The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams

The contents of this storehouse are called ‘archetypes’: patterns and symbols that can be found within the unconscious of everyone. These archetypes represent the broad human memory within each of us. They appear as mythical images that occur in every culture throughout recorded history—the images appearing in the dreams of our ancestors are those that speak to us today.

According to Jung, dreams are attempts to guide the waking self. He thought that the purpose of life—and for him, dreams play an important role in it—is to understand and integrate all parts of ourselves; dreams are simply one aspect of the self trying to communicate with the conscious part. Dreams don’t disguise the unconscious, they reveal it, through archetypes.

Sigmund Freud disagreed with Jung, as he believed that dreams were disguised attempts to hide, not reveal, true feelings from the waking mind. Freud did, however, recognize a concept of ‘archaic remnants’, inherited—rather than learned—beliefs, through which basic emotions and responses are represented. For example, the mother figure is a universal symbol of nurturing and protection.

Today, most dream researchers believe that we are more likely to see archetypal figures in our dreams at transition points in our lives than at other, more stable times. Change generally brings about anxiety and self-reflection. Going from education to the workforce, singlehood to marriage, or childless to parent are some typical archetypal transitions. Many of these archetypes are very familiar to us already, because they can be found in myths, legends, fairy tales, books and movies: the wicked stepmother, the authoritative father and the vulnerable maiden. We are as familiar with the superhero in films like Spiderman or Batman, as we are with the character of the dastardly joker or villain. All these characters are archetypes, and enduring representations of basic human qualities, instincts and experiences.

The first step in analysing an archetype, as with any symbol, is through personal reference. For example, a dream about monsters may refer to our inner fears, but it

Jungian constructs

The Persona

In your dreams are you wearing a disguise or mask? Are you a regal persona or did you become a superhero? Are you using cosmetics or wearing a wig? Are you worried about your appearance in some way? Are you naked? Are your clothes torn and ragged? If so, this kind of dream concerns your persona or personas, as we all have more than one.

The persona represents your public image, the part of yourself that is presented externally by what you say, wear and look like. The word is obviously related to the words ‘person’ and ‘personality’, and comes from the Latin word for mask. So the persona is the mask you put on before you show yourself to the outside world.

Your persona’s wardrobe of masks comprises the various faces you use to present yourself to different audiences in waking life—for example, your family, friends, colleagues and strangers. We wear these masks to help us relate better to different groups of people, but these masks are not the real you. Depending on the context of your dream and how you felt, your unconscious may be warning you that one of your personas is in conflict with your true self, or that you need to adopt a different persona to achieve your goals.

The persona is rarely personified in a dream. It is usually a dream theme, rather than a dream figure: for example, the persona can be said to be present in a dream in which your clothes are stained, or you are naked or inappropriately dressed. At its best, the persona is just the ‘good impression’ you wish to present as you fill the roles society requires of you. But, of course, it can also be the ‘false impression’ you use to manipulate people’s opinions and behaviors. And, at its worst, it can be mistaken, even by yourself, for your own true nature; sometimes we believe we really are what we pretend to be!

The Anima and the Animus

A part of our persona is the role of male or female we must play. For most people, that gender role is determined by their physical sex. But Jung, like Freud and Adler and others, felt that we are all really bisexual in nature. When we begin our lives in the womb, we have undifferentiated sex organs that only gradually become male or female, under the influence of hormones. Likewise, when we begin our social lives as infants, we are neither male nor female in the social sense until society molds us into men or women.

In all societies, the expectations placed on men and women differ, but in our society today, we have many remnants of traditional expectations. Women are still expected to be homemakers and nurturers; men are still expected to be strong breadwinners. But Jung felt these expectations meant that we had developed only half of our potential.

The anima is the unconscious female aspect present in the collective unconscious of men, and the animus is the unconscious male aspect present in the collective unconscious of women. The function of the anima/animus is to help the dreamer establish a good working relationship with his or her male/female counterpart. This is an important step in the development of the personality.

The anima or animus is the archetype through which you communicate with the collective unconscious generally, and it is important to get into touch with it. It is also the archetype that some researchers believe guides our choice of partner. We are, as suggested by an ancient Greek myth popularized by Plato in the Symposium, always looking for our other half—the half that the Gods took from us—in members of the opposite sex. When we fall in love at first sight, then we have found someone that ‘fills’ our anima or animus archetype particularly well!

