Monster Dream Meanings

If you dream of being hunted by a savage and terrible monster of any kind, you might want to try and face it if the dream recurs. Mystery is not so terrifying once it is identified and understood, since it becomes something you can recognize and therefore deal with.

If you do recognize your personal monster, you might also want to try and engage it in a dialogue. A classic way to interpret a difficult dream such as this was devised by Dr Frederick Perls, the distinguished Gestalt therapist. Take two chairs and place them opposite each other. You sit in one and imagine your dream monster or enemy in the other chair. Move between the chairs as you first ask and answer the questions. Try asking your dream monster what it wants, why it is in your dreams and why it is chasing you. The process may take some time, but eventually you (as the dream) may deliver a message that speaks to you. When that happens, you may find it easier to face your fears and interpret your dream. By understanding nasty nightmare animals, as well as people, places or things, you may be able to harness their energy and take back into your self those parts of your personality you have been trying to disown.

Animals in dreams reflect the animal or instinctual part of your nature, so if the fierce animal terrorizing you in a dream is a tiger, lion or snake, consider what this animal represents to you and what it says about your psychological state. Are you confining, restricting or subduing an important part of yourself? If you begin to get answers to these questions, you may find that the animals in your dreams become less fierce and threatening. It might also help to draw or write a description of your animal. Of course, your personal associations to the specific animals is of great importance here.

If your shadow—the part of yourself that you keep hidden—appears in your dreams as a monster, fierce animal, murderer, vampire, werewolf, ghost or other sinister threatening being, this may be a positive thing; it is your dreaming mind’s way of reintroducing the parts of yourself you are repressing in an effort to make you whole.

See also ANIMALS; SPIRITS AND GHOSTS; SURREALISM AND FANTASY.

In dreams, monsters take much more terrifying dimensions and shapes than any horror movie or novel. However, in spite of fear that they can provoke, if the figure reappears frequently in your dreams, you need to approach them and try to get to know them. Although they are frightening, it will give clear clues to your fears. Dreams are usually representations of ourselves, therefore, the dreaded monster can be a part of yourself that scares you. It could also represent people around you who are hard to relate to— parents, a boss, a partner—or aspects of life that scare you, like sex, old age, or death. Typically, monsters appear in children’s dreams. In this case, they represent the dominant and powerful role of adults in the lives of children.

It is recommended that you face whatever these monsters represent in your emotional life.

According to old books on dreams, to vanquish a monster in a dream means that you will overcome our enemies and become more important. The ancient peoples of Tibet believed that the most terrible monsters were divine guardians. Therefore, they symbolized those inner powers of being that could deter and defeat ignorance.

1- Any monster appearing in a dream is something that we have made larger than life. We have personalised it so that whatever is worrying us appears as a creature. It usually stands for our negative relationship with ourselves and fear of our own emotions and drives.

2- When, in everyday life, events get out of proportion we often have to suppress our reactions. In dreams we cannot do this and so our minds create some way of dealing with the problem. Often the colour of the monster (see Colour) will give us some indication of what the problem is, thus a red monster would indicate anger (possibly uncontrolled), whereas a yellow one might suggest resentment.

3- Fear of death and all that goes with it.

A monster can highlight a more childlike fear, and can be looked at thus.

Monsters represent the fearsomeness of the unconscious insofar as it is still unexplored.

If you overcome your fear, you will find in your unconscious all you need to complement your conscious ego. (In legends monsters guard treasure sought by a hero; in religious myths they guard mana-f\Hied things - sacred objects / places. Psychologically speaking, you are the hero, seeking your self; the sacred place is your inner core; ‘slaying’ the monster is bestowing love on a feared and repressed desire / drive / emotion, and so transforming it into a creative factor in your conscious life.) All that is now unconscious is destined to become conscious. That is why you have to Svrestle’ with the ‘monsters’.

Dreaming about monsters and demons is very common. They may represent negative forces inside of yourself and in your life. Most of the monsters are representing your own negative characteristics and tendencies.

The monster in your dreams could be your fear, bad temper, negativity, smoking habit, or anything else that is hurtful and needs to be changed.

The way that you deal with the monster in your dream is generally symbolic of the way you are dealing with the corresponding negativity in your daily life.

If you wake up from this dream and are very frightened, just remember that your mind created those images and that their purpose is to teach you something about yourself.

