dream interpretations will be that cut and dried, but it is a way to remain objective when you are analyzing what your dreams mean and how best to put the messages they are conveying to good use in your life.
Keep in mind that Most dreams are * NOT * precognitive, and once one learns the subtle differences between a precognitive dream versus a regular dream, they are easily discernable and will put your mind at ease.
The first thing everyone should consider is the typical universal symbology of the dream images. For instance, death symbolizes the end of something that’s ready for change, and a new beginning. Most people start out highly resistive to changes of any sort, and see any upcoming change in their life as something foreboding and scary. Death dreams are usually about change.
The symbols and what they represent is the most fascinating part of dream interpretation. There are literally hundreds of them. We don’t have the space to address ALL of them, but we will touch on some of the most recurring themes in dreams as well as the symbols of those dreams and what they mean.... interpreting your dreams 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
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
If you have ever wondered why dreams often appear so difficult to make sense of, it is because the information they contain is presented in a different language; the language of symbols: of people alive or dead, known and unknown, animals both domestic and wild, landscapes and buildings familiar and strange, or any number of symbolic objects such as shapes, colors, signs, numbers, jewelry, food, clothing and so on.
These images are your own thoughts, feelings and ideas turned into a series of pictures like ordinary scenes in your daily life. For example, if you feel overwhelmed you may have a dream you are swimming but finding it hard to keep your head above water. If you feel confused you may have a dream when you are wondering about lost in a dark forest. The number of symbols and images that your mind can translate into dream pictures is practically endless.
Words just can’t convey the countless powerful feelings that symbols do. These symbols are often chosen from something that has caught our attention in waking life, triggering a memory, conflict or concern that resonates both in the present and in the past.
One tried-and-tested way to uncover the meaning of your dream images is by direct association. You simply go with the first thing that pops into your head when a trigger image from your dream is given. If you don’t immediately get an associative thought, try working through all your feelings about that image. For example, if you saw a caterpillar in a dream. Do you like caterpillars or do you find them a bit creepy? Try to discover what the image means to you right now, for the meanings of your symbols will change over time.
The more you work with your dreams, the more familiar you will become with your personal images. You’ll probably find that you dream the most about the things that you are familiar with every day: your family, your colleagues, your friends and your pet. Each time you dream about these familiar things they will have personal significance to you alone.
The great majority of dreams are not to be taken literally and you need to do a bit of detective work to get to the real message. Just because you dream that a friend is dying does not mean that he or she will die, but rather that they are going through a period of enormous change. In fact, interpreting dreams literally can be harmful. As pointed out earlier, you have your own set of unique dream images and symbols. If you love dogs, what a dog means to you and what a dog means to someone who can’t stand dogs will be very different. Always bear in mind that your dream symbols and images are unique to you.
Although the images and symbols in your dreams do need to be interpreted, their purpose isn’t to mystify you. They are simply trying to get their message across in the best way that they can. If you do find yourself getting tense, confused or frustrated when trying to interpret a dream, let it go. Dream interpretation is best approached with an open mind and in a relaxed state.
You don’t need to interpret every single dream you have. In the same way that some movies are more compelling and thoughtprovoking than others, some dreams, like those when you do fantastic things like flying into space or surfing in Hawaii, are simply to be enjoyed. You don’t always have to dig deep for meaning. It’s good to be aware that a dream might contain a message of importance, but don’t get obsessed with finding meanings for every single detail —just interpret what you can. Dreams, like life, are full of big and little stuff. Don’t sweat the ‘small stuff’.... interpreting your 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
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
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
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
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
A dream helps us realize that we are here only temporarily on the stage of waking reality. What we call life is really a school. There are many schools or levels of consciousness in the universe, and earth is one of the most important. During our sojourn here we are learning more about the true nature of our beings. We are learning that we are infinite creative energy or love energy, and that all of our hurts, disappointments and disillusions come from a failure to recognize this truth of who and what we are.
The name of the game is growth. In all our experiences we either go through or grow through them. If we just go through them, then we will repeat them again and again until we learn the lesson behind the appearances. If we grow through them, we are free to move on to the next step in the learning process. But to understand more about the game of growing and learning, we will look at two age old concepts: karma and reincarnation.... we are interdimensional beings 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
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
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
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
Consider what’s behind those feelings or fears (beliefs, judgments, lack of support for self, or other issues), and look for an opportunity to work through any underlying issues.
