The Spirit of a Poppy flower flew out of the flower head and towards me, trying to fly into my mouth. The being looked like some hybrid cross between a plant and a butterfly/insect and was so strange it seemed almost alien. It wasn't threatening, but was so unusual I became scared and woke up.
(The image is a painting in progress based on this dream.)
To see a poppy in your dream, symbolizes fertility, and abundance. Alternatively, the dream suggests that you need to learn to forget or forgive. You need to let go out the past and look forward to the future.
In particular, if the poppy is red, then it represents a sacrifice that you need to make or have made. It is also symbolic of remembrance.
Dreaming that you are talking to an unknown spirit, forewarns that someone is trying to deceive you. Generally if the spirit is known and welcomed it is a sign of great good luck and/or good fortune in business affairs.
Different flowers usually have separate meanings, but, as so often
happens, flower-symbolism is broadly characterized by two essentially different
considerations: the flower in its essence, and the flower in its shape. By its very
nature it is symbolic of transitoriness, of Spring and of beauty. The sixth of the
‘Eight Immortals’ of China, Lan Ts’ai-ho, is generally depicted clad in blue and
carrying a basket of flowers; it is said that he was given to singing of the brevity
of life and the ephemeral nature of pleasure (5). The Greeks and Romans, at all
their feasts, always wore crowns of flowers. And they would strew flowers over
the corpses as they bore them to the funeral pyre and over their graves (not so
much as an offering as an analogy) (8). We have, then, another example of an
antithetical symbol, like the skeleton which the Egyptians would bring to their
banquets, as a reminder of the reality of death and as a stimulus towards the
enjoyment of life. Now, because of its shape, the flower is an image of the
‘Centre’, and hence an archetypal image of the soul (56). ‘Celestial flower’ is the
name given to a meteorite or a shooting star by the alchemists (57), and the flower
was, for them, symbolic of the work of the sun (32). The significance would be
adapted according to the colour of the flower. So, for example, orange or yellowcoloured flowers represent a reinforcement of the basic sun-symbolism; red flowers emphasize the relationship with animal life, blood and passion. The ‘blue
flower’ is a legendary symbol of the impossible, and is probably an allusion to the
‘mystic Centre’ as represented by the Grail and other such symbols. The ‘golden
flower’ is a famous parallel in Chinese mysticism, a non-existent flower which is
also spoken of in alchemy; in the Epistola ad Hermannum Arch. Coloniensem
(Theatr. Chem. 1622) it is given the name of ‘the sapphire-blue flower of the
Hermaphrodite’ (32).
To see colorful flowers in your dream, signify kindness, compassion, gentleness, pleasure, beauty, and gain. It is also symbolic of perfection and spirituality. Your dream may be an expression of love, joy and happiness. Alternatively, flowers in dream, especially if they are blooming, represent your hidden potential and latent talents. Flowers can also denote a particular time or season. If the flowers are white, then it symbolizes sadness. Consider the color of the flower and the type of flower for additional analysis.
To see withered or dead flowers in your dream, denotes disappointments and gloomy situations. It may signal an end to a love relationship. Or it could indicate that you may not be utilizing your full potential and talents and letting it go to waste.
To dream that you receive a bouquet of flowers, represents respect, approval, admiration, and rewards.
To see flowers blooming in barren soil, signify that energy and cheerful nature will enable you to overcome your grievances. If you are picking flowers, then the dream symbolizes blooming love or a new developing relationship.
To dream of seeing flowers blooming in gardens, signifies pleasure and gain, if bright-hued and fresh; white denotes sadness. Withered and dead flowers, signify disappointments and gloomy situations.
For a young woman to receive a bouquet of mixed flowers, foretells that she will have many admirers.
To see flowers blooming in barren soil without vestage of foliage, foretells you will have some grievous experience, but your energy and cheerfulness will enable you to climb through these to prominence and happiness.
``Held in slumber's soft embrace,
She enters realms of flowery grace,
Where tender love and fond caress,
Bids her awake to happiness.''
