Fire in dreams is the emblem of passion, energy and warmth; at the same time, its dual symbolism leads it to represent death and destruction as well. Freud associated it with libido and sexual aggression while, at a more spiritual level, fire was used in rites of passage and initiation, as an element of purification. It is a type of dream that indicates in the dreamer a moment of transformation and regeneration, a desire for inner purification.
Since ancient times, fire has always been present in many myths and legends, for example in the myth of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods to bring it to humanity: the meaning of the legend shows how fire is an emblem of profound knowledge and superior spiritual strength, to which man has had access only from a certain moment of his existence, with sacrifice and suffering.
Fire is the masculine principle connected to creation and psychic energy, in fact Jung considered it a symbol of renewal and inner transformation. Dreaming of burning, in spite of the violent image, actually implies a coveted sense of spiritual purification, as if the dreamer wished to free himself from old waste and obsolete schemes to reach out, emotionally and psychologically renewed, towards a different future.
A fire in dreams represents the fire in its most destructive aspect: dreaming it indicates a very strong emotional tension, due to great passions, such as anger, love or various suffering, probably repressed, and the sudden fire represents the fear of not controlling them; it can also be a symbol of desire for healing and purification from old and outdated ideas.
An explosion in a dream requires a good introspective ability of the dreamer, as it can indicate an unconscious sense of oppression and constriction that afflicts the dreamer in real life; in this case, the explosion represents the violent desire to free oneself from the pain and frustration that would result, a way to change things and be able to make different choices.
Dreaming of war is always an indication of aggression, anxiety, worry, fear; aggression is one of the primary instincts of the human being, however this type of dream can be an indication of objective complications and difficulties in which the dreamer finds himself in real life, adverse situations and problems that make him anxious and worried. Often it is the inner conflicts of the dreamer, of conflicting emotions or needs that upset and annoy him.
Fire Symbolism in Cultures
From the point of view of the alchemists, fire is a catalyst both at the beginning of the experiments and at their completion, this element indicates mobility, forward movement and upward exactly like the flame, the passage between the flames that make rise to aspirations of a sunny and luminous character.
For fire, change derives from the complete combustion of the fuel base (be it mental limitations, spiritual or physical limitations or low-level or similar thoughts, etc.), transformation and arrival at enlightenment are normally contained attributes.
Fire, the destruction of all the limitations of any character, just look at the symbolic meaning of the Phoenix. The alchemical symbol of fire indicates the summer season, the archangel Michael, to the south.
The ancient Celts were well aware of the metaphorical meaning of fire and its properties of spiritual transformation, examples of this knowledge are found in Celtic and art statues bearing three flames or rays found on the faces of divinities or clans and Celtic women. These flames were rendered with aspirating lines and towards the outside in front of the subject with the base of the three lines gathered at the top of the nose. This motif is the symbol of Arwen, a Celtic concept of illumination, inspiration and the total unification of polarities, all linked to the goddess.
It is said that if a woman dreams of fire in the oven she will soon be pregnant. In ancient Egypt it is said that those who dreamed of fire would have witnessed the loss of a relative, while for the Assyrians it was an omen of imminent difficulties. In the East, instead, dreaming of fire is a symbol of passion and for the Arabs it indicates coming luck. There are also those who say that a fire with a lot of smoke is synonymous with misfortune and a fire full of sparks is a sign of slander or gossip. The ancients associated fire to both fertility, wealth and love but also to war and epidemics.
Dreams about Fire – Meaning
What does it mean to dream of fire? Fire has always been a symbol of purification, destruction and bearer of light. Moreover, it is also one of the four main elements together with air, earth and water. Analyzing a dream containing fire becomes very complicated precisely because of the importance it has always had in human life, both for its survival and for its spiritual meaning.
Since man discovered the fire its evolution had no limits. It is therefore easy to think how this element is an indication of knowledge and spiritual strength. Not by chance was it used in purification rituals, religious ceremonies and sacred texts. Fire in dreams is equivalent to psychic and spiritual energy, to passion, to renewal, to love but also to danger.
Dreaming of fire is quite recurrent especially in people who have to deal with it or who have suffered some trauma related to the flames. From a psychological point of view, dreaming of fire becomes recurrent when there is a concrete need to renew or to express anger.
Carl Gustav Jung states that fire is an energetic element, a symbol of renewal and inner transformation, but also peculiarities of self-centered and extroverted people, endowed with overwhelming passion. Freud also associates fire with the passion of man. In fact, in the 1931 treaty, “The acquisition of fire”, he analyzes precisely the myth of Prometheus, a Titan who stole fire from the gods to give it to men.
Dreaming of a burning fire shows great enthusiasm and success. In this case the fire represents one’s own vital energy which is used for the transformation of oneself. If the fire is inside a fireplace it indicates the family and the strong union, if instead one dreams of lighting a fireplace then it indicates a strong passion for couples. On the contrary, if the fireplace is switched off or is switching off it indicates lack of affection.
When you dream of lighting a fire it means that you are ready to live a new project both at work and in love. The outcome is given by succeeding or not in taming the fire: if it is contained and controlled the outcome will be positive, otherwise it would be better to proceed with caution.
Sometimes it happens to dream of catching fire. This indicates a strong passion that can be anger or desire. When this fire that envelops the dreamer does not burn, it does not burn, it could indicate an imminent healing. If instead you dream of setting yourself on fire this indicates that you are going through a period of great stress.
Dreaming of setting fire to something or someone could mean that you need to eliminate a part of yourself to be able to get on with your life. If instead we dream of extinguishing a fire it indicates that there is a need for calm and rest, while if the fire goes out by itself it is a clear sign of lack of energy or determination.
