Family Dream Meanings

Family Dream Meaning: From 27 Different Sources


family image

Family

From our family we leam most of the positive and negative patterns of relationship and attitudes towards living, which we carry into daily events. Father’s uncertainty in deal­ing with people, or his anxiety in meeting change, may be the roots of our own difficulties in those areas.

If our mother is unable to develop a feeling contact with us, we may lack the confidence to meet our emotions.

Our maturation as a man or woman calls us in some way to meet and integrate our childhood desire, which includes sexual desire for our parent of the opposite sex, and rivalry with, mingled with dependence on, the parent of the same sex. Even a missing parent, the mother or father who died or left, is a potent figure internally.

An absence of a father’s or mother’s love or presence can be as traumatic as any power­fully injuring event. Our parents in our dreams are the image (full of power and feeling) of the formative forces and experi­ences of our identity. They are the ground, the soil, the bloody carnage, out of which our sense of self emerged. But our iden­tity cannot gain any real independence while still dominated by these internal forces of our creation. Heraclitus said we cannot swim in the same river twice; attempting to repeat or compete with the vinues of a parent is a misapprehension of the true nature of our own personality. Sec individuation.

Family group: The whole background of experience which makes up our values and views. This background is made up of thousands of different obvious and subtle things such as social status; amount of books in the home; how parents feel about themselves; how they relate to life outside the family; whether dominant roles are encouraged; what nationality par­ents are; what unconscious social attitudes surround the fam­ily (i.e. the master and servant, or dominating employer and subservient employee, roles which typified England at the turn of the century still colour many attitudes in the UK). Simply put, it is our internal ‘family’ of urges and values; the overall feeling tone of our family life—security, domination, whatever it was, the unconscious coping patterns of the fam­ily.

Parents together in dream: our general wisdom, back­ground of information and experience from which we make important decisions or gain intuitive insights. Parents also de­pict the rules and often irrational disciplinary codes we learnt as a child which still speak to us from within, and perhaps pass on to our own children without reassessment. These in­clude everything from ‘Don’t speak with your mouth full’ to the unspoken Masturbation is unholy/

Dead parent in dream: the beginning of independence from parent; repression of the emotions they engendered in us, our emotions regarding our parent’s death; feelings about death.

See dead people dreams.

Example: ‘My father was giving me and another woman some medicine. Something was being forced on us. I started to hit and punch him in the genitals and, when he was facing the other way, in the backside. I seemed to be just the right height to do this and I had a very angry feeling that I wanted to hurt him as he had hurt me’ (Audrey V). Hurting, burying , killing parent: in the example Audrey’s height shows her as a child. She is releasing anger about the attitudes and situations her father forced down her throat’.

To be free of the intro­verted restraints and ready made values gathered from our parents, at some time in our growth we may kill or bury them. Although some people arc shocked by such dreams, they are healthy signs of emerging independence. Old myths of killing the chief so the tribe can have a new leader depict this pro­cess. When father or mother are dead’ in our dream, we can inherit all the power gained from whatever was positive in the relationship. Seeing parent drunk, incapable, foolish: another means of gaining independence from internalised values or stultifying drives to ‘honour’ or admire father or mother.

father

Generally positive: authority; ability in the external world; family or social conventions, how we relate to the ‘doer’ in us; physical strength and protectiveness; the will to be. Generally negative: introvened aggression; dominance by fear of other people’s authority, uncaring sexual drive; feelings of not being loved.

See father under archetypes; man.

mother

Generally positive: feelings; ability in relationships; uniting spirit of family; how we relate to feelings in a relation­ship; strength to give of self and nunure; intuition. Generally negative: will based on irrational likes and dislikes; opinion generated by anxiety or jealousy; domination by emotions; lack of bonding.

See Great Mother under archetypes; woman.

siblings and children

Whether brother, sister, daughter or son (see below in this entry), the most general use in our dreams is to depict an aspect of ourself. However it is almost universal to believe with great conviction that our dream is about the person in our dream.

A mother seeing a son die in her dream often goes through great anxiety because there lurks in her a sense of it being a precognitive dream. Vinually everyone at some time dreams about members of their close family dying or being killed—lots of mothers dream this, and their chil­dren live till 80. But occasionally children do die. Is the dream then precognitive, or is it coincidental?

Example: ‘I was walking along a rather dusty track carrying my younger son who would be around 10 months old and I was feeling rather tired. Suddenly I met a man who stopped to talk to me and commented I looked rather weary carrying the baby. He said, come with me and look over this wall and you will see such a sight that will gladden your hean. By standing on tiptoe I could just see over the wall and the sight I beheld took my breath away, it was so beautiful’ (Johan E). Here Johan’s son depicts the weight of responsibility she feels.

