Dreaming of Fire

photo by photozou

I hear the smoke alarm go off but don't pay attention. It's probably nothing. Then I go into my living room. I notice a burning smell and my cat is pacing around. I look at the fireplace closely and see that somehow burning embers have escaped from the fire grate and have landed all over the room. I'm afraid something will catch fire. When I pull the grate off I see that someone has put way too many logs in. I need to get them out.

Fire is one of the four elements, joining earth, water and air, which means that it is a natural force to be reckoned with.

In reality, it is the stuff of nightmares and fear but surprisingly tradional interpretations of the fire symbol are quite positive. For example, to dream of seeing your home burned means you have a loving family situation. It could also mean success and profit. Maybe that's why the saying "You're burning hot!" is a positive one.

Jung saw fire as a symbol of transformation and purification. Strong emotions or passion are associated with fire and these could be positive or negative (anger or love). Freud also saw fire as a symbol of passion but, of course, in a sexual sense. For example to dream of "poking a fire" represents sexual arousal.

Dreaming of a fire in a hearth represents security in your homelife, if it is contained.

In my dream, because I was concerned that the fire was growing out of control, the fire symbol may serve as a warning that my home life is not as secure as I thought and I'm trying to contain it. It is also a warning to me, to make sure in real life, that I turn off our electric fireplace when I leave the room. I don't want to "play with fire".

Dreaming of a Face

In my dream I am at a bright, white, outdoor clinic. I'm supposed to be getting my face lasered. I think the treatment is called "pixilate". I'm not entirely sure about this process or the price. The ladies there tell me it might be $125 or higher. I decided to go for it. They ask me if I'm allergic to peanuts because they will be putting a mixture on my face. I don't think I am but again not sure but just go along with the process. After the surgery I look at my face in the mirror. Nothing has changed - there are just as many brown spots as before. I'm slightly disappointed but am hopeful that my skin will become smoother with time.

While traditional interpretations suggest that seeing your own face in the mirror means you have a secret that will be discovered, or unhappiness - you might lose your marriage, future plans and the esteem of friends- I prefer the more psychological approach that suggests that
In dreams a face represents the persona you present to the world and not
necessarily your real self.
You might want to reflect on what this dream face is saying about you.

A dream face could show how you want to be seen. (This could be the case if your dream face looks more attractive than your usual one.)

You dream face could reflect how you feel. Look at the details for clues.
For instance:
scarred face = emotionally scarred
pimples = eruptive emotions
wrinkled forehead = worry

In my dream, it seems I am going somewhere to have my face fixed by professionals who seem to know what they're doing but I'm not entirely convinced. Interestingly, peanuts are a symbol for getting to the truth about something in order to reach your full potential.I guess these people were trying to help me.

So I see this dream as a reminder of my own potential for positive change and maybe I should accept the help of others to do this. And maybe I will also book myself in for a laser treatment to get rid of the dark spots on my face. Can't hurt, can it?

Dreaming of a Lake: Water Symbols and Healing Dreams

photo by MSVG - Michael Gil


In my dream I'm at a lake. Not in it - but I am doing things by it. In one scene, I am in a dormitory by the lake. There are twisty passages that a scrappy young girl leads me through. In another scene I am climbing up a vine covered cliff on the side of the lake. It is hard but I'm with a group of teenage girls who are encouraging me. In the final scene, I am in a golden, forest edged field on the side of the lake. I am playing a running game with some kids. I woke up from the dream feeling thankful and rejuvinated.

Water, in dreams, often stands as a symbol of your emotional state. While rapids or churning water can represent agitation, the still waters of a lake indicate calmness.

In Mythology, lakes are places of healing and spirituality. Both the Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legend, as well as the Greek sea nymph Thetis, were spiritual beings that inhibited the still waters and provided guidance to mortals who made the pilgrimage to see them.

When you dream of a lake you have the potential to access your source of power and deep emotional well being.In my dream, I do think the lake symbolized this and the adolescent girls were there as my guides.

What places in your dreams heal you? Leave me a comment below.

Numbers in Dreams

My daughter dreams she saw 19 bees flying around. They stung her 16 times on her ear.

I am on a boat, speeding down the river. In the water there are clumps of fish in groups of 3's. I scoop them up with a net.

I take an old clock into a shop to be fixed. The shopkeeper finds a key labelled #33 that will fit in the lock.


Sometimes numbers in dreams have a personal association to the dreamer. Pin codes, birthdates, and phone numbers could be an example of this.

When numbers figure prominently in our dreams we should pay attention because they are acting as a symbol. Throughout history, all cultures and religions have regarded numbers as symbols that can represent both inner qualities as well as universal ones.
If you are interested in the meaning of numbers, looking into Numerology, the study of Kabbalah, or Tarot all yield rich number meanings and associations.