Someone else compromising their integrity could represent: the way you’re perceiving, labelling, or judging that person (for example, as self-sabotaging or insecure); you compromising your own integrity somehow.
See also: Lying; Cheating; Agreement, Breaking an; Sabotaging; Dishonest; Betraying; Betrayed, Being... integrity, compromising dream meaning
Perceived lack of respect or courtesy on the part of the interrupter (or whatever the interrupter represents in your real life).
A feeling or fear of a crisis or sudden problem.
A real-life intrusive environment (such as noise, wind, or visual distraction).
For more clues, consider who was interrupting, why, and how you felt about it.
Someone constantly interrupting you by dropping by to visit can represent a perceived lack of thoughtfulness, bad timing, or desire to connect with you.
Being interrupted when you’re speaking can represent a feeling or fear or not being heard or respected.
See also: Quitting; Hesitating; Interfering; Ending; Blockage or Obstacle; Cut Off; Bothered, Being; Bothering; Privacy... interrupting dream meaning
Focusing on yourself, your own needs, or other aspects your personal process.
Independence, or a desire for more or less independence.
Not wanting to participate in society, or wanting to act against it (perhaps due to beliefs or issues with authority).
Needing a break from the day-to-day activity around you.
Someone who purposely chooses isolation (such as a hermit or a loner) can represent your perception of that person (or whomever they represent) in one of the ways previously mentioned.
See also: Leaving a Person; Leaving a Place; Rejection; Divider; Abandonment; Left, Being; Stranded; Distance; Breaking Up... isolating 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
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
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
Try using the interview questions listed below to explore the meaning of any theme not listed in this book. They will help you follow the basic interview steps of:
1. Getting a good description,
2. Recapping that description, and
3. Bridging or connecting the image described to something in your life.
Remember, pretending that the interviewer comes from a different planet will help you give concise answers that get to the point about what you really feel and think about the images in your dream. This will work whether you give the role of interviewer to a partner or play it yourself. These questions should provide you with the material to connect your dream experience to your waking experience and thus to interpret your dream according to your own meaning system. This, after all, is the one you went to sleep with before you created the dream. Good luck!
1. Describe the main theme in your dream. Are you being suffocated? Are you being chased by someone? Have you lost your purse? Do you find yourself naked in public? How do you feel in the dream? Describe feelings and attitudes very specifically. Remember, your interviewer comes from another planet and doesn’t know how a human like you would feel in such a situation. Can you find three adjectives to describe your experience? So in your dream (restate briefly the description and see if the dreamer concurs with your recapitulation).
2. Is there any situation in your life in which you have the same feelings you just described? (Bridge) How so? Can you tell me more specifically how they match? (Testing the bridge.)
3. How might this dream theme shed light on your deepest and most honest feelings, your hopes, your fears, your concerns in your waking life? (This question will help the dreamer to summarize and reflect upon her dream.)... how to interpret any theme in your dreams? dream meaning
Dreaming Lens: What was your relationship with the unknown person? Was the stranger an assailant or attacker? Was the stranger physically hidden from you in some way? Did the stranger reveal their identity to you in some way? Were you aware of whom they really were? Were they pretending to be someone else? Were they simply an unknown person?
Personal Focus: A person unknown to you is still representing a Character Aspect of your personality, even if his or her identity is concealed or if it is a stranger. When making an interpretation about a person you don’t know, you must put your focus on what you actually do know. What the person is doing in your dream and how you feel about that will give you the essence of your interpretation. That it comes from a stranger or person with a concealed identity indicates that the unconscious is not quite ready to reveal some aspect of your personality that is being called into action in your current situation.
We learn in stages and increments and often resist change, so be prepared for initial levels of fear to come up around this type of imagery. The unknown assailant who chases us may simply be trying to give us our forgotten lunch money or an umbrella because it is raining. When there are clear personality traits and the identity is unknown to you, it likely points to an area of development within your own personal makeup.