The beauty is her own resources of strength in motherhood.

Example: ‘I have just given binh to twins and they lay on the floor. We started to care for them. My mother took them to the doctor for his advice while I went to see my married sister who has two children. I met them there with the twins so that my sister could give her opinion on the babies. She had recent experience of childbirth and could tell us if the babies were good specimens’ (Miss E). Miss E has no children of her own, so she is uncertain of her own capacity to have and raise them.

The mother depicts her own mothering abilities, which seek confidence from an authority figure. Her sister is her own nearest experience of childbirth. So out of what she has leamt from observing her sister, she is assessing her own qualities.

Most often the family member depicts the qualities in our­self which we feel are part of the character of the person dreamt of. So the passionate one in the family would depict our passions; the intellectual one our own mind, the anxious one our hesitations. Use the questions in dream processing to define this. Having done this, can you observe what the dream depicts? For Miss E it would be questions regarding mother­hood.

Example: ‘My daughter told me the only positive part of my work in a helping profession was with a woman who had turned from it to religion. There followed a long and powerful interchange in which I said she had as yet no mind of her own. She was dominated by her mother’s anxiety, and the medical rationalism of her training. When she had dared to step beyond her own anxieties to integrate the lessons of her own life, then I would listen again’ (Desmond S). Desmond was divorced and struggling with his own pain and guilt about leaving his daughter while still a teenager. His daughter de­picts this conflict between his feelings and his rational self.

brother

Oneself, or the denied pan of self, meeting whatever is met in the dream; feelings of kinship; sense of rivalry, feel­ings about a brother. Woman’s dream, younger brother: out­going but vulnerable self; rivalry. Woman’s dream, older brother, authority, one’s capable outgoing self. Man’s dream, younger brother: vulnerable feelings; oneself at that age. Man’s dream, older brother: experience; authority, feelings of persecution.

See boy; man. Idioms: big brother, brothers in arms; blood brother.

sister

Feeling self, or the lesser expressed pan of self; rival; feelings about a sister. Man s dream, younger sister: vulnera­ble emotions; rival for love of parents. Man’s dream, older sister: capable feeling self; feelings of persecution. Woman’s dream , younger sister: one’s experiences at that age; vulnera­ble feelings, rival for parents’ love. Woman’s dream, older sister: capable feeling self.

See girl; woman. Idioms: sisters under the skin.

daughter

One’s relationship with the daughter, the daughter, or son, can represent what happens in a marnage between husband and wife.

The child is what has arisen from the bonding, however momentary, of two people. In dreams the child therefore is sometimes used to depict how the relation­ship is faring. So a sick daughter might show the feelings in the relationship being ‘ill’.

In a mother’s dream: often feelings of suppon or compan­ionship; feelings of not being alone in the area of emotional bonds; or one’s feeling area; responsibility; the ties of parent­hood; oneself at that age; one’s own urges, difficulties, hurts, which may still be operative. Also a comparison; the mother might see the daughter’s youth, opportunity, and have feelings about that. So the daughter may represent her sense of lost opportunity and youth—even envy, competition in getting the desire of a man.

In a father’s dream: one’s feeling self, the feelings or diffi­culties about the relationship with daughter; the struggles one’s own feeling self goes through to mature, how the sexual feelings are dealt with in a family—occurs especially when she starts courting; sister, parental responsibility; one’s wife when younger. Someone else’s daughter: feelings about one’s own daughter, feelings about younger women.

Example: 1 am standing outside a supermarket with heavy bags wearing my mac, though the sun is warm. My daughter and two friends are playing music and everyone stops to lis­ten. I start to wnte a song for them, but they pack up and go on a bus whilst I am still writing. I am left alone at the bus stop with my heavy burden of shopping, feeling incredibly unwanted’ (Mrs F). Such dreams of the daughter becoming independent can occur as soon as the child starts school, per­sisting until the mother finds a new attitude.

See child; woman.

son

Extroverted self; desires connected with self expression; feelings connected with son; parental responsibility. Mother’s dream: one’s ambitions; potential, hopes; your marriage—see example.

Example: ‘My wife and I were walking out in the country­side. I looked around suddenly and saw my four-year-old son near a hole. He fell in and I raced back.

The hole was narrow but very deep. I could see water at the bottom but no sign of my son. I didn’t know whether I could leap down and save him or whether it was too narrow. Then somehow he was out. His heart was just beating’ (Richard H). Richard had argued with his wife in such a way he feared the stability of their marriage.

