The house in dreams is linked to the psychophysical reality and the personality of the dreamer and follows its growth and evolution.
This article explores the symbolism of the house in dreams, linking appearance, typology, context in which it appears and sensations felt to what the dreamer is experiencing and his psychic structure.
Dreams about Childhood Home – Meaning
For Freud, the house in dreams is linked to the physical body and to relationships, family relationships, and to the close relational circle of the dreamer.
Jung also considers the dream home a representation of the individual and the relationships he has been able to create with his fellows, with his family.
Thus the façade of the house will be an image of his social figure, while the upper floors will be assigned to the conscious functions and the lower ones and the cellar to the unconscious ones.
The meaning of the house in dreams is influenced by innumerable factors: the external and internal space, the different rooms with the different characteristics, functions and objects of common use that appear there.
The house in dreams is one of the symbols that appear most frequently, and the way in which it presents itself or as the dreamer lives it is susceptible of infinite variations. Variations in which it is possible to see deep ties with his reality and with the structure of his personality.
You will often find in the oneiric dictionaries the correlation between home and personality or the human body-house, and in general the house is connected to these aspects, however it is important to remember that each symbol should never be translated literally, but always considered in relation to the socio-cultural context in which he appears, to the personal history of the dreamer and to other elements of dreams.
The symbolism of the house is very complex precisely because, making direct reference to the physical and mental situation of the dreamer, it can present infinite variations and innumerable, significant meanings.
The house in dreams provides a lot of information about the dreamer and can truly be a precise picture of the personality at that time, consequently the appearance of the house (new and elegant, old and decrepit, about to collapse or in ruins, welcoming or cold, colored or gray, poor or exclusive etc …), the image with which dreams presents itself, the emotions that the sight of this evoke in the dreamer, are all elements to be recorded and that radically change every “reading” of the symbol.
For example, dreaming of a dilapidated house that is about to collapse or of which a part has already collapsed can be linked to profound changes or the need to rebuild. But also to profound fatigue or stress that brings the dreamer to the brink of psychophysical “collapse”. Or the “collapse of illusions”, of hopes, of dreams.
On the contrary, a house under construction or brand new, to explore or to furnish, can refer to new possibilities, to projects that you want to achieve, to the need for change and renewal. As a mirror of our psychophysical reality, the house in dreams follows our process of evolution, our growth.
As a result, it will change in appearance and type, have quality and provide different sensations over time.
A woman at the beginning of her analysis journey dreamed of being in a house composed of a single room with little furniture and no bathroom, everything was Spartan and aseptic.
After a sequence of dreams on this theme, little by little his house in dreams has been expanding and enriching to include antique and precious ornaments and furnishings.
It is very significant (and frequent) to dream of the home of one’s childhood, the dreamer in this case may wonder whether in his own growth process he is living something childish again or is confronting himself in a childish and limited way in a relationship, or even if he feels strong need for parental protection due to some discomfort in his life.
It is really exciting when you discover new, secret rooms in the house, whose existence was not suspected, because this compares with an interior “new space”, new possibilities, new awareness. It is equivalent to discovering something new about oneself, and a “positive expansion of the personality.
Even in the popular tradition the meaning of the house in dreams is linked to the dreamer himself, both in the most material aspect (floor as a head, windows as eyes, balconies as breasts, corridors as a digestive tract, etc.) and in the purely psychic one.
In dreams, Freud recognizes the “body-house” equivalence, but he also sees family and marital relationships and all that is linked to the close relational circle of the dreamer.
Jung sees in the house the archetype of the relationships and bonds that man has been able to create with his fellows, his family, but also with himself.
Thus the façade of the house will be an image of the dreamer, of his social figure, the upper floors will be assigned to conscious functions and the lower ones and the cellar to the unconscious ones.
The symbolism of the house in dreams does not end in these few lines, instead it takes into consideration external and internal spaces and rooms, features, functions and different objects that appear there, and that you will find analyzed in the other articles of this category.
Each of these elements helps to enrich the primary symbol with additional meanings.
Dream about Childhood Home – Symbolism
The symbolism of the house in dreams is complex and articulated and, referring to the physical and mental situation of the dreamer, it can present infinite variations and innumerable meanings. Variations in which it is possible to see the links with the reality of the dreamer and with the structure of his personality.
However, it is important to remember that every symbol should never be translated literally, but always considered in relation to the socio-cultural context in which it appears, to the personal history of the dreamer and to the other elements of dreams.
Dreaming of a dilapidated house – it can be connected to profound changes that have occurred in the life of the dreamer, to the need to “rebuild,” to change direction, to make a change in one’s life.
But it can also bind to great fatigue or stress that brings the dreamer to the brink of psychophysical “collapse”. Or the “collapse of illusions”, of hopes, of dreams.
Dreaming of a new house – to explore or to furnish, it can indicate new possibilities, projects to be implemented, the need for change and renewal.
The house in dreams, as a mirror of psychophysical reality, follows the process of evolution, the growth of the dreamer. As a consequence, in dreams will change appearance and typology, will have quality, and will provide different sensations over time.
The typical example of the house in dreams that evolves and changes with the changes of the dreamer is that of a young woman who, at the beginning of her counseling path, dreamed of being in a house made up of a single room with few furniture and without bathroom, a house in dreams very spartan and aseptic.
After a sequence of dreams on this theme, little by little his house in dreams has grown and enriched to include elegant and precious knick-knacks and ornaments.
Dream of your own childhood home – It is a significant and frequent dream. The dreamer in this case can ask himself if in his own growth process he is living something childish again, or he is confronting himself in a childish and limited way in a relationship, or even if he feels the need for parental protection due to problems, relationships, anxious situations.
Dreaming of discovering new rooms in the house in dreams – It is an image that brings a great emotion: seeing secret rooms, whose existence was not suspected, discovering unknown rooms is the symbol of an “inner new space”, of new possibilities and new awareness.
These dream images are equivalent to discovering something new about themselves and a “positive expansion of the personality.
In popular tradition the meaning of the house in dreams is linked to the dreamer himself, both in the material aspect (floor as a head, windows as eyes, balconies as breasts, corridors as a digestive tract, etc.) and in the character and psychic one.
Dreaming of staying in your old, but comfortable home – then you will be lucky and you will receive good news. Dreaming of an abandoned, empty house is a sign of pain and difficulty.
Dreaming of a big house – indicates the time of success in your life. It will bring good relations with loved ones, and financial well-being.
Dreaming of staying out of the house, heralds possible diseases, which can also lead to tragic consequences.
Dreaming of an abandoned house – portends a difficult destiny. The dreamer will have many disappointments.
Dreaming of managing the construction of a new home, recommends the purchase of real estate.
Dreaming of finding yourself in a completely unknown house – bodes important changes in the near future: change of job or a transfer.
Conclusion
The house in dreams can provide a lot of information about the dreamer and can be a precise picture of his personality in that period, consequently the appearance of the house in dreams (new and elegant, old and decrepit, about to collapse or in ruins, welcoming or cold, colored or gray, poor or exclusive, etc.) and the emotions that the sight of it arouse in him, will all be elements to be recorded and analyzed, because they can radically change every “reading” of the symbol.
Hopefully you were able to find answer to the questions that have been bothering you, and the hidden meaning behind your dream.