I put in Skyrim by accident, and debate whether I should play it from where I last played it or start over entirely. I decide to just go ahead and play.
I am the dragon born, in a monarch butterfly warrior dress and intricate metal armor. I particularly like the piece on my left arm. I can't switch out this attire for now, as the narrator voice tells me, as does the little fairy following me around. I am on tall wall, similar to the Great Wall of China. I run along this wall from tower to tower, collecting rings and charms that are suspended in a light on the floor, all the while I am having to dodge attacks by a dragon that breaths purple fire. From every tower along this wall, is another wall path that leads toward the center. It's as if I am on the outside wall of a wheel, and every tower as a wall like a rung that stretches toward the center. I ask my fairy, and she tells me that the paths lead to a mine that I am not allowed to access yet. I manage to get all of my trinkets to the light from which I started, and I place them all inside. The wind picks up and I am lifted into the air. I am about to receive a new power.
Now I head upstairs in a high school. Though it's night outside, the school is well lit. I find the classroom I'm supposed to be in, and as soon as I walk in I see a ton of drama between the more popular classmates. I try to find an empty seat in one of the four long rectangular tables that everyone sits around. The only empty seats are one by the teacher dressed like a hippy, and one next to Travis who's wearing a bright orange shirt. Despite my feelings of contempt for Travis, I choose to sit next to him. The teacher seems to take this offensively, and already I can tell he doesn't like me. He stands in front of the class and instructs everyone to take out their iPods. We look at them like textbooks as the teacher teaches, and I am tempted to surf Pinterest. I choose not to, to avoid getting him to hate me even more. Then a nice woman teacher hands out paper mazes that we're supposed to figure out. I'm really good at mazes, so I'm really excited about this challenge. I start out using a black fine-tip sharpy but the teacher hands me a pencil that will work better. The sheet's already been used before, by someone using yellow and orange crayons. I am able to navigate the hexagonal maze very quickly. I sit on the corner of the table now. The guy sitting at the table to my right, also on the corner, hands his paper to the teacher first. He looks a lot like Neel. She keeps it and doesn't say anything. I finish mine not but thirty seconds after him, and hand it over. She congratulates me that I'm the first to complete it. It makes me feel good, but I am sure to tell Neel that he is the one that really won. He's sweet about it.
Then suddenly everyone's gone for recess I'm guessing, and before I can join them outside I have to put away the color pencils. I can hear the other kids outside through the sliding glass door that leads to a large balcony in this class. I can see the top of a Christmas tree all lit up outside, and it looks to be snowing. There's even a tree in here, though it's not decorated. I check first to make sure the pencils didn't come from my own set, seeing to my irritation that one of my pink pencils are in with the brown but choosing to ignore that for now. I ask the teacher where to put the pencils as I look through her blacked out drawers. She tells me that she'll just give me a rubber band for them, and pulls out a wad of broken bands. I tie one in a knot so it's usable, and place the others in a pile on her desk. She tells me that she needs to change the drawers because especially her younger students have trouble finding things, as they don't read the labels. [End]
Relative to Real Life~
Night of August 12th, 2013
Real-life characters: Travis, "Neel".
Dream-created characters: Fairy, dragon, teacher, other students, hippy teacher.
Real-life places: None.
Dream-created places: Wall, school, classroom.
Different than real life: It's been two years since I've seen Travis, it's been two years since I've stepped inside a high school as I have graduated, I never had a classroom with a balcony, nor did I have a classroom with a Christmas tree inside, nor did I ever have class at night.
Precognitive: No experiences yet.
Reoccurring: No.
To see your teacher (past or present) in your dream, suggests that you are seeking some advice, guidance, or knowledge. You are heading into a new path in life and are ready to learn by example or from a past experience. Consider your own personal experiences with that particular teacher. What subject was taught? Alternatively, a teacher relates to issues with authority and seeking approval. You may be going through a situation in your waking life where you feel that you are being treated like a student or in which you feel you are being put to a test.
To dream that you are a teacher, indicates that you are in a position of disseminating your knowledge and wisdom to others. The dream may imply how you are "teaching someone a lesson" and giving them a hard time about something. If you are a teacher in real life, then the dream is just a reflection of who you are and is about your work.
To dream that you are having sex with a teacher, implies that there are still things you need to learn when it comes to sex.
Seeing your teacher (past or present) in your dream, suggests that you are seeking some advice, guidance, or knowledge. You are heading into a new path in life and ready to learn by example or from a past experience. Consider your own personal experiences with that particular teacher. What subject was taught? Alternatively, it may relate to issues with authority and seeking approval. You may going through a situation in your waking life where you feel that you are being treated like a student or in which you feel you are being put to a test.
The meaning of this dream depends on your own experiences with teachers or teaching and, of course, the circumstances in your dream. The dream could be addressing your issues with authority and approval. Also, you may have a need for guidance and new learning.