The son represents what they had created together —a child, a marriage.

The marriage survived, as his dream self-assessed it would. Death of son: a mother often kills off her son in her dreams as she sees him make moves towards independence. This can happen from the first day of school on. Example: T am on a very high bridge over an extremely wide and deep river with steep banks. My son does a double somersault over the railing, falls into the water. I think he is showing off. I am unable to save him. My son is 18 and has staned a structural engineering course at university’ (Joyce H).

The showing-off suggests Joyce feels her son is doing daring things with his life, and the relationship in its old form dies.

Father’s dream: yourself at that age; what qualities you see in your son; your own possibilities, envy of youth and oppor­tunities; nvalry. Someone else’s son: feelings about one’s own son; feelings about younger men. Dead son: see dead people dreams. Sec boy.

See also man; first example in falling.

wife

Depicts how you see the relationship with your wife; your relationship with your sexuality; sexual and emotional desire and pleasure; how you relate to intimacy in body, mind and spirit; your feeling, intuitive nature; habits of relationship developed with one’s mother. Example: ‘My wife was trying to get me out of her life, and out of the house. It was as if she were attempting to push me into a feeling of tension and rejection which would make me leave’ (David P). Out of childhood experience, in which his mother repeatedly threat­ened to give him away, David was finding it difficult to com­mit himself emotionally to his wife. In the dream his wife represents these feelings, so he sees her—his anxiety and pain —pushing him to break up the marriage.

Example: I was standing with my wife at the end of the garden of the house I lived in as a child. We were looking over the fence to the rising meadow beyond. She said, “Look at that bird in the tree there.” On our right, in a small ash tree, an enormous owl perched. It was at least 4 feet high, the biggest bird I have ever seen. I recognised it in the dream as a greater hooded owl, which was not native to our country. I was so excited I ran into the house to telephone someone— zoo, police, newspapers?—to tell them about the bird. I can­not remember contacting anyone, but felt the bird was there in some way to meet me. Also it was hungry and looking at next door’s bantams. So I wondered what I could give it to eat’ (David P). This shows the positive side of David’s rela­tionship with his wife.

The garden is the boundanes which arose from his childhood. But he is growing—the garden— and looking beyond them in connection with his marnage.

The amazing bird is the deep feelings he touches because he has a mate, like any other natural creature. Out of his mating he becomes aware of drives to build a home—nest—and give himself to his mate. These are natural and are a pan of his unconscious or spiritual nature.

The bird is a hooded owl which can see in the dark—the unconscious—because David is realising things he had never seen’ before.

The bird is masked, meaning putting the ego aside, which is a necessity for touching the wider dimension of life or the unconscious.

The hunger of the bird shows an intimate detail of what David has learnt from his wife. She had been working as a waitress and bringing home pieces of chicken for him, saved from her own meal.

The spiritual side of David wants to develop this quality of selfgiving, which his wife’s love had helped him see.

Example: ‘1 have been a widower since January 1979, hav­ing married in October 1941. I continually dream I am in London where my business was. I am walking the streets with my wife and suddenly I see her ahead of me in a yellow raincoat and hat. I call her and try to catch up, but suddenly she vanishes. In spite of calling and searching I cannot find her’ (Douglas G). This is a common theme dreamt by widow­ers or widows, disappearance of spouse. Douglas has ‘lost’ his wife. His dream shows the paradox of love after death of panner. His love is still there, years after her death. He is possibly still trying to love his wife as an externally real per­son. so his feelings can make no connection.

To meet what actually remains of his wife, within himself, he would need to face his own internal grieving, emotions, and all the feelings, memories, angers and beauty which make up the living re­mains of his wife within him.

Dream Source: A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences
Author:

Family

1- “flic family is the first basic security image that a child has. Often, through circumstances not within that child’s control, that image becomes distorted, and dreams will either attempt to put this image right or will confirm the distortion. Thus we may dream of an argument with a family member, but the interpretation will depend on both the circumstances of the dream and our everyday relationship with that person. All future relationships are influenced by the ones we first develop within the family.

Psychologically the struggle for individuality should take place within the safety of the family unit. This, however, docs not always happen. In dreams we are able to ‘manipulate’ the images of our family members, so that we can work through our difficulties without harming anyone else (It is interesting to note that one person working on his own dreams can have a profound noticeable cffcct on the interactions and unconscious bondings between other members of his family). Almost all of the problems we encounter in life are reflected within the family, so in times of sUess we will dream of previous problems and difficulties that the family has experienced.

