No matter what country or culture you’re from, some dream symbols have the same meaning across the globe.
However, that’s not always the case, for example, if you see a cross in your lucid dreams, it could be interpreted in a religious or literal way.
Dream symbols help with dream interpretation, giving us a better understanding of our emotional state and our innermost desires.
This article will feature ten universal dream symbols which will help you gain crucial knowledge about yourself!
10 Universal Dream Symbols
1. Water
Water is the lifeline of all living species on our planet and it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
If you’re on the sea, depending on what waters you see, that’s how your emotional state is going to be in the next few days.
Water on the sea could be turbulent, calm or wavy and all these different states tell us about your mental health.
If the water is muddy or unclear, it could mean that you’re perplexed in real life and are unsure about what to do next.
2. Sex
Through sex, we create new life but it doesn’t always have to be about newfound things in life.
If you have sex with someone close to you, it could mean that there is an emotional void to be filled.
Talk with that person or group of people in real life and try to sort things out.
If you’re having sex with someone in a position of authority, for example, a teacher, you desire attention from them and seek their social status and all the perks that come with it.
3. School
A school is a place of learning for both teacher and student.
Oftentimes, we find ourselves unprepared for a test or struggling with something that we’ve forgotten but is important for school.
It signifies that we have yet to learn a lesson from our past and that we’re actively trying to subdue that feeling.
However, our subconscious mind always finds a way to get to us, most often through dreams.
4. Nudity
Nudity symbolizes our desire for freedom and the hatred we have for our protective society.
It can also make you feel embarrassed about yourself.
If that is the case, your subconscious is trying to tell you that you’re trying to hide something from plain sight.
Everyone already sees it, it’s your job to own it!
Lastly, if you don’t care that you’re naked in the dream, it means that you’re embracing your individuality.
5. House
Shelter was very hard to come by in the past and so our subconscious brain attaches feelings of protection, healing and rest to homes.
Homes are places where you feel the most comfortable and where you spend most of your life.
Depending on how the house looks in your dream, so will your actual emotional and mental state be.
For example, if the house is dilapidated, your mental state is in a bad spot and you have to start caring for it in waking life.
6. Food
Eating is a very enjoyable pastime and many people cherish it dearly.
Food represents abundance, both in a physical and emotional sense.
If you see a banquet in a dream, it could mean that you’re about to experience a windfall in your waking life.
However, if the food is rotting, stale or musty, then you have to be careful, as something, in reality, is spoiling your riches.
7. Death
While some people celebrate death and others mourn their loved ones, it’s a universal symbol depicting change in your life.
Not just any change but a pronounced swing for either better or worse, depending on the emotions experienced in the dream.
If you’re clad in black along with other mourners in your dream, it could mean that you’re regretting all the changes you’ve made to your life.
It might also symbolize that it’s time to stop seeking perfection and just accept the lot you’ve been given.
8. Road
There are many roads we take in life, some are good for us, others not so much.
If you find yourself at a crossroads in your dream, it could mean that you’re not sure which direction your life should go.
It can also mean that you have too many choices in your waking life but that none of them really match your wishes or needs.
If you’re given the option of going through a road you shouldn’t be trailing, it means that you’re putting your nose where it doesn’t belong.
9. Snake
Snakes are known as treacherous animals across the globe, they signify betrayal and backstabbing in real life.
If you see a lot of snakes in your dream, it could symbolize that people are out to get you and that you should be careful with whom you share intimate details of your life.
Snakes are also seen as additional baggage in real life, if you see snakes slithering towards you, it could mean you’ve got a monkey on your back in the waking world.
Sit down and analyze your friends and family in a deep fashion and recognize the snakes among them.
10. Babies
Babies are cute little creatures that symbolize the procreation of life itself, new beginnings and gentle emotions.
If you see a baby or even better, babies in your dream, your life will be filled with abundance and emotional riches.
Your road in life will be smooth sailing and you’ll accept your good nature and innocence as something integral to your personality.
Not just that but the people around you will also change and the new ones will not judge you for your personality traits.
Babies can also signify new hope and newfound freedom.
Conclusion
It’s important to have a dream journal so you can jot down all your dreams and keep them in one place.
Dreams are like reflections of our subconscious mind, they tell us everything we need to know about ourselves.
We hope that the dream symbols we’ve listed above helped you learn something new about yourself!
