Bull
The symbol of the bull often refers to the instinctive responses or energy in us that are powerful enough to drag us along, cause us anxiety if we are in conflict with them, or carry us further in our endeavours if we can work with them. Such instinctive urges may be in connection with sexual attraction and desire, feelings about people invading our territory, and protectiveness for family. But we have to remember that the bull is a domesticated animal, and so its enormous energy is available for transformation or direction. See Mammal Brain
Where the bull connects with sex drive, it may depict the aspect of it that is generally under control, but may occasionally be wild if provoked. The bull can also represent the basic drives toward parenthood, and caring and providing via sex. The bull might link with aggressiveness, a ‘bullish’ trait in you or someone else; or personal traits to do with being very basic or earthy, and perhaps sexual in ones relationships, and being moved by impulses such as sex or aggression, without being aware of this. The bull is of course a symbol of strength, ferocity, obstinacy, maleness and power. So at a times it can represent your father, or an enraged father.
The bull in your dreams represents the way you may have faced this power in the past. If you have faced it without love it will cause enormous tension and frustration. That is the negative side to the bull. The problem is that of the will turned back on itself. It was perhaps frustrated by guilt about success and love. The reason it is difficult to face the bull was because the bull was your lust, your sexual love. The conflict you felt about love also turned against and destroyed your sexual desire.
The bull also represents striving to break through. This might not be allowed because to break through would-be to face your past.
The aggressive bull: Often shows the frustration arising from your basic drives being taunted or thwarted. For instance a person may wish for a family, yet be frustrated by a form of sexuality in their partner that does not care for children. Or their inapt ability in sexual and family relationships causes such frustration blocking an easy and satisfying life.
The killed bull: A killing of the natural drives connected with family, sex and procreation.
If sacrificed: May show self-giving, or the abandonment of the life in which sexual relationship occurs.
The ridden bull: Shows a harmony between self awareness and its decision making, and the basic ‘animal’ drives, or the reverse if the riding is difficult or a fight.
To realize your place in this flow of events there is neither joy nor sadness, rather infinite satisfaction. Once achieved this realization of the perfect harmony of all things will never be voluntarily renounced.”
Example: I dreamt I was in a farmyard. A small boy climbed all over the bull, and it became terribly angry. It had been chained without attention for too long. Now it tore away and sought the cows. The gates were closed, but the bull smashed through the enclosing fence. I had rushed to the fence and sat astride it, but on seeing that the bull smashed it like matchwood, I looked around for some safe place. Meanwhile the Bull charged the first cow to mount it, but so terrible was its energy and emotion that it could not expressed as sex. It smashed the cow aside as it had done the fence. Then it rushed the next and passed it over its head, charging and smashing the next. Meanwhile I climbed into somebody’s garden trying to get out of the district.
Example: Was in Wilson’s farmyard. There were some puppies or something – not sure – and I went to get them some oats. To do this I walked to the top of the hill where the oats were kept. I had a bucket and a young man came with me. As I was filling the bucket with oats, we saw a bull nearby. It looked a bit thin in the flank, slightly cow like. My friend was a bit nervous, but I told him the bull was all right, and to give it some oats. The bull was so hungry it emptied the bucket in a couple of mouthfuls. So I scooped some more oats out for it. My friend looked at its penis, remarking how huge it was. I said, “I should think so. After all, it’s a long way into a cow.”
Example: Dreamt I was on top of the hill opposite Amersham hospital. There were bulls and cows in the field. I was afraid they would chase me, and tried to get away on a bicycle. But seemed to go very slow.
The dreamer explored this dream and says: When my feelings began to be released through dropping thoughts, sexual desire and love arose which I felt threatened by. I therefore attempt to escape by my efforts at self-advancement or meditation.
Idioms: Like a bull at a gate; bull in a china shop; red rag to a bull; score a bull’s eye; sacred bull; take the bull by the horns.
As an astrological sign the bull is the sign of Taurus. Therefore with Taureans the bull may depict their innate characteristics and how they are dealing with them. Taurus is a ‘Fixed’ ‘Earth’ sign. The bull, and the time of year it is within, symbolises being in tune with the instinctive earthy side of oneself. An animal born out of season, a calf for instance, would find it difficult in nature to survive, because there would be less food, and it might not be strong enough to face the winter. Therefore the Taurean is born ‘in season’ and has a harmony with the natural cycles. The sign denotes bodily, mental or spiritual strength; also inherited qualities of possessions; practical, useful powers or gifts. Its essential characteristic is that of service. The person born in this zodiacal sign is said to be a steady-going, reliable, practical, rather conservative person; slow to anger, but likely, if angered, to be a formidable adversary.
