Popular Themes

What are the most popular themes in dreams, and what do they mean?

Being chased by a dog…

Dream: I have been having a reoccurring dream where I am being chased by a dog. I’ve been having this dream for roughly ten years. It changes over time but more or less the same. The dog is not vicious (although at one point it was), it just tends to chase after me. It’s sometimes barking, but mainly just starts chasing me.

Last night I had the dream again and this time it is like embedded into my thoughts today. This normally does not happen as I tend to just forget my dreams as the day progresses.

Last night’s dream… I was walking down what seemed to be a street. Next thing you know I see a dog staring at me. I begin to run away from it. The dog proceeds to chase me down the street. I end up jumping over a fence to get away. The dog jumps over it as well. I jump over other side of fence and so does the dog again. Finally I jumped over the fence as did the dog. We made eye contact and I woke up. I did not wake up in fear but i could not get back to sleep.

Please if you have any thoughts in regards to this I would truly appreciate it, as I am beginning to think my dreams have been trying to tell me something and I truly have no clue.

DreamsMaster: Yes, recurring dreams mean that your innermost self is trying to send you an important message. And the fact that this particular time the dream wouldn’t leave you adds extra emphasis to the urgency of the message. You mentioned that the dream first occurred 10 years ago. Can you recall what was going on in your life around the time you first had the dream? This would provide the first clue as to its meaning.

The dream’s recurring theme is rather straightforward: being chased by a dog. Let’s start by considering what a dog represents to you personally.

Since I don’t know you and can’t interview you in person, I will offer some general ideas of what a dog in a dream might mean. See if any of these seem to fit for you, and if not, see what other ideas are triggered that are more relevant.

A dog is often regarded as “man’s best friend” because of its unconditional trust and loyalty. A dog is also dependent on its master. In your dreams, the dog could represent someone in your life, or it could represent an aspect of yourself. It might even represent both. Here are some examples…

Perhaps the dream occurs when you are dealing with someone who is somewhat dependent on you. It might be a partner, a younger sibling, or even a child. At times this person’s dependency might become a bit overwhelming for you, and you may have an unconscious desire to run away from the responsibility. You may also be feeling some guilt about this, and trying to run from that feeling as well. This could be one possible interpretation of the dream metaphor of running away from the dog – trying to flee from the perceived burden of responsibility.

Being chased by “man’s best friend” could also by symbolic of betrayal. In other words, the dog could represent someone you’ve trusted and that has been loyal to you has suddenly turned on you.

Now let’s say there’s no one in your life that fits either of these descriptions. In this case, it’s possible that at times you unconsciously distrust and tend toward fleeing situations (such as potential relationships or jobs) that may require a certain level of personal responsibility.

Finally, take a look at these traits in yourself: dependent, loyal, trusting. Do you distrust or feel anxious about these aspects in yourself? Have they gotten you in trouble in the past? Do you experience any fear of commitment?

An important common factor in this repetitive dream is that at no time are you in actual danger. In fact, in the last dream you finally stop and make eye contact with the dog. This could represent that you’re ready to face your fear and stop running from this misconceived threat in your life.

Start keeping track of what was on your mind the night before you have the dream. You’ll see a pattern emerge, which will shed further light on the dream. Once you start acting on the dream’s message, the dream will either no longer occur or will change in nature… don’t be surprised to find yourself petting the dog instead of running away from it!

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Attacked by a demonic presence…

Dream: I dreamed I was being attacked by a demonic presence. It was choking me, I couldn’t breathe. I felt his weight on me. I was screaming help, help. I could hear myself, fighting this thing off me. My grandson shook me awake, he heard me screaming.

DreamsMaster: My initial instinct with this dream is to recommend you visit your doctor to rule out any health issues that may be causing you to experience this choking sensation and difficulty breathing due to pressure on your chest.

If you’ve indeed been experiencing health issues, then it’s possible that the “demonic presence” was your dreaming mind’s way of visualizing the threat of a violent death, and getting your attention to take immediate action.

