The Meaning of Dreams: Science, History, and Universal Symbols

The Meaning of Dreams

Science, history, and the dictionary of universal subconscious symbols

What Are Dreams?

A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not fully understood, though they have been a topic of scientific, philosophical, and religious interest throughout recorded history.

The scientific study of dreams is called oneirology. Dream interpretation is the attempt to draw meaning from these visions and search for an underlying message.

🧠 The Science of Sleep: Dreams mainly occur in the Rapid-Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. The average person has three to five dreams per night, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to 30 minutes. Most dreams occur in the typical two hours of REM sleep during an eight-hour night.

History and Psychological Theories

Opinions about the meaning of dreams have shifted through time and culture. The earliest recorded dreams date back approximately 5,000 years in Mesopotamia, documented on clay tablets. In the Greek and Roman periods, people believed dreams were direct messages from deities or deceased persons predicting the future.

In the early 1900s, Sigmund Freud developed the psychological discipline of psychoanalysis and wrote extensively about dream interpretations. In his 1899 book, The Interpretation of Dreams, he explained them as manifestations of our deepest desires, anxieties, and repressed memories.

Today, dreams are seen as a profound connection to the unconscious mind. The events are generally outside our control—with the exception of lucid dreaming, where the dreamer becomes self-aware.

The Meaning of Colors in Dreams

The symbolic meaning of color is a fascinating study. If a specific color stands out vividly in your dream, it carries a primary meaning:

RED
Strength, vigor, love, danger

ORANGE
Adaptability, attraction, plenty

YELLOW
Charm, confidence, joy

GREEN
Finance, fertility, luck, growth

BLUE
Tranquility, patience, truth

INDIGO
Impulsiveness, ambition

VIOLET
Power, piety, tension

The Meaning of Numbers in Dreams

In interpreting numbers, first examine their balance: EVEN numbers signify balance and harmony, while ODD numbers signify imbalance and discord.

1 (ONE): The beginning; the source; the ego.

2 (TWO): Duality; male and female; positive and negative.

3 (THREE): The trilogy (past/present/future). Completion of the first plane.

4 (FOUR): Material universe; reality; physical power.

5 (FIVE): Materialism, expansion, change, understanding.

6 (SIX): Cooperation, peace, mental/physical balance.

7 (SEVEN): Completion; endurance; wisdom; spiritual transformation.

8 (EIGHT): Dissolution, separation, cyclic evolution.

9 (NINE): Rebirth, reformation, intuition, travel, karma.

0 (ZERO): The circle. Infinity; the universe; the All.

Universal Dream Symbols Dictionary

When you dream one of these symbols, understand that you are not dreaming randomly. The subconscious mind uses these universal concepts to send you a message. Use this list to begin developing your own interpretations:

Abundance

Desire for independence.

Accident

Something unplanned.

Actor / Actress

Desire for recognition.

Adultery

Guilt.

Altar

Self-sacrifice.

Anchor

Stability. Sometimes a desire for a permanent home.

Animal

Depends on feelings. A helpful animal represents the instinctive self.

Anima / Animus

Feminine aspect (guide to inner world) / Masculine aspect (uncompromising conviction).

Apple

Desire.

Arrow

Pleasure; festivity.

Auction

Promise of abundance.

Baby

Crying: frustrated plans. Laughing: plans fulfilled. Sleeping: waiting period.

Balloon

Frustration.

Basement

A place of refuge, retreat, or concealment.

Battle

Internal conflict.

Bells

Fulfillment of plans; joy.

Bicycle

Hard work will bring plans to fruition.

Birds

Transcendence from one state of being to another.

Birth

Transition to a new phase or new aspect of self.

Bridge

Overcoming difficulties; a change.

Broom

The ability to sweep or clean up a situation.

Bull

Animal nature; stubbornness.

Burial / Coffin

End of a phase; time to take a new direction.

Candle

Constancy.

Cane / Crutch

The need for support.

Castle

Ambition.

Cave

Refuge; a need for time to think and meditate.

Circle

Totality; perfection; infinity; the Collective Unconscious.

Cities / Towns

Gatherings of consciousness.

Climbing

The self-mastery process; raising consciousness.

Clock / Watch

The passage of time; the need to take action.

Clothes

Attitudes; personality.

Cradle

Potential for advancement.

