The symbolism of music is of the greatest complexity and we cannot
here do more than sketch out some general ideas. It pervades all the component
elements of created sound: instruments, rhythm, tone or timbre, the notes of the
natural scale, serial patterns, expressive devices, melodies, harmonies and forms.
The symbolism of music may be approached from two basic standpoints: either
by regarding it as part of the ordered pattern of the cosmos as understood by the ancient, megalithic and astrobiological cultures, or else by accepting it as a phenomenon of ‘correspondence’ linked with the business of expression and communication. Another of the fundamental aspects of music-symbolism is its connexion
with metre and with number, arising out of the Pythagorean theory (27). The
cosmic significance of musical instruments—their allegiance to one particular
Element—was first studied by Curt Sachs in Geist und Werden der
Musikinstrumente (Berlin, 1929). In this symbolism, the characteristic shape of
an instrument must be distinguished from the timbre, and there are some common
‘contradictions’ between these two aspects which might possibly be of significance as an expression of the mediating rôle of the musical instrument and of
music as a whole (for an instrument is a form of relationship or communication,
substantially dynamic, as in the case of the voice or the spoken word). For
example, the flute is phallic and masculine in shape and feminine in its shrill pitch
and light, silvery (and therefore lunar) tone, while the drum is feminine by virtue
of its receptacle-like shape, yet masculine in its deep tones (50). The connexion
of music-symbolism with self-expression (and even with graphic art) is well in
evidence in primitive music-making, which often amounted to almost literal imitations of the rhythms and movements, the features and even the shapes of
animals. Schneider describes how, hearing some Senegalese singing the ‘Song of
the Stork’, he began to ‘see as he was listening’, for the rhythm corresponded
exactly to the movements of the bird. When he asked the singers about this, their
reply confirmed his observation. Given the laws of analogy, we can also find
cases of the expressive transferred to the symbolic: that is, a melodic progression
as a whole expresses certain coherent emotions, and this progression corresponds
to certain coherent, symbolic forms. On the other hand, alternating deep and highpitched tones express a ‘leap’, anguish and the need for Inversion; Schneider
concludes that this is an expression of the idea of conquering the space between
the valley and the mountain (corresponding to the earth and the sky). He observes that in Europe the mystic designation of ‘high music’ (that is, high-pitched)
and ‘low music’ (low-pitched) persisted right up to the Renaissance. The question of relating musical notes to colours or to planets is far from being as certain
as other symbolic correspondences of music. Nevertheless, we cannot pass on
without giving some idea of the profound, serial relationship which exists in
phenomena: for instance, corresponding to the pentatonic scale we usually find
patterns grouped in fives; the diatonic and modal scale, since it has seven notes,
is related to most of the astrobiological systems, and is unquestionably the most
important of all the series; the present-day tendency towards the twelve-note
series could be compared to the signs of the Zodiac. But, so far, we have not found sufficient evidence for this particular facet of musicsymbolism. All the
same, here are the correspondences as set down by Fabre d’Olivet, the French
occultist: Mi—the Sun, fa—Mercury, sol—Venus, la—the Moon, ti—Saturn,
do—Jupiter, re—Mars (26). A more valid series of relationships, at least in the
expressive aspect, is that which links the Greek modes with the planets and with
particular aspects of the ethos, as follows: the mi-mode (the Dorian)—Mars
(who is severe or pathetic); the re-mode (the Phrygian)—Jupiter (ecstatic): the
do-mode (the Lydian)—Saturn (pained and sad); the ti-mode (the Hypodorian)—
the Sun (enthusiastic); the la-mode (the Hypophrygian)—Mercury (active); the
sol-mode (the Hypolydian)—Venus (erotic); the fa-mode (the Mixolydian)—the
Moon (melancholy) (50). Schneider’s profound investigations into the symbolism of music seem to us well-founded. The tetrachord formed by the notes do, re,
mi, fa, he considers, for instance, to be a mediator between heaven and earth, the
four notes corresponding respectively to the lion (signifying valour and strength),
the ox (sacrifice and duty), man (faith and incarnation) and the eagle (elevation
and prayer). Conversely, the tetrachord formed by sol, la, ti, do, could represent
a kind of divine duplicate of the previous tetrachord. Fa, do, sol, re are regarded as
masculine elements corresponding to the Elements of fire and air and to the
instruments of stone and metal, whereas la, mi, ti, are feminine, and pertain to the
Elements of water and earth. The interval fa-ti, known to musicologists as a
tritone (or augmented fourth), expresses with its dissonance the ‘painful’ clash
between the Elements of fire and water—a clash occurring in death itself (50). We
have been able to suggest here only a few outlines of the music-symbolism
developed by Schneider in his work The Musical Origin of Animal-Symbols, the
scope of which is so wide that, as he has privately intimated to us, he believes all
symbolic meanings are at root musical or at least to do with sounds. This becomes
easier to understand when we recall that singing, as the harmonization of successive, melodic elements, is an image of the natural connexion between all things,
and, at the same time, the communication, the spreading and the exaltation of the
inner relationship linking all things together. Hence Plato’s remark that the character of a nation’s music cannot be altered without changing the customs and
institutions of the State (26).

