Common Dreams and Reading Their Symbols
Dreams have long been regarded as signs that hint obliquely at what lies ahead. Symbols that recur across cultures in particular — pigs, water, fire — each carry meanings handed down over time. Of course, the same dream can be read differently depending on one's situation, so here we set out the broad branches of common dream symbols and the attitude with which to read them.
A Dream Is a Signal the Heart Sends
Dream interpretation is an old tradition of reading the state of the heart or the stirrings of what is to come, using the symbols within a dream as clues. The ancients saw dreams as omens sent by heaven, while today they are also seen as feelings unattended to during the day surfacing as images at night. Either way, a dream is a good thread for looking back at oneself. What matters is an attitude of examining the feeling a dream leaves and one's present situation together, rather than mechanically plugging in symbols.
Auspicious Dreams That Mean Wealth
In traditional dream interpretation, the pig is the representative symbol of wealth. A dream of a pig coming into the house or being held in one's arms has long been welcomed as an auspicious sign of wealth and blessing arriving. Surprisingly, excrement and fire too are often read as dreams of wealth: dreams of getting excrement on the body or of flames rising high were seen as omens of wealth multiplying. Since filthy or startling scenes can in fact be auspicious dreams, it's hard to declare something good or bad by appearance alone.
Water, Rivers, the Sea — Emotion and Flow
Water is commonly read as a symbol reflecting emotion and the flow of life. Clear, calm water is seen to indicate peace of mind and a smooth flow, while muddy water or fierce waves indicate emotional turmoil or difficulty. Dreams of crossing a river or swimming the sea can also symbolize a major turn of phase or a challenge. Examining the state of the water together with the emotion you felt before it brings the grain of the dream into sharper focus.
Losing Teeth, Losing Hair — Change and Loss
The dream of teeth falling out is the most common, and one many people feel uneasy about. Traditionally it is read as change or loss, or as news concerning someone close, but it is also seen as the mind's tension in the face of a great change coming. Dreams of hair falling out or being cut are likewise tied to worry or a shift in one's strength. It's best to take such dreams not as cause for alarm but as an occasion to look back at what in your life is about to change.
When You Dream the Same Dream Again and Again
If you dream the same dream or a similar scene over and over, it may be a sign of a theme that has lingered long in the heart. Recurring dreams usually reflect an emotion not yet resolved or a problem put off. At such times it's better to examine the overall mood the dream leaves and the recurring theme than to dig into each symbol one by one. Dream interpretation is most beneficial when regarded not as divination that hands down a verdict, but as one window for understanding oneself.
Dream symbols are not fixed answers but clues to be read against your heart and situation. If you're curious about the dream you just had, search a dream interpretation by its keyword and check its meaning for yourself.