Common Dream World Symbols and Their Real World Meanings

The world of dreams and dreaming is a fascinating one, and it continues to be a fertile ground for debate and interpretation even today.  Dreams are fascinating, confusing and amazing all at once, and figuring out what the objects in our dreams really stand for can be a fascinating hobby as well as a way to gain insight into our deeper lives.

Listed below are some of the most commonly seen dream symbols and their most commonly assigned meanings.  Of course, every dream is unique to the individual who dreamed it, and when it comes to dreams there are no hard and fast rules, only general guidelines.

Abandonment
The abandonment theme is a common one for dreams, and it often reflects real world fears of being abandoned or left behind.

Birth
A dream of giving birth can signal anxiety about giving birth, or of getting pregnant.  Birth can also be a symbol of renewal.

Church
Dreams of being in a church can indicate a spiritual longing, or a need for religious guidance.

Devil
In dreams, the devil can obviously represent evil, but in some cases he can stand for slyness or cunning as well.

Failure
Dreams of failure are usually indications of anxiety or worry.  The failure in the dream can take many forms, such as failing a test, failing in a task at work, or attempting to do something and failing in your dream.

Fight
Dreaming you are a in a fight can mean you are struggling issues in your life, or fighting against part of your nature.

Garbage
Garbage in a dream often symbolizes unwanted items.  This can be a suggestion to discard old habits or characteristics.

Hammer
Dreaming of using a hammer can indicate building and creativity.

Island
Dreaming about being stranded on an island can be a manifestation of feelings of being stuck, or of not knowing what to do.

Key
Dreaming about a key may mean that the dreamer has a secret that he is afraid to reveal.

Landing
Dreaming of landing in an airplane can symbolize that the end of a long journey (either a literal or a spiritual journey) is at hand.

Marriage
Getting married in a dream can symbolize commitment, to either a partner or a new lifestyle.

Night
Dreaming about night can mean that the dreamer is unsure about some things in his or her life.  Everything is in darkness and unclear.

Poison
Dreaming about poison can symbolize something the dreamer is trying to get rid of.  It can also be a symbol for pain in the waking world.

Quicksand
Dreaming about quicksand can mean that the dreamer feels trapped by his or her current circumstances.

Running
Running in a dream can symbolize a desire to escape from something in the waking world.

Snake
In the dream world, a snake can be a symbol of evil, or a harbinger of bad things to come.

Thunder
Hearing thunder in a dream can be a symbol of inspiration or insight.  Thunder can also be seen as a warning.

Window
Peering through a window in a dream can symbolize the dreamer's outlook.  The outlook depends on what is seen through the window, and what feelings are generated by the view.