Cage
This dream symbol suggests that you may be
experiencing inhibition and powerlessness in some areas of your
life. Additionally, you may be feeling restricted and have
concerns about your personal freedom. (Who holds the key to the
cage in your dream?) Consider all of the details in the dream and
look for its possible source (i.e. family life, relationships,
thoughts and/or feelings, or work life).
Cake
It may symbolize the sweet and pleasurable
parts of life. The dream may be interpreted according to your
interaction with the cake in the dream.
Calculator
See: Numbers,
Machinery,
Money
Cancer
Dreams are symbolic and not literal — most of the time. Cancer
tumors in dreams represent a variety of unprocessed psychological
and emotional materials that the dreamer may be obsessing on.
They represent all of those things that bother, disturb, anger,
or hurt us and that we never directly deal with or let go of. The
dreamer’s mental, psychic or emotional problems may be
proliferating and infecting many areas of thought and function.
You may be experiencing anxiety and fear as a result of a bad
habit or a certain situation in your daily life. However, if you
are very worried and cannot get it out of your mind, go for a
physical. When is the last time you did that anyway? In more
superstitious interpretations, dreaming of cancer may be
considered a dream of the contrary,
but also of warning!
Candles
They symbolize light and where there is
light, there is hope. A lit candle suggests that you are
unconsciously seeking comfort and some sort of spiritual
enlightenment. An unlit candle suggests that you may be feeling
rejection and disappointment or can’t see anything positive or
“light” in a situation or in yourself. If in your dream
you watch the candle burn down to nothing, it suggests that you
may have fears of getting older and dying. For men it may connote
a fear about waning sexual abilities.
Cannibalism
Anyone who has ever raised teenagers knows
all about cannibalism. (Just kidding!) This dream may reflect
dark, destructive and forbidden desires or obsessions. Cannibals
literally consume other people’s lives and, along with it, their
energy. When interpreting this dream, consider those things which
consistently drain you and take away from your enthusiasm and the
general quality of your life. It may be any number of things,
such as career or a relationship. However, realize that you are
not a victim of life, but rather its creator. Thus, make changes
which will increase your energies, but not take away from others.
Some believe that dreaming about cannibalism is a dream warning
the dreamer to stay away from things that are destructive and
less than honorable.
Car
The car in your dream may symbolize the
physical self or ego development and ego function. In that, it
represents the way that you travel through your life’s journey.
Consider all of the details in the dream, including its emotional
content (e.g. difficulty of the road, identity of the driver,
direction of the incline). Recurring car dreams usually deal with
life’s major themes that may include issues of control and
sensibility. By carefully examining this dream, you may gain
insight into important areas of life, including to how well you
are navigating from one stage of your life to another, if you are
assertive and take charge or are passive. Dreaming about
traveling in a car is a very, very common dream theme that
provides valuable information in regard to a specific part of or
long-standing theme in your life’s journey. See
also: Journey,
Road
Carnival
See: Amusement Park
Cartoons
Seeing a cartoon world in your dreams or
seeing cartoon-like people suggests that your unconscious is
sending up messages which are telling you something about the way
you perceive the world. The cartoon people, or cartoon
characters, suggest that you may perceive yourself and those
around you as comical or as not having much validity or
seriousness. Your perceptions may be somewhat off due to your
inability to look at the way things really are. Your mind’s eye
distorts things so that you are more comfortable with what is
going on around you. If your world is full of stress and this
dream made you laugh, consider the compensatory nature of it. In
your dream you may be able to obtain moments of lightheartedness
and fun.
Castle
A castle in a dream may be symbolic of the
“cavern of the heart.” It represents the home of the
human spirit (yours) and the natural self. Dreams with castles in
them may come from deeper levels of the unconscious, or the
collective unconscious. They may represent spiritual
transcendence and the mysterious and intangible force that seems
to quietly, but firmly, direct our lives. A castle in a dream may
also represent feelings of security, protection, isolation or
remoteness. You may have a castle dream when you have realized a
desire or accomplished a goal. Darkened castles may be symbolic
of unconscious or unfocused desires, at times, black castles
represent our failures and white, or lighted castles, symbolize
achievement and awareness.
Cat
Cats have both positive and negative
connotations. You need to consider all of the details in the
dream in order to obtain accurate interpretation. The cat can be
a symbol of sexuality, femininity, prosperity and power. A cat is
also an independent animal, and in your dream you may be
associating yourself or someone else with these characteristics.
Usually the dream is telling you about yourself and not others.
Historically black cats have been symbols of evil and bad luck.
If you are a cat lover and have one as a pet, the symbolism may
not apply to your dream. Old, superstition-based dream
interpretations say that a cat is a bad omen and that you can
expect deceit from those that you trust.