The Spiritual Triangle.

A group in which we feel safe.

Since relationships in the family- are so important, dreams containing family members can have extra significance. Some typical dreams are:

A man’s mother being transformed into another woman

A man’s first closc relationship with a woman is with his mother. Depending on the circumstances of the dream, such a transformation can be either positive or negative. It can be a sign of growth for him to realise, through dream, that he can let mother go. This transformation indicates some change in his perception of women (sec Airima).

A woman’s father, brother or lover turning into someone else Similarly, a woman’s first relationship with the male is usually with her father. She must learn to walk away from that relationship in order to progress onto fuller relationships. When she can handle her Animus (See Introduction), she is ready for that transformation.

A man’s brother or a woman’s sister appearing in a dream often represents the Shadow (See Introduction). Often it is easier to project the negative side of our personalities onto members of the family.

If this projection is allowed to continue, it can cause difficulty with family relationships in later life. Often the solution will present itself in dreams to enable us to come to terms with our own projections. “fhe pattern of aggressions between familv members is fairly typical, but oddly is often easier to work through in dreams than in everyday life.

Dreams about the family figure so prominently because most of the conflicts and problems in life are experienced first within that environment.

It is as though a pattern is laid down which, until it is broken willingly, will continue to appear.

Confusion of family members e.g. mother’s face on father’s body suggests that we may be having problems in deciding which parent is most important to us. Family members suffering from injury or trauma or appearing to be distorted in some way may reflect the dreamer’s fear for, or about, that person.

A family member continually appearing in dreams or, conversely, not appearing when expected The relationship with that person (or the dreamer’s concept of that person) needs to be better understood.

Dreaming of an incestuous relationship may indicate that the dreamer has become obsessed in some way with the other person.

The dream has occurred in order to highlight either the importance or the potential danger - of such a relationship.

Dreamer’s parents crushing the dreamer and thus forcing rebellion. This suggests that the dreamer needs to break away from learnt childhood behaviour and develop as an individual.

Dreaming of a parent’s death can also have the same significance. When a parent appears in our own environment, we will have learnt to change roles within the parent/child relationship and perhaps will accept our parents as friends. Parents behaving inappropriately can indicate our need to recognise that they are only human, and not as perfcct as we had first perceived.

Dreaming of rivalry with one parent When a child is first born, it moves through extreme self- involvement to an exclusive relationship, usually with mother. Onlv later docs he or she becomc aware of the need for a different relationship with a third person. Often this relationship causes the child to question his or her own validity as a person. When this question is not resolved successfully it may persist in the dream image of conflict with a parent.

Dreaming of conflict between a loved one and a member of one’s family The dreamer has not fully differentiated between his needs and desire for each person. Learning how to love outside the family is a sign of maturity.

The figure of a family member intruding in dreams suggests that family loyalties can get in the way within the dreamer’s everyday life. Rivalry between siblings in dreams usually harks back to a feeling of insecurity and doubt, possibly as to whether we are loved enough within the family framework.

Individual members and then- position within the family can symbolise the various archetypes. Thus, father can represent the masculine principle and authority; whereas mother represents the nurturing, protective principle. Brother As already stated, a brother can represent both feelings of kinship and of rivalry. In a man’s dream an older brother can represent experience and authority, while a younger brother suggests vulnerability and possibly lack of maturity. In a woman’s dream, a younger brother can represent a sense of rivalry, but also of vulnerability; whether her own or her brother’s.

An older brother can signify her extrovert self.

Daughter When the relationship with a daughter is highlighted in dreams, it often represents the outcome of the relationship between husband and wife. In a woman’s dream, the relationship with the daughter usually suggests a mutually supportive one although rivalry and jealousy can arise and needs to be dealt with. Sometimes this can safely be done in dreams. In a man’s dream his daughter may represent his fears and doubts about his own ability to handle his vulnerability.

Extended family (such as cousins, aunts, uncles)

Members of the extended family usually appear in dreams either as themselves, or as typifying various parts of ourselves which arc recognisible.

Father If the relationship with father has been successful in waking life, the image of father in dreams will be a positive one. Father represents authority and the conventional forms of law and order. In a man’s life father becomes a role model, whether appropriate or not.

It is often only when the individual realises that he is not being true to his own nature that dreams can point the way to a more successful life. In a woman’s life, father is the ‘pattern’ on whom she bases all later relationships. When she appreciates that she longer need use this pattern. she is often able to work out in dreams a more appropriate way to have a mature relationship.