To hear harmonious and soothing music in your dream, signifies prosperity and pleasure. You are expressing your emotions in a positive way. Music serves to heal the soul.

To hear discordant or out of tune music in your dream, signifies unhappiness, lack of harmony, and troubles in your relationship or domestic life.

To dream of hearing harmonious music, omens pleasure and prosperity.

Discordant music foretells troubles with unruly children, and unhappiness in the household.

Light, traditionally, is equated with the spirit (9). Ely Star asserts that
the superiority of the spirit is immediately recognizable by its luminous intensity. Light is the manifestation of morality, of the intellect and the seven virtues
(54). Its whiteness alludes to just such a synthesis of the All. Light of any given
colour possesses a symbolism corresponding to that colour, plus the significance
of emanation from the ‘Centre’, for light is also the creative force, cosmic energy irradiation (57). Symbolically, illumination comes from the East. Psychologically
speaking, to become illuminated is to become aware of a source of light, and, in
consequence, of spiritual strength (32).

To see light in your dream, represents illumination, clarity, guidance, plain understanding, and insight. Light is being shed on a once cloudy situation or problem. You have found the truth to a situation or an answer to a problem. Also consider the color of the light for additional significance.

If the light is particularly bright, then it indicates that you need to move toward a higher level of awareness and feeling. Bright light dreams are sometimes common for those who are near death.

To see soft or shadowy lighting in your dreams, indicates feelings and thoughts from the primal aspects and less developed parts of your unconscious.

To dream that you cannot turn on the light, indicates a lack of insight and perspective on a situation.

If you dream of light, success will attend you. To dream of weird light, or if the light goes out, you will be disagreeably surprised by some undertaking resulting in nothing.

To see a dim light, indicates partial success.

To dream of lights is very good. It denotes riches and honour.

Seeing light in your dream indicates a clear mind, plain understanding, and insight. Light has been shed on a once cloudy situation or problem. You have found the truth to a situation or an answer to a problem. Seeing a bright light in your dream indicates that you need to move toward a higher level of awareness and feeling. Bright light dreams are sometimes common for those who are near death.

To dream that you are flying, signifies a sense of freedom where you had initially felt restricted and limited.

To dream that you are flying with black wings, signifies bitter disappointments.

To dream of flying high through a space, denotes marital calamities.

To fly low, almost to the ground, indicates sickness and uneasy states from which the dreamer will recover.

To fly over muddy water, warns you to keep close with your private affairs, as enemies are watching to enthrall you.

To fly over broken places, signifies ill luck and gloomy surroundings. If you notice green trees and vegetation below you in flying, you will suffer temporary embarrassment, but will have a flood of prosperity upon you.

To dream of seeing the sun while flying, signifies useless worries, as your affairs will succeed despite your fears of evil.

To dream of flying through the firmament passing the moon and other planets; foretells famine, wars, and troubles of all kinds.

To dream that you fly with black wings, portends bitter disappointments. To fall while flying, signifies your downfall. If you wake while falling, you will succeed in reinstating yourself.

For a young man to dream that he is flying with white wings above green foliage, foretells advancement in business, and he will also be successful in love. If he dreams this often it is a sign of increasing prosperity and the fulfilment of desires. If the trees appear barren or dead, there will be obstacles to combat in obtaining desires. He will get along, but his work will bring small results.

For a woman to dream of flying from one city to another, and alighting on church spires, foretells she will have much to contend against in the way of false persuasions and declarations of love. She will be threatened with a disastrous season of ill health, and the death of some one near to her may follow.

For a young woman to dream that she is shot at while flying, denotes enemies will endeavor to restrain her advancement into higher spheres of usefulness and prosperity.

Dreaming that you are flying means a sense of freedom where you had initially felt restricted and limited. Dreaming that you are flying with black wings means bitter disappointments.

Dreams of flying are common and most people can recall having flown in a dream or two. There are many ideas as to what this means. Some people believe that flying in our dreams can be an actual out of body experience, that we go to places on this physical plane as well as into the inner planes (mostly the Astral). We have a desire to be free and above all difficulties! The details of your dream will give you clues as to what it symbolizes, if your dream was a spiritual experience or ego based; enjoy it, flying is great!

You first start dreaming of flying when you are 3 to 5 years old. It is a very common dream, though less prevalent in adults. More than one third of the dreaming population has dreamed of flying one time or the other.

* Flying dreams are known to have a positive relationship with relief from tension and nightmares.
* Lucid dreamers tend to have twice as much of flying dreams.
* An intense emotional condition can also trigger off a flying dream
* The dreams are not exclusive to the post flying machines era. They have occurred in ancient times too, as records in dream books
of Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations reveal.
* People with an imaginative personality and creative thinkers have more flying dreams
* Those who fly planes have these dreams, though they rather fly like Superman in their dreams, not in aeroplanes.

What triggers off a flying dream? The reasons offered for these dreams are

* Psychological - The dreamer has had an intense emotional experience
* Physiological - There is a change in the breathing pattern of the dreamer
* Physical - There is an actual physical movement of the bed.
* Precognitive - In preparation of a flying trip
* Consciousness - Awareness of movement around you