In past cultures the bull was considered sacred. In Egypt for instance the bull was never sacrificed. But in Mosaic times, and in the Persian cult of Mithras, the bull was used for sacrifice to God. In these approaches the bull was a symbol of servitude. But there are many different cultural approaches to the bull. In Christianity it was seen as representing brute force or the earthy quality of human life. In other cultures it was male procreative power, or the power of nature or God in action. It was occasionally called the Shaker, as it was seen as a symbol of the earth shaking – earthquakes.
There is a theme which appears in many cultures or myths connected with the bull. It is of the Hero confronting and overcoming the bull. Lao Tzu for instance, struggled with and eventually rode the bull, representing the human struggle and victory over instinctive or reactive habitual forces influencing consciousness. Also Theseus saves Ariadne from the Minotaur, suggesting that the conscious self has to meet and transform the instinctive sexual drive, the entangling forces of emotional dependence upon cultural norms, mother and public opinion, to be capable of a mature heterosexual relationship. Theseus, or our active growing self, frees Ariadne, the feminine or intuitive feeling principle. From this a new life can be born or emerge. While we live within and do not recognise or acknowledge the instinctive nature we all have, we fail to see the opening to a new form of awareness, one that is still in harmony with the instinctive and yet is not controlled by it. See animals
Useful Questions and Hints:
What is my relationship with the bull in the dream, and what does that suggest about my relationship with sex or natural urges?
Is the bull out of control or peaceful, and does that show my own inner condition?
Am I using or abusing the enormous energy of the bull in my dream, or am I afraid of it?
Try Being the Person or Thing and read Mammal Brain.
Comments
There were three bulls and it was definitely a family. My boyfriend was outside with them and the bulls didn’t seem to have an issue with him at all. Eventually the baby bull starts running around and angering the bigger male bull. I am inside through glass doors watching, and with the help of my boyfriend, we get the baby bull away, inside from the enraged father bull. The big bull makes his way in and we run with the little bull trying to hide wherever we can in the building. We enter a room which seems like a classroom and with no way out, pop out a ceiling tile, make our way up and the dream ends
Hi – It would help you to understand your dreams, if you would read – http://dreamhawk.com/news/summing-up/ and also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/features-found-on-site/ which has so much information in.
Nothing can replace your own ability to understand your dream. With a little effort you can do this by practising what is described in – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson or http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/getting-at-your-dreams-meaning/
Tony
Shaylin – Are any people in the dream Taureans?
I see it as a dominating father who is making a son’s life a misery. Is it your boyfriend?
You are gradually learning how to deal with angry father, but you way out through the ceiling may not work for long, because who wants to spend their life locked in the ceiling? During the change from adolescent to adult, one of the greatest of our childhood needs becomes apparent in the way we meet situations, and the choices we make. The need is for parental enthusiastic love and recognition of oneself as a unique person. If we have not received this love we carry in us such pain and need, it influences all our decisions. Even without any maltreatment, the lack of love traumatises us. There are so few of us who have actually received this love to the degree we needed, that the dealing with this inner lack is one of the major tasks before us if we are to reach our full potential. This is often worked out in our relationships and the tribulations that arise out of our desperate need for, or pain regarding, intimacy.
Independence is the key. The finding of a sense of self that enables one to meet other adults in a world of action and interaction; the success or failure to let the flame of ones life forge action in the world sufficient to satisfy ones urge to power, to creativity, toward recognition and acknowledgment by ones fellows. Failure to achieve these may lead to some level of remaining dependence upon parents for money, emotional support an even housing – lack of full heterosexual adaptation, and so a remaining in adolescent homosexuality – a partial passivity in the world or a difficulty in initiating change.
My dream started at my grandmother’s house, she’s been dead for a while but in this dream she is alive. It was dark windy and cold outside and there was something unsettling lurking about to where I couldn’t fall asleep. I step outside with an oil lamp fighting the wind and see a little girl in a white dress angry facing the skies, her eyes were blood red. I had to yell over the blows for her to hear me and asked what she was doing out here? She faced me and looked towards the top of the house, then every other direction with fear in her face. I then asked is she seeing death everywhere? She nods yes, she’s only around 5. I take her hand and night turns to day and the winds are gone. Her eyes are still red only now she is calm. I look behind me to see the house and what she was seeing. I saw many men hung from trees and atop a barn and the house. Not just by rope but by stakes or branches through the bodies. She was scared so I knew I had to get her someplace safe. We step to cross a road in the old town, to my left were 2 bulls and rams made of solid metal pounding their hooves and clanking their horns as dust kicks up around them. I knew they were going to see us but it was the only way, to cross the road. We took more steps and the ground begins to rumble, they begin to charge and I realize I’m dreaming. I told my dream self that it was okay, u can cross the street and u won’t die if they hit you because its not real. Let’s see if we can cross the road to save her. We have to try. I felt us walk with our eyes closed and the bulls along with other horned animals brushed against us as they charged towards other people and this gas station on the side. We weren’t hit. We made it across and stood on some green grass with a small old clay/stone church behind us. Safe.