Its significance is diverse, depending upon which of its different characteristics is taken as fundamental. In the Egyptian system of hieroglyphs, the
wall is a determinative sign conveying the idea of ‘rising above the common level’
(19); clearly the predominant sense here is that of its height. A wall enclosing a
space is the ‘wall of lamentations’, symbolic of the sensation of the world as a
‘cavern’—of the doctrine of immanentism or the metaphysical notion of the
impossibility of reaching the outside. It expresses the ideas of impotence, delay,
resistance, or a limiting situation. Now, the wall seen from within as an enclosure
has a secondary implication of protection which, according to its function and the
attitude of the individual, may even be taken as its principal meaning. Psychoanalysts frequently regard it in this light and hence have classified it as a mothersymbol, comparable with the town and the house or home (56). Bayley sums up the two essential features of the wall as follows: Like the house, it is a mystic
symbol representing the feminine element of mankind. This enables us to understand the (otherwise absurd) assertion of the Shulamite in the Song of Songs: ‘I
am a wall’. At the same time, this image has another term of comparison, that of
matter as opposed to spirit (4). It should be noted that the symbolism in the latter
case remains unchanged, since matter corresponds to the passive or feminine
principle, and spirit to the active or masculine.
In the Egyptian system of hieroglyphs, the tower is a determinative
sign denoting height or the act of rising above the common level in life or society
(19). Basically, then, the tower is symbolic of ascent. During the Middle Ages,
towers and belfries held the significance of watch-towers, but also, by the simple
application of the symbolism of level (whereby material height implies spiritual
elevation), they expressed the same symbolism as the ladder—linking earth and
heaven. The tower-symbol, given that it is enclosed and walled-in, is emblematic of the Virgin Mary, as can be seen in a great many allegorical designs and litanies
(14). Since the idea of elevation or ascent, implicit in the tower, connotes transformation and evolution, the athanor (the alchemists’ furnace) was given the
shape of a tower to signify inversely that the metamorphosis of matter implied a
process of ascension. Another symbol usually mentioned in this connexion is the
bronze tower in which Danae, the mother of Perseus, was imprisoned (48).
Finally we would point to the analogy between the tower and man: for just as the
tree is closer to the human figure than are the horizontal forms of animals, so, too,
is the tower the only structural form distinguished by vertically: windows at the
topmost level, almost always large in size, correspond to the eyes and the mind
of man. It is in this sense that the Tower of Babel acquired special symbolic point
as a wild enterprise bringing disaster and mental disorder (31). And, for the same
reason, the sixteenth enigma of the Tarot denotes catastrophe by the image of a
tower struck by lightning. However, it is possible to discover a dual tendency in
the symbolism of the tower. Its upward impulse may be accompanied by a
deepening movement; the greater the height, the deeper the foundations. Nietzsche
talked of descent during ascent. Nerval (in Aurélia, to be precise) refers to the
symbolism of the tower and says: ‘I found myself in a tower, whose foundations
were sunk so deep into the earth and whose top was so lofty, reaching up like a
spire into the sky, that my whole existence already seemed bound to be consumed
in climbing up and down it.’
To dream of seeing a tower, denotes that you will aspire to high elevations. If you climb one, you will succeed in your wishes, but if the tower crumbles as you descend, you will be disappointed in your hopes.
To see a tower in your dream, signifies high hopes and aspirations. If you are looking down from a tower, then it indicates that you have a perceived superiority over others. Your ego is inflated. Alternatively, a tower symbolizes the phallus.
To see a water tower in your dream, suggests that you are keeping your emotions inside. You may be unable to express your true feelings, especially feelings of love. Alternatively, a water tower indicates a false sense of security.
To dream that you are climbing a tower, denotes your quest for spirituality and unconscious ideas that may be surfacing.
To dream that a tower is falling or crumbling, heralds a drastic change ahead.
Seeing a tower in your dream means high hopes and aspirations. If you are looking down from a tower, then it suggests your perceived superiority over others. Your ego may also be inflated. Seeing a water tower in your dream, suggests that you are keeping your emotions inside. You may be unable to express your feelings, especially feelings of love. Alternatively, it indicates a false sense of security. Dreaming that you are climbing a tower indicates you quest for spirituality and unconscious ideas that may be surfacing.
Planet: Mars.
Positive associations with this tarot card:
re-evaluation, necessary change, a blessing in disguise.
Negative associations with this tarot card:
sudden change, downfall, disruption, disaster.
After the Death card and the Devil, The Tower is likely to be the card that causes most fear and constenation. It's hard to find a positive side to this card, however, it tells you that the unexpected shock and upheaval of events will create new opportunities and make you a stronger and wiser person.
The Tower represents sudden and sometimes shocking changes in events and can often represent problems or delays relating to your home or the purchasing of home.
Whether material or emotional upset, this card encourages you to see that such upheavals can force new directions that can be more beneficial.