If this literal interpretation of the dream does not fit for you, next take a look at the theme and symbolism. The most striking thing to me is the overwhelming sense of powerlessness. The aggressor is not in physical form, so your attempts to fight it off physically fail. One way of viewing this is that whatever the threat you perceive going on in your life right now, your defense must come from your spiritual core. This is where your strength resides.

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Not flying solo this time…

Dream: I often have flying dreams, but in last night’s dream I was not flying solo. This time I was flying while carrying my younger brother with me, and I wasn’t flying high like I do when I’m flying alone. Please what’s the meaning?

DreamsMaster: Flying in a dream is often a metaphor for being able to rise above conflict. In your dream you’re carrying your younger brother with you. In your waking life, do you perceive your brother to be in some type of danger or in the midst of some type of conflict? If so, the dream could represent your desire to rescue him – or rescue you both – from some perceived danger or conflict. The fact that you couldn’t fly as high as if you were alone could represent an awareness that it would be easier for you if you were free to “fly solo” as opposed to carrying the weight of responsibility for your brother, but it’s significant that you’re able to maintain a sense of control despite the added weight.

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Powerful lucid dream I had…

Dream: I just want to share with you the powerful lucid dream that I had several days ago. I am in a building with a lot of people. I ask the question, “What is my life purpose?” Suddenly I appear on the top floor of the building with walls around me and a ceiling above. The space is very small so I feel very cramped but there is no way out. I start to worry that my answer will not show up in this cramped space. But then I suddenly realize that all the walls and the ceiling is just my mental projection in my dream, so I try to push my hands through the ceiling. I feel some resistance but I quickly rip the ceiling apart. Suddenly I fly out to this amazingly beautiful scene – beautiful sunshine, blue sky, blue-green sparkling water surrounded by trees, white boats in the water, a sun deck sitting in the middle of the water where people are talking and having fun. Life is meant to be enjoyed! I continue to fly and see some dark clouds. The dark clouds feel dense and cold. I know that I have to fly through them. I realize that life has many challenges which are there for me to grow. Once I fly through the dark clouds, the scenery becomes beautiful again. But the boats in the water start to rise above the water into the sky. I know that I have to pull them back into the water, so I start to pull really hard on a rope to try to pull the boats back into the water. Some other people also come to help. I realize that life is about helping others, also working together with others. Another insight of my lucid dream is that most of time we are so stuck in our own mind, as represented by the cramped space, there is no way for us to see the truth of what life is really about!

DreamsMaster: Thank you for sharing this powerful lucid dream! I will post on Dreams.com for others to see, as this is a marvelous example of a lucid dream and the innermost lessons dreams of all sorts can provide.

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Dreamt of my boyfriend with his ex…

Dream: Today as well as yesterday I dreamt of my boyfriend with his ex. I dreamt that his ex girlfriend with several babies ranging from newborn to around 3 years of age and pregnant came around and I was just pushed away and he unconditionally accepts her and her babies with open arms and seems happier than ever. I’m not sure where I end up but while he is at work I return to the place that he and she live that once I resided with him and what once was a home being a real house has now turned into a motor home parked on the curb of his mother’s house. He still works and she’s happy tending to the kids and expecting a new baby, although not his, he seems totally accepting of that and is happy. He’s in love and I step out of the picture because after all I being in love with him would never deny what I see in his eyes in his ways would never dream of interfering in his happiness.

DreamsMaster: It’s quite possible this dream is your innermost self delivering the message that it’s finally time for you to move on. “…what once was a home being a real house has now turned into a motor home” could be symbolic of this message of pulling up roots. In the dream he is surrounded by children and babies, new life. Perhaps you sense that he has genuinely moved on now, and it’s time for you to do the same. The fact that the dream has occurred more than once means it’s an important dream to pay attention to. Your inner wisdom is calling you to action.

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