If in dream the fire falls from the sky, it means that one is afraid of something that is considered more “powerful” and that there is certainly something that prevents one from proceeding in life, such as the fear of injury or disappointment.
Dreams about Fire – Symbolism
Dreaming of fire is a very common dream; fire is a masculine principle connected to creation and psychic energy; it can show itself with a double face- on one side it is a source of heat, health, light, well-being, energy; on the other, when it blazes, it brings death, destruction and damnation.
Fire has always been very important for man- the discovery of fire was crucial for human evolution; allowed development from a primitive state to the birth of civilization
Since ancient times, fire is present on the many myths and legends- for example, think of the myth of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods to bring it to humanity, and who was then severely punished for it. This shows how fire is connected to an idea of knowledge and higher, higher spiritual strength, to which man has had access only from a certain moment, with pain and sacrifice, and after having openly challenged laws and taboos.
For many people fire is a recurring dream- this can be caused by a trauma linked to fire, or, in a psychological sense, by the need to free oneself and to renew oneself, or by the need to express one’s anger more. They are may also have a physical origin (for example, when you have heat, fever, inflammation).
Dreaming of fire, and in particular fire in an oven, according to popular tradition means pregnancy. Even women who are already pregnant often dream of fire, because it represents the great energy needed to form the new life that is growing in them.
For Jung the fire represents the process of psychic renewal. Just as the alchemist uses fire to transform metal into gold, fire is also a symbol of inner transformation- it purifies from the waste of the past and gives light and spiritual truth. It is the eternal flame in the temple of the soul.
Looking with pleasure at a great fire alive indicates enthusiasm, success. In general, if the fire you see doesn’t scare you, if it appears under control and limited in a contained area, then it is a symbol of your inner psychic energy, the one that allows you to transform and evolve.
Dreaming of fire burning on you- dreaming of catching fire means that a great passion is consuming you inside; perhaps anger or strong desire for love. Attentive to arguments and anger- they could cause a detachment, a separation. The dream can also be caused by fever or physical inflammation.
Dreaming fire that does not burn- being wrapped in flames, without burning can announce physical healing, purification, new beginning.
Go through unscathed fire- thanks to your determination, you will reach your goal, despite risks and difficulties.
What you want to burn may be a symbol of a part of you that you want to destroy or abandon in order to move to a new phase of your life. Dreaming of giving you fire- period of great stress, personal crisis, but necessary for change.
The fire in psychoanalysis- the symbolism of fire used by Freud who writes a short text, in 1931, with the title “The acquisition of fire”, where the myth of Prometheus is taken up and analyzed. In this treatise fire is associated with the loving passion that characterizes man.
Because of all these characteristics (passion, energy, purifier, destroyer, transformer, creator of “life”) when we dream of fire we must take it into consideration in all its aspects, positive and negative.
Dreaming of fire and smoke- dreaming of fire accompanied by smoke, usually indicates the occurrence of unpleasant news. This is because the smoke represents something that has been burned, and therefore, that it has “gone”. Perhaps there are unresolved doubts, which we are avoiding instead of facing.
Dreaming of fire in a fire- in this case we are talking about the destructive fire. Dreaming of the element of fire in a fire in dreams means the destruction of an object or a place. All that is touched by the fire is what our unconscious wants to destroy and then be able to overcome and forget. The destruction, in this case the fire, is what allows us to overcome what was troubling us or hindering us. It represents a way to move forward.
But we must be careful it depends on what we saw in the fire. Many times, we may also want to rebuild what has been destroyed, to realize or discover the flames that they have taken away. This factor depends solely on what was in the fire.
Dreaming of fire and water- water and fire are two of the four main elements, and both have the dual aspect of creator and destroyer. Dreaming of both these elements represents an inner struggle, most likely a conflict from which we find no way out (and water and fire, as opposites, indicate two of the possible but completely opposite routes).
They indicate that a decision must be made and that once taken, we must automatically exclude the other in a definitive way due to its opposite nature. Consult the dream dictionary- the meaning of water in dreams.
Dreaming of fire falling from the sky- dreaming of the fire that falls from above means that we feel threatened by something (or someone) much stronger than us. If the fire falls from above it means that it is something that is preventing us from moving forward, it basically symbolizes the fear of proceeding for fear of hurting ourselves or risking a great disappointment. Find out more in the book of dreams- the meaning of the sky in dreams.
Dreaming of fire and pregnancy- dreaming of fire is also a symbol of pregnancy. As we have already said, fire is the energetic principle of life and new things, for this very reason it often announces the symbol of a new life.
Dreaming blue fire- dreaming of a blue fire is very rare. In nature this type of fire is called “fire fatuo”, it is a particular type of flame that occurs very few times due to particular atmospheric principles.
There are so many legends about the fatuous fire related to mysticism and magic. In a dream it is a symbol of peace, inner peace and peace with ourselves. It represents the kind of tranquility that is achieved only after having faced a difficult period.
Conclusion
Fire has always been a symbol of purification, destruction and bearer of light. Moreover, it is also one of the four main elements together with air, earth and water. Analyzing a dream containing fire becomes very complicated precisely because of the importance it has always had in human life, both for its survival and for its spiritual meaning.
Since man discovered the fire its evolution had no limits. It is therefore easy to think how this element is an indication of knowledge and spiritual strength. Not by chance was it used in purification rituals, religious ceremonies and sacred texts. Fire in dreams is equivalent to psychic and spiritual energy, to passion, to renewal, to love but also to danger.
Dreaming of fire is quite recurrent especially in people who have to deal with it or who have suffered some trauma related to the flames. From a psychological point of view, dreaming of fire becomes recurrent when there is a concrete need to renew or to express anger.