Caterpillar
This bug may represent a stage in your own personal growth and
development. The butterfly is a symbol of transformation; it
represents a level of individual achievement. The caterpillar, on
the other hand, may indicate that you are on your way but have
not reached your goal. You may be in earlier stages of
accomplishing a real-life goal, a relationship goal, or even a
spiritual goal. The caterpillar may represent a specific area of
your life or may be symbolic of the larger you.
Cave
Caves are rich and thought-provoking dream
symbols. At times, a woman with reproductive issues may have a
cave dream, in which case it represents the womb. The cave, as
the womb, can represent new life, creativity, warmth and safety.
The cave can be a general symbol of a safe place, a sanctuary or
a refuge. If you are experiencing much anxiety in daily life, in
your dream state you may retreat to a warm cave where you cannot
be disturbed by worldly demands. The cave could also represent
the mysterious and unexplored parts of ourselves. It could be
symbolic of the unconscious mind, which could be a pleasant or a
frightening experience. Your personal associations and
experiences with caves, as well as the details and the emotional
content of this dream, need to be carefully considered before
making an interpretation.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a collection of dead organic
matter. It is a sad and depressing place that doesn’t reflect any
joy, and reflects even less hope. Dreaming about cemeteries may
be a reflection of your mood or unresolved grief. It may
literally represent sadness that comes from losing someone that
you love, or it could represent your past and long-gone
experiences. See also: Grave/Graveyard
Chase
Folklore interpretations say that if you are
looking at a chase or participating in it, you will have a
comfortable old age. Although this may be comforting, there is a
more realistic understanding of this activity in a dream. If you
are being chased, maybe you are running away from or trying to
escape those things that are frightening and unpleasant (possibly
your own habits and negative behaviors). If you are doing the
chasing, it may be that you are expressing some aggressive
feelings toward others or are pursuing a very difficult goal. On
the deepest level, if a stranger is chasing you it may represent
your chasing a part of yourself, the unconscious attempts to
catch up with the conscious in order for you to become more aware
of yourself and your own multidimensional nature.
Chewing
gum
For several years now, I have been receiving
similar dreams from people all over the world. The dreams are
almost exactly the same and involve the dreamers’ inability to
get rid of chewing gum. The more they attempt to remove it from
their mouths the larger and more unmanageable it becomes. In the
dream they become frustrated and panicky because the harder they
try to pull, the larger the mass becomes in their mouths. This
dream suggests that the dreamer may experience frustration in
daily life due to a large scale or standing insolvable problem
that leaves them feeling powerless. The dream represents an
inability to digest or to process information or a dilemma. It
also suggests that the dreamer is not able to express him or
herself effectively and that repetitive and ineffective verbal
expressions are typically used. Chewing gum in dreams may be a
sign of childlike behaviors, vulnerability, powerlessness, and a
need for nourishment.
Chickens
This flightless bird may be pointing to personal characteristics
and needs that you may not necessarily want to look at. Consider
the activities in the dream, as well as the mood, and then
attempt to make a good interpretation. Chickens can represent
cowardliness, gossip, excessive talking, and powerlessness. They
are not known for their intelligence or beauty, and their
presence in your dream could be an invitation to get more serious
and better focused. The more positive suggestion in this dream is
in that chickens lay eggs. Eggs are symbolic of something new and
fragile. They represent life and development in its earliest
forms and as such, their possibilities are limitless.
Child
Some people have reoccurring dreams about a
small child, while others, from time to time, dream about
unfamiliar children. The child in your dream could represent your
inner self, or the child within. The dream could be based on
childhood memories, and it may carry a specific message or bring
up long-buried issues. On the other hand, the dream could simply
be a pleasant memory. Children in dreams could symbolize a need
and an eagerness to learn, simplicity, intuition, new endeavors
and many other positive attributes of childhood. Occasionally,
the child in your dreams may be pointing to your own childish
ways. Therefore, consider all of the details and the tone of the
dream before making an interpretation.
Choking
See: Smothering
Church
Dreaming about being in a church is more
common than most people realize. Each week I get several requests
to add church to the dictionary. This may be so due to the fact
that most of us went to church as children. From a very early age
we had to go to church and were taught that there was a God. This
was important in our life and to our families. Dreaming about
churches, cathedrals, synagogues, or any other place of worship
may represent our childhood associations with religion. At times,
the dream may be a muddled childhood memory. The church could
represent a need for greater spirituality in the dreamer’s life.
It may express religious beliefs, everyday occurrences, issues of
safety, security and strength through community and religious
expression. None of us can escape the age-old questions,
“Who am I?” and, “What is the meaning of
life?”. Coping with our own physical mortality is a very big
deal. Both our conscious, and unconscious minds are continually
working and bringing issues of relevance and concern into our
awareness. Think about the details of your dream and make an
attempt to honestly understand its meaning.
