Dream Symbols beginning with the letter I

Ice
Ice, or water in the solid form, is associated with the emotions and the unconsciousness. Dreaming about ice suggests that you may have some emotions or denied psychological issues that are not readily accessible to you. These feelings may be negative. (I.e. fear and anxiety about death or sexual frigidity [for some people these are one and the same, sorry, just a joke!].) Things that are frozen are generally not usable and they do not change or grow. This dream may be pointing to feelings or thoughts that are inaccessible to you or to that part of you that is inaccessible to others. Superstition based dream interpretation books tell us that sitting on ice in your dreams is a dream of the contrary. It indicates that you may have a life of comfort and prosperity (this is may be silly to some but others like to hear these type of interpretations!)

Ice-cream
Eating, making, selling or serving ice cream suggests that you are feeling contentment and satisfaction in your life. Things are well and the best is yet to come. Alternatively, you may be compensating in a dream for a lack in daily life. For example, not enough “sweetness” or sincerity during the day may bring images of ice cream into the night.

Ice-skating
Please read the interpretation of
ice and take it one step further. This dream suggests that you may have a part of your emotional or psychological life in a stagnant or inaccessible form. You may be functioning in your daily life without regard to large issues that you are denying. This is a good dream symbol that encourages you to look at those parts of your life that you are most reluctant to address but are very important to your happiness.

Illness
If you are ill in your dream, please pay attention to your health. At times our unconscious gives us warnings before we are consciously aware of any symptoms. Emotional health can also be included in such dreams, so take care of your relationships and express your feelings in positive ways. If someone you care about is ill in your dream, maybe you are concerned about losing the support and love of that person.

Incest
This could be an extremely disturbing dream, but it does not necessarily have anything to do with sex. It is possible that you may be worried about other aspects of your family life. If this dream persists, you may consider talking to a professional about it. If you are currently making important decisions, don’t do anything that is morally questionable because you are already experiencing disturbing dreams associated with taboos that bring up feelings of guilt and shame.

Infidelity
Dreaming about being unfaithful suggests that you take a better look at your current relationship. What was the person in your dream giving you (emotionally or otherwise) that your real life partner does not? Communicate effectively and begin to develop those areas of your relationship that need most improvement. Understanding this dream may assist you in understanding your relationship and the level of attachment to your partner. Many people write about “dreams of cheating.” Either they are cheating, or they believe that their boyfriends/girlfriends are cheating on them. In either case, they are upset and outraged by such dreams. It seems logical that these types of dreams are connected to feelings of inadequacy or dissatisfaction. If the partner in your dream was a total stranger then the dream may be much more personal and profound. It could be telling you something about the relationship that you have with yourself by giving you clues about the nature of your unconscious.

Insects
Some dream interpretation books name specific insect symbols. However, the main idea to consider when you are interpreting this dream symbol is that you may currently be annoyed or “bugged” by a person or a situation in life. Use common sense and some general impressions about the specific insect when interpreting your dream. For example, if you are dreaming about bees stinging you think, about some of your relationships. If you are dreaming about ants consider you social interactions and work ethic.

Intercourse
It is very difficult to name just a few possible interpretations for this dream. It is complex and complicated, and the interpretations vary with each dreamer and with the situations in the dream. A sexual dream may be about physical pleasure but it may also be about power, control, manipulation, virility, and effectiveness. It may be a form of wish-fulfillment or a memory. In most cases it is not a prediction of things to come in the near future. Freud believed that experiencing sexual pleasure in your dreams is always desire or wish-fulfillment. If you are watching other people having sex it may be a reflection on your emotional and mental concerns about sexual performance or interaction. The meaning depends on your emotional reactions to what is going on and on the general mood in the dream.

Intruder
Seeing an intruder breaking into your house or hurting you or someone else can be a very frightening dream. Depending on the level of fear this dream is, at times, a nightmare. The intruder breaking the law or breaking into your house may be representation of an unconscious part of your psyche. Carl Jung called the negative forces the “shadow.” The intruder may be a symbol of your guilt and self-indulgent attitudes or behaviors. On the other hand, it may represent the more negative side of your nature. If you had a fearful real-life experience with an intruder through this dream you may be reliving that experience and hopefully letting go of the fear.

Iris
An iris is a spring flower that symbolizes several very positive and uplifting conditions. In Japan, it is believed that the iris has the power to purify the body and protect the household from disease and evil. Iris is also a God in Greek mythology. She is a messenger that represents the link between heaven and earth and between gods and men. This is a very interesting and specific dream symbol. In order to figure out what it means to you personally, consider your current needs. Do you have a need for purification and safety or are you looking for inspiration?

Island
Dreaming about being on an island can have several different meanings and could be very revealing. Consider your mood in this dream. Was the island a place of rest, peace or solitude? If the answer is yes, it suggests that you may need time to yourself for restoration and renewal. The sea or the ocean generally symbolizes our unconscious. Thus, if you were very lonely or fearful of the waters around you, it may be an indication that you are unwilling to look deeply into yourself. You may be afraid of the materials that are under the surface of your conscious thoughts and feelings.