Hi – It would help you to understand your dreams, if you would read – http://dreamhawk.com/news/summing-up/ — http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/features-found-on-site/ — http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPersonor — http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/getting-at-your-dreams-meaning/
Tony
Ashley – Well, it is interesting to meet someone who can recognise that they are in a different dimension of experience while dreaming – you can’t be hurt.
Your dream appears to me to be about you entering the realm of the dead – which is the same realm of dreams. But you are facing, again with the wonderful understanding that although the wind, the bloodshot eyes and the creepy environment, you seem to maintain the stance of the observer, and you appear not to be carried away into the deathly emotions of it. To be able to do that means you have a lot of inner experience and have mastered some aspects of your life.
But in doing so you have been able to meet your own childhood fears, the fears that haunted you as a five year old; but I am guessing that the hard times, the night and wind, the fear of the images you were presented with, you faced with angry courage that you must have carried from the past, and so you arrived at the mastery you have of the fears that still haunt most people.
Many people boast how they can control their dreams by changing the scary bits to things that are not fearful. That is a way of avoiding the message of their dream. But you did something much more powerful, you change yourself by not feeling fear of the threatening metal creatures, and that change the whole dream; another masterful act.
So, traveller, thank you for sharing such an interesting dream.
Tony
In my dreams the bull was killing everyone in the station and then it chased behind my father, I dragged him away from the bull .. what does that mean???
I saw in my dream that the number of bull attack on my family and after that attack on me every single person reach safe place without me… I was too scared …and I was succeed to rescue from bulls… But they bull occupied the total house….
Hi – It would help you to understand your dreams, if you would read – http://dreamhawk.com/news/summing-up/ and also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/features-found-on-site/ which has so much information in.
Nothing can replace your own ability to understand your dream. With a little effort you can do this by practising what is described in – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson or http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/getting-at-your-dreams-meaning/
Tony
Gayatri – In our dreams, all the people, animals, places you see in your dreams, are simply your own feelings, fears, hopes and wonder projected onto the screen of your sleeping mind as images.
Also, wwhenever we dream its images are not like real life, because a dream is nothing like outer life where things could hurt you, but is an image like on a cinema screen that even if a gun is pointed at you and fired it can do no damage – except if you run in fear. So all the things that scare you are simply your own fears projected onto the screen of your sleeping mind.
So the ‘attack’ of the bulls occurred because you have been taught to be afraid of them – as you should in waking life, but not in dream life. So try imagining a different ending in your dream, buy using http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/secrets-power-dreaming/
I’m curious about a dream I had last night about a black bull. It was so vivid, smells, sensations and emotions were really poignant.
I was in a field trying to get somewhere, there were three black bulls and they were pretty scruffy looking. Their horns were broken and the one eyeing me up had one horn intact, and had faeces matted on its body. I had fear shoot through me and then I rationalized to stay calm, that if I run it will come for me. This one bull was approaching me but was unsure when I sudden went calm. It approached me and I stroked it’s matted fur to show it I wasn’t scared. I was aware of the stench of the faeces and the fact I was bare foot in it and the mud but didn’t care as I knew that it’s an easy fix.
In real life I’m about to move to another country in 3 days time on my own. I.e. wondered if it could be related to that? What do you think?
Hi – It would help you to understand your dreams, if you would read – http://dreamhawk.com/news/summing-up/ and also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/features-found-on-site/ which has so much information in.
Nothing can replace your own ability to understand your dream. With a little effort you can do this by practising what is described in – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson or http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/getting-at-your-dreams-meaning/
Tony
Angela – The black bulls represent very powerful instinctive feeling we all have – especially if you are a Taurian. But they are unconscious until stimulated, and like all instinctive behaviour, can be evoked by fear – thus the faeces, a common reaction when our animal self is scared.
But you handled your fear amazingly – so quieted your own instinctive fear. (Salutations). See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/ and http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/opening-to-life/
It certainly looks as if you dream was about your move and the feelings you so skilfully dealt with.
Thank you Tony.
I’m a Leo.
I’ve realised now I’m here in Dubai, that it’s quite a big step for me and that I was actually quite brave to do it alone. I don’t give myself enough credit. I just thought anyone can do this…which is true, but I guess it takes a lot of courage. Your links have really helped.
Angela – I beleive that the more you use something the stronger it gets. So courage can grow.
Good luck.
