Dreaming LifeDreaming Life

The landscape of a dream gives rise to its mood, in the same way that the design of a set can create the tone of a play.

Wherever your dream takes place, it is important to think about how you feel in the landscape. Do you feel like you are in familiar surroundings, or do you feel like you are somewhere strange? Are you feeling relaxed or disoriented? Do you feel like you fit in, or do you feel out of place? Are you a part of the setting, or are you observing things from the outside? Is it easy to get where you want to go, or are you encountering obstacles that make traveling difficult? By paying attention to how you feel about the landscapes in your dreams, you can gain a better understanding of how the things around you affect you in your waking life.

Bodies of water often represent emotions. A river can symbolize a current of strong feelings. A beach may represent an opportunity to explore the vast sea of emotions that is in your subconscious. If you are crossing a bridge over a stream, you could be overcoming an obstacle.

Chasms, abysses and ravines can represent difficulties in life that you are afraid to examine closely for fear of losing yourself

A mountain can symbolize an obstacle in your life. If you are standing at the base of a mountain, you may feel that you have many challenges to meet. If you are standing on a mountain peak, you probably feel that you have already achieved or will achieve something wonderful.

A jungle can symbolize being alive and communing with nature. It can also represent confusion, fear and alienation. A desert can symbolize relaxation and freedom from crowds. It can also signify isolation and disorientation.

A road can represent the journey you are making in life. An open road can be a sign that the way forward is clear for you, or it may mean that you are feeling vulnerable. A fork in the road can stand for a decision that you must make. If the road has many twists and turns, you may be feeling confused or experiencing setbacks. How comfortable you are on the road can be an indication of how comfortable you are with the path you have chosen in life.

Walls and fences can represent obstacles, as well as ownership or security. A gate can represent an opportunity to view something unfamiliar from a safe place. In your dream, do you look for a gate or do you avoid finding one or passing through one? That can tell you something about the state of your emotions.

If you dream that you are in a large city, you may have to negotiate a complex problem in waking life. If you are walking down straight streets with signs that are easy to read, you may have a clear sense of how you can solve your problem. If you find yourself lost in a maze of alleyways, you could be feeling at a loss as to how to accomplish something in waking life.