If the relationship with father has been a difficult or negative one, there mav be some resistance to resolving the various conflicts which will have arisen. Often this can be accomplished in dreams. Grandparents Grandparents appearing in dreams can highlight our attitude to them, but also to the traditions and beliefs handed down by them. It could be said that grandparents do not know whether they have clone a good job of raising their children until their sins and daughters have children of their own.

Husband/Live in partner

Crucial within the husband/wife relationship are the wife’s feelings about her own sexuality and intimacy of body, mind and spirit. Her view of herself will have been formed by her connection with her father, and any subsequent partnering will be coloured by that attachment.

If her doubts and fears about validity are not properly expressed, they will surface in dreams about the loss, or death, of her husband. They may also be projected onto other women’s husbands.

Mother A child’s relationship with mother is pivotal in its development. Largely it is the first relationship which the child develops, and should be perceived by the child as a nurturing, caring one.

If this does not happen, fears and doubts may arise. In a man’s life this may result in continually developing dependent relationships with older women, or denying his right to a relationship completely. In a woman’s life, her relationship with her mother will colour all other relationships. She may find herself pushed into nurturing the needy male, or in forming relationships with both men and women which do not satisfv her basic needs. There arc many ways through dreams of working through relationships with mother, and much can be gained by daring to take this step. Provided one has come to terms with this relationship, much material and spiritual success can be achieved.

Sister The sister in dreams usually represents the feeling side of ourselves. VVe have the ability to make links with that side of ourselves through being able to understand our sister’s personality. In a man’s dream if she is older, the sister can represent the potential for persecution, but also of caring.

If she is younger then she can epitomise the more vulnerable side of him. In a woman’s dream if the sister is younger, she can represent rivalry.

If older she stands for capability. Son The son in dreams can signify the dreamer’s need for self- expression and for extroversion. He can also signify parental responsibility. In a mother’s dream he may represent one’s ambitions, hope and potential. In a father’s dream he can highlight unfulfilled hopes and dreams. Wife/Live in partner The wife/husband relationship is based on how the man perceives himself to be.

If he has previously formed a good, if not successful relationship with his mother, he will attempt to prove himself a good husband through his dreams. He will experience potential loss and death of his partner in the same way as he experienced the ‘loss’ of his mother.

Dream Source: Ten Thousand Dream Dictionary
Author:

Family

Material aspects: The family is the first basic security image that we have. Often, through circumstances not within our control, that image becomes distorted, and dreams will either attempt to put this image right or will confirm the distortion. Thus we may dream of an argument with a family member, but the interpretation will depend on both the circumstances of the dream and our everyday relationship with that person. All future relationships are influenced by the ones we first develop within the family. Since relationships in the family are so important, dreams containing family members can have extra significance. Some typical dreams are: a man’s mother being transformed into another woman a man’s first close relationship with a woman is with his mother or mother figure. This transformation indicates some change in his perception of women. Depending on the circumstances of the dream, such a transformation can be either positive or negative.

For instance he may dream of his mother turning into his boss. This suggests he may have certain expectations as to how he should be treated. It can be a sign of growth for him to realize, through dreams, that he can let mother go.

A woman’s father, brother or lover turning into someone else similarly, a woman’s first relationship with the male is usually with her father or father figure. She must learn to walk away from that relationship in order to progress onto fuller relationships. When she can handle her animus she is ready for that transformation.

A man’s brother or a woman’s sister appearing in a dream this often represents the shadow. Often it is easier to project the negative side of our personalities onto members of the family.

If this projection is allowed to continue, and not understood, it can cause difficulty with family relationships. Often the solution will present itself in dreams to enable us to come to terms with our own projections.

The pattern of aggressions between family members is fairly typical, but oddly is often easier to work through in dreams than in everyday life. Confusion of family members (e.G. Mother’s face on father’s body) this suggests that we may be having problems in deciding which parent or person is most important to us. Family members suffering from injury or trauma or appearing to be distorted in some way may reflect our fear for, or about, that person.

A family member continually appearing in dreams or, conversely, not appearing when expected shows that the relationship with that person (or our concept of them) needs to be better understood.

Dreaming of an incestuous relationship may indicate that we have become obsessed in some way with the other person. We are searching for integration of their qualities within ourselves. Parents crushing us and thus forcing rebellion this suggests that we need to break away from learnt childhood behaviour and develop as an individual.

Dreaming of a parent’s death can also have the same significance. When a parent appears in our own environment, we will have learnt to change roles within the parent / child relationship and perhaps will accept our parents as friends. Parents behaving inappropriately in dreams can indicate our need to recognize that they are only human, and not as perfect as we had first perceived. In tribal societies the rite of passage between childhood and adulthood is clearly marked, by initiation. Rivalry with one or both parents is highlighted in dreams when such a transformation is not properly handled and our feelings and emotions have not been given due validity.

