ANIMAL DREAMS - J

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JACKAL - Like dog but a wild version; a trickster figure like coyote and fox; a deceiver; being a scavenger it has sometimes been associated with death as with crows and vultures. Due to being able to see in the dark and the light, the jackal was seen by the Egyptians as a pathfinder in the underworld - i.e. the unconscious - leading the dead to the other world. See: coyote.

JAGUAR - Anger; power of assertion and fierceness.

Useful questions are:

If I imagine myself as the jaguar, do I feel anger, power or fear? (For help doing this see Stand in Role under peer dream work.)

Is it a male or female jaguar in my dream - and how does this link with me?

What is the jaguar doing or trying to do - and does this relate to any of my waking activities or feelings?

ANIMAL DREAMS - K

KANGAROO- Because of its pouch the kangaroo may depict the safety of your mother's womb, or protection. Or conversely, the safety and protection you can give. But kangaroos are also things that jump around, and could be associated with something that you cannot get hold of or is changing too fast to connect with. If it is a male kangaroo it might represent a male in your life or a facet of yourself as whatever attitude the kangaroo illustrates. Kangaroos can also be very aggressive and attack by kicking. If this is what you dream it would mean a vicious attack by somebody or yourself reacting without thought. If you know the habits of kangaroos this might be about the family group you are in, or the social group.

Useful questions are:

What is the dream kangaroo doing, and how does this translate into your everyday life? See: themes.

Is there something going on in your life to do with protection or mothering, or wanting to return to that sort of protectiveness?

Is there any group involved in your dream, or any aggression - if so what does that reflect of your life?

ANIMAL DREAMS - L

LAMB - The childlike, dependent, vulnerable part of self; new life, and so perhaps ones own child or childhood.

Innocence; Christ, as innocence and purity; the weakness of the lamb has enormous power, and can defeat evil.

In ancient societies who bred sheep, the spring lambs were a sign of survival of the often harsh and hungry winter. At last there was food. So the sacrifice of the lamb was linked with the feeling of being given life and redemption.

Useful questions are:

Does this remind you in any way of your own child, childhood or a child - if so who or what?

Is there any suggestion of sacrifice in the dream, and what would that link with in your life?

What is your relationship with the lamb and what does that suggest?

LEOPARD - As with any of the big cats, anger, temper; spitefulness, cruelty; courage; passion - even passion caring for your children. Because of the leopard's spots, which can be seen as eyes, the leopard has represented The Great Watcher - i.e. wider awareness. See: wider awareness.

Useful questions are:

What attitude or feelings is my dream leopard expressing, and how does that relate to me?

If I imagine myself as the leopard, do I feel anger, power or fear? (For help doing this see Stand in Role under peer dream work.)

Is it a male or female leopard and what does that lead me to feel or associate with it?

What is my relationship with the leopard and what does that suggest?

LION/LIONESS - The power of our physical strength, of our temper, of our emotions or sexuality; love that has become anger through jealousy or pain; leadership; ones father or fatherhood, or mother if it is a lioness; an image of the father/mother God; leadership; watchfulness or guardianship; self assertion or boasting because of the power of the lions roar. The story of Androcles and the lion shows how the pain felt by our 'animal' life process, if tended by the conscious personality, brings a loving relationship between conscious and unconscious. Many children experience recurring dreams of a lion chasing them through their house. This is most likely due to a developing struggle with their natural feelings of anger and aggression. This because their parents might attempt to quieten or control the child's temper, or criticise it as 'bad'. Idioms: Brave the lion's den; lion's share; head in the lion's mouth. Being frightened of an attack or possible attack from a lion suggests an 'attack' of anxiety or fear about something. Consider the rest of the dream to define what.

Idioms: Brave the lion's den; lion's share; head in the lion's mouth.

As an astrological sign, the lion is the sign of Leo, a 'Fixed' 'Fire' sign. In the dream of a person born with the sun in Leo, the lion may represent their basic character. It is said to be the heart of the Zodiac. In it all the activities of Aries have been concentrated and given purpose, permanence, passion and a certain nobility. It is the Royal Sign denoting Love, the Ruler of Life. Subjects of this sign are said to be proudly 'faithful' and scorn what is weak, small-minded, or mean. It is the sign of the Sun - the physical and also the Divine Sun. In terms of human evolution the sign of Leo represents rulership of the animal kingdom, to become a dominant creature, expressing the best of the instinctive and natural within human nature. Thus in The Witch and The Wardrobe, the greatest strength and unifying influence is the lion. But there is a step beyond this into independent awareness where one recognises oneself not only as the powerful and creative universal animal life, but as an individual human being as well.

Useful questions are:

Are there signs that this is about anxiety or anger - if so can I define what they connect with?

If the lion suggests strength and protectiveness, am I relating well to it?

What do I feel if I imagine myself as the lion? (For help doing this see Stand in Role under peer dream work.)

What are the key words I use in describing this dream? See: key words.

LLAMA - This is simply another animal unless you live in South America, so will have the basic associations of less restrained or socialised impulses, emotions and sexuality. But its special associations might be that in its native country it is a beast of burden. It lives at high altitudes, so might represent hardiness or rarefied life. Also it looks so mild and gentle, but in fact can be quite aggressive. So it might be something that looks like a sheep but has more aggression. See horse.

Useful questions are:

Am I riding the llama - if so what does this say about my relationship with my body?

