Tiger Tigress
Power, anger, sexual power, inner anxiety or terrifying urges. Fear of another person’s anger or forcefulness. Sometimes the power of a mother’s protectiveness. A woman’s anger or sexual craving.
Although similar in many ways to the lion, the tiger has a more feminine quality. It can therefore represent an angry woman; ones mother/a woman as a protector or destroyer; anger; spitefulness; the power and authority of ones animal strength; anxiety or fear, flight or fight. Often children have recurring dreams of being chased by a tiger (or lion), and this is about anger that they have been told is bad to express. So this is why they are running from it when they should have made it their friend. This is probably also why most people are still running or hiding from tigers in their dreams. Instead they should have been taught to direct their anger – a natural part of our defense system – effectively.
Do not to be afraid of the animals you meet in your dreams. They are only symbols of your own inner nature, your animal self. See Your Mammal Brain
The tiger represents your own power, the power that can protect your family and any children. Feel the power of that by imaging yourself as the tiger. Yes, actually imagine yourself in its body.
Also big cats, like domestic cats and dogs are very ‘mouthey’ – in other words they do everything with their mouth. They love with their mouth and love to hold you with their mouth. It is their way of giving a hug and wanting to be near. But of course tigers can bite for real too, but your dream tiger is a part of you. Even if it did bite you in your dream it is only like holographic image and can do you no harm. To be frightened of your dream tiger is to run away, avoid or deny your own wonderful natural strength and self protection. See Mouthey Animals
Example: Just last night I dreamt I was walking and a tiger came at me. I was scared, but I thought I would try to be strong and not show my fear. It did not work and the tiger ran at me. I climbed a tree and onto a roof of a tin shed. The tiger followed me up and I ran across a series of tin sheds. I finally realized I could not escape and I turned and faced the tiger. I screamed at the tiger and ran straight at it. The tiger got scared and turned and ran away, and then I woke up. These dreams have been on my mind, and I would love some insight into them. Thank you so much.
From that you can see that an image – in a dream – cannot hurt you, though it can cause you to feel fear. So chasing it was a way of changing your feeling, and that of course changes your dream. So, there is nothing in any dream that can hurt you, unless you run away from something. Running away is leaving yourself open to being a victim of whatever frightens you.
When we call someone a tiger we either mean they are fierce, capable of defending themselves, or very successful at what they do. But we also say a woman can protect her children or loved partner like a tiger. So it is also about strength and passion to protect and care. This aspect of the tiger depicts the primeval and passionate power of motherhood and the love and care of nature itself emanating from the unconscious. Tigers are individual creatures and are not, like lions, part of a group less it is a mother with her cubs.
Like any other animal, the tiger can also represent aspects of sexuality, depending upon how it is presented in the dream. As a symbol of sex it would most likely include elements of uncertainty – will I be attacked or overwhelmed – power and instinctive responses. It has to be remembered also that the tiger is a top of the food chain predator, and so can represent the predatory facets of human nature. See animal for an explanation of the role dream animals play in our life:
But it has to be remembered that every image in our dreams is an aspect of ourselves, and being an animal the tiger represents the wonderful strength we have as our heritage – if we claim it. Many people are frightened of their own strength and so run from their dream tiger, but as the following dream shows it can be your strength.
Example: An adult tiger was at my bed with one of my old high school buddy holding him on a leash. When I saw him I was furious what the fuck is such dangerous animal doing on my bed. Went to load my AK (the imaginary one, don’t actually own one), but when I pointed the gun at him he ignored me with calm and assertive look. I dropped the gun and in my admiration for him just felt his strong and firm energy. Since then I started to really think of Tigers as the ultimate alpha animal!!
Example: I was in a hallway behind a door, pulling it against me to shield myself against a tiger. The tiger was large with bloodstained paws. Some people stopped outside the door to look at the tiger. I told them to move along, as it had a very uncertain temper, and could easily attack. In fact it began to grow restless and growl. They went. I saw the deep colours of the tiger, and the blood. I was terrified that at any moment it would pull the door away from me. At that moment the tiger attacked me when I came from behind the door, and swallowed me. Now instead of feeling separate I was the tiger, and delighted in his movements and anger.