Fears of your own making, allowed to grow out of proportion through undue worry and attention. Any negative idea dwelt upon grows into something monstrous; it is but an illusion within your own mind. Make an effort to confront any monster in your dream; ask it what part of yourself it represents, what thought, belief, or fear.

See the monster as a friend who has come to teach you something, bring you a gift. Picture the monster immediately upon awakening; imagine it unzipping its monster suit, and a little being steps out with a gift for you—insight. Remember all aspects of the dream are you.

Material aspects: Any monster appearing in a dream represents something that we have made larger than life. We have personalized it so that whatever is worrying us appears as a creature. It usually indicates our negative relationship with ourselves and fear of our own emotions and drives.

If we vanquish the monster, it is said that we must take care not to kill it, since we may be killing off part of our personality. Equally it should not be allowed to overcome us; self-survival kicks in and we will normally wake up before it does.

A subconscious fear or imagining.

A real-life situation in which you felt threatened or pursued.

A person or thing with whom you associate a certain characteristic of the monster (such as a monster’s red color representing the red pick-up truck that hit your car last week).

A monster coming after you can represent: a physical, emotional, or mental threat (or fear of one); An indicator of a Toxic Dream.

See also: Deformity; Werewolf; Vampire; Zombie; Ghost; Mythological Character

Psychological / emotional perspective: When, in everyday life, events get out of proportion we often have to suppress our reactions. In dreams we cannot do this and so our minds create some way of dealing with the problem. Often the colour of the monster will give us some indication of what the problem is; a red monster would indicate anger (possibly uncontrolled), whereas a yellow one might suggest resentment.

Depth Psychology: Monsters appearing in a dream reflect a fear of dying or hate directed toward oneself. Unresolved events or emotional experiences hiding beneath the surface have too much influence over you. Failing to learn how to control these energies may lead to serious problems. Seek professional help if monsters appear in your dreams frequently.

See Demons, Mysterious Creatures.

To see a monster or monstrous fish in the sea, is not good; but out of the sea every fish and great monster is good, because then they can hurt no more, or save themselves. And therefore, besides that our dream signifies that our enemies cannot hurt us, it saith moreover that the wicked shall be punished.

Our own internal emotions or drives we are fright­ened of. Use the approaches in dream processing to change the monster into usable personal resources; dread of death; a monstrous deed done or lie lived; our negative relationship with the power which moves us to growing, mating and dying.

(see Bed, Closet, Dreams, Dragon, Evil, Fables) The feared or unexplored aspects of your own nature.

Slaying a monster: Becoming the hero for your own life; transforming fear into victory and creativity (see Sword).

Repressed drives and ambitions that need to be expressed.

Dreams about monsters come from repressed emotions.

The monster may represent a side of your personality that makes you uncomfortable. This dream often means that you would do well to consider a change of direction, or give up a bad habit that’s unhealthy for you.

A monster is usually large and, therefore, can highlight a childlike fear – perhaps the fear of death and all that goes with it – or the fear of failure. Such an image tends to be encountered at some point in the hero’s journey.

To dream of being pursued by a monster, denotes that sorrow and misfortune hold prominent places in your immediate future.

To slay a monster, denotes that you will successfully cope with enemies and rise to eminent positions.

Dreams of monsters are usually caused by repressed emotions and fears. Some ugly and scary aspect of the dreamer’s personality may be reflected in, or confronted during, interaction with the monster.

To dream of a monster or monstrous fish at sea is evil, but a monster on land is good, signifying evil enemies who will be impotent (Artemidorus).

Your innermost fears or negative attitudes that are seen as larger than you can handle.

See also NIGHTMARES; SURREALISM AND FANTASY

A devouring beast is symbolic of a problem or spiritual enemy capable of swallowing your life, Jer. 51:34

To see a Monster in the sea is not good; but out of the sea, good luck.

1. Deep fear of something.

2. Deep fear of someone.

1. Demon

2. Fear. 1 Sam. 17:11.

See Shadow and Devil.

See “nightmare”

lucky numbers: 03-12-18-30-34-44

facing a: are being confronted with some ugly and scary aspects of yourself.

of a: success is yours, if you redirect your hatred to constructive goals.

in the sea: expect emotional misfortune for subduing parts of your nature.

on dry land: reduce fear to acceptable proportions by writing a description of it.

being killed: turn and face your enemy.

pursued by a, being: your sorrow and pessimism overwhelm those you meet.

attacked: are depressed at inability to complete the project you initiated.