Negatively The Tower represents unecessary suffering. You may be falsely accused of something and suffer some form of imprisonment or isolation, or you may be the one causing the shock and change with a rebellious attitude.
The main thing to remember with this rather unpleasant card is that this phase will pass and that a new direction or new opportunities can be created from it.
To dream that you are in a classroom, indicates that you are learning an important life lesson. Alternatively, it symbolizes personal growth. You are learning something about yourself.
To dream that you are looking for a classroom, suggests that you need to expand your knowledge and learning.
Dreaming that you are in a classroom, symbolizes that you may be learning an important life lesson.
To dream of a classroom may indicate that the dreamer is feeling the heat of competition from someone, and is likely to signify self-respect and the social position of the dreamer. It can also represent a yearning for the past, for conformity and hopefulness for the future.
To dream that you are in school, signifies feelings of inadequacy and childhood insecurities that have never been resolved. It may relate to anxieties about your performance and abilities. If you are still in school and dream about school, then the dream may just be a reflection of your daily life and has no special significance.
Alternatively, a dream that takes place in school may be a metaphor for the lessons that you are learning from your waking life. You may be going through a "spiritual learning" experience.
To dream that you are looking for a school, suggests that you need to expand your knowledge and learning. To dream that you are at a new school, means that you are feeling out of place in some situation. Or perhaps there is a new lesson that you need to learn.
To dream that your childhood school is in ruins, suggests that you are dwelling on some unresolved childhood issue. Alternatively, the dream represents the passage of time. You need to look toward the future instead of reliving the past.
To dream of attending school, indicates distinction in literary work. If you think you are young and at school as in your youth, you will find that sorrow and reverses will make you sincerely long for the simple trusts and pleasures of days of yore.
To dream of teaching a school, foretells that you will strive for literary attainments, but the bare necessities of life must first be forthcoming.
To visit the schoolhouse of your childhood days, portends that discontent and discouraging incidents overshadows the present.
Dreaming that you are in school means feelings of inadequacy and childhood insecurities that have never been resolved. It may relate to anxieties about performance and abilities. You may also be going through a "spiritual learning" experience. If you are still in school and dream about school, then it will naturally serve as a backdrop to your dream world. Alternatively, a dream that takes place in school may be a metaphor for the lessons that you are learning from your waking life.
This dream may be interpreted on several different levels. If you are the student you may be feeling inadequate or lack self-confidence. Either way, going to school or attending class in a dream is your unconscious reminder that there is a need for new learning and that you may have not learned an important lesson. School may not always be a positive experience, but it is always necessary. Ask yourself what do you need to learn more about? If you were a teacher in your dream, you may be dealing with issues of authority. From a spiritual point of view, some believe that in the dream state an individual may travel to an inner plane or the spiritual realm, where they can attend classes that assist in spiritual growth and development.
To dream that you are in class, is a metaphor that you need to have more class.
To dream that you forget to attend a class you signed up for, indicates your anxieties and fear of failing. You may also be lacking self-confidence in your ability to handle new responsibilities or projects.
Dreaming that you forgot to attend a class you signed up for indicates your anxieties and fear of failing. You may also be lacking self-confidence in your ability to handle new responsibilities or projects.
Your hands are used to do things, without them we can do very little. When your hands are metaphorically tied it means you cannot complete a task. If your hands are being affected in a negative way in your dreams it may mean that you feel you are not able to complete certain tasks in your waking life, or that you doubt your ability to complete them. If you see clenched hands, fists, it could signify a greater frustration concerning a given task that you feel should be easier to complete.
A fabulous animal and a universal, symbolic figure found in the
majority of the cultures of the world—primitive and oriental as well as classical.
A morphological study of the legendary dragon would lead to the conclusion that it is a kind of amalgam of elements taken from various animals that are particularly aggressive and dangerous, such as serpents, crocodiles, lions as well as
prehistoric animals (38). Krappe believes that the amazement occasioned by the
discovery of the remains of antediluvian monsters may have been a contributory
factor in the genesis of the mythic dragon. The dragon, in consequence, stands for
‘things animal’ par excellence, and here we have a first glimpse of its symbolic
meaning, related to the Sumerian concept of the animal as the ‘adversary’, a
concept which later came to be attached to the devil. Nevertheless, the dragon—
like all other symbols of the instincts in the non-moral religions of antiquity—
sometimes appears enthroned and all but deified, as, for example, in the standards
and pennons pertaining to the Chinese Manchu dynasty and to the Phoenicians
and Saxons (4). In a great many legends, overlaying its deepest symbolic sense,
the dragon appears with this very meaning of the primordial enemy with whom
combat is the supreme test. Apollo, Cadmus, Perseus and Siegfried all conquer
the dragon. In numerous masterpieces of hagiography, the patron saints of knighthood—St. George and St. Michael the Archangel—are depicted in the very act of
slaying the monster; there is no need to recall others than the St. George of
Carpaccio, or of Raphael, or the St. Michael of Tous by Bermejo. For Dontenville
(16), who tends to favour an historicist and sociological approach to the symbolism of legends, dragons signify plagues which beset the country (or the individual
if the symbol takes on a psychological implication). The worm, the snake and the
crocodile are all closely linked with the concept of the dragon in their own particular way. In France, the dragon is also related to the ogre as well as to Gargantua
and giants in general. In Schneider’s view, the dragon is a symbol of sickness (51).
