Dreams are a common occurrence for most of us, and we rarely give them much thought. But they could carry significance to the dreamer, as they could be conveying a message or a warning of upcoming changes in life. There are two popular psychological theories in the interpretations of dreams – Freudian and Jungian theory. At the same time, in Asian cultural beliefs, dreams are often perceived as omens – either good or bad – for the person who dreamt them.
For Jungian theory, psychologist Carl Gustav Jung, through his self-analysis, determined that our darkest dreams might contain imagery that illustrates our internal conflicts and points to their treatment, rather than considering dream images as manifest representations of latent pathology, a repository of undesirable and dreaded information.
As for Freudian theory, Sigmund Freud theorized that dreams were a valuable insight into the unconscious mind, and they could well be interpreted as the mind’s means of gratifying wants that could not be gratified in the waking world. A wide range of dream symbols could be used to symbolize elements of reality.
Chinese dream interpretation theory, meanwhile, derives from the classic text of Duke of Zhou Interprets Dreams (周公解梦), which is the basis of traditional Chinese dream interpretations.
For this article on dream interpretations, we’ll be exploring Chinese dream interpretation theory and understanding the meaning of what our dreams are.
Dreaming About Animals
- Snakes in dreams: Snakes serve as sages as well as Gods in many countries’ mythologies and folklore, including China’s, hence when snakes come in dreams, they often signify wisdom. Snakes are also sensitive creatures with intuitive responses similar to humans. As a result, persons who encounter snakes in their dreams frequently have revelations.
- Cat in dreams: Dreaming of many cats denotes that you’ll be able to implement your career or financial management goals in stages. You don’t have to be quick or needy to succeed. You should be able to perform it without difficulty. Keep your cool and focus on the task at hand, and you’ll be happy with the results.
- Dog in dreams: Dogs are renowned for being faithful to their owners and vicious to their foes. On the one hand, they frequently represent morality and self-control. In dreams, the dog is the watchdog over the dreamer’s own internal code of conduct, norms, and morality. It also represents friendship, implying affection and friendship loyalty.
- Lion in dreams: In a dream, the lion represents both brutality and might. A lion in a dream implies elegance, strength, grandeur, and courage, all of which are attributes that you must exhibit to succeed. Fighting with a lion in your dream implies that you will face obstacles and changes in your job, as well as significant growth.
Dreaming About People
- Pregnancy in dreams: Dreaming that you are pregnant with a girl denotes that your recent luck has been extremely excellent, that your friends have a lot of faith in you, and that you will soon receive good news about the things you have been waiting for. While dreaming about a twin pregnancy symbolises ambition and fruition. In dreams, “twins” frequently signify your love, employment, profession, family, and other aspirations. Twin pregnancy dreams depict the aim and its achievement for people who are pursuing a goal.
- Babies in dreams: If you dream of a baby girl, you are likely to have a disagreement with your family or friends over anything. To avoid upsetting the balance, it is recommended that you calm down and address things gently in the near future. In your heart and soul, you desire consolation. If you’re stuck in a bind, go back to your original purpose to think clearly, or analyse the situation thoroughly from the start to solve it.
- Death in dreams: If you have a death dream, don’t be frightened. It isn’t always a terrible thing. Dreaming of a deceased person may indicate that you wish to forget about any bad past experiences and are ready to let go of your frustrations and embrace a new life. Death represents progress, triumph, and so forth.
Dreaming About Nature
- Fire in dreams: There is a variety of reasons why you could have a dream about fire. If the dream is favourable, it represents passion, desire, and wealth. If the dream is negative, it represents frustration, anger, concern, or devastation.
- Water in dreams: Water is a symbol of love, femininity, and creativity in dreams. Dreaming of calm, clear water foresees a joyful, prosperous life.
- Sea in dreams: Dreaming of the sea foresees thrilling positive news in your professional life. Alternatively, as your business or family grows, the responsibilities and commitments you take on will grow heavier. In addition, a businessman dreaming about the sea denotes that their company is growing rapidly and expanding globally.
You don’t have to be afraid of your own dreams, as they are a subconscious desire for something and it’s up to you to choose to pursue it or not.