If someone of the opposite sex played a leading role in your dreams or aroused feelings of deep yearning, attraction and fascination, then your dreaming self has witnessed the appearance of the anima/animus, the opposite of your conscious personality. This is why if you are an indecisive, shy man your animus may take the form of a party-loving woman who is resolute—or if you are a cautious, rational female your anima may take the form of a spontaneous, passionate man. The anima/animus may be either positive or negative and both can be symbolized by people you know or don’t know in waking life, as well as mythical, symbolic, and legendary characters, or by objects that somehow represent the masculine or feminine to you. Typically, the anima is personified as a single figure image; for example, a young girl, a witch, or an earth mother. It is likely to be associated with deep emotionality and the force of life itself. The animus may be a plurality of figures, for example a band of robbers or a council passing judgment, although it is also often personified as a wise old man. It is likely to be presented as logical, rationalistic, and judgmental.

By introducing the anima/animus, your unconscious is urging you to seek balance and compensate for those attitudes or behaviors that dominate your thinking and being in waking life. Heeding the promptings of your anima/animus can help you become a more content and rounded personality, and perhaps strengthen your relationships with the opposite sex

The self

The most important archetype of all is the self—the higher, more spiritual aspect of the personality. In dreams it can appear in many forms; most typically as a child or baby, suggesting vulnerability, freshness, spontaneity and potential. It can also be symbolized by the circle, the cross, and the mandala figures that Jung was fond of painting. (See SYMBOLS.) To a woman, the self may also be presented as a wise old woman, priestess, fairy godmother, biological mother, queen or princess. To a man, the self may manifest as a king, priest, wise old man, guru, prophet or philosopher.

The shadow

Did you dream of someone, perhaps a stranger, or someone you know who behaved in a repulsive, hateful or shocking way and your instinctual response was one of loathing? If so, you may have encountered your shadow. In waking life, your consciousness represses your shadow, but in dreams it can come to the fore. A useful indicator of your shadow is the quality you despise most in other people, such as boastfulness or cowardice. When your shadow appears, it may be telling you to embrace that part of yourself you find hard to accept, so that you can enhance your creativity.

The shadow is the unacceptable or unknown aspect of ourselves. It derives from our pre-human, animal past, when our concerns were limited to survival and reproduction, and when we weren’t self-conscious.

Symbols of the shadow include the snake, the dragon, monsters, and demons. It can appear in many different dream disguises: a foreigner, gypsy, tramp, prostitute, murderer, thief, stranger, alcoholic, drug addict, rapist, burglar, crippled, deformed, blind, a servant or someone following you. It often guards the entrance to a cave or a pool of water, which is the collective unconscious.

The shadow is not always represented as an enemy in dreams. It often contains values that are needed by consciousness and only becomes hostile when ignored or misunderstood. Although it suggests the ‘dark side’ of the ego, the shadow is actually amoral—neither good nor bad, just like animals. An animal is capable of tender care for its young and vicious killing for food, but it doesn’t choose to do either. It just does what it does. It is ‘innocent’. But from our human perspective, the animal world looks rather brutal, inhuman, so the shadow becomes the part of ourselves that we can’t quite admit to.

may also be a carry-over from the horror film you watched the same night. The next step is to take into consideration the other images in the dream, as well as the feelings and general atmosphere.

When archetypes appear in your dreams you will rarely feel indifferent to them and your instinctive response is crucial to the interpretation. Do they make you feel angry, inspired, sad, protective, frustrated or liberated? Never forget that such images spring from the deepest levels of the unconscious, and it is up to you to discover why they have been conjured up.

Jung contributed to our understanding of dream archetypes with constructs of his own, which some dream researchers find helpful in interpreting dreams. Although Jung believed that there is no fixed number of archetypes which we can simply list and memorize, he did believe that most archetypes are aspects of the following constructs: the persona, the anima and the animus, the ego, and the shadow. As you interpret your dreams you might want to consider these constructs along with the other archetypal images suggested in the pages of this book.

Archetypes A to Z

The archetypes listed here are just a few of the many ancient patterns that exist in human consciousness and manifest as symbolic figures, played by yourself or someone else, in your dreams. See also SYMBOLS.

ADDICT

[DREAM IMAGES: CONSPICUOUS CONSUMER; GLUTTON; WORKAHOLIC ETC.]

Besides the usual suspects—drugs, alcohol, food and sex—one can be addicted to work, sports, television, exercise, computer games, spiritual practice, negative attitudes, thrill seeking and many other activities. When this archetype appears in dreams, it suggests the need to confront some kind of addiction and restore balance in your life. From a symbolic perspective, the shadow aspect of the addict represents a struggle with will power and the absence of self-control.