Dreaming of conflict between a loved one and a member of our family this shows we have not fully differentiated between our needs and desire for each person. Learning how to love outside the family is a sign of maturity.

The figure of a family member intruding in dreams suggests that family loyalties can get in the way within our everyday life. Rivalry between siblings in dreams usually harks back to a feeling of insecurity and doubt, possibly as to whether we are loved enough within the family framework.

Dreaming of being adopted suggests that we feel out of place and in some way different to other members of the family. This dream often occurs as teenagers are growing towards maturity.

Dreaming of having any family member e.G.

A brother – when we do not have one in waking life denotes our search for completion and ‘missing’ parts of our personality.

Dream Source: Dream Meanings of Versatile
Author:

Family

Family relationships have been studied and written about for centuries, from the brothers Cain and Abel, through Joseph the favored son, to evil stepmothers in fairy stories and Mrs Robinson in The Graduate.

Whilst whole schools of family therapy have been developed to help address the issues that emerge within a family context, it is worthwhile looking at one theory of a child’s development into an adult as it sheds much light on dreams about the family. This is Jung’s theory of the process of ‘individuation’, one of his most interesting and important theories. In short, individuation refers to the processes involved in becoming a self-aware and independent human being. The area of being to which we refer when we say ‘I’ or ‘me’ is our sense of self, which Jung calls the ego. A vital part of the process of individuation is to meet and integrate, or become independent of, your childhood patterns. This includes desire for the love of the parent of the opposite sex, rivalry mingled with dependence with the parent of the same sex, and the move away from total dependence on both parents.

An absence of a father’s or mother’s love can be especially traumatic, as parents are the soil out of which your sense of self must emerge. And even if your parents are no longer alive or you never had a relationship with them, their impact on your psyche can be just as profound. Without a doubt, parents are powerful, emotive figures in dreams but a person’s identity cannot gain any real independence while still dominated by these internal forces. Psychologically, this struggle for individuality should take place within the safety of the family unit.

Unfortunately this does not always happen and in dreams, images of family members may be manipulated so that issues and conflicts that have been unresolved during Jung’s process of individuation can be worked out.

Family dreams are so common because most of the conflicts and problems in your waking life are experienced first within a psychological environment laid down by your family. It is as if a pattern has been imprinted that will continue to appear until it is broken willingly. The way you were brought up has such a profound effect on your psychological health that any dream you have of family members will probably have a unique and highly specific meaning to you, depending on what your family means to you, your own experience of family life and other related attitudes. Because there is such variety here, you will need first to define your present relationship and feelings about the member of your family that features in the dream.

Individual family members can represent the various archetypes in your dreams. For example, the father can represent the masculine principle of authority and discipline, whilst the mother represents the feminine principle of nurturing and protection. In many instances, dreams featuring your family members can be reassuring. They may give you confidence and guidance, as well as a feeling that you are supported and loved. On the other hand, they may also highlight current or longterm problems within your family or personal relationships. Because they can replicate values, attitudes and emotional or social responses towards living that you have absorbed from your family, all future relationships outside the family are influenced in some way by the ones you first develop within your family. In times of stress, therefore, your dreams might use scenarios involving family members to try and put things right or reveal and confirm the conflict.

Bear in mind that each dream about a family member must be considered in context, and what the idea of a family means to you may not mean the same to another person. For example, Western concepts such as individuation, sibling rivalry or Freud’s Oedipus complex would make no sense in those cultures where an uncle or grandparent is considered no less significant than mothers or fathers.

See also RELATIONSHIPS.

Dream Source: The Element Encyclopedia
Author:

Family

Psychological / emotional perspective: Psychologically the struggle for individuality should take place within the safety of the family unit. This, however, does not always happen. In dreams we are able to ‘manipulate’ the images of our family members, so that we can work through our difficulties without harming anyone else (it is interesting to note that one person working on his own dreams can have a profound noticeable effect on the interactions and unconscious bondings between other members of his family). Almost all of the problems we encounter in life are reflected within the family, so in times of stress we will dream of previous problems and difficulties that the family has experienced. Dreams about the family figure so prominently because most of the conflicts and problems in life are experienced first within that environment.

It is as though a pattern is laid down which, until it is broken willingly, will continue to appear. Individual members and their position within the family can also symbolize the various archetypes – father can represent the masculine principle and authority, whereas mother represents the nurturing, protective principle.

