The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams. Theresa Cheung
could simply mean that you have latent artistic talents that should be given expression. But it can have other meanings. Are you overdrawn at the bank? Are you drawing on inner resources? What you draw is very significant, as it can reveal the issues and problems you are trying to resolve in waking life. An ancient tradition says that if a woman dreams she is drawing with a pencil and then rubs it out, her lover will be unfaithful.
MAKE-UP/GREASEPAINT
Actors use make-up to help convince their audience that they are not themselves, but someone else. In waking life, are you—for good or bad reasons—involved in some kind of deception?
MUSEUM
In dreams, museums typically suggest old-fashioned ideas or ways of thinking. They can also represent places where we store cherished memories; the living past within us that we can learn from, but also need to move away from in order to progress.
MUSIC
Many of the world’s greatest composers claimed that they heard their greatest works whilst dreaming, or immediately after waking. Mystics talk of the music of the spheres, the ethereal music that symbolizes the harmony of the universe. In dreams, music represents harmony and the creative potential. Your dream music can also express the emotions you are currently feeling in waking life. Is the tone happy, sad, angry or threatening? If the music you hear is discordant, it may suggest that your creative potential isn’t being expressed. See also SOUNDS.
Dancing in the dark
Ballet
If ballet or ballet dancing appears in your dream, or if you are performing ballet, this suggests a search of poise and balance in your waking life. The ballet dancer symbolizes music and the inner aspect of feeling. You may be aware of the creative side of yourself and feel the need for controlled movement to express it. Dreams of ballet may be wish-fulfillment if becoming a professional dancer was, or is, your dream; alternatively, they may refer to losing or keeping your balance in some waking situation. They may also be encouraging you to persevere with artistic skills, or they may be a general comment on your attitude to work that demands discipline.
Ballroom dancing
Who was your partner? If the two of you were dancing together as one, this could suggest your longing to get closer to the person you were dancing with. If you didn’t know the identity of the person with whom you were dancing, it could suggest longing for a relationship or greater intimacy in the relationship you already have.
Disco dancing
If you were dancing alone, this could be a simple expression of joyful feelings in waking life. If you were dancing with a group of people, this could suggest good team spirit in waking life. A dream about a discotheque is a sign that the dreamer may be feeling excited but confused about a new relationship or project
Line dancing
Were you dancing in line with people you know in a country music scene? If so your unconscious may be reflecting on your tendency to conform or else your habit of stepping out of line or of failing to conform to the behavior your loved ones expect. Were you dancing in line or were you out of step?
Other kinds of dancing
Dreams that feature movement could indicate that you need to move on take another route, or speed up your progress in some way. Dancing a jig or waltz can suggest simple, innocent pleasures. Jumping or leaping in a dream can suggest ambition or the desire to improve your status. If you were at an exercise class, perhaps in waking life you should take more exercise?
Musical harmonies
Clarinet/Flute/Recorder
Wind instruments express extremes of emotion and excitement. Because of their shape, wind instruments are sometimes associated with masculine virility, but can also represent anxiety. The flute expresses the sound of the spirit and, as such, it can be a symbol of both joy and sorrow. A musical pipe suggests connection with the rhythm of life.
Cymbal
Associated with rhythm and sound, the appearance of cymbals in a dream suggests the need for a basic sense of harmony. The cymbals consist of two halves and represent the reconciliation of passion with practicality. There can also be a link with sex as, along with the drum and tambourine, they are used to induce an ecstatic state.
Drum
The basic rhythm of life needed to stay healthy and happy. The importance of being more in touch with your natural urges. If you are playing the drum, this suggests that you are responsible for the rhythm of your life.
Gong
If you hear the sound of a gong in your dreams, this suggests the end of a phase in your life and the beginning of another. If you are striking the gong, this suggests a need to find strength in waking life or to wake up to the reality of a particular situation. See also SOUNDS.
Guitar
If you are playing the guitar in your dream, this can suggest your need to be more creative in daily life. If you hear guitar music, it can indicate a need for caution or the possibility of a new romance.
Harp
The harp is the symbol of music and indicates the correct vibration we need to create harmony in our lives. To harp on about something is a term used to describing keeping on about something in waking life, and dream harps may well be urging us to be persistent in some activity.
Horn
A musical or hunting horn in a dream suggests some kind of summoning or warning in waking life.
Organ
In dreams, an organ can often represent the dreamer’s feelings about religion, but recall that in some circles, organ is a slang term for penis. The organist as an image in a dream is the part of us that knows how to bring the parts we play into harmony. It represents the discipline and determination we need to manifest in daily life in order to make ourselves heard.
Piano
In dreams, pianos, piano players and piano playing are symbols of your own creativity. To be a great piano player you need to learn and practice, and the same applies to using your creativity. Pay attention to the piece you are playing. Is it one you have composed, or is it by someone else? Often in life we need to be creative with someone else’s work. Is it time for you to create something of your own?
Tambourine
If you are playing the tambourine in a group, this suggests your ability to participate effectively in life. If you are playing alone, you have some control over the basic rhythm of your life.
Trumpet