But before going further into its meaning, let us quote some examples to show
how widespread are the references to this monster. The classics and the Bible
very frequently allude to it, providing us with detailed information about its
appearance, its nature and habits. But their descriptions point to not one but
several kinds of dragon, as Pinedo has noted: ‘Some give it the form of a winged
serpent; it lives in the air and the water, its jaws are immense, it swallows men and
animals having first killed them with its enormous tail. Conversely, others make
it a terrestrial animal, its jaws are quite small, its huge and powerful tail is an
instrument of destruction, and it also flies and feeds upon the blood of the animals
it kills; there are writers who consider it to be amphibious, in which case its head
becomes that of a beautiful woman with long flowing hair and it is even more
terrible than the previous versions.’ In the Bible, there are the following references to the dragon: Daniel xiv, 22, 27; Micah i, 8; Jeremiah xiv, 6; Revelation xii,
3, 7; Isaiah xxxiv, 13, and xliii, 20. There are further mentions by Rabanus Maurus (Opera, III), Pliny (VIII, 12), Galen, Pascal (De Coronis, IX), and among other
characteristics which these writers ascribe to the dragon are the following particularly interesting points: that it is strong and vigilant, it has exceptionally keen
eyesight, and it seems that its name comes from the Greek word derkein (‘seeing’). Hence it was given the function, in clear opposition to its terrible implications, of guarding temples and treasures (like the griffin), as well as being turned
into an allegory of prophecy and wisdom. In the Bible, it is the negative side of
the symbol which receives emphasis; it is interesting to note that the anagram of
Herod in Syrian—ierud and es—means ‘flaming dragon’ (46). Sometimes the
dragon is depicted with a number of heads and its symbolism then becomes
correspondingly unfavourable, given the regressive and involutive sense of all
numerical increase. ‘And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten
horns, and seven crowns upon his heads
(’)
, in the words of Revelation (xii, 3). On
other occasions, the dragon is used in emblems, in which case it is the symbolism
of the form or shape which takes precedence over that of the animal, as for
example, the dragon biting its tail—the Gnostic Ouroboros, a symbol of all cyclic
processes and of time in particular. The dragon figured quite frequently in alchemy; for the alchemists, a number of dragons fighting with each other illustrated the state of putrefactio (separating out the Elements, or psychic disintegration). And the winged dragon represented the volatile element, while the wingless
creature stood for the fixed element (according to Albert Poison). It is perhaps in
China that this monster has been most utilized and has achieved its greatest
degree of transfiguration. Here it becomes an emblem of imperial power. Whereas
the Emperor numbered the five-clawed dragon among his ornaments, the officials
of his court had the right to keep only the four-clawed (5). According to Diel, the
generic dragon of China symbolizes the mastering and sublimation of wickedness
(15), because the implication is that of a ‘dragon conquered’, like that which
obeys St. George once he has overcome it. Frazer tells how the Chinese, when
they wish for rain, make a huge dragon out of wood and paper and carry it in
procession; but if it does not rain, then they destroy the dragon (21). Chuang-tzu
maintains that this arises from the fact that the dragon and the serpent, invested
with the most profound and all-embracing cosmic significance, are symbols for
‘rhythmic life’. The association of dragon/lightning/rain/fecundity is very common in archaic Chinese texts (17), for which reason the fabulous animal becomes
the connecting-link between the Upper Waters and earth. However, it is impossible to generalize about the dragon of Chinese mythology, for there are subterranean, aerial and aquatic dragons. ‘The earth joins up with the dragon’ means that
it is raining. It plays an important part as an intermediary, then, between the two extremes of the cosmic forces associated with the essential characteristics of the
three-level symbolism, that is: the highest level of spirituality; the intermediary
plane of the phenomenal life; and the lower level of inferior and telluric forces. A
related and powerful part of its meaning is that of strength and speed. The oldest
Chinese images of the dragon are very similar to those of the horse (13). In
esoteric Chinese thought, there are dragons which are linked with colour-symbolism: the red dragon is the guardian of higher science, the white dragon is a lunar
dragon. These colours derive from the planets and the signs of the Zodiac. In the
Middle Ages in the Western world, dragons make their appearance with the throat
and legs of an eagle, the body of a huge serpent, the wings of a bat and with a tail
culminating in an arrow twisted back upon itself. This, according to Count Pierre
Vincenti Piobb, signifies the fusion and confusion of the respective potentialities
of the component parts: the eagle standing for its celestial potential, the serpent
for its secret and subterranean characteristic, the wings for intellectual elevation,
and the tail (because the form is that of the zodiacal sign for Leo) for submission
to reason (48). But, broadly speaking, present-day psychology defines the dragonsymbol as ‘something terrible to overcome’, for only he who conquers the dragon