For ease of reference the relevance of each figure in men’s and women’s dreams is included under each heading. Because we have had an intimate connection with members of the family they become easy targets for projection as dream images. We do have to decide whether they are in our dreams as themselves or whether they are there in a symbolic capacity.

Dream Source: Dream Meanings of Versatile
Author:

Family

If you dream about your family, it may be a way for your mind to express feelings and concerns about your real faimly that you could not express in daily life. Some believe that this dream usually has nothing to do with your actual family members, but rather the male and female sides of your own personality or self. So in a dream, your father may represent your expressive and protective aspects, while your mother could stand for your receptive and nurturing side.

If family members behave very differently in a dream than they do in real life, or if unexpected things happen when you are with your dream family, the dream is probably a way of releasing your anxiety about real-life family issues.

For instance, if you dream of a family member trying to hurt or kill you, it reflects a real-life concern about this person. They are acting in a way that hurts you, or threatens your emotional happiness. Also see “Father”, “Mother” and “Relatives”

Dream Source: My Dream Interpretation
Author:

Family

Dreams of family symbolize loyalty, strength, unconditional love and deeply rooted belief systems from you tribe. This dream could be an indication that healing among your family members is taking place or is forthcoming.

If you dream of a family member can literally be that you are processing the details of your recent interactions with a particular relative, or you are beginning to disidentify with your family mythology as you begin to autonomize and discover your own beliefs and attitudes. Also, because as every character in your dream is a reflection of you, consider the qualities and attributes you ascribe to this relative and realize that you are grappling with this aspect of yourself.

See Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Uncle, Aunt, Grandfather and Grandmother.

Dream Source: Strangest Dream Explanations
Author:

Family

All the people in your dreams represent aspects of you, the dreamer. When they are known to you, the dream can also be reflecting your outside relationships in the waking world. However, the most value in interpreting such a dream still connects to how the people represent aspects of yourself. This is the most difficult to do when the people in your dreams are members of your family. You are who you are in life as a result of the role you played in the dynamics of your family. As you grow and mature through life, you will have a sense of your identity changing. However, if your family of origin creates the setting and characters of a dream, you can interpret such a dream as relating to your personality and identity as it relates to your first few decades of life.
Dream Source: Complete Dictionary of Dreams
Author:

Family

Fulfillment of the need for protection and security, as in Notice-of’Intention-to-Marry, Bureaucrat, Tree Trunk, Sidewalk, and Parents’ House. On an objective level, the “own” family that is often unconsciously experienced aggressively. On a subjective level, needs, emotions, and partly reflecting the characteristics of self. It can also refer to other groups (at work, friends, etc.)

According to Freud, a symbol for secrets.

Dream Source: Little Giant Encyclopedia
Author:

Family

To dream of your family members can be an attempt to draw attention to your relationship with them, Jer. 12:6 NLT.

If a dream contains relatives who are deceased it can be showing you a generational curse or blessing that originates with that particular relative.

If the dead relative is dripping with oil, radiant, and joyous it symbolizes eternal life, 1 Jn. 3:9 NLT

Dream Source: Christian Dream Symbols
Author:

Family

Your real family, whether or not the they look like themselves.

Another group with whom you interact in real life, such as friends or coworkers.

An ideal imaginary family or group, perhaps triggered by issues with your actual family.

See also: Relative; Mother; Father; Son; Daughter; Grandparent; Aunt; Uncle; Cousin; Person You Know; Person Unknown

Dream Source: The Curious Dreamer’s Dream Dictionary
Author:

Family

Because each person’s family experiences are so involved and vary so much from individual to individual it is difficult to say anything definitive about families in dreams.

If the dream does not seem connected to our actual family, then it could relate to our inner “family,” the different aspects of our own psyche.

Dream Source: Dream Symbols in The Dream Encyclopedia
Author:

Family

If you dream of a large family this means that your fortunes in life are looking up, but if the family is unhappy or bickering it will denote the opposite for you. It would mean the same if the family is an animal family.

If the family is very sad expect some adverse reactions in your financial structure.

Dream Source: Tryskelion Dream Interpretation
Author:

Family

If you dream of a large family this means that your fortunes in life are looking up, but if the family is unhappy or bickering it will denote the opposite for you. It would mean the same if the family is an animal family.

If the family is very sad expect some adverse reactions in your financial structure.

Dream Source: Encyclopedia of Dreams
Author:

Family

Dreaming of your family indicates the need for a return to basics, to a part of yourself from where you have been running away.