If you are born in the year of the Tiger in Chinese astrology, dreaming of a tiger might be a comment on your strength and weaknesses. It could be wise to consider your basic characteristics in the light of the dream. See Chinese Zodiac Tiger
The tiger can represent many things however, and below is another important aspect of a tiger.
Example: While in a basement a person approached me holding quite a large animal. As they handed it to me I saw it was a tiger cub, large and very well built, with a thick neck. I was surprised, but even more surprised and disturbed when a huge tigress came through a doorway above us at ground level and came down the stairs to us. I thought she was going to attack us, but she took the baby cub and placed it down. She then came with something in her mouth, probably money, and placed it near me. She gave off a powerful feeling of not wanting the cub, and with the money handing it over to me or us for our care. There was an atmosphere of irritability about her. Peter G.
In this example the tiger has an obvious connection with the mother. The dreamer had often been threatened by his mother that she was going to give him away, or put him in a home. So the dream probably dealt with his need to confront these feelings of abandonment which, like the tiger, were threatening. Interestingly, almost exactly five years later, in the same month, Peter dreamt the following.
I am in a house. There is a feeling I am sharing it with a number of people, as if there is a connection with a friend Mike. Suddenly I notice there is a tiger cub running around the room. It is a large room and empty except for myself and the cub. I realise this must mean there is a mother tiger about and worry that it will be angry or aggressive because of its cub. I go to walk through a doorway, but the mother tiger walks through. I stand still, not daring to move. But she brushes against me in a friendly way and strolls over to look at her cub. Peter G.
Interestingly the dreamer sees himself as a young tiger in his dreams.
Example: There is alarm that a wild tiger is about. I am concerned to find a place out of sight, behind a desk, in case the tiger sees me. It comes in, and, although there are many other people, it comes directly to me. As it comes towards me, I see it is small, and young, and un-coordinated in its random, flailing movements (rather like Tigger in Winnie-the-Pooh). Its body is like a pipe-cleaner twisted into a tiger shape. As it comes to me, I see it is full of energy but also shaking uncontrollably with fear, drenched in sweat. It is furiously wagging its tail, which may have a white bow tied to it (or is it the shape of the tail? – the latter I think), as if it is desperate to please. So from within my fear I say to it “Good tiger, there’s a good tiger,” to calm it down. I think, or say: “This tiger is terrified, because it is quite out of its element, in a classroom with humans.” I look up and see there is no one else in the room – just me and the tiger. JH.
JH says of his dream: “This seems to me to be a very revelatory dream. Clearly I am the tiger, and so I am frightened of my own fear in trying to hide from it. But the clarity of the dream is in the basic fear of existence the tiger exhibits.” Here the tiger is clearly about the fight and flight instinct in us all, and the struggle JH has in dealing with this in his life as a teacher.
Idioms: Fight like a tiger; paper tiger.
Useful questions:
Am I dealing with anxiety or anger in this dream?
What relationship do I have with the tiger, and what does this say about the way I deal with the ‘tiger’ aspects of my life such as fear, anger, aggression and dominant strength?
Does my dream tiger show any signs of motherhood in this dream, and if so how does that reflect on my mother or motherhood?
Comments
I dreamt that a tigress came to me in a buffet restaurant, she was so beautiful and strong that I couldn’t resist patting her. Next thing I know she’s leading me through the winding streets of city while I’m grabbing onto her neck/half laying on he back. When we stop a colleague appears and half carrying me he takes me to the top of a vertical cliff, as I look down I realize that the tigress can’t come with me as it’s too steep. I watch her pacing back and forth looking for me so I decide to immediately go down the hill to be with her. After some time and having gotten lost I call her and she comes running, the joy of being reunited with her is just amazing especially as I tell her that I found a way for her to come with me to the top of the hill.
