Did you know that dream symbols can also appear to you in waking life? You can actually interpret your waking-life situations in the same way you interpret your dreams.
As you probably know, your dream scenarios reveal what’s going on with you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Working with your dreams by analyzing the symbols will accelerate your growth on all levels. However, the threshold between the dream state and waking life isn’t as solid as it appears to be. Just as your unconscious sends you dreams that contain valuable messages, it also attracts waking-life opportunities and challenges that mirror your inner life. Here are some examples of common dream symbols that often appear in daily life, and how to interpret them.
Bathrooms: Although not the most glamorous of symbols, bathroom dreams can be remarkably descriptive. Whether you see yourself sitting on a toilet, aghast at a filthy stall, struggling with clogged plumbing or submerged in an overflow, bathroom scenarios usually contain a very specific message: You need to eliminate something from your life. It may be an unhealthy habit, emotional blockage or wayward boyfriend, but whatever the problem is, it’s having a detrimental effect on your life.
Unfortunately, elimination messages aren’t restricted to dreams; they can spill over into waking life. That’s what happened recently to Rick and Gail in Mica, Washington. Forget about a simple clog — they had a backed-up septic system that escalated into a major ordeal. Using the toilets, dishwasher and washing machine all came to a halt. Even worse, the ground-floor toilet leaked into the basement office. The entire house smelled of sewage. The ensuing cleanup entailed cutting a 3-foot by 4-foot hole in the wall to find the leak and disinfect the mess.
So why didn’t a simple bathroom dream suffice? I believe Rick and Gail are at a turning point in their lives, breaking through some stubborn issues — his concerning work, hers concerning health. They needed a dramatic push in the right direction, and a dream would have lacked the impact. If they can release the emotional blockages that keep them stuck, they’ll be empowered to move forward.
Car Trouble: A problem with your car, either in a dream or waking-life, often contains a message about your health or a shift needed in your direction or lifestyle. Here are some examples of car-related symbols and what they can relate to:
Steering system: How you direct your life
Tires: An issue concerning your legs or feet. Also, your attitude about moving forward
Brakes: Your sense of control over your life
Oil and gas: Food, nourishment
Ticket: Needing to pay attention to where you’re headed and how you intend to get there
Accident: A wake-up call to become more aware of your direction
Selling your car/buying a new car: Can signal the start of a new path
So the next time you have a car trouble, ask yourself if there’s something you need to address concerning your health, direction or lifestyle.
Body Parts: Certain parts of your body can hold messages about other aspects of your life, such as:
Head: Intellect, ideas, pride, ego
Lips/Teeth/Mouth: The words you speak; how you nourish your body and life
Throat: Will, self-expression
Eyes: Awareness, perception
Ears: Ability to listen
Heart: Love, desire, receptiveness
Stomach: What you can or can’t “stomach” in your life
Back: Support, inner strength, dependability
Elimination system: Releasing, emotional flow/blockages
Genitals: Sexual needs and attitudes
Legs: Getting to where you need to go
Feet: Your foundation in life
When you notice something in your world that may have a message for you, keep in mind that you know best what it’s trying to tell you. You’re the best interpreter for the symbols in your life.
