Dream Oracle: The language of Symbols
by Julie Gillentine
Symbols are a silent and potent language which reaches
our conscious awareness through the agency of subconsciousness,
rising on wings of spirit from the deepest parts of our being as
messengers from our soul. Haunting images, painted on cave
walls in ancient France thirty thousand years ago, still send a
powerful message across time of humanity’s need to express
ourselves in a transcendent way.
A symbol is a representation, a mark, a picture or an image, which
stands for something else and is generally a graphic or pictorial
emblem for a concept or idea. A symbol is a shorthand communication,
which bypasses linear, alphabetical language. For example;
in a religious context, a cross has become the symbol
for Christianity, a six-pointed star for Judaism, and a star in
a crescent represents Islam. In a mysterious way that transcends
logic we recognize these images and their meaning without words.
Symbols are perhaps the most enduring and fascinating characteristic
of humanity. All communication, or transmission of ideas,
takes place through the use of symbols. Pictures are shorthand
for ideas and demonstrate concepts, which might take pages of words
to explain. In dream work there are three categories of symbols,
which may appear. Having a better understanding of a symbol’s
significance to us personally can enhance our interpretation of
a particular dream. 1. Universal
A universal symbol contains the intrinsic meaning of the symbol
itself. This type of symbol is recognized by the subconscious
mind of everyone regardless of culture or creed. A smile
is a universal symbol of good will. A beckoning hand is welcoming.
Hands held up palm out means do not approach. Another example
is “X marks the spot,” an ancient emblem of a cross
road, and “making your mark” used when most people
were illiterate.
Numbers are a good example of universal symbols even if we don’t
usually use them in their symbolic sense. While the number
one represents a quantity of one, it also connotes the qualitative
notion of singleness, being first or alone, and unity. These
qualities are intrinsic to the nature of one. Two likewise
is a quantity but also signifies the quality of a pair, duality,
polarity, attraction and opposition.
Certain geometric shapes function as universal symbols. A
circle shows both potential and a closed system. A triangle
pointing upward implies spiritual aspiration and hierarchy, a square
signifies stability, and displays a well-grounded balance.
2. Cultural
Cultural symbols, sometimes called collective, are recognized by
groups of people and include such things as flags of nations,
colloquialisms or slang such as the currently popular “cool,” clan
plaids, family crests, and the seal of a monarch. Sports
team identifiers like Rams, Bulls, Cowboys, and Eagles are cultural
symbols as are state flowers or birds. The American eagle,
the Chinese dragon or the Russian bear are cultural symbols of countries. Corporate
logos and trademarks are also cultural symbols, like the world-recognized
icons of the Golden Arches of McDonalds, and the mouse ears of the
Walt Disney empire. A yellow happy face became an emblem of simple
good will, while the Playboy bunny represented a lifestyle (or the
unspoken desire for it) for a period of time.
Holiday icons (once holy days) such as a shamrock, a red heart, a
black cat, a Halloween pumpkin, a Thanksgiving turkey, a Yule log
or Christmas tree, Father Time and Baby New Year are associated with
holidays without any written language. A four-leaf clover is a cultural
sign of good luck since they’re rare. However, it’s
always vital to examine the context of the symbol in a dream as these
concepts are relative. Sometimes a good omen in one culture
may be bad news in another context. Owls are a good example
of this. 3. Personal
A personal symbol has meaning only to a single individual, evoking
emotions and unique responses. Your signature is a personal
symbol. Your son or daughter will represent something to you
personally that is an individual response. Likewise dreaming
of your parents or a particular high school teacher or past lover
can invoke very specific meaning. One person may have a fascination
with spiders, creatively spinning webs, while another person may
feel terror of arachnids. Your feelings about the dream symbols
can reveal what they are trying to communicate.
In a metaphorical sense, all of life can be experienced as a symbolic
reflection, offering us wisdom and growth. Integrating these
ancient and powerful methods of symbolic communication provides enhanced
ability to decode messages from our soul, thereby aiding our spiritual
path. Humans are creatures of choice, and therefore we can ignore
the signals, which come gently, and sometimes forcefully, from the
inner reaches of existence. But I believe ignoring these messengers
can be a great loss.
Julie Gillentine is the award-winning author
of TAROT & DREAM
INTERPRETATION and other books and articles. Each year she leads
a sacred journey to Egypt. Julie can be reached through her web site
www.queenofcups.com or in Colorado at 970-264-7474.
