Monday, November 16, 2020

Dreaming of Rabbits

 


It's my birthdayI take a cake out of a box. It blows up into a huge, pink bunny. 


I was in my childhood house. My cat changed into a small, white rabbit with red eyes. I had learned a spell to change her back but couldn't remember the right magic word.  So, my cat was this sad, white rabbit hopping around my parents' backyard. I didn't want to lose her.


Dreaming of Animals in General 

Animal symbols in our dreams can symbolize many things. Sometimes, an animal can represent a totem animal or spirit guide. (See Dreaming of A Bear), Animals in dreams can also exhibit qualities about ourselves or others that we might want to investigate further. Recurring animals dreams (See Dreaming of Rats) could happen in order to get our attention and can relate to phobias. 

Psychological Meaning

Freud, of course, saw animal dreams connecting to your sexual nature. Humans have tended to think of animals representing our most base, primitive selves. Carl Jung noted that animals in dreams symbolize our instincts. 

 Symbolism of Animals in Dreams

If you dream about an animal, you should then look at the symbolism of the particular animal. This includes universal symbolic meaning as well as what that animal personally means to you (i.e. Did you have a rabbit as a beloved pet? Or were you bitten by a wild rabbit as a child? ). How you feel about your dream symbol contributes greatly to your dream meaning.




Rabbit Symbol Meanings

A Rabbit has a few different symbolic meanings. The first ones are related to the general characteristics of a rabbit.

  • fertility and sexual activity
  • warmth 
  • shyness or timidity
  • hopping (as in hopping from one thing to the next - not staying put)
  • loyalty
There are also universal symbols associated with the rabbit.
  • good luck omen (the lucky rabbit's foot)
  • magical power (the magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat)
  • success is coming
  • a good omen for love

Why is the Rabbit Considered Lucky?

There is no definitive answer to how the tradition of carrying a rabbit's foot came about or saying "rabbit rabbit" to bring you luck. One thought is related to the old tradition of carrying a dead criminal's  hand as a powerful charm or amulet, "The Hand of Glory" (obviously rabbits' feet would be easier to get than dead criminals' hands!) Additionally, the rabbit's foot might correspond to the good event connected to the place it was taken from (i.e. the location of a battle won). 




Does Colour Matter?

Colour does matter in dreams, as different colours have different meanings. In my case, I think the fact that the rabbit was white was significant. For one thing, it reminds me of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland who served as a guide for Alice on her adventures. White also represents purity. Red in dreams signifies passion or war but a white rabbit with red eyes is actually an albino rabbit so I don't think the colour of the eyes in this case in significant. It was just a common rabbit type.

Phrases Related to Rabbits

Sometime there are sayings or phrases that literally relate to your dreams. Some common ones that relate to rabbits are:

  • Going down the rabbit hole  - being led somewhere or deep diving into the unknown
  • Pulling a rabbit out of a hat - you were lucky
  • As mad as a March hare - crazy
  • Going at it like rabbits - self explanatory:)

Interpretation of My Dreams

These dreams happened on different days. In the first dream, I take the fact that the dream was about my birthday to interpret the rabbit as a good sign for luck in the next year. Big luck! (related to the big size of the rabbit).

In the second dream, there are many factors contributing the to interpretation. First, where the dream takes place: my childhood home. A childhood home can represent your past (See Dreaming of a House).  Secondly, my cat. I see my cat representing a spiritual guide (See Dreaming of Cats). I was uncomfortable about her transforming into a rabbit and the magic involved in that. It did not seem she was happy with being a rabbit and I was afraid to lose her. So, while the image of the white rabbit represents luck coming, maybe I feel like it will not be within my control or that I have to control it somehow? Lots to think about. I should try going back into the dream and seeing where the white rabbit might take me. 

"Depend on the Rabbit's Foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit!" - R. E. Shay


Saturday, October 31, 2020

How To Celebrate Samhain Instead of Halloween This Year

 At a certain point in your life, you might feel like you've outgrown your usual Halloween celebrations. Carving pumpkins, taking the kids out trick-or-treating, getting dressed up and going to a costume party have lost their appeal for you. Maybe your kids have grown up or you're tired of the pressure of the party scene and you want to celebrate in a low key way. Celebrating Samhain might be an appealing alternative.





What is Samhain?

Samhain (pronounced saah-win or saah-ween) is a traditional Celtic/Northern European celebration of the end of summer and harvest and the beginning of the cold season. Many people celebrate it on October 31st, coinciding with Halloween, while others wait until the closest full moon. The idea is that, at this time of year, the veil between the living and the dead is thin, thus facilitating communication between the living and the dead. Samhain honours this spiritual transition of the earth by paying homage to nature's cycle as well as the deceased. This is a reflective, peaceful celebration in contrast to the fun and secularism of Halloween events.

How to Celebrate Samhain

You can celebrate Samhain in a way that is personal and resonates with you. There is no wrong way to do it. Again though, the focus should be on paying homage to or reflecting on the dead, whether that's passed ancestors, old relationships/ways of being, or the transition of seasons.


Rituals

A ritual is basically a ceremony of prescribed actions. It can be as elaborate or simple as you want. Check out the suggestions below to see what resonates for you. 

  • Create an altar or vignette of season decorations of gourds and flowers (this can include carving a pumpkin!)

  • Visit a cemetery to honour your deceased relatives. Reflect on their life and your relationship. Bring flowers as an offering of respect.

  • Engage in a full moon ritual to harness the energy of this time. This entails making a list of those things that you would like to get rid of in your life. Burn the list to symbolize the end of those things, making room for the new to manifest.

  • Contact your ancestors through dream-work or a professional. If you are comfortable doing this, book a session with a shaman or other professional for ancestral healing. If you do dream work on your own, this could just be as simple as paying attention to your dreams around this time and journalling them. Perhaps you will see a message come through from a deceased relative. Additionally, you could try lucid dreaming, where you set an intention to contact a relative and see where your imagination takes you! This can be a powerful practice to provide insight for your life as well as compassion for your ancestors.

  • Connect with Nature by taking walks in the forest or by the water during the day catching that last bit of vitamin D before the darker days of winter arrive. Also, walking in the moonlight connects you with the energy of the full moon.
Conclusion

While celebrating Halloween might have been fun in your youth, and there is always a time and a place for fun, maybe you are now ready to move on to a more reflective practice. The tradition of Samhain can get you in touch with the cycles of nature, the moon and your ancestors. You may find that it, in fact, becomes one of your favourite times of year, like me.


Related Posts

Beaver Moon - Full Moon Rituals

Dreaming of the Dead: Messages From Beyond

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