becomes a hero (56). Jung goes as far as to say that the dragon is a mother-image
(that is, a mirror of the maternal principle or of the unconscious) and that it
expresses the individual’s repugnance towards incest and the fear of committing
it (31), although he also suggests that it quite simply represents evil (32). Esoteric
Hebrew tradition insists that the deepest meaning of the mystery of the dragon
must remain inviolate (according to the rabbi Simeon ben Yochai, quoted by
Blavatsky) (9). The universal dragon (Katholikos ophis) of the Gnostics is the
‘way through all things’. It is related to the concept of chaos (‘our Chaos or Spirit
is a fiery dragon which conquers all things’—Philaletha, Introitus) and of dissolution (The dragon is the dissolution of bodies’). (The quotations are taken from the
Pseudo-Democritus.) Regarding symbols of dissolution, Hermetic doctrine uses
the following terms: Poison, viper, universal solvent, philosophical vinegar=the
potential of the undifferentiated (or the Solve), according to Evola. He adds that
dragons and bulls are the animals fought by sun-heroes (such as Mithras, Siegfried,
Hercules, Jason, Horus, or Apollo) and—bearing in mind the equations
woman=dragon, mercury and water; and green=’what is undigested’—that ‘if the
dragon reappears in the centre of the “Citadel of Philosophers” of Khunrath, it is
still a dragon which has to be conquered and slain: it is that which everlastingly
devours its own self, it is Mercury as an image of burning thirst or hunger or the
blind impulse towards gratification’, or, in other words, Nature enthralled and
conquered by Nature, or the mystery of the lunar world of change and becoming as opposed to the world of immutable being governed by Uranus. Böhme, in De
Signatura rerum, defines a will which desires and yet has nothing capable of
satisfying it except its own self, as ‘the ability of hunger to feed itself’ (Plate VI).
To see a dragon in your dream, represents your strong will and fiery personality. You tend to get carried away by your passion, which may lead you into trouble. You need to exercise some self-control.
In the eastern cultures, dragons are seen as spiritual creatures symbolizing good luck and fortune.
To dream that you are a dragon and breathing fire, suggests that you are using your anger to get your own way.
To dream of a dragon, denotes that you allow yourself to be governed by your passions, and that you are likely to place yourself in the power of your enemies through those outbursts of sardonic tendencies. You should be warned by this dream to cultivate self-control.
This large, mystical creature may represent large and mystical forces inside of you. In the Far East it is believed that the dragons are spiritual creatures that navigate through the air and through the sky. In the West, dragons are considered to be dangerous creatures that need to be destroyed. As far as dream symbols go, the dragon may represent the enormous power in your unconscious. It could symbolize repressed unconscious material, including fear. However, the dragon in our dreams is generally a positive symbol. It may represent a period of time when the dreamer will confront his fears and empower himself to effectively cope with negative emotions, extreme materialism, and be able to obtain greater inner and outer freedom.
A Dragon totem is one of the most powerful totems, representing a huge range of qualities, emotions, and traits. When Dragons come to us, it could mean many things.
The most common message a Dragon totem carry to us is a need for strength, courage, and fortitude. Dragons are also messengers of balance, and magic - encouraging us to tap into our psychic nature and see the world through the eyes of mystery and wonder.
More specifically, Dragons are the embodiment of primordial power - the ultimate ruler of all the elements. This is because the Dragon is the master of all the elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind.
As a totem, the Dragon serves as a powerful guardian and guide. Encourage communication with your Dragon, and acknowledge your Dragon's presence as often as possible.
In Chinese culture, the season of the Dragon is mid-spring, its direction is east-southeast, and its fixed element is wood. See Chinese Dragon page for more inforamation on the Dragons within the Asian culture.
There are many ways to strengthen your bond with your Dragon totem. Here are a few suggestions:
Meditation upon your Dragon totem.
Begin collecting Dragon images that resonate with you. Keep these images close, and easily available to you. Look upon these images whenever you wish to communicate with your Dragon totem.
Better yet, begin drawing while communicating with your Dragon. Ask your Dragon to reveal itself to you through your drawing. Check out my friend Barbara's webpage offering free tips on how to draw dragons here!
Begin a Dragon totem journal
Read everything you can on Dragons. This will broaden your horizons, and expand your imagination. A warning though: By all means, never be limited by the scope of what you read. Ultimately, it is you and your Dragon that will create the perfect understanding. There is never a limit in matters of spirit - that includes matters concerning our totems (especially strong totems like the Dragon!).
A Dragon totem can be a powerful ally in our daily effort to live our lives. When we call upon the amazing restorative and potent qualities of the Dragon, we are able to effectively live our lives with the honestly, courage, and strength of a peaceful warrior.