What is my relationship with the llama and how does this reflect on the way I relate to the natural urges in me?

Am I going places in my life I haven't attempted before?

LYNX - Keenness of perception - lynx eyed; vigilance; otherwise same as other large cats. See: leopard above.

Useful questions are:

What attitude or feelings is my dream lynx expressing, and how does that relate to me?

If I imagine myself as the lynx, do I feel anger, power or fear? (For help doing this see Stand in Role under peer dream work.)

Is it a male or female lynx and what does that lead me to feel or associate with it?

What is my relationship with the lynx and what does that suggest?

ANIMAL DREAMS - M

MERMAID See other mermaid entry.

MINOTAUR - See other entry.

MOLE - Living a secluded life; attitude of a recluse; short-sightedness; an avoidance of human company; unconscious forces or influence; something going on beneath the surface - this may be something you can't actually perceive, but suffer the consequences of, as with molehills; an undermining influence.

Useful questions are:

Am I getting intimations of an unconscious or usually unseen influence at work in my life?

What does the action and my relationship with the mole suggest?

Does this in any way relate to living a secluded life?

MONKEY - monkey Foolishness; thoughtlessness; being ruled by impulse; ones instincts; the frivolous surface workings of the mind or expression of frivolous emotion - or impulsive difficult to control urges; greediness and self-centredness; being irrational in the sense of being stupid; mimicking or aping other people or the group, thus being a follower; the struggle involved in becoming conscious. The monkey can also sometimes depict your primal animal self that existed prior to developing self awareness. So it can indicate the sexual and feeling conditions underlying your present socialised personality. Therefore it is sometimes the same as ape.

Example: From there I began to see human caring. It was as if I felt myself to be one of a group of monkeys. Within the group life was lived out of ones inner simplicity. But certain aged monkeys could attain a different level of awareness. They were called the White Haired Ones. I could become a White Headed One, but I would have to die in the sense of relinquishing my personal desires, fears and goals. Was I willing to do this? It had elements of risk. It might mean the end of life as I now lived it. But I had to take the risk. I was willing to die.

I became a White Hair. I saw from the vision of the White Haired. It was so simple, so organic and life-filled. I am only a finger of life, only a tiny part of the organic, living, whole. I am only one member of a large group. Life, through its living organism, cares. In the group of monkeys, if the mother dies, a sister or brother cares for the baby. Each individual is only one cell in the whole body. If that person goes away or dies, life, in the form of another person, cares for the children, or fills the needs of the adult.

See levels of the brain.

Idioms: Make a monkey of; monkey business; monkey with; monkey tricks; monkey's uncle; monkey on your back.

Useful questions are:

Does this monkey express wisdom or pettiness? Try to define what is petty or wise about the monkey.

What activity are you engaged in with the monkey, and what does this suggest/

Am I accepting, rejecting or manipulating the monkey, and in what way does my activity reflect waking attitudes to my natural impulses?

MOUSE - Minor irritations; fears and worries; the mousy or timid part of self; shyness; the activities within us - our house - which go on unconsciously, which might be important though small, or gnaw away at one. It can therefore represent a problem of some sort that needs attention; the sexual organ which goes in and out of a hole. Often the mice in dreams are eating away at things you have stored, or are infesting a house or ones clothes. This suggests influences that are gradually gnawing away at your energy, well being or confidence. Or, as with the clothes, attitudes that are unclean or that you feel very uncomfortable with to the point of wanting them out of your life.

In some mouse dreams the mouse is burst open in some way, perhaps a cat attacking. This suggest the realisation or experience of ones own vulnerability or weakness.

But for some people the mouse depicts their feelings of revulsion, filth, horror, an influence that is unconsciously but persistently pervading their life and response to things.

Example: I saw that the place was infested with mice, and was somewhat dismayed. Then I took off, or shook out, my jersey or shirt, into a bathtub full of soapy water. Hundreds of mice fell into the tub. I saw that they all died in there as the bubbles dispersed a little. Then my wife and my mother were with me, and I told my wife she must make an effort to put all the food away and into containers, as if the mice found nothing to eat they would go away. TP.

Example: A mouse darted across the kitchen work surface and I caught it by placing a clear glass cover over it so it couldn't escape. I was upset because mice are unhygienic but I didn't know how to keep them out. I was trying to stop somebody from lifting one of the covers off the mouse but they lifted it anyway and the mouse ran out. I turned and moved away quickly so the mouse wouldn't run up my arm. I turned my back on it and crouched down, hunching my shoulders up. But the mouse ran up the back of my clothing, under several layers, and got trapped at the back of my neck. In the dream the scenario was horrific for me as this little mouse was wriggling around inside my clothes desperate to escape and I wanted it out asap but didn't want to hurt it. I was annoyed that it had run up MY back. It could have run up anybody's back so why did it have to run up mine? CJ

As these two dreams show, the dream mouse can generate great feelings of revulsion. The last dream also illustrates a feeling that was trapped, but then released and travelled up the trunk of the dreamer. This is typical of released feelings that have been repressed and held in the body. The upwards movement showing the shift toward consciousness.

Useful questions are:

What if anything is eroding or gnawing away at your health, resources or identity?

Is there something happening that you feel very uneasy about or not proud of?

Is this a special or shining mouse - if so can you define the feeling and what it links with in you?

Does the feeling of revulsion link with any event in my life that I can remember?

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