Dear Ade – A beautiful dream which expresses your learning process.
The way I see your dream is that it starts with you searching for your inner strength and for a way to direct your inner life.
With this intention in mind the tiger appears!
With your decision to love this beautiful part of yourself, you dare to explore how you can use it.
The moment you stop using it, you become aware that you then have to rely on “another power”; “When we stop a colleague appears and half carrying me he takes me to the top of a vertical cliff, as I look down I realize that the tigress can’t come with me as it’s too steep.”
You become aware that you BELIEVED you could not get to the top, probably because you were afraid that your inner power would not be able to carry you there.
I see that thought as a belief “only”, because at the end of the dream – after having felt lost at first – your perception has changed; what used to be “he takes me to the top of a vertical CLIFF” changed into “I found a way for her to come with me to the top of the HILL.”
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/beliefs/
The colleague in your dream could refer to you feeling dependent on him in waking life to achieve whatever you associate with going to “the top of the hill” and/or to you exploring what it feels like to depend on your inner male.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/archetype-of-the-animus-jungs-view-of-the-male-in-the-female/
I feel this is an interesting dream to continue to explore while awake using Power Dreaming.
http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/secrets-power-dreaming/
You could for instance start with exploring the difference you feel/sense between going to the top with the colleague and going to the top with the tiger.
Because we are a dual being we often tend to believe our decision is an either/or choice and so it will also be interesting to explore your dream in such a way “that I found a way for her to come with me to the top of the hill TOO”.
Let me know Ade, if you have any questions.
Anna 🙂
Last night I dreamt that I was in Mexico (where I just moved) and there was word that a black panther was on the loose (which actually happened to me in a small town in the midwest when I was a child) I was scared for my maltipoo dog, so I was trying to lock us up safely inside the house for protection while we were there. I had to step outside and on my way I saw a huge tiger near my neighbors house, and soon found that there were big cats all over the neighborhood. I became scared, but my main objective was protecting my small dog. A large tiger somehow got into my house and in the dream I had a large patio with a pool. I was near the pool when the tiger approached my dog and I. I was afraid the tiger would try to eat my dog, but instead it came over to me and licked my face, and was very loving and sweet to myself and my dog. It was a friend. I pet the tiger and realized it would protect my dog, rather than try to hurt it and had a gentle innate nature.
I had a dream that a bear attacked me and a tiger defended me from it. What does it mean?
I had a dream of a guy I just met (and is interested in). He was with a tiger… a tame tiger. Forgetting some of the details, I just remember my leg on his shoulder (as though kicking him away), but in a playful manner.
Is this a good dream? The overall feeling I got waking up was that even though he was a tiger tamer, I am able to “tame him”.
I just awoke from having a tiger dream. I am a single Mom, and recently a man I loved dearly who had been a long time friend, our relationship ended. We have been dating for 4 months and he ended it saying it was that he didn’t want to be a stepfather. I miss my dearest friend.
In this dream, my ex husband was in my home and sees a large tiger walking by outside carrying a pig in his mouth. We look from the window at it but my ex wants to get closer and opens the door. The sound startles the tiger and he drops the dead pig in front of the house. We both go outside to look. The tiger starts to walk away but my ex had a shot gun and it makes a sound. The tiger pauses and my ex tells me to run. I run towards the house and climb a fence to get to the roof, the tiger begins to run quickly towards me. I’m partly on the roof and he leaps atop the fence. The tiger and I are staring at each other, i think he may bite but instead I reach down and start rubbing its head and ears. It is gentle. I come down and am petting all over this giant cat who is rubbing its head against me. My ex begins to come near and the tiger looks up, walks away picking up its pig and leaves.
Please, what does this mean. I don’t typically dream and this was so vivid with the tiger.
I had a dream that I was in a tree in the forest. I remember looking down and I was not in my human body. I had giant white paws and stripes. I was a tiger. I then jumed down from the tree to the ground below. Started walking then I woke up.