Utilizing the symbolic power of the dragon totem is an internal process cultivated by contemplating the attributes of the dragon we admire and meditating upon these.
We can also honor the dragon totem externally by little actions like including dragon imagery in our lives. It solidifies my connection with the magic the dragon offers.
Whether you are an artist who looks to dragons for inspiration, or a business mogul identifying with a solid symbol of strength or luck - it's clear dragons speak to those special places within us, stoking the fires of our hearts.
The Dragon represents prosperity. This may be of spiritual (intuition) rather than materiaal riches, because the dragon was regarded as the guaridian of treasure that lay hidden deep within the unconscious and was hard to obtain.
(Ancient, most world culture) A legendary reptilian monster similar in form to a crocodile but with wings, huge claws, and fiery breath. In the Mesopotamian creation myth (Enuma Elish), dating from about 2000 BC, a dragon was considered a symbol for destruction and evil. So it was also considered in the writings of the ancient Hebrews. The Bible (Revelation) also so considers it. Dragons became more benign in later mythologies. The Greeks and Romans believed that they had the ability to understand and to teach mortals the secrets of the earth. Because of this duality, destruction and positive influence, it was often adopted as a military emblem; the Roman legions used it thusly as early as the first century AD. The folklore of northern Europe contains a similar interpretation of the dragon. Norsemen carved the prows of their ships with likenesses of the dragon. The ancient Celtic considered the dragon a symbol of sovereignty. The Teutonic invaders of Britain had dragons depicted on their shields. The dragon also figures in the folklore of Japan.
In China it is traditionally considered as a symbol of good fortune, and was the national emblem of the Chinese Empire. Unlike Middle Eastern or Western dragons, the Lungs (Chinese appelation for "dragons") were benevolent and brought rain, guarded sacred dwellings and such tasks.
There were four types:
1.The T'ien Lung, or Celestial Dragon
2.The Fu Tsang Lung or Treasure Dragon
3.The Ti Lung, or Earth Dragon
4.The Shen Lung, or Rain Dragon (also called Kung Kung)
The latter two Lungs are together known as the Wang Lung, and are propitiated as water deities, dwelling in the Seas. (This information is derived from the 17th century Ming classic San-ts`ai t`ui-hui or Threefold Picture Book. This was an illustrated encyclopedia.)
To see a fairy in your dream, indicates that you are in search of some help or advice for a problem or decision, but may not want to directly admit you need help. In particular, if the fairy is evil, then it suggests that an aspect of yourself needs to be set free. The fairy is also symbolic of your soul and the feminine aspects of yourself.
To dream of a fairy, is a favorable omen to all classes, as it is always a scene with a beautiful face portrayed as a happy child, or woman.
Seeing a fairy in your dream means joy and happiness in your surroundings. It may also represent a feminine qualities and aspects of yourself. Seeing a sad fairy in your dream, symbolizes loss of love or money, or both.
Small, human-like mythical being. May be benevolent or malevolent.
The tree is one of the most essential of traditional symbols. Very often
the symbolic tree is of no particular genus, although some peoples have singled
out one species as exemplifying par excellence the generic qualities. Thus, the oak
was sacred to the Celts; the ash to the Scandinavian peoples; the lime-tree in Germany; the fig-tree in India. Mythological associations between gods and trees
are extremely frequent: so, Attis and the pine; Osiris and the cedar; Jupiter and
the oak; Apollo and the laurel, etc. They express a kind of ‘elective correspondence’ (26, 17). In its most general sense, the symbolism of the tree denotes the
life of the cosmos: its consistence, growth, proliferation, generative and regenerative processes. It stands for inexhaustible life, and is therefore equivalent to a
symbol of immortality. According to Eliade, the concept of ‘life without death’
stands, ontologically speaking, for ‘absolute reality’ and, consequently, the tree
becomes a symbol of this absolute reality, that is, of the centre of the world.
Because a tree has a long, vertical shape, the centre-of-the-world symbolism is
expressed in terms of a world-axis (17). The tree, with its roots underground and
its branches rising to the sky, symbolizes an upward trend (3) and is therefore
related to other symbols, such as the ladder and the mountain, which stand for the
general relationship between the ‘three worlds’ (the lower world: the underworld,
hell; the middle world: earth; the upper world: heaven). Christian symbolism—
and especially Romanesque art—is fully aware of the primary significance of the
tree as an axis linking different worlds (14). According to Rabanus Maurus,
however, in his Allegoriae in Sacram Scripturam (46), it also symbolizes human
nature (which follows from the equation of the macrocosm with the microcosm).