An angry or aggressive stranger may point to an integration of that energy into consciousness. A more helpful or gentle stranger indicates that softer elements are being called into prominence. Whatever end of the continuum your dream stranger is on, be prepared to consider the necessity and power of the energy he or she is embodying in the dream. A deliberate deceit of identity can also indicate a matter of the unconscious tricking the conscious into hearing a difficult piece of information; for just as in life it is sometimes easier to hear impactful news from a stranger than from someone we love.... concealed identity/stranger dream meaning
Dreaming Lens: Were you having an affair? Were you discovering an affair? Were you confronting or passive? Was there secretiveness involved? Was it a sexual encounter or more emotionally based?
Personal Focus: There is no intimacy need that cannot be met in a primary relationship. Going outside of a marriage or partnership for sex or affection is a way of meeting a primal need by a roundabout way. Simultaneously, there is an avoidance of some underlying problem that is not being addressed. Therefore, this image represents both a circuitous route to connection and avoidance of confrontation.
If you discover an infidelity in a dream, you may want to consider areas in your life where you are avoiding taking care of your self. If you are engaged in an affair, you might need to examine your life circumstances for signs of being manipulative or indirect in getting your needs met. As getting caught is always reflective of an unconscious desire to effect a change, being discovered as being unfaithful could indicate a desire to shift some area of your life.
Always be willing to look at issues of responsibility when this dream image appears: where in your life are you not allowing yourself to be accountable for your actions? If the dream involves details of constructing an affair, you may want to examine how genuine you are being in terms of expressing and manifesting your desires in life, both relationally and otherwise. Where in your life are you being authentic? How might you be betraying your own needs?
It is safe to assume that this image in a dream indicates a theme of intimacy issues in waking life, no matter what the marital state of the dreamer. This may have literal implications if you are actually involved in an affair or believe your partner to be.... infidelity/affair dream meaning
Consider the instrument you’re playing, as this has some influence on the meaning. If you’re using your hands, this suggests a need to be practical, whereas a woodwind instrument might indicate a need to take a deep breath and find your voice to move forwards. If you’re an accomplished musician, then this translates to your waking world where you’ll be met with the recognition you deserve.... playing an instrument dream meaning
being: success wil crown your efforts if you acknowledge your ignorance.
children: exposure of secret you would prefer hidden.
dealing with, people: wil have to prove your identity in court.
unable to read or write, someone: wil take an added responsibility at job.
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friends who are: control your temper with those who harass you beyond endurance.
people: be threatened with embarrassment of an accident caused by others.
people, being among: success in your affairs wil foster those who prefer your downfal .
person, being an: don’t let others assail your conduct and reputation. ... ignorant dream meaning
being killed in prison: sins must be so offensive even inmates condemn you.
long-time of a, a: are il -disposed toward friendships that support you.
escaping from prison: plentiful means wil bring appeals from the poverty-stricken.
executed, being: beware of il ness depleting your ability to earn a living.
released: the smal fortune to be earned must be split among your creditors.
killing himself in prison: only everlasting friendship possible for you is with God.
another: big arguments wil cause an endless round of fruitless battles to be heard.
of a prison: accord among friends wil turn disagreeable and destructive. ... inmate dream meaning
being, by enemies: a grave situation is surrounding you; change your occupation.
friends: troubles are ahead as friends refuse to back up your character.
others: a season of sorrow is coming as you cultivate and defend your il icit pleasures.
relatives: passionate outbursts wil estrange you from family.
but not resenting it, being: beware of partner’s betrayal; love is not enough.
insulting enemies: wil incur a grave calamity that wil lose you a friend.
friends: wil suffer foolishness, an il ness which threatens your further communications.
others: lack the courage to set him straight.
you: your shaky self-worth needs bolstering; clear up the matter of deceitful friends.
receiving an insult: major upheaval wil change your total environment.
friends, from: wil be censured by those you care most about.
relatives, from: are including you in their own wrongs and deceit. ... insulted dream meaning
being, with gambling: a lethal addiction vies against an even more lethal foe.
conceited person, a: ridiculous arrogance of destructive and dangerous thoughts.
lottery, the: treason, a disassociation with reality, pleasant but gone in an instant.
science: wil have hard times proving your theories are worthy of testing.
instigating a cabal: your suspicions are completely unfounded.
married man being, with a woman: short-lived relationship creates ramifications.
women, a man: much gossip about your affairs, to your detriment.
others being: cause affliction and misery by your pointless gossip.
unmarried people being, with opposite sex: despair. ... intrigued dream meaning
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