Dream

Symbolism

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 Humans have Dream
been interpreting Symbolism
dreams
symbolically for
many thousands
of years.

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 In ancient cultures, Dream
dreams were often Symbolism
understood as
visitations from the
spirit world…
symbolic messages
from ancestors or
deities.
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 The ancient Dream
Egyptians studied Symbolism
dreams
systematically,
compiling a long
list of dream
symbols and their
meanings.
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 The first Dream
psychologist to Symbolism
produce a
modern study on
dreams was
Sigmund Freud.

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 In his famous book, Dream
The Interpretation Symbolism
of Dreams, Freud
argued that dreams
are symbolic
expressions of the
contents of the
Unconscious mind.
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 Dream Dream
interpretation was Symbolism
an important
aspect of Freud’s
approach to
therapy, called
“psychoanalysis” .
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 Freud believed Dream
that most dream Symbolism
symbolism is
sexual in nature.

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 Freud often Dream
interpreted Symbolism
objects as either
phallic (male) or
feminine (female)
sexual symbols.

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 Freud often Phallic
interpreted symbols:
objects as either spear,
phallic (male) or gun, rocket,
feminine (female) arrow, cigar, etc.
sexual symbols.

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 Freud often Feminine
interpreted symbols:
objects as either vessel,
phallic (male) or flower,
feminine (female) cave entrance
sexual symbols.

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 But Freud warned Dream
against taking this Symbolism
approach too far.
In dreams, he
said, “Sometimes
a cigar is just a
cigar.”
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 Another Dream
psychologist who Symbolism
did important
work on dream
interpretation for
therapy was Carl
Jung.
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 Jung had once Dream
been a student of Symbolism
Freud. But Jung
put less emphasis
on sexuality in his
approach to dream
interpretation.
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 Jung argued that Dream
our dreams borrow Symbolism
archetypes from
the Collective
Unconscious in
order to represent
psychological and
spiritual truths.
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 Archetypes also
appear in ancient Dream
myths and legends. Symbolism
Human archetypes
include: The strong
warrior/hero; the
nurturing mother; the
wise old man; the
lying villain, etc.
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 Archetypes also
appear in ancient Dream
myths and legends. Symbolism
Non-human archetypes
include: the lion
(strength & authority);
the heart (one’s inner
feelings); light/darkness
(knowledge/ignorance)
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 The following is a
sample list of Dream
symbols (and their Symbolism
suggested meanings)
said by Freud and/or
Jung to appear
commonly in
dreams.
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 (Dream symbols can
be surprisingly easy Dream
to interpret—notice Symbolism
that there is a simple,
common-sense logic
to the meanings
behind most
symbols.)
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 Fruit:
offspring;
reproduction

Forest or
Jungle: Mist or Fog:
danger
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confusion, doubt
 Bridge:
an important
transition
or step
City:
society, Staircase:
“the world” growth, moving up
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 Ocean:
the Collective
Unconscious;
forces of
Cave or nature

Pit: your Shadow: another

psyche self; a part of you
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 Handcuffs,
Chains:
your complex
or problem;
what’s holding you back
Dirt: basic,
primal needs Predator (wolf,
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alligator, etc.): aggression
 Bones:
mortality, death;
magical forces

Child:
younger self;
Prey (lamb, deer, etc.):
victimhood; innocence
child inside you
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 Monster
(taking any form):
your greatest
anxieties
Old
person: Death:
a parent; your the end of a relationship
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 Horse
(esp. white stallion):
the libido
(esp. sexual
energy)
Egg:
birth; Teeth falling out:
beginnings frustration; needs not
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 Healthy
plants:
life that’s
thriving, happy
House:
your current Unhealthy plants:
situation life that’s withering, fading
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 This list is NOT
complete. It Dream
merely gives some Symbolism
common examples.
Almost anything
can be used as a
symbol by the
Unconscious.
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 Here is an example of how Sigmund
Freud interpreted dream symbolism:

Dr. Freud received a letter from a young

woman who was attracted to a mysterious
foreigner that her parents disapproved of.
She was distressed because she had always
obeyed her parents before,
but she believed she might
be in love with this man.
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 Here is an example of how Sigmund
Freud interpreted dream symbolism:

In the young woman’s dream, she receives

a letter from the man telling her that he is
breaking off the relationship… In despair,
she grabs a knife and stabs herself in the
heart; but instead of
feeling pain and dying, she
feels wonderful and happy.
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 Freud explained that in this dream, the
letter represents the woman’s unconscious
desire to have the man break up with her.
Because she believes she loves him, her
conscious mind cannot see a break-up as a
solution. Also, she might not want to “give
in” to her parents. But the Unconscious
knows that a break-up
would be for the best.

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 This is why she feels wonderful after
stabbing herself in the heart. Her heart
symbolizes the conflict within her feelings
as much as it does her love for the man.
When she “kills” her love for him (by
stabbing her heart) upon receiving the
letter, she also resolves the conflict and is
released from her distress
(and feels happy).

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 Carl Jung
would probably
Dream
not disagree Symbolism
with Freud’s
interpretation
of the young
woman’s dream.
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 But Jung would see the
woman’s dilemma as more
Dream
of a conflict between two Symbolism
archetypes—the
obedient daughter that
she wishes to be and the
mysterious, alluring
stranger she wishes to
possess.
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Note: The symbols list
is NOT used like a Dream
mathematical code, Symbolism
where values assigned to
variables remain
constant. Dream
symbolism
is constantly
changing…
 So the meanings &
forms of symbols will Dream
vary, depending on Symbolism
the person who is
dreaming or on
the context of
the dream.
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 Therefore, it is
NOT possible to Dream
accurately interpret Symbolism
dreams without
understanding the
context of the
dreamer’s life,
beliefs & culture.
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 Dream
Symbolism

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The End
© Mister Rutterc