Seeing colorful flowers in your dream means kindness, compassion, gentleness, pleasure, beauty, and gain. It is also symbolic of perfection and spirituality. Your dream may be an expression of love, joy and happiness. Alternatively, flowers may denote a particular time or season. If the flowers are white, then it symbolizes sadness. Seeing withered or dead flowers in your dream indicates disappointments and gloomy situations. You may not be utilizing your full potential and talents. Dreaming that you receive a bouquet of flowers, represents respect, approval, admiration, and rewards. Seeing flowers blooming in barren soil means that energy and cheerful nature will enable you to overcome your grievances.
When we look at flowers, most of us feel some joy and vitality. At the very least, we appreciate their beauty and see their value. Flowers are beautiful and in our dreams they could represent the simplest feelings of contentment to the deepest feelings of spiritual completeness. A circular flower is a friendly sign that could be the symbol of wholeness that represents the "psychic centre of the personality." Additionally, the colours could symbolize the psychic centers in our bodies called chakras. Flowers also represent hope and positive growth, along with simplicity, innocence, and possibly virginity. A flower can also symbolize the vulva.
If you dream that you are arranging flowers, you could be trying to make improvements to your waking life. Dead or dried flowers in a dream can symbolize poor health or obstacles in your life. Flowers in a bouquet may symbolize a marriage.
Among the ancients, an emblem of the soul and of unconscious
attraction towards the light (8). The purification of the soul by fire, represented
in Romanesque art by the burning ember placed by the angel in the prophet’s
mouth, is visually portrayed on a small Mattei urn by means of an image of love
holding a butterfly close to a flame (8). The Angel of Death was represented by
the Gnostics as a winged foot crushing a butterfly, from which we may deduce
that the butterfly was equated with life rather than with the soul in the sense of
the spirit or transcendent being (36). This also explains why psychoanalysis
regards the butterfly as a symbol of rebirth (56). In China, it has the secondary
meanings of joy and conjugal bliss (5).
To see a butterfly in your dream, denotes your need to settle down. Butterflies signify creativity, romance, joy and spirituality. You may be experiencing a transformation into a new way of thinking. Or you may be undergoing a transitional phase. Consider the term "social butterfly" to describe someone who is popular and outgoing. Does this describe you? Perhaps you need to be more outgoing. Alternatively, the butterfly is symbolic of longevity.
To see two butterflies in your dream, represent a long and happy marriage.
To catch or kill a butterfly, suggests that you are being too superficial.
To dream that you are mounting a butterfly on frame, symbolizes sexual oppression.
To see a butterfly among flowers and green grasses, indicates prosperity and fair attainments.
To see them flying about, denotes news from absent friends by letter, or from some one who has seen them. To a young woman, a happy love, culminating in a life union.
Dreaming of a butterfly indicates your need to settle down. Butterflies also means creativity, romance, joy and spirituality. You may be undergoing a transformation into a new way of thinking. Dreaming of a beautiful colorful butterfly indicates the positive impression you will make at a future social gathering.
Some say that the butterfly represents the spirit or the essence of the individual: the soul. Butterflies are generally symbols of transformation because they go through a metamorphosis. They are beautiful, evasive, and, at times, inspiring. Your unconscious mind may be pointing out the most positive part of yourself or another.
If you dream that a butterfly is trapped in a room, you may be facing obstacles in waking life.
Butterfly Animal Symbolism
Overwhelmingly, cultural myth and lore honor the butterfly as a symbol of transformation because of its impressive process of metamorphosis.
From egg, to larvae (caterpillar), to pupa (the chrysalis or cocoon) and from the cocoon the butterfly emerges in her unfurling glory.
What a massive amount of transition this tiny creature undergoes. Consider for a moment the kind of energy this expends. I daresay if a human were to go through this kind of change we’d freak out!
Imagine the whole of your life changing to such an extreme you are unrecognizable at the end of the transformation. Mind you, this change takes place in a short span of about a month too (that’s how long the butterfly life cycle is).
Herein lies the deepest symbolic lesson of the butterfly. She asks us to accept the changes in our lives as casually as she does. The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the chances of her environment and her body.