Cigarettes
The interpretation of this symbol, as with
all others, depends on your relationship with cigarettes. If you
are a smoker or are surrounded by smokers, cigarettes may be a
regular part of your daily life which has been brought into your
dream state. Cigarettes could represent anything from phallic
symbols and symbols of pleasure to tools of destruction.
Generally, the cigarette is an object which carries social and
emotional significance. When we are teenagers, we associate them
with being “cool,” daring, and defiant. For some adults
they become a way of life where all emotions seem to be
punctuated with cigarettes. Finally, as adults come into touch
with their own physical mortality, cigarettes become dreadful
objects, and smoking becomes a terrible burden and curse. When
interpreting the dream with cigarettes in it, ask yourself what
cigarettes mean to you. See also:
Smoking
Circle
The circle symbolizes infinity, the circle
of life and the eternal unknown. You, the dreamer, may have come
to a greater degree of spiritual awareness, so the dream could be
spiritual in nature. Carl Jung called all circular images a
“mandala.” It is one of the most important dream
symbols which represent the psychic center of personality. It is
symbolic of wholeness, completeness and unity of the self.
However, as always, examine all of the details in the dream, as
well as its tone and mood, and rule out the possibility of
“going in circles” as the primary message in the dream.
Cliff
Standing on the edge of a cliff could be a
frightening, but at the same time an exhilarating experience.
Dreaming about cliffs generally indicates that the dreamer has
come to a point of heightened understanding and awareness. An
increase in the level of consciousness may have occurred. Through
hard work and perseverance, the dreamer may have reached a
vantage or plateau of understanding.
Climbing
Going upward, or ascending, is always a
positive dream symbol. Whether you are struggling on a difficult
rope or ladder or walking up an easy slope, this dream suggests
that you are moving in the right direction. If the climb in your
dream is extremely difficult, it may be pointing to some
obstacles that you need to overcome before reaching your goals.
Consider all of the details in your dream, and if you recently
completed a difficult task, achieved a goal (e.g. graduating),
this dream may be reflective in nature. See
also: Cliff
Clock
Carl Jung called all circular images a “mandala.” It is
one of the most important dream symbols which represent the
psychic center of personality. It is symbolic of wholeness,
completeness, and unity of the self. The clock is a mandala that
revolves and it may represent immortality. On the lighter side,
when you are dreaming about a clock, time is an obvious issue.
You may be currently experiencing anxiety in regard to a
time-sensitive situation. For example, people worry about their
“biological clock” running out, or they are concerned
about not being “on top of things.” In general,
however, this dream may be a reminder that you need to speed up
your actions and that time is an important factor. Old dream
interpretations say that if you hear a clock strike, (or alarm go
off), positive things will happen to you, and if you are winding
a clock, you will fall in love! When interpreting this dream, try
to remember the time and then attempt to understand how those
numbers are meaningful to you.
Closet
The closet in your dream may have emotional,
psychological, or physical connotations. Closets are used to
store good things that we need as well as useless stuff.
Emotionally they hold memories, secrets, precious emotions and
valuable thoughts. Consider all of the details in your dream and
try to see the message clearly. Do you need to clean out the
closet, come out of the closet, or share the things that you have
stored in that closet?
Clothing
Clothing generally represent our worldly
appearance or status. At times, it may represent our attitudes
toward ourselves and others. Mostly, it represent the way that we
appear to the world. Clothes are not symbolic of our private
self, but rather of our public self. A poor man wears different
clothes than a rich man. A doctor’s attire is different from that
of a carpenter. The type of clothing that we wear varies from
situation to situation. The type of clothes that you are wearing
in the dream will give you clues to the meaning of the dream and
to your unconscious ideas about yourself and others.
Clouds
Clouds are made of air and water, two of the
four basic elements. Some would say that the soul is represented
by air and spirit by water. Your positive energy and idealism
could be represented by white clouds and your more negative
personal characteristics, and private thoughts, by dark storm
clouds.
Cockroaches
Seeing and at times just thinking about
cockroaches makes a person feel squeamish and repulsed. When
dreaming about these dreaded insects, the unconscious mind may be
hinting to the dreamer that he needs to reevaluate and reassess a
major part of his life. There is never just one roach; thus, the
areas of life that need cleansing and renewal may be deep and
wide. The negativity or contamination that is represented by the
roaches may affect a great deal of your life. Thus, this may be a
call to clean your psychological, emotional, and spiritual self.
(Also, examine your motives!) On a less dramatic note,
cockroaches in our dreams may be associated with food and
uncleanliness, so don’t leave the dishes for tomorrow!