ADVOCATE

[DREAM IMAGES: ATTORNEY; DEFENDER; ENVIRONMENTALIST; LEGISLATOR; LOBBYIST ETC.]

The advocate embodies social justice and a sense of devotion to championing the rights of others in the public arena. The shadow advocate manifests in commitment to false or negative causes, or in committing to causes for personal gain. If this figure appears in your dreams, you should ask yourself how much of your life is dedicated to the welfare of others, and a willingness to take action on their behalf.

ALCHEMIST

[DREAM IMAGES: INVENTOR; MAGICIAN; SCIENTIST; WIZARD ETC.]

The alchemist, wizard and magician are capable of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Whereas a wizard is associated with magical powers, the magician tends to be seen more as an entertainer. The alchemist tries to turn base metals into gold, but in its highest manifestation, alchemy seeks complete spiritual transformation. The scientist and inventor are associated with advances and developments in human history. The shadow sides of these archetypes are found in the misuse of the power and knowledge to transform people’s lives. This archetype may appear in your dreams if your work or living situation demands that you be especially inventive. On the other hand, it could suggest that you, or someone you know, may be using skills and knowledge for unethical purposes.

ANDROGYNOUS BEING

[DREAM IMAGES: HALF MAN-HALF WOMAN; HERMAPHRODITE; TRANSVESTITE]

The symbol of a person who has attained the perfect balance of male and female characteristics, an androgynous being represents the union of opposites, an important idea in Jung’s theory. In dreams, this archetype is not so much referring to your sexual nature, but more to the union of your inner and outer world. Your interpretation will depend on how this dream image made you feel; were you relaxed and natural, or did you feel repulsed or confused? The latter suggests disharmony, whilst the former suggests harmony.

ANGEL

[DREAM IMAGES: FAIRY GODMOTHER/GODFATHER]

Angels are typically represented as winged beings who intervene at times of great need, or for the purpose of delivering a message of guidance or instruction from God to human beings. Therefore in dreams, angels represent your higher self-image and offer guidance from within, but they can also represent an evil being of similar powers: the fallen angle who has been led astray, or is leading other people astray. Bear in mind, too, that the dream may refer to someone in your life who is an angel because of the loving and nurturing qualities of character that they embody. One may also play the role of a fairy godmother or godfather by helping someone.

ARTIST

[DREAM IMAGES: ARTISAN; CRAFTSPERSON; SCULPTOR; WEAVER ETC.]

In dreams, the artist archetype suggests the need for self-expression. The shadow artist indicates an eccentric nature and the madness that often accompanies genius. In evaluating your relationship to this archetype, recognize that the need to inspire others in some way—for example through teaching, writing, listening and encouraging—is as much an expression of the artist archetype as actually holding a brush in your hand. See also ARTS AND CRAFTS.

ATHLETE

[DREAM IMAGES: FITNESS INSTRUCTOR; OLYMPIAN; SPORTSPERSON ETC.]

This archetype represents the ultimate expression of the strength of the human spirit as represented in the power and magnificence of the human body. Athlete dreams should not be interpreted in terms of whether your body is perfect in form and function, but whether you have the willpower and strength of spirit to achieve your goals. The shadow aspect of athletes may manifest in dreams about cheating, suggesting a lack of honor in yourself or someone you know. See also LEISURE.

AVENGER

[DREAM IMAGES: AVENGING ANGEL; MESSIAH; SAVIOR]

This archetype suggests a need to balance the scales of justice in your waking life. Dreams about bringing war criminals to trial, or legally pursuing corporations that harm society, or saving the world from impending disaster are examples of the avenger archetype in action. The shadow side of the avenger manifests in dreams with acts of violence and a burning desire to get even at all costs as their themes.

BEGGAR

[DREAM IMAGES: HOMELESS PERSON; INDIGENT ETC.]

Homeless and penniless, the beggar is associated with dependence on the kindness of others, living on the streets, starvation and disease. It is easy to believe that when this archetype appears in your dreams, the interpretation should be a negative one, but this isn’t always the case. People don’t just beg for money; they can also beg for attention, love, authority, success and material objects. Learning about the nature of generosity, compassion and humility, and understanding what it is you really need, are fundamental to interpreting this dream image.

BULLY

[DREAM IMAGES: COWARD; DEMANDING BOSS/TEACHER; GANG OF INTIMIDATING THUGS; SCHOOL BULLY ETC.]

The archetype of the bully manifests the core truth that the spirit is always stronger than the body, and your relationship to this archetype should be evaluated within a framework far more expansive than evaluating whether you bully people or are being bullied. Consider whether in waking life you are giving up on things and people too easily. Conventional wisdom holds that underneath a bully is a coward trying to keep others from discovering his or her true identity. If the theme of cowardice or intimidation by a boss, teacher or gang of thugs appears in your dreams, perhaps your unconscious is urging you to stand up to being bullied by your own inner fears.

