Understanding Your Dreams —
Common
Dream Symbols
People have been fascinated with dreams and
what they mean almost as long as there have been people. From the earliest
civilizations to the world of today, dreams have been
imbued with great significance, and people have looked to these nighttime
excursions for insights and clues into their waking
existence.
While dreams are not magical keys
to the waking world, they can provide valuable clues and insights into the
mental and even physical state of he dreamer. Dreams can tell
you a lot, like whether
you feel in charge or out of control, whether you feel secure or anxious,
and whether you feel ready to take on the day or set
adrift.
Dream analysis ranges from writing
down and analyzing your own dreams for fun to therapists, psychologists
and others who analyze the dreams of others as part of their careers. When studying dreams, there are a number of
basic symbols whose meaning has been interpreted through many studies of
dreams.
As with all aspects of dreaming,
however, these symbols are highly personal. Each dream is
as unique as the individual who dreamed it, and no dream symbol is truly
universal. All dream symbols will
have shades of meaning, and the meaning is often dependent upon the
context of the object within the dream.
Airplane
Dreaming about taking a trip on an
airplane can mean you are ready to overcome your obstacles by rising above
them. Dreaming about flaying a plane can indicate you are feeling in control and confident.
Alcohol
Dreams about alcohol can mean many
things, depending on the dreamer's relationship to and experience with
alcohol. For instance, a recovering alcoholic may express fear
of relapse through dreams of alcohol, while
a devout Catholic may dream of wine as a symbol of the blood of
Christ.
Angels
Angels are, of course, a symbol of
purity and goodness, and their appearance in a dream can often  represent the quest for spiritual goodness and
enlightenment. In addition, angels often appear in dreams as guides or
teachers, and many people take the advice of these angel dream guides very
seriously.
Beheading
Dreams about a beheading can mean
that past poor judgment or bad decision are being recalled. Loss of ones
head can also indicate a lessening or loss of intellectual capacity.
Cancer
Dreaming about cancer or other
wasting conditions can be indications that the dreamer feels he or she is
wasting his or her life and losing hope.
Couch
Dreaming about a couch can
symbolize love and longing.
Doctor
Dreaming about a doctor can
indicate anxiety about health. In some cases, the doctor can be used to
represent another authority figure, such as a clergyman or
teacher.
Drowning
Dreaming about drowning can
indicate you feel overwhelmed or out of control.
Earth
Dreaming of earth, or of working
the earth, often represents that your life has a firm
structure.
Exam
Dreaming about failing an exam is
very common. Dreams about an exam can represent anxieties in either work
or school.
Father
Dreams about one's father have
meanings that vary along with the relationship between father and child.
Dreaming of an absent or estranged father can be manifestations of
yearning for a lost childhood.
Fire
Dreams about fire can also have
various meanings. Fire can symbolize destruction, but it can also s ymbolize passion.
Food
Dreaming of food can mean a desire
for spiritual or mental nourishment, or a need to be taken care
of.
Giants
Dreaming about giants can indicate
that you fear obstacles in your life and see certain problems as
insurmountable.
Globe
Dreams about a still globe can
mean the dreamer's life is in control, while seeing a spinning globe can
indicate that the dreamer's life is spinning out of control.
Gun
Dreaming about guns can indicate a
desire for protection, or a fear of crime.
Hell
Dreams of hell can indicate a fear
of being punished, or a manifestation of past guilt.
Joke
Telling a joke in a dream can mean
you take life lightly and not too seriously.
Knife
Seeing a knife in your dream could
indicate you fear being betrayed by a friend or family
member.
Magic
Dreaming about magic, or
performing a magic trick, can symbolize creativity and power.
Money
The meaning of dreams about money
depends on the context. Dreams about wealth can indicate that the dreamer
is powerful and in control, while dreaming about lack of money can be manifestations of low self
worth.
Monster
Monsters in a dream can represent
parts of the dreamer's mind of which he or she is ashamed.
Office
Dreaming of being at an office can
indicate the dreamer is preoccupied with work and making
money.
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