The tree also corresponds to the Cross of Redemption and the Cross is often
depicted, in Christian iconography, as the Tree of Life (17). It is, of course, the
vertical arm of the Cross which is identified with the tree, and hence with the
‘world-axis’. The world-axis symbolism (which goes back to pre-Neolithic times)
has a further symbolic implication: that of the central point in the cosmos. Clearly,
the tree (or the cross) can only be the axis linking the three worlds if it stands in
the centre of the cosmos they constitute. It is interesting to note that the three
worlds of tree-symbolism reflect the three main portions of the structure of the
tree: roots, trunk and foliage. Within the general significance of the tree as worldaxis and as a symbol of the inexhaustible life-process (growth and development),
different mythologies and folklores distinguish three or four different shades of
meaning. Some of these are merely aspects of the basic symbolism, but others are
of a subtlety which gives further enrichment to the symbol. At the most primitive
level, there are the ‘Tree of Life’ and the ‘Tree of Death’ (35), rather than, as in
later stages, the cosmic tree and the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil; but
the two trees are merely two different representations of the same idea. The
arbor vitae is found frequently, in a variety of forms, in Eastern art. The—
apparently purely decorative—motif of hom (the central tree), placed between
two fabulous beings or two animals facing each other, is a theme of Mesopotamian origin, brought both to the West and to the Far East by Persians, Arabs and
Byzantines (6). In Romanesque decoration it is the labyrinthine foliage of the
Tree of Life which receives most emphasis (the symbolic meaning remaining
unchanged, but with the addition of the theme of Entanglement) (46). An important point in connexion with the ‘cosmic tree’ symbol is that it often appears
upside down, with its roots in heaven and its foliage on earth; here, the natural
symbolism based on the analogy with actual trees has been displaced by a meaning expressing the idea of involution, as derived from the doctrines of emanation:
namely, that every process of physical growth is a spiritual opus in reverse.
Thus, Blavatsky says: ‘In the beginning, its roots were generated in Heaven, and
grew out of the Rootless Root of all-being. . . . Its trunk grew and developed,
crossing the plains of Pleroma, it shot out crossways its luxuriant branches, first
on the plane of hardly differentiated matter, and then downward till they touched
the terrestrial plane. Thus . . . (it) is said to grow with its roots above and its
branches below’ (9). This concept is already found in the Upanishads, where it is
said that the branches of the tree are: ether, air, fire, water and earth. In the Zohar
of Hebrew tradition it is also stated that ‘the Tree of Life spreads downwards
from above, and is entirely bathed in the light of the sun’. Dante, too, portrays the
pattern of the celestial spheres as the foliage of a tree whose roots (i.e. origin)
spread upwards (Uranus). In other traditions, on the other hand, no such inversion occurs, and this symbolic aspect gives way to the symbolism of vertical
upward growth. In Nordic mythology, the cosmic tree, called Yggdrasil, sends its
roots down into the very core of the earth, where hell lies (Völuspâ, 19;
Grimnismâl, 31) (17).
We can next consider the two-tree symbolism in the Bible. In Paradise there
were the Tree of Life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Both were
centrally placed in the Garden of Eden. In this connexion, Schneider says (50):
‘Why does God not mention the Tree of Life to Adam? Is it because it was a
second tree of knowledge or is it because it was hidden from the sight of Adam
until he came to recognize it with his new-found knowledge of good and evil—of
wisdom? We prefer the latter hypothesis. The Tree of Life, once discovered, can
confer immortality; but to discover it is not easy. It is “hidden”, like the herb of
immortality which Gilgamesh seeks at the bottom of the sea, or is guarded by
monsters, like the golden apples of the Hesperides. The two trees occur more
frequently than might be expected. At the East gate of the Babylonian heaven, for
instance, there grew the Tree of Truth and the Tree of Life.’ The doubling of the
tree does not modify the symbol’s fundamental significance, but it does add
further symbolic implications connected with the dual nature of the Gemini: the tree, under the influence of the symbolism of the number two, then reflects the
parallel worlds of living and knowing (the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge). As is often the case with symbols, many more specialized meanings have
been developed on the basis of the general tree-symbolism already outlined. Here
are a few: firstly, the triple tree. According to Schneider, the Tree of Life, when it
rises no higher than the mountain of Mars (the world of phenomena) is regarded
as a pillar supporting heaven. It is made up of three roots and three trunks—or
rather one central trunk with two large boughs corresponding to the two peaks of
the mountain of Mars (the two faces of Janus). Here the central trunk or axis
unifies the dualism expressed in the two-tree symbolism. In its lunar aspect, it is
the Tree of Life and emphasizes the moon’s identification with the realm of
phenomena; in its solar aspect it relates to knowledge and death (which, in symbolism, are often associated). In iconography, the Tree of Life (or the lunar side of
a double or triple tree) is depicted in bloom; the tree of death or knowledge (or the
solar side of a double or triple tree) is dry, and shows signs of fire (50). Psychology has interpreted this symbolic duality in sexual terms, Jung affirming that the
tree has a symbolic, bisexual nature, as can also be seen in the fact that, in Latin,
the endings of the names of trees are masculine even though their gender is
feminine (31). This conjunctio confirms the unifying significance of the cosmic
tree. Other symbols are often brought into association with the tree, sometimes
by analogy with real situations, sometimes through the juxtaposition of psychic
images and projections. The resulting composite symbolism is, of course, richer
and more complex, but also more specific, and consequently less spontaneous
and of less scope. The tree is frequently related to the rock or the mountain on
which it grows. On the other hand, the Tree of Life, as found in the celestial
Jerusalem, bears twelve fruits, or sun-shapes (symbols of the Zodiac, perhaps).
