Body Parts in Dreams

Have you ever had a dream where a certain part of your body wasemphasized, as if it were somehow especially significant? Dreamingabout your hands, hair, lips, eyes – or even parts south – canilluminate what’s going on in your life. Pay attention to what’shappening in the dream: is anything amiss? If so, you may have anissue with something represented by that body part.

One night, Donna dreamed she was trying to comb her tangled hair. It was a slow, painful process that took all her concentration. At the time, she was confused and stressed-out over problems with her boyfriend. Because hair symbolizes the effects of your thoughts, Donna’s dream was telling her that her lack of clarity (“tangled” thinking) was contributing to her relationship problems. She needed to take the time to untangle (clarify) what was causing the difficulties with her boyfriend.

To help you understand your dreams better, refer to the following list of body parts in dreams, and the interpretations of what they mean.

Head or brain
These stand in for the intellect, ego, brainpower, will, or pride. Positive scenarios indicate that you have a balanced will, and your ideas promote growth and creativity. Negative scenarios indicate that something is out of balance. You may be too willful or too proud – or your ideas may be too extreme or destructive in some way.

Hair
This is the outer manifestation of your ideas. Balding: Letting your ideas slip away unexplored, or not creating new ideas. Combing: Getting your thinking straight, weighing the facts, sorting through information. Styling: Changing how you think, or how you share your ideas. Being conscious of how other people perceive you. Cutting: Curtailing, editing, or being disciplined about your ideas. Losing hair: Losing your train of thought, or your composure. Lack of mental agility. Dyed hair: Pretentious or colored thinking, false teaching, vanity. Washing your hair: Cleansing yourself of negative thinking, cleaning up your act, eliminating other people’s influences.

Eyes
Your eyes represent how you view the world – your perception of things. Open eyes: Receptivity, openness to new experiences, looking at things realistically. Closed eyes: In denial, refusal to see the truth, fear of new experiences, refusal to get involved, prejudice. Blindness: Unwillingness or inability to see what’s going on.

Nose
Your nose suggests inquisitiveness, or being a detective (having a nose for the truth). It might also have to do with “nosiness,” or irritation (you might “have your nose out of joint”).

Lips
This relates to how you use words and speech. It might also have to do with gossip, lip-service, or sensuality (kissing).

Mouth or Teeth
This designates how your words affect you. Crooked teeth: untruths, betrayal. False teeth: Duplicity, fraudulence gossip. Teeth loose or falling out: Undisciplined or thoughtless words, exaggeration, inaccuracy.

Face
This is the persona you show to the world. Positive scenarios indicate confidence, authenticity, genuineness. Negative scenarios may indicate a sense of failure or shame, as in “losing face.”

Breasts
These are symbols for nurturance, protectiveness, mothering, femininity, or sexiness.

Lungs
These stand in for life, freedom, and independence. Inability to breathe indicates feeling trapped, hindered, or smothered.

Hands
Giving, receiving, service (lending a hand), handouts, or expressiveness. Closed fists: Miserliness, unwillingness to help, lack of receptivity. Open hands: Readiness to help, receptiveness, openness. Dirty hands: Unethical deeds – or getting your hands dirty. Hard work. Applauding: Approval, encouragement, success. Empty hands: Despair, hopelessness, lack. Touching hands: Reaching out, getting in touch with yourself (or someone else). Praying hands: Devotion, faith.

Heart
Love, desire, compassion, hope. Positive scenarios imply a feeling of love or hope, inner strength, compassion. Negative scenarios indicate feeling unloved or not being open to love, or being off-center emotionally. They might mean you are walling yourself off from others, or emotional detachment.

Stomach
This has to do with what you will or won’t “stomach” (accept), or your gut-level feelings – your diet. Positive scenarios imply acceptance of life’s lessons, or (on a physical level) a healthy diet. Negative scenarios indicate you’re unable to “stomach” what’s happening, or you may simply need to improve the way you eat.

Genitals
These will relate to your attitudes about sex, intimacy, procreation, passion, and how you see yourself as a man or woman. Positive scenarios indicate positive attitudes about sex and desire. Negative scenarios indicate blocked or unhealthy sexual feelings, or a negative self-image about your masculinity or femininity. Penis: Male energy (aggression, penetration, logic). Vagina/womb: Feminine energy (receptivity, creativity, feelings).

Bowels or bladder
Elimination of unneeded emotions, attitudes, material things. Filtering out attitudes, situations, beliefs, or people that are wrong for you. Positive scenarios indicate the ability to change, adapt, go with the flow. Constipation: Rigidity, suppressed feelings, holding back emotionally, an inability to let go/forgive. Diarrhea: Letting go – perhaps too quickly, without processing what’s happening.

Legs
These represent nobility, movement, or strength. Positive scenarios imply strong goals, and suggest that you’re walking on the right path. Negative scenarios indicate you’re feeling hindered, or are headed in the wrong direction. You may also have trouble “standing up” for yourself.

Feet
Your feet are your “foundation.” They will have to do with understanding, or with watching your step. They might also suggest that you need to “take one step at a time.”