The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams. Theresa Cheung
it can also help you see past tired preconceptions in your field of professional or creative endeavor. The rebel can also lead you to reject spiritual systems that do not serve your inner need for direct union with the divine and to seek out more appropriate paths. The shadow rebel, conversely, may compel you to rebel out of peer pressure, or for the sake of fashion, and so become mired in another manifestation of conformity.
SEEKER
[DREAM IMAGE: NOMAD; VAGABOND; WANDERER]
This dream archetype refers to the search for wisdom and truth wherever it can be found. The shadow side of the archetype is the ‘lost soul’, someone on an aimless journey, without direction, ungrounded, disconnected from goals and others.
SERVANT
[DREAM IMAGES: INDENTURED SERVANT; SLAVE]
To dream that you are a slave suggests that you are not taking charge of your own life. Have you become so consumed by the needs of those around you that you have lost all focus on the value of your own life?
STUDENT
[DREAM IMAGES: APPRENTICE; DEVOTEE; DISCIPLE; FOLLOWER; PUPIL]
The student archetype suggests an open mind and the ability to absorb new information as an essential part of one’s well-being. The shadow student usually manifests in learning all the tools of the wrong trade or misusing the knowledge learned. The shadow can also show up as the eternal student who never embarks on the sea of life in earnest, but manages to find ever new reasons to continue being schooled without ever putting that knowledge to the test. See also SCHOOL AND WORK.
TEACHER
Teaching is the art of communicating knowledge, experience, skill, and wisdom to another. Teaching, or offering instruction of any kind, can manifest through parental guidance, business apprenticeship, or by inspired instruction in ethics or kindness. If this archetype appears in your dreams, it can suggest that others seek you out for the richness of your experience or that you need to seek out someone or something to teach you the ropes. The shadow teacher manifests as a desire to manipulate or abuse those you are instructing, and to
The feminine and masculine principles
The feminine principle is embodied in the archetype of the great mother: the complete woman within whom the primary qualities of femininity manifest in harmony. Whether you are a man or a woman, take note of the female figures in your dreams—be they a person, animal, quality or object—as they carry a message from your unconscious. If the selfless, loving mother figure appears in your dream, ask yourself if you need to develop motherly qualities within yourself. If the dark side of motherhood appears—dominating, criticizing and devouring—ask yourself if you or someone you know has a damaging, suppressing effect on you or someone else. If the romantic, innocent princess figure appears in your dreams ask yourself if you need to rediscover your optimism. If the seductress appears, ask yourself if you are being warned against selfishness and immaturity. If you dream of a wise woman or a witch, ask yourself if you are working with integrity or if you are alienating others with your selfishness.
The masculine principle is typically represented as the wise old man or father and suggests so-called masculine qualities of strength, authority and virility. If any of the masculine archetypes appear in your dream ask yourself if it is highlighting an aspect of yourself that you need to take a closer look at. If a father figure appears in your dreams he may simply be a role model of authority with compassion but if the ogre appears he may represent a threat of some kind to your authority. A dream that features a young, idealistic prince may be encouraging you to recapture some of your youthful optimism, while dreaming of a wastrel may be a warning that it is time to act with maturity and take on responsibility. If a warrior appears in your dreams, this could suggest the need to take decisive action in waking life, be it to promote your aims or to make a decision. If you dream of the high priest or his counterpart, the black magician, you need to question your motives or those of the person you feel they might represent: are they altruistic and wise, or selfish and misdirected? See also FAMILY; PEOPLE.
be more concerned with recognition than with imparting knowledge.
THIEF
[DREAM IMAGES: BURGLAR; CON ARTIST; PICKPOCKET; ROBIN HOOD; SWINDLER]
Symbolically, theft can take many forms, including plagiarism, stealing ideas and even affection. If the figure of a thief appears in your dreams or you become a thief, it suggests that you may be taking what is not yours because you lack the ability to provide for yourself; you therefore need to learn self-respect. This archetype prods you to learn to generate power from within.
VAMPIRE
See SEX.
VICTIM
When we become a victim in our dreams, it can be a tremendous aid in letting us know when we are in danger of letting ourselves be victimized, often through passivity, but also through rash or inappropriate actions. It can also help us to see our own tendency to victimize others for personal gain. In its shadow aspect, the victim shows us that we may like to play the victim at times because of the positive feedback we get in the form of sympathy or pity. Our goal is always to learn how to recognize these inappropriate attitudes in ourselves or others, and to act accordingly.
WARRIOR
[DREAM IMAGES: AMAZON; CRIME FIGHTER; GUNSLINGER; MERCENARY; SOLDIER OF FORTUNE; SAMURAI; SOLDIER]
The warrior archetype represents loyalty, physical strength and the ability to protect, defend, and fight for one’s rights. To be unbreakable and to fight to the death is a large part of the warrior archetype, which is also associated with the passage from boyhood to manhood. Such dreams appeal to our fantasies of independence, and the power to defend ourselves and right wrongs. The shadow warrior distorts or abandons ethical principles and decency in the name of victory at any cost. The warrior archetype is just as connected to the female psyche as to the male. In today’s society, the warrior woman or Amazon archetype has emerged in its glory once again through women who liberate and protect others, especially women and children who need vocal and financial representation. The concept of the spiritual warrior directs us to use the classic warrior virtues of heroism, stoicism, and self-sacrifice for conquering the ego and gaining control of our inner lives.
Dreams of the creativity of artistic endeavor are as common as action and adventure dreams. Whether you dream of composing a symphony, painting a masterpiece, writing a best-selling novel, singing in an opera or designing a scrapbook, such dreams with yourself in the artist’s role represent the creative or intuitive side of your nature.
You may feel a need in waking life to express yourself in some way, to be more creative or to enjoy public recognition. If you are meeting an artist in your dreams, this suggests that you are becoming aware of an aspect of yourself that is creative. If, however, you are watching another artist at work, this suggests that you are recognizing artistic or creative ability in yourself but remain passive about it.
Dreaming of creating something will be less significant if you are a naturally creative person than if you are not. If you have never been artistic or worked with crafts,