The interpretation of dreams is as individual as the people who dream them and was considered a supernatural communication or a means of divine intervention, whose message could be unravelled by people with certain powers. There are many records available especially from Greece and Egypt, and 1/3^rd of the Bible is devoted to visions of dreams. To name just a few were Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, Ezekiel, Joseph (Jesus’ father), Mary (Jesus’ Mother), Paul, and Cornelius. In scripture dreams or visions are mentioned 224 times. The first two chapters of Matthew contain five recorded dreams that gave valuable warnings or advice? Then there is God’s own Son, Jesus, who was revealed in a dream.

In modern times, various schools of psychology have offered theories about the meaning of dreams. Sigmund Freud, in his book “The Interpretation of Dreams” published in 1899, argued that the motivation of all dream content is wish-fulfillment. He said the instigation of a dream is often to be found in the events of the day preceding the dream, which he called the “day residue.” Carl Jung dismissed Freud’s interpretation as ‘simplistic’ and ‘vague’.

There are a lot of websites on the Internet devoted to explaining the meaning of dreams by interpreting symbols. I found visiting these sites a fun experience and the explanations quite fascinating. Here are a few:

Fog
Fog in a dream can be a manifestation of a lost or confused waking life. Fog can also mean you are beginning to explore different parts of your life or your personality.

Gate
A gate can represent an entrance or an exit, depending on its context. It can also symbolise a beginning or an end.

Illness
Dreaming about illness can be your body’s way of telling you there is something wrong. The subconscious mind can also sense things that the conscious mind is unaware of.

Keys
Dreaming of keys can indicate the keeping of a secret, or that you have been locking away your feelings.

Mountain
Dreaming of climbing a mountain can be symbolic of achieving a goal or reaching for higher levels of success. Dreaming of coming down a mountain can mean you have overcome insurmountable odds, while gazing at a mountain in a dream can mean you are contemplating a major life decision.

Owl
An owl is thought to be the symbol of knowledge and wisdom. In addition, the owl is often thought to represent the subconscious itself. Owls are often used to deliver important messages to dreamers.

Road
A road in a dream can symbolise the direction or goal of the dreamer. A straight road may mean that everything is going smoothly, while dreaming of a bumpy or winding road can be a manifestation of perceived problems with your place in life.

Stairs
Dreaming of stairs can indicate a rise or a reduction in your stature, finances or your spiritual life. What stairs mean depends on which direction you are going in your dream.

Underground
Dreaming of venturing underground can represent a trip to the dreamer’s subconscious mind, or mean that he or she is wrestling with issues that need to be faced. Going underground in a dream may mean that the dreamer is ready to deal with previously repressed issues.

Angels
Angels are of course a symbol of purity and goodness, and their appearance in a dream can often represent the quest for spiritual goodness and enlightenment. In addition, angels often appear in dreams as guides or teachers, and many people take the advice of these angel dream guides very seriously.

Animals
Animals in dreams are often seen to symbolise base, instinctual actions, emotions and desires. These base desires are often repressed so that we may live in a civilised society, but just the same they are there, lurking in the shadows so to speak.

Different animals have different meanings in dreams. For instance, dreaming of cats may mean you have been repressing the intuitive, feminine side of your nature, while dreaming of lions could mean that you have been repressing anger. The key to taking meaning from animals in dreams is to think about the particular traits each animal represents.

Black
Dreams about black, or black objects can be signs of evil or darkness.

Blood
Blood in a dream can often be a representation of vitality and power. The meaning of blood in the dream is dependent on the context. For instance, violent and bloody dreams can indicate an emotional upheaval in your life or a loss of control, while dreams of bloody hands can indicate feelings of guilt.

Cars
Cars can represent a sense of freedom, and of being in control.

Dancing
Dreaming of a dance can have many meanings, depending on the nature of the dance and its context within the dream. Dancing can symbolise marriage, romance or sex. Dance can also symbolise the freedom of movement or cooperation.

Eggs
Eggs in dreams can be symbols of birth or renewal, or wholeness and fertility. Dreaming of broken eggs, or breaking eggs in a dream, can represent a shattered faith, or a breaking out of your shell, depending on the context.

None of this is meant to be taken seriously and should be taken in the same way as you view the daily horoscopes. I read mine every day and sometimes they come true.