In many images, the sun, the moon and the stars are associated with the tree, thus
stressing its cosmic and astral character. In India we find a triple tree, with three
suns, the image of the Trimurti; and in China a tree with the twelve suns of the
Zodiac (25). In alchemy, a tree with moons denotes the lunar opus (the Lesser
Work) and the tree with suns the solar opus (the Great Work). The tree with the
signs of the seven planets (or metals) stands for prime matter (protohyle), from
which all differentiations emerge. Again, in alchemy, the Tree of Knowledge is
called arbor philosophica (a symbol of evolution, or of the growth of an idea, a
vocation or a force). ‘To plant the philosophers’ tree’ is tantamount to stimulating the creative imagination (32). Another interesting symbol is that of the ‘seatree’ or coral, related to the mythic sea king. The fountain, the dragon and the
snake are also frequently related to the tree. Symbol LVII of Bosch’s Ars Symbolica shows the dragon beside the tree of the Hesperides. As regards the symbolism of
levels, it is possible to establish a vertical scale of analogies: dragons and snakes
(primal forces) are associated with the roots; the lion, the unicorn, the stag and
other animals expressing the ideas of elevation, aggression and penetration, correspond to the trunk; and birds and heavenly bodies are brought into relation with
the foliage. Colour correspondences, are: roots/black; trunk/white; foliage/red.
The snake coiled round the tree introduces another symbol, that of the spiral. The
tree as world-axis is surrounded by the sequence of cycles which characterizes
the revealed world. This is an interpretation applicable to the serpent watching at
the foot of the tree on which the Golden Fleece is suspended (25). Endless
instances could be quoted of such associations of symbols, full of psychological
implications. Another typical combination of symbols, extremely frequent in
folktales, is that of the ‘singing tree’. In the Passio S. Perpetuae XI (Cambridge,
1891) we read that St. Saturius, a martyr alongside St. Perpetua, dreamed on the
eve of his martyrdom ‘that, having shed his mortal flesh, he was carried eastward
by four angels. Going up a gentle slope, they reached a spot bathed in the most
beautiful light: it was Paradise opening before us’, he adds, ‘like a garden, with
trees bearing roses and many other flower-blooms; trees tall as cypresses, singing
the while’ (46). The sacrificial stake, the harp-lyre, the ship-of-death and the
drum are all symbols derived from the tree seen as the path leading to the other
world (50) (Plate XXIX). Gershom G. Scholem, in Les Origines de la Kabbale,
speaks of the symbolism of the tree in connexion with hierarchical, vertical structures (such as the ‘sefirothic tree’ of the Cabbala, a theme that we cannot develop
here). He asks himself whether the ‘tree of Porphyry’, which was a widespread
symbol during the Middle Ages, was of a similar nature. In any case, it is reminiscent of the Arbor elementalis of Raymond Lull (1295), whose trunk symbolizes
the primordial substance of Creation, or hyle, and whose branches and leaves
represent its nine accidents. The figure ten has the same connotation as in the
sefiroth, the ‘sum of all the real which can be determined by numbers’.
The tree in your dream is you. The health, size and overall quality of the tree is indicative of how you feel about yourself. This interpretation is to be made only when the tree is the focal point of the dream. Also, consider whether the tree is alive with leaves, flowers or fruit, or if it's barren. You may see trees in your dream as a part of a landscape or as a secondary symbol. At those times, consider all of the details as they may have different interpretations than the one just given.
Night is related to the passive principle, the feminine and the unconscious. Hesiod gave it the name of ‘mother of the gods’, for the Greeks believed
that night and darkness preceded the creation of all things (8). Hence, night—like
water—is expressive of fertility, potentiality and germination (17); for it is an
anticipatory state in that, though not yet day, it is the promise of daylight. Within
the tradition of symbology it has the same significance as death and the colour
black.
To have a dream that takes place at night, represents some major setbacks and obstacles in achieving your goals. You are being faced with an issue that is not so clear cut. Perhaps, you should put the issues aside so you can clear your head and come back to it later. Alternatively, night may be synonymous with death, rebirth, reflection, and new beginnings.
If you are surrounded by night in your dreams, you may expect unusual oppression and hardships in business. If the night seems to be vanishing, conditions which hitherto seemed unfavorable will now grow bright, and affairs will assume prosperous phases.
Dreaming of night means some major setbacks and obstacles in achieving your goals. You may find that some issues you are facing are not all that clear and you need to put them to rest for awhile before a decision is made.