I recently had a dream about a tiger and a lion. This isn’t the first time I’ve had a dream involving both of these animals. During the dream I was being chased by the lion but somehow got away. When the tiger appeared In my dream I felt I was more of an onlooker or in control of it as if through a video game. But even through me controlling the tiger somewhat it still seemed to stray off into the jungle and do its own thing. Like it was on a mission ready to attack. Other wild animals appeared in thus dream as well but the lion and the tiger seemed to play the biggest role. Not sure what any of this means. A little insight or an interpretation would be helpful?
I dreamed of two tigers in a kitchen laying down peacefully. I walked away and came back and reached out it bit me without leaving a mark. I reached out again it did the same thing. I asked people to remove them no one would. I then walked out got into a car and drove away. What does this mean
I dreamt I was walking through a hilly place with my family, there were other people walking as well and then I started walking faster then them and they were far behind now. As I moved ahead and saw that there were some people working on making shed on the way and then after passing them I heard a roar and I thought it sounds like a tiger but I thought a tiger can’t be here so I started walking but as I took the turn I saw a tiger with his back on me over the hill and I got scared and started running ahead and as I turned I saw there were few lions and tigers killing people on the road. I got scared and thought of informing my family but that could be of no use cause as I looked ahead there were lions and tigers there as well. I felt scared and decided to get down the path and move through hill but the height of the hill was huge so I ditched that plan and started moving ahead. as I walked slower I noticed the path divided into two. On one path there were lions killing people and the other one was with no lions so naturally I went for the safer path but as I was moving I saw one Lion standing at the other path and he was not hunting but looking at me I could feel his eyes on me, I stood there for a second but then I moved on the other side and hided myself behind some woods and then a person came and took me to the village nearby. Does this dream means something or is it just pure imagination.
I have recurring dream of a tiger trying to force it’s way in through a door, usually the hallway door of my grandmother’s house,( this house features predominantly in most of my dreams) and me pushing hard from the other side to block it’s entry.There’s usually a long battle between me and the tiger and I often call one of my family memebers tp help me keep the door shut as sometimes the tiger overpowers me and nearly gets in. He doesn’t make it in through that door and wanders off but sometimes he comes in through another unguarded door and we isolate ourselves in some other place where he cannot attack us. Such dreams always end in the tiger going away but there comes an ominous message of an impending doom a big apocalyptic vision where I see strange noises and sounds of unearthly animals from a distance and the skies start turning dark as the town is struck by alarm.
I’m 21, single, and leading a content life with good family and friends. I am shy in public and don’t know the mechanisms of small talk. But otherwise on a competitive platform I’m a good speaker.
I had a dream where I was playing catch with a tiger, on a river bank. All of my friends were in the river, watching us. Then we were on a dock. I was talking to a friend of mine about an ex girlfriend. Then, everyone was jumping in the river and swimming to shore. So, I tried and got swept away. Then, woke up.
In my dream, I was walking along a path with a friend. I can’t remember who the friend was. I saw a large cat crouching behind a rock and thought it was a cougar since I live on the west coast of Canada. Instead, a large tiger emerged. He simply walked away down a different path. I suddenly realized that one of my daughters was following me down the path and ran back to see if she was safe. When I did, I saw the tiger on the other path, across a larger river. Men were standing on my side and loudly observing the scene. The (orange) tiger was lying with a white tiger and I felt calm and warm feelings when I saw this. Then I woke up.