Coffin
This dream symbol most likely evokes fear,
but before making quick interpretations, carefully consider all
of the details in this dream. The coffin could symbolize a lack
of energy or vitality in the dreamer. It could represent the
death of one stage of life and movement into another. (Not
necessarily physical death! In fact, some cultures believe that
if you see a person dead and in a coffin, he will most likely
live a long and healthy life!) When dreaming about coffins, we
may be contemplating the nature of the death experience and may
access the state of consciousness that is attuned to the
spiritual world. Most simply, and most likely, the coffin in your
dreams may represent feelings of confinement and lack of freedom.
See also: Burial, Death
Colors
Most people dream in colors, but at times some stand out more
than others. Colors are symbolic and their symbolism is part of
culture. We communicate with color and relate ideas with them.
For example, a bride wears white and black is worn at funerals.
Colors also represent energy. The meaning that you give to the
colors in your dreams depends on the meaning that you give to
those colors in daily life. If you “see red” when you
are angry, then red symbolizes anger and not passion for you.
Some generalizations have been made as to the meaning of colors
in dreams. They are as follows
Black: depression, sadness, despair. Some believe it symbolizes
hidden sexual desires.
Blue: spirituality, optimism, positive thoughts, communication.
Some believe that when you see it in your dreams, you may be in
the presence of your spiritual guide.
Green: money, jealousy, health concerns, love.
Red: passion, sexuality, anger, warning.
White: purity, transformation, cleanliness, dignity.
See also: Pink,
Yellow, Brown, Purple, Orange
Couch
Dreaming about a couch could mean that you
may have a need for some rest and relaxation. The couch also has
other symbolism. For example, it could be an object that brings
up warm memories, such as those of your first love, whom you
snuggled and first kissed. Additionally, look at all the details
of your dream and try to determine if your couch is symbolic of
an analyst’s “couch,” such as Freud had. Old dream
interpretation books offer a somewhat strange but curious
meaning. They say that the couch may be symbolic of a false sense
of security and that you should listen to the advice of those
that love you!
Cow
In our dreams, this simple domestic animal
can represent a variety of very important and deeply-felt issues.
In some cultures the cow is a sacred symbol, representing divine
qualities of fertility, nourishment and motherhood. Consider the
details in your dream and make attempts to identify the
individual, (it could be yourself), to whom the symbolism
applies. Additional characteristics to consider when interpreting
a dream with cows as one of the primary symbols are passivity,
docility and general contentment with life. The cow is mostly a
positive dream symbol, and superstition-based dream
interpretation say that grazing cows are symbols of prosperity,
contentment and happiness. See also: Animals
Crab
At first glance a crab seems to be a very
negative dream symbol. It could represent a “crabby” or
unpleasant personality. The claws could be symbolic of a clinging
and hurtful person, or a side of your own personality. There may
be too much dependence, clinging and forcefulness in your life.
The crab may also symbolize your inability to effectively move
forward and address your own difficulties. (Remember the crab
often moves sideways or backwards.) Some folklore interpretations
say that the crab is an omen of poor health. However, there is a
more positive interpretation for the crab in your dream. In some
areas of metaphysics, the crab is a representative of the sea and
the sky. It represents physical nourishment which can be obtained
from the sea and also intellectual nourishment. As with all water
dwelling animals, the crab could also represent something in the
unconscious and the emotions. See also: Animals, Cancer
Crown
A crown made of gold and jewels symbolizes
power, honor, and status. It could also symbolize an
accomplishment or a passage into higher levels of consciousness
or spiritual awareness. When interpreting this dream, pay
attention to what kind of crown it is and who is wearing it. This
dream may be congratulatory, (i.e. esteem for a job well done).
Different types of crowns may have varying meanings (e.g. Jesus
had a crown of thorns and was a martyr). All crowns are circular
and in that way they bring up issues of completeness and
wholeness and point to the center of personality.
Crucifix
(cross)
A cross can have several seemingly varying connotations, or the
interpretation may be multifaceted. It may represent your
spirituality and the coming together of all different parts of
your personality. It is a Christian symbol and you can think
about what it means to you. The other interpretation may be less
spiritual and more of a reflection of how you are feeling. A
cross is a symbol of pain and suffering. Think if you are feeling
as though you are being “crucified” by something that
is going on in your life.
Crying
In our dreams we experience a variety of
emotions. Crying in the dream state generally has the same
meaning as crying in daily life. It is a release of negative
emotion, frustration, or fear. On the other hand, you could be
experiencing the tears of joy. Due to repression or denial,
sometimes people are unable to express their feelings. In the
dream state some of our defense mechanisms may relax and an
emotional release occurs. Some emotional dreams may be
compensatory in nature. Thus, if you never cry in daily life, you
may cry in your dreams.