This unwavering acceptance of her metamorphosis is also symbolic of faith. Here the butterfly beckons us to keep our faith as we undergo transitions in our lives. She understands that our toiling, fretting and anger are useless against the turning tides of nature – she asks us to recognize the same.
A quick-list of Butterfly animal symbolism:
Resurrection
Transition
Celebration
Lightness
Time
Soul
Interestingly, in many cultures the butterfly is associated with the soul – further linking our animal symbolism of faith with the butterfly.
In Greek myth, Psyche (which literally translates to mean “soul”) is represented in the form of a butterfly. Befittingly, Psyche is forever linked with love as she and Eros (the Greek god of love, also known in Roman myth as Cupid) shared an endlessly passionate bond together – both hopelessly in love with the other.
Greece doesn’t corner the market on associating the butterfly with the soul. Here are a few other ancient cultures that associated this elegant creature with the soul:
Asian (central)
Mexican – Aztec
New Zealand
Zaire
Even Christianity considers the butterfly a soulful symbol. To wit, the butterfly is depicted on ancient Christian tombs, as Christ has been illustrated holding a butterfly in Christian art.
It’s connection with the soul is rather fitting. We are all on a long journey of the soul. On this journey we encounter endless turns, shifts, and conditions that cause us to morph into ever-finer beings. At our soul-journey’s end we are inevitably changed – not at all the same as when we started on the path.
To take this analogy a step further, we can look again to the grace and eloquence of the butterfly and realize that our journey is our only guarantee. Our responsibility to make our way in faith, accept the change that comes, and emerge from our transitions as brilliantly as the butterfly.
The butterfly symbolizes intuitive transformation and consciousness. It teaches us to make changes to our lives, create new conditions, and make dreams come true. Every new idea and every step towards enlightenment reflects the development of the butterfly. The egg of a butterfly signals the birth of a life or new idea. The larvae stage represents lifes' learning and experiences. The cocoon represents the breaking free of misconceptions and beliefs for expansion. Finally, the hatching of the butterfly symbolizes the beginning of consciousness and new reality. The Butterfly reminds you that you are continually in a state of transformation and all is well.
The butterfly represents transformation and the ability to accept change.
Major transformations and transmutations taking place, outcome is different than expected. Symbol of joy, color, gentleness, lightness, and change in life. Awakens us to dance on the winds of life, teaches that growth doesn't have to be painful, allows us to discover the important issues in life for conscious transformation. Can you discern what is important right now? Don't sweat the small stuff, be joyful and thankful for your blessings.
To dream that you are scared, indicates that you are experiencing feelings of self-doubt, incompetence, and lack of control in your waking life. Perhaps you are having second thoughts about a decision you have made. Anger often masquerades as fear, so also consider issues about which you are angry about in your waking life.
Dreaming that you are scared indicates that you are experiencing self-doubt and feelings of incompetence. You may be feeling a lack of control. Anger often masquerades as fear, so also consider issues about which you are angry about in your waking life.
To dream of a stranger pleasing you, denotes good health and pleasant surroundings; if he displeases you, look for disappointments.
To dream you are an alien, denotes abiding friendships.
Dreaming of being an Alien, shows that there is an aspect of your personality that nobody have discovered yet. Maybe you do not know it yourself, and you will be surprised by your own abilities. It also shows that you are a person with lots of imagination and creativity, you try to find innovative solutions to all kinds of worries. When you dream that you are surrounded by aliens is an indication that you might be finding some difficulties ajusting to a new environment, new people or a new job. By dreaming that you are being abducted by aliens, and if you find that experience to be exciting and positive, it means that you are trying ot escape the harsh reality by finding some "out of this world" solutions, to very down to earth problems. You are a very sensitive person, full of dreams and hopes, but life has not been always easy for you. If you feel frightened and threatened by aliens who have abducted you, it means that you feel greatly threatened to lose your familiar inner circle, your family, friends and home.
Occasionally, people will have dreams about UFO's and aliens. What these dreams symbolise, collectively or individually is difficult to explain and understand. Meeting and talking to aliens may suggests that significant changes are coming into your life and, at the moment, things feel strange and foreign to you. If you dream that you are the alien, it suggests that you may feel detached from some parts of yourself and from others. You may be a stranger in your immediate surroundings, and some self-evaluation and familiarisation is suggested.
