Dreams introduce us to the mysterious adventure of life and express a profound need. For this reason, keeping a notebook on the bedside table to write them on waking up is perhaps the best drug you can take to combat dryness and hyper-control, which today are quite common.
If we dream of the mountains at once the soul rises upwards, among the great heights of subtle energy, where the spirit lives.
And even if we lead an existence “down to earth” we can dream of snowy peaks because our unconscious is taking us where the rational mind never wanted to venture.
Today’s subject will be animals and what kind of symbolism they can have inside our dreams.
Animal Symbolism in Cultures
There are many images and figures that usually populate our dreams: trees, places, animals, people and situations that appear on the stage of our nocturnal consciousness, dormant in the oblivion of sleep.
Sometimes in the dream we fly, others we sail or swim, or we find ourselves enchanted in beautiful or neglected gardens, or even in a boat, on a train or near a river.
The dream images live in spaces different from those of our daily life, in other knowledge, in “other certainties” of the soul.
Knowing that the figures that appeared during the night (a star, a house, a spring, a dog, an ivy, a child) come from our depths to talk to us, it reminds us that an affinity exists between us and the world of images deep.
But what does it mean if we dream of animals and what their meaning is in the language of dreams? Our unconscious is populated by animals that come into contact with us in a dream.
Each one, a symbol of the strength of our primordial instincts, helps us to grasp a component of us hitherto unknown.
Accepting these images means activating an energy that, in reality, already lives there, on the contrary, repressing it or denying it exposes us to the risk that it turns against us.
Dreams about Animals – Meaning
Insects in dreams are quite common symbols. For example bees that are industrious with their intense social activity, symbolically refer to the ability to know how to work together to pursue a project, organization, order and prosperity.
Their ability to transform nectar into honey represents the tendency to go to the bottom to unravel the deep core of the essence of life and the world around us.
They symbolize the search for a psychic balance that needs to function in accordance with a specific hierarchy, such as the one that exists in the swarm. The vision of these insects entering and leaving the hive is an indication of great industriousness and desire to do.
According to the popular view, dreaming about them threatening and aggressive signals an imminent danger situation or manifests the unconscious feeling that a neighbor could prove dangerous and violent.
In dreamlike visions, the eagle becomes the mouthpiece of the needs of the soul, but also reveals a desire for possession and conquest. A quick and shrewd animal appears in a dream to activate the inner resources, but it can also signal the inability to recognize one’s own limits and an Ego a little too swollen and pompous.
According to Jung the eagle, the “king of the heavens”, indicates the mastery of a situation, the will-power in action and the dominion.
According to Artemidoro its symbolic value changes according to the attitude of the bird of prey: if it is quiet, success is at the door; if it is aggressive we are about to suffer threats; if it flies with difficulty business is hindered.
In the popular tradition a perched eagle in a dream evokes a work project destined not to go through, while seeing a dead one prefigures difficulties for wealthy people and, on the contrary, luck for those who are less highly placed.
The dog is the faithful friend who guides the souls of the dead, after having been their companion during their earthly life. When it appears in a dream it can highlight our attitude towards the unconscious and profound world and show us if we have accepted the “animal” part that is in us.
According to the ancient interpreters, its presence assumes a meaning that is always and in any case negative: if it bites it brings adversity and foretells quarrels, if it does the holidays it foretells scams. It takes on a positive meaning only if it is a pure breed thanks to which it brings wealth.
For the popular interpretation a bitch in a dream heralds hatred from a woman, a mahogany dog that drags us into our teeth and gives us a wonderful friendship and if it runs to our ankles it announces quarrels with people they think of as friends.
If we can kill a rabid one, I will avoid a disgrace. If he attacks us, it means that some nuances of our unconscious would like to be recognized; if you walk with us we probably have achieved a good balance with our “shadow” side.
In the symbolic evaluation, the breed, color and size of the animal are also important: hunting is a symbol of possible profitable work, as a guard it is a bearer of security, if it is white it represents a happy union, black is a dark and gloomy symbol and embodies the guardian of the underworld. If undernourished and bruised it indicates the presence of a family member who needs help.
According to Jung the horse embodies both the original maternal principle, expressed by its creative and spiritual force, and the instinctual part, duality that is highlighted by the color of the mantle (white expresses the transmutation of the animal instinct into divine power; black symbolizes the primordial instincts uncontrollable).
Dreams about Animals – Symbolism
Dreaming of animals or beasts – Generally in the world of dreams, dreaming of animals takes us back to our instincts and nature, dreaming of them, ask yourself if they represent a side of your character, which you may suppress because they are not suited to your society’s habits and customs, in other cases it could represent a person close to you.
Dreaming of so many animals – As we said the animals in dreams represent our instincts and sides of our character, dreaming about them can symbolize more aspects of your character that in reality are repressed.
Dreaming of ferocious animals – In the world of dreams, to dream of ferocious animals, could reflect your state of mind, feelings of anger and aggression repressed in real life and freed in dreams.
Dreaming of an affectionate animal – In general, as an example the dog symbolizes loyalty, friendship and trust.
To dream of an affectionate dog, in dreams could be to mean that you are tired and you need relaxation and cuddling, or in any case you need affection, the dog could represent your partner and his shortcomings towards you.
Dreaming of an aggressive or snarling animal – In dreams, such as dreaming of an aggressive or snarling dog, it may reflect a situation you are experiencing in which you feel threatened, so you have difficulty reacting and defending yourself. In other cases it may reflect your partner, probably fear and fear.
Dreaming of animals at home – In the world of dreams, dreaming of animals at home, could mean that you feel alone and would like company in your life, feel the desire to share what you have with someone.
In other cases, it could mean, the opposite, that you feel oppressed and you would like a little more freedom in your private life.
Dreaming of a dead animal – Dreaming of a dead animal, in dreams is not a sign of good omen, probably a negative event could be coming, or you have lost friendship and trust towards a person very dear to you.
Dreaming of dead animals – In the world of dreams it could mean that you have fought and won a possible challenge in your life.
Dreaming of pets – in dreams it is a good sign is a good omen, symbolizing wealth and luck, a positive period in your life.
Dreaming of wild animals – in dreams, it could be to indicate your mood, tormented and restless, you are probably living a hard time and you can’t manage the hostilities and the problems that are presented to you, you don’t feel more at ease in the environment that surrounds you, you feel the need to escape.
Dreaming of dead animals on the street – in the world of dreams, it means that the path of life you are following will be full of obstacles and unpleasant events, you must be ready to face the adversities that will arise.
Dreaming of a strange animal – in the world of dreams, it probably means that there is some aspect of your life that is not clear that you are still trying to decipher, in other cases it could reflect the personality of your partner in which you cannot find yourself and understand it.
Dreaming of strange animals – in dreams it could mean that we are surrounded, probably by people we do not trust and who perhaps hide something.
Conclusion
Animals evoke our deep instincts. The appearance of an animal in a dream is very frequent, especially during a course of psychotherapy, and its arrival is always worthy of interest.
To understand what it means to us we must ask ourselves what it reminds us of or what sensations make us try this animal image that for a few moments came out of the fence of our unconscious.