The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams. Theresa Cheung
the qualities you admire and make them your own. Alternatively, you may have a hidden desire to control that person. If, however, you were ambushed, abducted or kidnapped in your dream, this suggests that someone or something in your waking life is trying to take control of you. Your dream expresses your surprise and uncertainty about losing control.
ATTACK
Dreams in which your anger turns into violence and you start attacking someone usually suggest hidden hostility towards someone or something in your waking life. If you do find yourself punching, kicking or fighting with someone in your dream, try to think about what triggered the violent attack. It is possible that your dreaming mind conjured up the image of an attack as a safety valve through which you can release your frustration. Another interpretation suggests that dreams in which you inflict violence on someone or something may be prompted by a sense of helplessness or resentment in waking life. Perhaps there is someone whose authority you find powerless to resist? If this is the case, your dream may be compensatory by allowing you to exact revenge against the person or object of your resentment. It is also possible that your unconscious was encouraging you to stand up for yourself.
Alternatively, dreams which feature violence can symbolize your hidden desire for power and control in waking life. When interpreting this dream, try to identify whether the target of the violence represented an aspect of yourself, particularly if the victim was a stranger. Or could your unconscious have conjured an archetypal image of the stranger to bear the brunt of your anger?
RAPE
A dream of rape can be incredibly disturbing and you are unlikely to want to dwell on it, but it might be worth your while to ask yourself why your dreaming mind would put you through such an ordeal. If you have been a victim of sexual violence, then your dream may have been trying to resolve your feelings about the trauma. If this isn’t the case, however, your dream may have been warning you about a predatory person in your life or warning you about someone in your life who is forcing you to do something against your will.
Whether you are raped by a person of the same or the opposite sex in your dream, the images reinforce your feelings of powerlessness and shame at having to bend to (non-sexual) demands in waking life. Your dreaming mind may have sent you this shocking image to encourage you to assert yourself and fight back. If you are raping someone else in your dream, this expresses your desire to humiliate or put someone in their place in waking life. If you witnessed someone else being raped in your dream but could not or would not prevent it, the message is again one of powerlessness and your feelings of frustration at being unable to right a wrong in waking life, or protect someone who is vulnerable. See also NIGHTMARES; SEX.
SHOUTING
Arguments and shouting in dreams, as in waking life, suggest that you are feeling in conflict or have opposing views on something or someone. Alternatively, they may be simply a release for negative feelings about someone or something that you are unable to express in waking life; in other words, your dream is allowing you to vent your frustration. The dream may also refer back to anxiety you experienced as a child when your parents were fighting and you felt powerless to stop them.
VICTIM
If violence or negative actions are directed against you in your dream, you may be punishing yourself in some way or feel guilty about something. Alternatively, you may be feeling vulnerable. If you knew your attacker, you may be unconsciously aware of a real threat that they pose to you in waking life. Another interpretation suggests that if others are behaving violently towards you in your dream, you need to take care not to upset others in waking life.
If your dream portrayed you in front of a firing squad, this is a symbol of your feelings of victimization in waking life. If your attacker was female, this may represent the archetypal terrible mother or huntress archetype, whilst a terrible male attacker may have represented the archetypal villain or ogre. In either case, try to identify who or what it is in your waking life that makes you feel so consciously or unconsciously afraid. If your dream attacker was an animal, the most likely interpretation is that the animal represents a problem within yourself rather than an external threat. The type of animal attacking you and your personal associations with it will be significant. Your unconscious often employs animals to symbolize aspects of your ‘animal’ or instinctual nature, so it is possible that you have neglected a basic human
The shadow
According to Jung, the shadow is the repressed or unacceptable part of your own personality, so if a shadow or shadowy figure appears in your dream, this represents an aspect of yourself that you are rejecting. The image may also suggest feelings of being overshadowed, put in the shade or feeling inferior in waking life. The shadow may also express a fear of the unknown, or of negative impulses.
A shadow can be a sign of coming events or a shadow cast from the future, because you often see a person’s shadow before you see them. Bear in mind that the shadow or hidden part of your personality can express itself in many different guises in your dreams, although there is usually an air of disrepute, danger or negativity about the image.
urge or instinct that the attack is an attempt to have recognized.
If a dream attack leaves you feeling battered and bruised from the array of blow and kicks that rained down upon you, it is possible that your unconscious is trying to kick-start you into action. Is there something you need to do or have you been lazy recently? If your injuries are serious, however, this suggests deep emotional hurt. Try to identify who attacked you or stabbed you in the back, as this could help you with your interpretation. Try to recall also if any weapons were used, as weapons often have phallic or sexual associations. If blood is pouring out of your wounds, perhaps you are feeling drained of energy and vitality, or someone is sapping your strength.
Superstitions
Bad luck superstitions have been around for centuries and vary from culture to culture. Here are some of the most common in Western culture and their appearance in your dream may, depending on the context and mood of the dream, be a sign of misfortune or of the need to be cautious and consider all your options before moving ahead
Friday the thirteenth: The Scandinavians believed that the number thirteen was unlucky due to the twelve mythological demigods being joined by a thirteenth, an evil one, who brought misfortune upon humans. It was also said that Christ was crucified on Friday and the number of guests at the party of the Last Supper was thirteen, with the thirteenth guest being Judas, the traitor.
Walking under a ladder: A leaning ladder forms a triangle with the wall and ground. Triangles represent the Holy Trinity, and violating the Trinity by breaking it (walking through it) would put you in league with the Devil himself.
Black cats: Although sometimes thought to be a symbol of good luck (in ancient Egypt, the Goddess Bast was a black, female cat), during the Middle ages cats were thought to be demons in disguise and should thus be destroyed.
Spilling salt: Salt used to be an expensive commodity used mainly for medicinal purposes. For this reason, spillage was to be avoided at all costs. The idea that it is unlucky to do so probably stems from the belief that Judas spilt salt during the Last Supper.
Other superstitions associated with bad luck and misfortune include: A bat flying into the house. An owl hooting 3 times. 3 butterflies together. Looking at the new moon over your left shoulder. A 5-leaved clover. Breaking a glass whilst proposing