CHILD

[DREAM IMAGES: CHILD OF NATURE; DIVINE; MAGICAL/INNOCENT; ORPHAN; WOUNDED]

The child of nature archetype inspires deep, intimate bonding with natural forces. Although the nature child is loving and giving, it can also have an inner toughness and ability to survive—the resilience of Nature herself. Nature children can develop advanced skills of communicating with animals, and in dreams reflecting this archetype, an animal often comes to the rescue of its child companion. Such dreams can reflect a compassionate, nature-loving aspect of our character, or the need to stop abusing the environment (understood in its widest sense) and reconnect with nature.

The magical child embodies qualities of wisdom and courage in the face of difficult circumstances. In dreams, it suggests the power of imagination and the belief that everything is possible. If, however, the magic is not put to positive use, the dream image is a negative one, and indicates lack of energy and action in waking life.

The orphan child is the major character in most well-known children’s stories, including ‘Bambi’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Hansel and Gretel’, ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘Little Orphan Annie’, ‘The Matchstick Girl’, ‘Snow White’ and many more. The pattern in these stories is often reflected in the dreams of people who feel from birth as if they are not a part of their family or community, or who fear surviving alone in this world.

The wounded child archetype in dreams holds the memories of the abuse, neglect and other traumas that may have been endured during childhood. From a spiritual perspective, a wounded childhood cracks open the learning path of forgiveness. The shadow aspect may manifest as an abiding sense of self-pity, a tendency to blame your parents for your current shortcomings and to resist moving on through forgiveness.

Whilst dreams about children that never grow old reveal a determination to remain eternally young in body, mind, and spirit, they can also suggest an inability to grow up and embrace the responsible life of an adult. Peter Pan is the most obvious example of this archetype—he resists ending a cycle of life in which he is free to live outside the boundaries of conventional adulthood. For women, this archetype may manifest as extreme dependency on those who take charge of their physical security. A consistent inability to be relied on, and the inability to accept the aging process, are also markers of this archetype.

Carl Jung claimed that the dream symbol of a child is a metaphor for the forgotten things in childhood. For example, your dream may be telling you that you have forgotten how to play, or that you should take a more innocent, carefree attitude. The symbol of the child also represents possibilities and paves the way for future changes in the personality. In addition, it can also represent the part of you that needs security and reassurance. See also BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD.

CLOWN

[DREAM IMAGES: COURT JESTER; FOOL; TRICKSTER]

If a clown appears in your dreams, ask yourself if you need to bring humor into a situation or carry truth into closed circles or closed minds. Did a clown or trickster try to undermine you in your dream? Did someone you know play a trick on you? Playing pranks is associated with the clown or trickster, who delights in challenging the status quo and rebelling. Although confusing, this attention-seeker is worthy of your attention, as it represents the part of yourself that wants to challenge you out of your complacency. If you listen to the message, the clown can transform your waking life into a more carefree, spontaneous and happy one.

DAMSEL

[DREAM IMAGES: PRINCESS; YOUNG GIRL ETC.]

The damsel in distress may be the oldest female archetype in all of popular literature and the movies. She is beautiful, vulnerable and in need of rescuing. If this image appears in your dreams, it may suggest your intense desire to be rescued or protected by a loved one; it may also suggest the need to go it alone. When disappointed, a damsel must go through a process of empowerment and learn to take care of herself in the world.

DESTROYER

[DREAM IMAGES: ATTILA; MAD SCIENTIST; SERIAL KILLER; SPOILER]

The impulse to destroy and rebuild is archetypal. We are bound to that cycle so that new life can begin. Dreams which have destruction as a theme, or where you or someone else are destroying things or people often refer to releasing emotions or behavior that are destroying us. It can also represent an aspect of yourself that destroys relationships or promotes attitudes and opinions that destroy others’ dreams or potential.

DETECTIVE

[DREAM IMAGES: DOUBLE AGENT; PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR; SHERLOCK HOLMES; SLEUTH; SNOOP; SPY ETC.]

Positive characteristics of the detective include the ability to seek out knowledge and information that supports solving crimes and protecting the public. The shadow side of these archetypes can manifest as voyeurism, falsifying information, or selling out to the highest bidder. If the detective archetype appears in your dreams, it could be encouraging you to become more inquisitive. On the other hand, it could be questioning your motives for seeking out information.