First, you can follow two simple rules in interpreting dreams.
1) Every dream is about the dreamer.
2) Every person and thing in a dream represents aspects of the dreamer.
We dream in a universal language. Our dreams will reflect what is most current in our waking thoughts. I liken dreams to a "barometer of beingness," as they will be a measure of what we are being in our waking life, whether we are aware of it or not. This lack of awareness is why people have difficulty making a connection between their dreams and their waking lives.
Once you become aware of your own thoughts, and keep track of them, you will be able to make a connection to your dreams and make sense of them. How do you do this?
Make an effort to focus your thoughts during your day. We have a tendency to let our thoughts become scattered, thus diffusing their effectiveness and intent. Have a single point of focus and consciously direct your thoughts. We create our reality via our thoughts and what we are being. Ask yourself, "What am I thinking right now?" If you don't know, then chances are you will wonder why things "happen" to you, rather than being the conscious co-creator you are meant to be.
Dream Symbols
The symbols in our dreams are simply metaphors for our waking thoughts. In other words, they are like the things we experience in our waking world.
For example, a car in this dream language is a symbol for your physical body. We use our car to get from point A to point B in our waking life. On a spiritual level, our soul, the real us, using the physical body as a vehicle to get from point A to point B in our physical life. If you have a car in a dream, take note of the condition. If it is in good condition, chances are your physical body is being taken care of. If the car in your dream is banged up, has the windshield broken and two flat tires, this will tell you something completely different. Yes you need to take better care of your physical health.
A house in dreams symbolizes your mind and thoughts. Perhaps you have heard the saying, "Janice lives in her head!" This very well describes this symbol, for we all live in our heads or minds, for this is our very existence. Depending on where you are in your dream house, will tell you specific things about how your are directing your thoughts.
If you are in the bathroom, this can symbolize the act of purifying or cleansing the thoughts. In our waking life, we use the bathroom to cleanse the physical body and to rid it of unnecessary wastes.
At the same time, with any dream, we must take note of the action taking place. If our bathroom is a mess and we're all dirty, for example, this will tell us there is a need to purify and cleanse the thoughts. So, the symbol must be linked with the action being taken in the dream.
Below are a few dream symbols and their indepth meanings.
ANIMALS
It is interesting to note that we often will use phrases in our waking life that exactly describe how our subconscious mind communicates our dreams to us. For example, when we say, "Bill is a creature of habit" - this is how the subconscious mind sees a "creature" or animal - as a creature of habit. Therefore, in this universal dream language, an animal represents a habit in the dreamer's waking life. Depending on the type of animal in your dream will determine whether the habit is one that has a lot of influence upon you or not. If for example you dream of a ferocious mountain lion, this means you have a habit in your waking life that is overwhelming to you. On the other hand, if you dream of a house cat, the habit has less of an effect on your life, but it is a habit nonetheless. Understand that a habit is not necessarily bad, but rather it is something that you do without thinking that has either productive or unproductive effects in your life.
MONEY
In our waking life, we use money as a means of exchange and determining value. Money, in this universal dream language, represents inner value. Remember, our dreams speak to us on a spiritual level first. If you have a dream of finding money, this means that you are finding and recognizing your own inner value. If you've misplaced your purse or wallet in a dream, this means you have had difficulty in recognizing your own value, what it is you have to offer to others.
DEATH
One of the most misunderstood symbols is death. Death is merely a symbol for change. When we die, we change levels of consciousness, from a physical level to a higher spiritual level. We typically think of death as the end. Rather it really signifies a graduation to something greater. So, if you have a dream of someone dying, this is actually a good thing. It means that you have changed an aspect of yourself. Again, it is important to view your dream from a higher spiritual perspective, rather than from the physical perspective.
FACE
Your face in universal dream symbology represents your own identity. Take note of the condition of your dream face. If you face is unblemished and glowing, for example, you would be very comfortable with your own identity. On the other hand, if you had acne, you would be seeing your identity as being less than perfect.
PEOPLE
People in the universal dream language represent aspects of ourselves. Whenever you dream of someone of the opposite sex, they represent an aspect of the inner self (or subconscious mind). When you dream of someone of the same sex, they represent an aspect of the outer, waking self (or the conscious mind).
WATER
The subconscious mind uses water as a symbol for our waking, conscious life experiences. When you consider that the physical body is made up of nearly 80% water and that water plays such a significant part of our waking lives, this probably make sense to you. For example, if you have a lot of water in your dream, this means you have a lot of experiences currently going on in your life. Pay attention to how you are interacting with the water in your dream and this will tell you how you are are interacting with your waking experiences.
MOUNTAIN (or HILL)
We've all heard the saying, "Well, that's certainly a mountain to climb!" or "That's no hill for a climber." In our waking life, we view climbing a mountain as a challenge or obstacle to overcome. Our subconscious mind views mountains in a dream in the same way. So, if you are climbing a mountain in your dream, you are currently working on overcoming an obstacle in your waking life.
SEXUAL DREAMS
Having sexual dreams means that your inner and outer selves are harmoniously working together for the purpose of creating something in your life. So, if you are having sex in your dreams, look at it on a spiritual level as the dreams pertain to the soul of the dreamer. And ask yourself what you've created in your life lately that brought you joy.
Other Dream Symbols and their Meanings
Air = mental motion (how your thoughts are being directed)
Airplane (small) = physical body
Alley = quick way to get to goal
Angel = thought from highest part of self (superconscious mind)
Arms = represent purposeful use of intention
Art = creativity (also imagination)
Attic = superconscious mind
Baby = new idea or new way of life
Bank = place in mind where value is stored and exchanged
Bar = signifies a place in mind related to lack of will power (unproductive choices)
Basement = place where unconscious thoughts are stored
Bathing = cleansing and purifying of thoughts
Bathroom = place in mind where purifying and cleansing of thoughts take place
Bed = typically represents relaxation (as used by mind)
Bicycle = balance and forward motion
Birds = habitual thoughts in the subconscious mind
Blood = life force energy
Boat (small) = physical body
Bomb = uncontrolled change
Bridge = a transition
Broom = tool for cleansing of thoughts
Cash = value
Cat = habitual or compulsive way of thinking
Choir = many aspects of self working together to create harmony in thinking
Church = place in mind related to spiritual thinking
Colors = signify where in the inner mind the dream is taking place
Conflict = lack of harmony between aspects of self
Clothes = outer expression (how we express ourselves to others)
Dawn = beginning of awareness
Disease = unproductive attitudes of the dreamer
Dog = habitual or compulsive thought
Door = means of accessing other parts of mind
Dress = represents outer expression of the dreamer
Earthquake = lack of control in how subconscious is being used
Eyes = mental perception
Face = identity of the dreamer
Falling = action of rapidly returning to the waking state
Father = the superconscious mind
Feet = the dreamer's spiritual foundatoin
Fence = means in which dreamer is limiting him or herself
Fire = expansion in thinking
Flood = lack of control in waking experiences and thinking
Flying = ability and freedom to experience in inner levels of self
Food = knowledge
Frozen water or snow = unchanging life experiences
Naked = being open and honest (baring it all)
Water = conscious life experiences
Light = awareness
People = aspects of self
Music = harmony
Road = path in life
Money = value
Marriage = commitment between the inner and outer selves
Prison = restrictive thinking
Running = rapid mental motion
Running from something = running from something in self
Gun = tool for change
School = place of learning
Tornado = inner turmoil and confusion
Window = means for awareness
Dance = indicates a coordination of aspects producing harmony in thinking
Lovemaking = harmony between inner and outer selves
Ring = commitment
Mother = superconscious mind