9 Common Dream Symbols and What They Mean

Shutterstock.com

People have an incredible desire to understand what their dreams mean. The process of breaking down the elements in a dream can be fun and exciting, because dreams usually reflect the dreamer’s life in various ways. The meaning of the dream is specific and tailored to the dreamer, and as such there is no wrong interpretation of it. Some dreams can be lighthearted, while others might be tapping into dark emotions. Our dreams are our brain’s unconscious way of trying to communicate with us.

Symbols that appear in dreams can mean a large variety of things due to no two people having the exact same brain or life-experiences. However, there are some universal symbols in dreams that are based on the qualities they possess. We will focus on the most frequently appearing dream structures and archetypes and explain what they could possibly mean for you. Here are nine of the most common dream symbols.

House

Shutterstock.com

A house in a dream is a symbol of the dreamer’s sense of self. No matter what other imagery or circumstances may present themselves in the dream, a house is always an unconscious expression of your identity. The perspective or view of the house takes on a specific meaning. The front of a house connects you to your persona, the part of yourself you regularly show the world, while the back of the house is what is private or hidden. Different rooms in the house mean different things as well. If you find yourself in a bathroom, it is representative of connecting to your private self. While the kitchen is the heart of the home, where friends and family come together, it represents some of our heart’s deepest wishes in a dream.

Past Relationships

Shutterstock.com

Dreaming of an ex is a very common dream image and often leaves the dreamer confused. Many people find the experience disturbing, whether because such dreams elicit grief and sadness or because they are a horrifying reminder of something the person is glad to have in the past. However the appearance of an ex can be a part of your unconscious mind's healing process. It is a way to deal with the grief of the loss. Alternatively, it can have nothing to do with the ex. Instead it can be a signal for the dreamer to consider the qualities of that person or the dynamic surrounding the breakup, and how those qualities can be used in current waking life. In these sense, the dream could be trying to get you to identify a lesson to be learned.

Celebrities

Celebrities are the gods and goddesses of the modern world. Millions of people look up to celebrities, and because of this our perception about them is skewed. We see celebrities as having superhuman status and have a higher regard for them. Celebrities show up in our dreams when the stakes are high and it’s our brain’s way of telling us to pay attention. Just as you might interpret someone in your dreams whom you know based on the qualities or personality traits that they exhibit in waking life, the same process applies to a celebrity, but on a more heightened, aspirational level. Consider the qualities of the person you are dreaming about, taking into account how you perceive them, if they are in the public’s favor, and if you are a fan. Once you have done this, you are more able to understand what character aspect of yourself your dreaming about.

Animals

pixabay.com

Animals in dreams are very powerful symbols. They represent the instinctive nature of human beings and are a direct link to the dreamer’s personal power. Consider the essence and energetic qualities of the animal that appears in your dream. Your unconscious mind is telling you that you need these qualities in order to face some element of your life. For example, the dove is a symbol of peace and love. If you saw a dove in your dream, it’s saying you need to conjure up those qualities to solve a problem. Other common animals include the lion, which symbolizes courage, decisiveness and leadership, the owl, which symbolizes wisdom and the snake, which can symbolize transformation and rebirth as well as temptation.