Crossing a River

A fundamental change of attitude.

Crying

Emotion; usually processing a sad event.

Crystal

Union of matter and spirit.

Curtains

Concealment; adornment.

Darkness

The spirit world; the subconscious; turning inward.

Death

The end of something; opportunity for new beginnings.

Dog

Loyalty; laziness; anger.

Eating

Need for new interests; stimulation.

Evening

Descending into the subconscious world.

Eye

Perception; self-examination.

Falling

Failing to live up to expectations.

Fire

Anger; purification; abundance of energy.

Fish

Transcendence from one state to another.

Flowers

Contentment; pleasure.

Girl

Immature feminine aspect.

Glass

Perception; being able to see (sometimes into the future).

Graduation

Initiation; completing a phase.

Hair

Thought. Grey or silver hair indicates wise thought.

Hammer

Power to drive forward.

Highway

The path; the way ahead.

Horse

White: life/prosperity. Black: change of fortune. Wild: uncontrolled urges. Winged: transcendence.

House

Symbol of personality. Bathroom: cleansing. Bedroom: rest. Kitchen: preparation. Living Room: socializing.

Ice

Coldness of character; frigidity; rigidity.

Illness

Boredom, delay.

Individual Self

The "real" you; the all-wise, spiritual self.

Jail / Prison

Confinement; frustration; inability to act.

Judge / Jury

Your conscience.

Key

The answer to a problem.

Kiss

Satisfaction; completion.

Ladder

Ability to climb (note the length).

Left

The subconscious side; the logical/scientific side; sometimes the "wrong" direction.

Light

Hope.

Lines

Broken lines: feminine aspect. Solid lines: masculine aspect.

Lizard

Transcendence.

Lock

Frustration; security.

Man / Male

The masculine aspect. Age indicates maturity level.

Mask

Falsehood; deception; concealment.

Mirror

Need to reconsider.

Mother

Haven; comfort.

Nakedness

Real; true; without false attitudes; exposed; natural.

Night (Midnight)

Greatest strength of the super-consciousness.

Noon

Greatest clarity of consciousness.

Ocean / Sea

Opportunity; spirituality.

Owl

Wisdom; need for further evaluation.

Pearl

Joy. (Broken string means misunderstanding).

Pirate

Suspicion.

Pyramid

Thirst for knowledge; seeking.

Rainbow

Great happiness; opportunity.

Reading

Learning; gaining knowledge; perceiving.

Right

The conscious; correctness; the artistic side.

Ring

Completion; loyalty.

River

Spirituality; a boundary.

Rocks

The unchanging self.

Rodents

Transcendence OR a less-than-nice person; distrust; betrayal.

Ruins

Failure of plans.

Sacrifice

Overcoming pride.

School

A place of learning; a need to learn.

Scissors

Distrust.

Sex

Union of opposites; satisfaction; completeness.

Shadow

The subconscious; insubstantiality.

Skeleton

The basics; the root of a problem.

Snake

Spiritual wisdom. A bite means an infusion of wisdom.

Soldiers

Force; power; regimentation.

Spade

Penetration; cutting; tough work lies ahead.

Sunrise

Clearing of consciousness; awakening.

Sunset

Need to protect assets.

Swan

Beauty; comfort; satisfaction.

Sword

Penetrating and cutting; conflict.

Table

Support; a platform for presentation.

Telescope

Need to get closer to a subject.

Thief

Loss or fear of loss; insecurity.

Thunder

Anger.

Touching

Usually healing (laying-on of hands), comfort, or security.

Transcendence

Achieving full realization of the individual self.

Transportation

Spiritual advancement. E.g., Rocket (rapid), Airplane (high/efficient), Train (direct but confined), Car (maneuverable).

Tree

The life principle; psychic growth and development; success.

Tunnel

Hiding; being afraid.

Turning

Changing or developing. (Turning in a circle means lack of progress).

Twins

Ego and alter ego.

Umbrella

Shelter.

Veil

Insecurity.

Volcano

Sexual energy; emotions.

Wall

Frustration; inability.

Water

Spirituality; emotion.

Wedding

Culmination of plans; happiness; success.

Witch

Supernatural ability; wisdom.

Woman

The anima. Age represents maturity or lack thereof.

Wreath

Self-pity.