I had a dream I was living on a big cat preserve and someone was trying to steal the tiger cubs… I stopped them but they ran into the panther cage and was mailed… I rescued them but they lost an eye …I told them not to be a baby..they’d be okay and then woke up
I had a dream about going to school and I met my teacher who was teaching(ballet) dance. When he tried to teach some of the class they didnt listen
Played around but when he tried to teach me to dance it was like i couldnt learn….he tried to teach me any way…. (he was Caucasian and was wearing all white.) When I would be close to him I would see a tiger and the rear of him. We both ran from the tiger as it began to chase us. We met at a doorway and as we TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM THE TIGER BUT SOMETHING STOPPED ME AND dREW ME BACK LEAVING ME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR LOOKING THE TEACHER IN THE FACE….WHEN I THOUGHT the Tiger was about to attack me at the doorway the tiger stopped and another one ran around it starring at it face to face and then I woke up. What does that even mean.? I saw the word Jehovah very clear in my dream. Its seemed to be a very dramatic dream color faded… my teacher was about a 20ish yr old Caucasian boy wearing all white….it was like we were in love or had a thing for eachother like we couldn’t stay away from each other. …it was like when he grabbed my hand the tigers were triggered to run toward us. When i realized the tiger were trying not to attack me but more so protect me..i stopped being scared and more so curious to why he was so protective? The tiger on my side i believe could be a woman and may represent me. The dancers were learning ballet…i remember going to a class where someone was singing as i pass throught to get to the rest room.
WtH do this mean? Lol
Dear Breanna – I believe the dream is about learning to feel in harmony with your sexual urges and your inner nature.
See also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/sex-and-dreams/
Dancing or learning to dance can express a sexual mating dance; which is also about learning to get closer or more intimate emotionally or sexually. In fact so many women love dancing and want to dance with a partner because it is a woman’s way to express her full female self and sexuality.
The man might represent your felt relationship with a particular man or males in general. In this sense the man portrays the power of your own womanhood, indicating whether you can meet male energy with your full female energy.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/male-man/
You wrote “I stopped being scared and more so curious to why he was so protective?” You can explore this dream symbol by “Being the tiger” and “Talking as the tiger.”
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
and
http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/practical-techniques-for-understanding-your-dreams/#TalkingAs
This approach you can use for every dream symbol including your dream figure as she appears in the dream.
Because a protective tiger can also be a symbol of the power of a (inner) mother’s protectiveness, please also read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/mother-mum-ma/#InnerMother
Anna 🙂
I dreamt that a tiger was chacing me and only whanted me he did not care about the other poeple that were running and screaming to get away, my mother were olso in my dream an she was with me in the car that we jumpt in to she was the driver an I was sitting in the back seat behind her cause that was the door that was unlocked what does this meen I felt sceard but not to sceard
Dear Annelize – Anything moving toward you in a dream usually signifies that you are becoming more aware of it, feeling it more intensely. So being chased in a dream usually denotes that you are feeling something you fear more intensely and are trying to avoid confronting it. This is not usually a good policy, as you can never get away from yourself.
So you are pursued by fears or emotions, and can either continue to avoid them or face them. You are, in a real sense, pursued by what you have created with your thoughts, emotions, action and inaction, reason why this tiger is chasing you and only wants you.
What you are avoiding might be sexual feelings; responsibility; expressing what you really feel in public; your fear of death; sense of failure; guilt; emotional pain; childhood trauma; grief – but it might be your creativity; your love; your passionate response to living; your deepest wisdom and oneness with things; the ancient power of life in you. You can never escape from yourself however much you try, so such feelings may pursue you throughout your life unless you turn and meet them.
Your dream also suggests that this approach to run instead of meeting “your tiger” is also part of the approach of your inner mother.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/mother-mum-ma/#InnerMother
There are many ways to change these often unconscious avoidance habits; like self-observation http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/self-observation/
and/or Power Dreaming.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/secrets-power-dreaming/
Also “Being the tiger” is a helpful approach to move beyond the fear for the inner world you have created.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
It is good to become aware that you are the creator. You are doing it right now – creating an inner world. For instance what do you believe? It is out of what you believe and are convinced of that you create a unique – for you – world, and then you live in it, or are trapped in it. Millions of people are in the grip of a belief system that controls them, imprisons them, and denies them their full potential.
See http://dreamhawk.com/inner-life/inner-world/#MakesInner
So go and meet your tiger, for it is part of your wonderful potential too.
Anna 🙂