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.

Dreaming of a Piano

In my dream I was standing in a white walled, white floored empty room. It was a store or something I was renovating. Someone had given me a white baby grand piano. I was pleasantly surprised because I always wanted a grand piano, although the one I wanted was actually black. Some workers, who were also dressed in white, tried to lower the piano into the room from the ceiling with a crane. The piano crashed to the floor. I was relieved to find that the only thing that was broken was a sheet of glass that covered the keyboard called a "tuner". I supposed I could still play it anyways although it wouldn't be in tune.

I have played the piano since I was four but I think this is the first piano dream I have ever had. For me to read that the piano is a symbol for creativity definitely makes sense.

The background of white represents a fresh start or a blank canvas on which to express my creativity.

It was interesting that when the piano crashed the only thing broken was a glass sheet that would not normally belong to the piano. Glass is usually a symbol for a barrier, in this case, a barrier to my creativity? Something that I thought was necessary to be "in tune" was actually not?

I like this dream. I felt it was really affirming of my creative life.

"Checking on My Car": Recurring Dreams

(image by Andrew Curtis)

My friend just told me about a recurring dream he was having. In it, he is inside a house where he feels safe and comfortable. There are different groups of people in the house, friends from the present and past, people that he has known. But he is very concerned about his car that is parked outside in the street. The street is not safe and he obsessively checks the car over and over to make sure it's okay. He also said the dream is "sexually charged".

Recurring dreams usually happen where there is a situation in waking life that needs attention or needs to be dealt with and your unconscious mind will continue to prod you with the dream until you do!

Both a house and a car symbolize aspects of the self. A house reflects your soul (in this case a modest, comfortable, safe house). A car represents your personal space. In this dream, my friend is worried "his space" or his person will be taken from him. I discuss these symbols more in depth in the blog entries "Dreaming of a House" and "Driving a Car".

A street or road usually symbolizes the direction your life it taking. In the dream, the street felt unsafe so maybe the "road" (career path?) my friend is currently on is not a safe or wise one to be on. Maybe he is afraid that he will lose control of himself on it? This could also relate to the sexual feelings he has in the dream (ie. a lack of control)or maybe they are just there to stress the importance of the dream.

In my own dreams, whenever groups of friends appear, I always feel like they are there to judge me, but other people might see groups of people being supportive, helpful or a distraction. It depends on how you feel about them in the dream and in waking life.

A way to stop recurring dreams is to try to change some aspect of them while you are dreaming. My friend could try getting in the car and driving it to another place he felt was safe. (Maybe try parking it in the garage!) He could get one of his friends in the house to help him. Or he could imagine someone stealing the car. What would that do to the dream?

Another way to stop the dream would be to change something in his waking life situation. Maybe he needs to find a new job or change some goals or plans he's made.

Dreaming of a Beard

image by WonderfullyStrange

In my dream I look into a mirror. As I lean in close I am surprised, and a little horrified, to see that my face is sprouting long blond hairs like a beard. I don't want anyone to see me like this so I try to pluck them out.

Beards have been an important symbol throughout history. Certain religions, like Islam, Judaism and the Amish, still place much importance on the beard; it is almost sacred. (see my article on the recent Amish Beard Cutting). In ancient times, almost every culture venerated the beard. It was seen as a symbol of masculinity, virility, prestige and wisdom.

In Islam,the beard image has a great deal of significance if it appears in dreams. A very comprehensive list can be found at myislamicdreams but here are a few interpretations:
- if a beard is proportional it means you will have a nice life, money and prestige
- if it is too long you will have money but not enjoy it
- if your beard is shaved off it means you will be poor
- plucking out the hairs of a beard means you are wasting money

If a woman (like me) dreams of having a beard, according to Islamic interpretation she will 1) never conceive or 2) have a boy 3) she will be ill or 4) her husband's wealth will increase or 5) her husband will be absent.

From more of a psychological perspective, since a beard is such a traditional symbol of masculinity, for a woman to dream of having one usually means she is getting in touch with her masculine qualities.

In dreams, seeing yourself in a mirror means you are looking at a true reflection. So for me to see myself with a beard might mean that I am displaying some masculine qualities like strength or ambition. Or I could invoke the beard image as a symbol of wisdom and say that maybe I am becoming wise. Plucking out the hairs of my beard could mean I am uncomfortable with these qualities in myself.