Because this blog post is short I will just discuss the numbers in the dreams above and what they might symbolize:

- 19 suggests independence and overcoming struggles by standing up for yourself.
- 16 represents a struggle for freedom
- 3 sybolizes the union of body, mind and spirit
- 33 is a powerful master number which stands for personal wisdom and understanding

There are many online dream dictionaries that can tell you the meaning of numbers as well as paperback dream dictionaries. My favourite is The Dream Dictionary From A-Z by Theresa Cheung. What is key to remember is that when numbers figure in dreams, they can be an important symbol that can show you where you are at spiritually and what you may be feeling unconsciously. Share your own number dreams below.

Dreaming of a Key

I am with a little blond girl in a castle. We are holding an ornately decorated diary but it is locked. I know I need to find a key to open it. I want to find out what it says.

I am in a clock repair shop. I have this long, old fashioned clock that needs to be repaired. The shopkeeper looks on the wall and finds a key that will fit the clock. It looks like a house key and has the number 33 on it.

A key unlocks things, so when it appears in a dream, it is a symbol for the same purpose. It could also mean the key or the solution to a problem. It is a symbol of freedom. Conversely, if the key doesn't fit the lock, it could mean that you need to find a different solution to your problem.

A diary, or journal, could be a symbol of my thoughts and dreams. So the key to my freedom (I was in a castle tower, maybe locked in) would be through my hopes and dreams.

A clock is a symbol for time. So in that dream the key could mean that the solution to my problems is time, giving it time. Or, since its was an old clock, maybe the solution lies in the past? Numbers are significant in dreams. Apparently, the number 33 is a Master Number which is a powerful symbol of wisdom and understanding.

Freud saw a key as a phallic symbol so the lock would symbolize the vagina. I think that's silly, but thought I should mention it anyways. Gustav Hindman Miller collaborates this view with his folksy interpretation of the key symbol: "If a young woman dreams of unlocking a door with a key, she will have a new lover and have overconfidence in him. If she locks a door with a key, she will be successful in selecting a husband." What would dreaming of a key mean for you?

Astral Projection

I am dreaming but I am suddenly aware that I am lying on a cold cement floor. This is not where I am supposed to be. I tell myself to get back into my body. I am aware that I am back in my bed under my covers.

My daughter often dreams that she finds herself lying in the middle of the road outside our house. She tells herself to get back in bed.

Astral Projection is one of the more controversial topics about dreaming. The idea is weird and scary to say the least; that is, the idea that we have two bodies, our physical one and our astral body. As seen in the picture above, the two are joined together by an invisible cord so when we sleep our astral body (some people say it is our soul) can travel to different places. We are conscious of this in our dreams. (Could also be referred to as an "out of body experience" or Dream Walking).

Some people believe this is a real phenomena and that you can actually learn to control where you go. Some people wake up in the morning with real marks on their body showing what happened in their dreams (i.e. in your dream you get stabbed with a knife in the stomach and in the morning you have a scratch in that place). Dream guru Robert Moss talks about these kind of experiences extensively in his blog if you are looking for more information.

Personally, I don't know if I believe this really happens or if it's just a trick of mind when we sleep. If it were real, it would be a cool way to time travel and experience things but I'm not convinced. I haven't had any definitive experiences myself with it. Apparently, the phenomena affects children more than adults.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has anything else to say on this topic. Please comment below.

Dreaming About Twins

In my dream I am startled by the appearance of twin little boys looking in my bedroom window. I am afraid they might break into my house so I shoo them away. Later on in my dream the same twin boys make another appearance. We are in a building (maybe a Sunday School classroom?) and they are chasing around with some other kids. They have dark curly brown hair and dark eyes. They are wild and mischievous but I'm not afraid of them like I was the first time although I am stressed that they are out of control.

Twins are an archetypal image dating back to ancient times. Most cultures (Vedic, Greek, Celtic) have similar stories about twin boys born to a mortal woman; yet one is fathered by a man and one by a god thus, one is mortal and one is immortal. In Greek mythology, these twins, Castor and Pollux, form the astrological symbol of Gemini. Long story short, the twins stand for patron saints of sailors, travellers, and athletes and often appear at a moment of crisis.

Carl Jung believed that the twin image symbolized two aspects of our personality. If they were not identical, that showed the conflict between the two, if they were, it showed harmony. In my dream the twins were identical.

Sometimes a little boy shows up in my dreams and he has a similar look to the twins - dark brown hair, eyes and complexion. He is very precocious but also serves as a guide of sorts for me. I think of him as my little "animus" (the male aspect of my personality). The qualities of a little boy - curious, carefree, wild, may be something I am struggling with integrating into my personality. "Come out and play" or something like that.

So, my dream...the fact that there were twin boys this time and the way they appeared to me makes me think that I really need to pay attention to them. I do feel like I am shouldering a lot of responsibility right now so maybe I am struggling with that subconsciously. I like the idea that they could be appearing in a time of crisis to help me.