If you fight with family it means you are dragging internal conflicts that affect your life. But if the relationship is good it means that you seek harmony.

Dream Source: The Big Dictionary of Dreams
Author:

Family

1. Church family; or natural family;

2. Assembly or team that is in covenant together;

3. Harmony and oneness

4. Bond;

5. Order or disorder;

6. Fellowship;

7. Relationships. Eph. 1:5; 3:14-15; 5:23; Gen. 13:16;

Dream Source: Dream Dictionary The Biblical Model
Author:

Family

1. Concern over family matters or worries.

2. Self, male and female attributes and roles in personality; self-nurturing.

3. Good fortune, better circumstances in the offing (to dream of animal families).

Dream Source: New American Dream Dictionary
Author:

Family

To dream of one’s family as harmonious and happy, is significant of health and easy circumstances; but if there is sickness or contentions, it forebodes gloom and disappointment.
Dream Source: Ten Thousand Dream Interpretation
Author:

Family

Integration of roles or aspects of self. Usually everyone portrayed represents you, although it could show you the dynamics of the relationship with a particular family member.
Dream Source: The Dream Books Symbols
Author:

Family

A large and happy family seen in a dream is an omen of family happiness.

A family of animals seen in their natural environment portends profit in your business.

Dream Source: The Complete Dream Book
Author:

Family

The family symbolizes the spiritual triangle, the unification of love and wisdom from which arises power.

It is also a group in which we feel safe.

Dream Source: Dream Meanings of Versatile
Author:

Family

To dream of a numerous Family is a good sign of prosperous times in store; also to dream of relatives as long as they are friendly.
Dream Source: Mystic Dream Book
Author:

Family

lucky numbers: 16-20-27-31-40-41

announcing, affairs: probable divorce or a bidding of farewel .

arranging: major sacrifices wil fil each soul with caring encouragement.

arguing with: your tactful diplomacy wil lead to a constructive plan.

awakening from sleep: prying into affairs of others causes trouble.

being happy: wish fulfil ment for an unplanned, undesired change in your environment.

chagrined, members of, being: disputes with mother-in-law over raising of children.

convulsions, members having: disheartening failure in otherwise good financial matters.

destitute, a: upheaval in national interests causes your business to not be remunerative.

feeding a: are sufficiently self-confident to extend your civic responsibility.

large, having a: prosperous times are in store.

no, or relatives: are being deceived by members of the opposite sex.

rich: your excessive vanity, gloating on success encourages a scourge on your family.

small: a friend is trying to help.

of own: be cautious, not unhappy and pessimistic in your ventures.

old member of: approaching money from those you have been faithful to.

others, of: your failure to acknowledge others makes them argumentative.

refuses to accept: financial woes make responsibilities overwhelming.

11 dream interpretation about family related.

1. Tragedy.2. Dreams gone awry. ...

Dream Source: New American Dream Dictionary

(Alimony; Maintenance) To provide support for one’s family and relatives in a dream mean prosperity, protection for one’s children and concern for one’s posterity. Whatever e...

Dream Source: Islamic Dream Interpretation

If you dream of visiting your old family home you will hear some very good news.If the home itself, is in a dilapidated condition and general neglect, this then is an omen that you...

Dream Source: Encyclopedia of Dreams

(Such as cousins, aunts, uncles) members of the extended family usually appear in dreams either as themselves, highlighting our relationship with them, or typifying various aspects...

Dream Source: Dream Meanings of Versatile

Unhappy with personality traits within yourself. ...

Dream Source: Expansions Dream Dictionary

All people in a dream represent aspects of your own personality. This is also true of family members, although such dreams may also be reflecting your waking-life relationships as ...

Dream Source: Complete Dictionary of Dreams

A close family member has died and the remaining family are attending the funeral. Everyone, including you, is crying. Such dreams can be very unnerving because you may worry that ...

Dream Source: The Element Encyclopedia

1. Condition of family life;2. Insight into family relationships...

Dream Source: Dream Dictionary The Biblical Model

Dreaming of family and friends can be a positive experience. To interpret the dream correctly you need to consider a number of factors, including what you’re doing in the dream, ...

Dream Source: Dreams Interpretations Hidden Meanings Symbols

Dreams that feature your ancestors in some way indicate the web of cultural and family influences from which your personality has arisen.If a particular ancestor is highlighted, th...

Dream Source: The Element Encyclopedia

Dreams that focus on happy family gettogethers, celebrations, anniversaries, meals or meetings could be explained as wish-fulfillment, nostalgia or even anticipation. Perhaps your ...

Dream Source: The Element Encyclopedia


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