Dream Interpretation — Common Dream Symbols and Their Meanings

The symbols, people and objects encountered in dreams can sometimes be baffling, and the meaning of a dream can be difficult to ascertain. Dreams and their meanings are as individual as the people who dream them, but the following list of common dream symbols and some of their many meanings can help get you started in the fascination and fun world of dream interpretation.

Animals

Animals in dreams are often seen to symbolize base, instinctual actions, emotions and desires

. These base desires are often repressed so that we may live in a civilized society, but just the same they are there, lurking in the shadows so to speak.

Different animals have different meanings in dreams. For instance, dreaming of cats may mean you have been repressing the intuitive, feminine side of your nature, while dreaming of lions could mean that you have been repressing anger. The key to taking meaning from animals in dreams is to think about the particular traits each animal represents.

Black

Dreams about black, or black objects can be signs of evil or darkness.

Blood

Blood in a dream can often be a representation of vitality and power. The meaning of blood in the dream is dependent on the context. For instance, violent and bloody dreams can indicate an emotional upheaval in your life or a loss of control, while dreams of bloody hands can indicate feelings of guilt.

Cars

Cars can represent a sense of freedom and of being in control.

Dancing

Dreaming of a dance can have many meanings, depending on the nature of the dance and its context within the dream. Dancing can symbolize marriage, romance or sex. Dance can also symbolize the freedom of movement or cooperation.

Eggs

Eggs in dreams can be symbols of birth or renewal, or wholeness and fertility. Dreaming of broken eggs, or breaking eggs in a dream, can represent a shattered faith, or a breaking out of your shell, depending on the context.

Fog

Fog in a dream can be a manifestation of a lost or confused waking life. Fog can also mean you are beginning to explore different parts of your life or your personality.

Gate

A gate can represent an entrance or an exit, depending on its context. It can also symbolize a beginning or an end.

Illness

Dreaming about illness can be your body's way of telling you there is something wrong. The subconscious mind can also sense things that the conscious mind is unaware of.

Keys

Dreaming of keys can indicate the keeping of a secret, or that you have been locking away your feelings.

Mountain

Dreaming of climbing a mountain can be symbolic of achieving a goal or reaching for higher levels of success. Dreaming of coming down a mountain can mean you have overcome insurmountable odds, while gazing at a mountain in a dream can mean you are contemplating a major life decision.

Owl

An owl is thought to be the symbol of knowledge and wisdom. In addition, the owl is often thought to represent the subconscious itself. Owls are often used to deliver important messages to dreamers.

Road

A road in a dream can symbolize the direction or goal of the dreamer. A straight road may mean that everything is going smoothly, while dreaming of a bumpy or winding road can be a manifestation of perceived problems with your place in life.

Stairs

Dreaming of stairs can indicate a rise or a reduction in your stature, finances or your spiritual life. What stairs mean depends on which direction you are going in your dream.

Underground

Dreaming of venturing underground can represent a trip to the dreamer's subconscious mind, or mean that he or she is wrestling with issues that need to be faced. Going underground in a dream may mean that the dreamer is ready to deal with previously repressed issues.