To dream that you are in a strange place, represents change in your life. Consider how you feel about the surrounding. If you are afraid or lost, then it indicates that you are not ready for the change. You are not ready to leave the past behind. If you are excited or happy in this unknown place, then it suggests that you are ready for change.
To see insects in your dream, signify minor obstacles that you must overcome. There are small problems and annoyances that need to be dealt with. You feel that you are under attack. Or something or someone may be "bugging" or pestering you. Alternatively, insects are symbolic of precision, alertness, and sensitivity. You may need to organize your thoughts and sort out your values. Sometimes they are seen as divine messengers.
Seeing insects in your dream means minor obstacles that you must overcome. There are small problems and annoyances that need to be dealt with. Something or someone may be "bugging" or "pestering" you. Alternatively, insects are also said to be symbolic of precision, alertness, and sensitivity. You may need to organize your thoughts and sort out your values. Sometimes they are seen as divine messengers.
Some dream interpretation books name specific insect symbols. However, the main idea to consider when you are interpreting this dream symbol is that you may currently be annoyed or "bugged" by a person or a situation in life. Use common sense and some general impressions about the specific insect when interpreting your dream. For example, if you are dreaming about bees stinging you, think about some of your relationships. If you are dreaming about ants, consider you social interactions and work ethic.
A pattern of forms and figures endowed with unity and significance.
It is implied in the theory of form—and is true, also, of melody—that the whole
is greater than the sum of its parts being, in a sense, their origin and justification.
If for Sartre the image is a degraded awareness of knowing, for other psychologists the image is, in fact, the highest form that knowing can assume, for all
knowledge tends towards a visual synthesis. Also to be borne in mind is the
theory propounded by Sir Herbert Read in Icon and Idea, according to which
every creation in the visual arts—and, in fact, every kind of pattern—is a form of
thought and therefore corresponds to an intelligible mental concept. This leads us
towards an intuition of the world as a vast repertoire of signs that await being
‘read’. We may note here that some of the works of Trithemius and Athanasius
Kircher tend towards this interpretation.
If you dream that you see images, you will have poor success in business or love.
To set up an image in your home, portends that you will be weak minded and easily led astray. Women should be careful of their reputation after a dream of this kind. If the images are ugly, you will have trouble in your home.
Seeing plants in your dream indicates fertility, spiritual development, growth or the potential for growth. Alternatively, the appearance of plants in your dreams reflects your caring and loving nature. In particular, to see indoor plants in your dream, suggests that your growth is being hindered or slowed in some way. You are experiencing a lack of independence. Alternatively, the dream signify your desire to be closer to nature. If you are estranged from your children, then the plants can be seen as a representative for your your children.
The complex symbolism of the cross neither denies nor supplants the
historical meaning in Christianity. But in addition to the realities of Christianity there are two other essential factors: that of the symbolism of the cross as such
and that of the crucifixion or of ‘suffering upon the cross’. In the first place, the
cross is dramatic in derivation, an inversion, as it were, of the Tree of Paradise.
Hence, the cross is often represented in mediaeval allegory as a Y-shaped tree,
depicted with knots and even with branches, and sometimes with thorns. Like the
Tree of Life, the cross stands for the ‘world-axis’. Placed in the mystic Centre of
the cosmos, it becomes the bridge or ladder by means of which the soul may reach
God. There are some versions which depict the cross with seven steps, comparable with the cosmic trees which symbolize the seven heavens (17). The cross,
consequently, affirms the primary relationship between the two worlds of the
celestial and the earthly (14). But, in addition, because of the cross-piece which
cuts cleanly across the upright (in turn implying the symbols of level and of the axis of the world), it stands for the conjunction of opposites, wedding the spiritual (or vertical) principle with the principle of the world of phenomena. Hence its significance as a symbol for agony, struggle and martyrdom (14). Sometimes
the cross is T-shaped, further emphasizing the near-equilibrium of the opposing
principles. Jung comments that in some traditions the cross is a symbol of fire
and of the sufferings of existence, and that this may be due to the fact that the two
arms were associated with the kindling sticks which primitive man rubbed together to produce fire and which he thought of as masculine and feminine. But the
predominant meaning of the cross is that of ‘Conjunction’. Plato, in Timaeus,
tells how the demiurge joins up the broken parts of the world-soul by means of
two sutures shaped like St. Andrew’s cross (31). Bayley stresses the fire-symbolism of the cross, and explains that all the words for ‘cross’ (crux, cruz, crowz,
croaz, krois, krouz) have a common etymological basis in -ak, -ur or -os, signifying ‘light of the Great Fire’ (4). The cross has been widely used as a graphic
emblem, very largely as a result of Christian influence but equally on account of
the basic significance of the sign; for it is clear that all basic notions, whether they
are ideas or signs, have come about without the prompting of any cultural influence. Hundreds of different shapes of crosses have been summarized in works
such as Lehner’s Symbols, Signs and Signets, and it has been found possible, by
the study of graphic symbolism, to elucidate the particular meaning of each one.
