The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams. Theresa Cheung

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      HORSE

      Studies show that the animals that most often appear in dreams are horses, along with cats and dogs, and women seem to dream of horses more often than men do; indeed, Artimedorus of Daldis (2nd century AD) lists horses amongst the most common dreams of women. Some dream interpreters suggest that horses represent male sexuality.

      According to Freud, horses symbolize the sexual drive. Jung noted that horse dreams could often be indicative of health conditions. Horses, like dogs, represent urges and passions in ourselves that we have learned to harness or direct, and in general they represent positive things that are about to happen in a dreamer’s waking life. Horses suggest the sort of enthusiasm or feelings of well-being that can carry us through the day and through life. Having said that much depends on the context of the dream; for instance, if the dreamer falls off the horse, this may suggest relating badly to urges and passions and the resulting tension this creates. If the horse is wild, this suggests undirected energy, such as sexual desires which override personal or interpersonal needs.

      

Idioms: back the wrong horse; from the horse’s mouth; don’t look a gift horse in the mouth; horse sense; you can lead a horse to water; wild horses; workhorse; horsing about; getting on your high horse; eat like a horse; back the wrong horse; beating a dead horse. For ‘equestrian issues’ and dreams concerning working or domesticated horses, see also PETS.

      HYENA

      The appearance of a hyena in a dream suggests taking advantage of someone, or being taken advantage of. A dream about an attack by a hyena may foretell an attempt to ruin the dreamer’s reputation.

      JACKAL

      Similar to ‘dog’, but a wilder version. The jackal is a cunning scavenger and as a result is sometimes associated with death. It can also see in the dark and the ancient Egyptians believed the jackal to be a pathfinder in the underworld—i.e. the unconscious—leading the dead to the other world or enlightenment. Be aware too of the ‘Jackal and Hyde’ phenomenon that exists inside all of us.

      KANGAROO

      A dream about a hopping kangaroo suggests a problematic relationship, or the potential for problems, if one person spends too much time with other people or refuses to commit. It could also indicate problems with concentration and focus in waking life.

      LAMB

      The childlike, vulnerable, dependent, innocent, pure part of a person that Christlike has the power to defeat evil. A dream about slaughtering lambs will suggest success at the expense of peace of mind. If wolves or dogs are tearing lambs apart, it means innocent people are suffering at the hands of unscrupulous others. A dream about carrying lambs means that the dreamer is carrying the burdens of the people he or she loves happily. If lambskins appear in a dream, this suggests that the dreamer or other people have been deprived of joy and comfort.

      MOLE

      Associated with solitude, seclusion and the avoidance of human company, the mole can represent the attitude of a recluse. It might also indicate problems festering beneath the surface, as in molehills.

      MOUSE

      Suggestive of the mousy, shy or timid part of the self, dreaming of mice could also suggest small but important developments or subtle changes that can gnaw away at our self-esteem. Dreaming that you are a mouse could mean you feel dull, undistinguished and lacking in confidence in waking life. The sexual organ which goes in and out of a hole is another association. If a person sees a mousetrap or a mouse caught in a trap, it could mean they need to watch out for people who gossip or take advantage of them.

      OTTER

      Ancient cultures saw the otter as a pure, holy creature and to see an otter in a dream suggests an ability to adapt to circumstances without ‘drowning’ and to clearly see what is really going on under the surface of everyday life.

      OX

      Very similar to ‘bull’, with the possible exception that oxen are often castrated, so dreams in which they feature could suggest frustration. Can you recognize the strength of the ox within yourself? Are you engaged in a task that demands great commitment?

      PIG/WILD BOAR

      Pigs are symbolic of a life governed by untamed physical needs and passions; they can also suggest impossible ventures, or inappropriate behavior and neglect of the spiritual side of life. By contrast, amongst the peoples of the East, a dream about a pig is interpreted as a good dream that attests to prosperity.

      

Idioms: pig in a poke; happy as a pig in shit; make a pig of oneself; pig in the middle; pigs might fly; pig headed; piggy bank (is your dream linked to savings?).

      RABBIT

      The rabbit breeds easily, so in dreams it is often linked to sexuality. It is also associated with the soft, vulnerable part of ourselves that can be easily hurt or hounded. If the dreamer is hunting wild rabbits, this could suggest that they are being criticized, attacked, ‘hunted down’ or hounded. See also PETS.

      RAM

      Representing masculine sexual energy, the ram can also indicate a refusal to conform or be part of a group, together with an unconscious desire to lead rather than follow.

      

Idioms: battering ram; ramming one’s point home; like a ram among sheep.

      RAT

      The rat is a symbol of fears and anxieties, or is the diseased or devious part of a dreamer or his or her situation. It can also represent something which is repulsive in some way. The dreamer may be experiencing disloyalty from a friend or colleague. Other associations are of dirt and squalor, or of time gnawing away at our life and the unacceptable parts of oneself. By contrast, dreaming about a pet rat suggests the opposite: vulnerability and the responsibility for caring.

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