Many of them take the form of insignias of military orders, medals, etc. The
swastika is a very common type of cross (q.v. Swastika). The Egyptian, anserated
cross is particularly interesting in view of its antiquity. In Egyptian hieroglyphics
it stands for life or living (Nem Ankh) and forms part of such words as ‘health’ and
‘happiness’. Its upper arm is a curve, sometimes almost closed to form a circle.
Enel analyses this hieroglyphic as follows: ‘The phonetic significance of this sign
is a combination of the signs for activity and passivity and of a mixture of the
two, and conforms with the symbolism of the cross in general as the synthesis of
the active and the passive principle.’ The very shape of the anserated cross
expresses a profound idea: that of the circle of life spreading outwards from the
Origin and falling upon the surface (that is, upon the passivity of existence which
it then animates) as well as soaring up towards the infinite. It may also be seen as
a magic knot binding together some particular combination of elements to form
one individual, a view which would confirm its characteristic life-symbolism. It
may also signify destiny. Judged from the macrocosmic point of view, that is of
its analogy with the world, the Ankh-cross may represent the sun, the sky and the
earth (by reference to the circle, the upright and the horizontal lines). As a microcosmic sign, that is by analogy with man, the circle would represent the human
head or reason (or the ‘sun’ which gives him life), the horizontal arm his arms, and
the upright his body (19). In sum, the most general significance of the cross is that of the conjunction of opposites: the positive (or the vertical) with the negative (or
horizontal), the superior with the inferior, life with death. The basic idea behind
the symbolism of crucifixion is that of experiencing the essence of antagonism, an
idea which lies at the root of existence, expressing as it does life’s agonizing pain,
its cross-roads of possibilities and impossibilities, of construction and destruction. Evola suggests that the cross is a synthesis of the seven aspects of space and
time, because its form is such that it both maintains and destroys free movement;
hence, the cross is the antithesis of the Ouroboros, the serpent or dragon denoting
the primeval, anarchic dynamism which preceded the creation of the cosmos and
the emergence of order. There is, thus, a close relationship between the cross and
the sword, since both of them are wielded against the primordial monster (Plate
V).
To see a cross in your dream, signifies suffering, martyrdom, death, and/or sacrifice. It is a symbol of your religious faith. Perhaps your dream is telling you that you have a cross to bear or that you are acting "crossed" and annoyed. Ask yourself what is causing you to suffer or what is causing you great difficulties.
To dream of seeing a cross, indicates trouble ahead for you.
Shape your affairs accordingly.
To dream of seeing a person bearing a cross, you will be called on by missionaries to aid in charities.
Seeing a cross in your dream means suffering, martyrdom, death, and/or sacrifice. Perhaps your dream is telling you that you have a cross to bear. Ask yourself what is causing you to suffer or what is causing you great difficulties.
A cross can symbolize security and comfort.
If you dream of a gold cross, you may believe that people are gossiping about you. If you dream about a wooden cross, you may have been surprised about something.
If you dream that you are crossing a boundary, you could be confident that you are using your energy wisely or that you have survived a dangerous experience. It could also mean that you are expecting changes to come in the future.