Tony
I had an incredibly stressful and hilariously “canadian” nightmere last night. I was in a neighbouring city at a park known for wild life. I spotted 2 giant moose fighting each other. I went to take a video but forgot my phone in the car. And from behind these moose a big bull looking aniamal started running towards me. I ran fast to the condos behond me. Screaming for help. This animal used its horn and was trying to stab my neck i could feel its snot and teeth on my back and i was fighting to get his horns off my neck. The first few homes ppl saw me and didnt help. I finally saw a man bbqing in the snow and raced to him screaming. He didnt really do much but the animal let me go and ran away. I was frantic the bbqing man was with his. Grandson and they seemed to think it was usual. I asked what kind of animal was that.? The little boy said “it is a mathieu”. I looked up and blurted out are you serious? Thats the name of my violent ex. I woke up in shock still beliebeing for a few min there was an animal called a “mathieu”! The scary part was in every violent situation with my ex the first place he would grab was my neck. Thoughts???
Hi – I must take time to upgrade the dream dictionary, so must halt from answering your posts – I started revising the dictionary in 2006, and haven’t neared the end yet. I believe someone else may start giving interpretations.
So, for a while I urge you to read http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/i-am-no-longer-interpreting-dreams/ – It describes ways that can help you. And often it would help too if you looked at http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/questions-2/#Summing
Tony
Angry bull in a dream depicts aggressive sexual feelings – indicated by your ex’s grabbing your neck.
But whenever we dream its images are not like real life, because a dream is nothing like outer life where things could hurt you, but is an image like on a cinema screen, so that even if a gun is pointed at you and fired it can do no damage – except if you run in fear; so all the things that scare you are simply your own fears projected onto the screen of your sleeping mind. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/useful-techniques/
It is also important to realise that every image, every scary or terrifying thing, is taken place inside you, in your mind, as you sleep. This means that every awful animal, every scary thing or person, is created out of your own fears and must not be seen as outside you as happens in waking awareness. The problem is that we are often scared of or frightened of actually experiencing our emotions and so they confront us in our dreams. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/useful-techniques/
I saw a bull died and I saw a bull trying to hit me so I ran away and bull was chasing me but go much further because it was tied up with a long roap
I had saw dream about bull fighting with another man, bull chasing and fight with that person and finally bull killed that person.
I dreamt that a bull was attacking me. I got some twigs and stuck them in his mouth. I kept shoving them in his mouth and his mouth turned inward. He wasn’t a threat to me any more then. I also remember seeing a baby horse walk up the road. He’d just been born with amniotic fluid still covering him.
Hi there
I dreamt that a bull was chasing me to kill me and it already had killed someone else I don’t know and then turned to attack me
I dreamed i was at a ranch and that a wild looking man with horns was standing next to a bull who wanted to attack him with his horns. But the man was able to tame the bull by talking in a diff language nd by starring at the bull with a strong stare.. And then the ppl at the ranch would set the bull free because ppl there wanted to be chased by the bull voluntarily i was scared and hid along with other ppl. A second bull was released after the first was put away tht bull kept coming neaar me no matter how muchi tried to get away o was scared bt ehen he found me he sniffed me very gently
I dreamt I in a supermarket where there was a fight about money. I left the fight cause I found it ridiculous. Wandered around the supermarket in the perfume section, listening to the ongoing fight about money on the other side of the shelf. Left again to find a bull. I wanted to let the bull between its horns. But it got aggressive wanting to charge towards me. (somehow I connected the Bulls aggressivness with my anger towards the money dispute) I focused and continued petting him carefully avoiding to get hit by its horns by accident. I concentrated on being calm and peaceful. At some point the bull got calm as well and layed down. Suddenly I got very aroused and I felt like having sex with the bull. It ended by me imagining its tongue giving me pleasure while at the same time I was aware I was dreaming and thought I have to masturbate. I touched myself. Then I woke up realizing I dreamt that part as well.
How am I supposed to understand this? I can see aggression, sexuality in the dream but I don’t understand.
Do you have an idea?
Dear Vera – Are you the same Vera who had the dream about the sheep licking you?
What I see in this dream is that you become aware of an inner conflict – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/money/ – and you decide to withdraw from it.
Not facing the conflict when it arises and deal with it effectively means that you stay stuck and there will be no true relief or resolution.
Conflicts could cause you to examine issues more carefully and challenge you to develop creative responses and solutions. Conflict is often the root of change when you dare to “take the bull by the horns.”
So you could decide to explore why you label this conflict as ridiculous and you can explore your anger;
http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
You could decide to explore if you use shopping for perfume as a way to distract yourself and
if you use being aroused and masturbation for distraction and a way to find “relief”.
You can explore if you can use both calming down the bull and finding relief through masturbation as a means to be able to deal with the conflict afterwards.
Anna 🙂
Dear Anna,
I did answer 2 years ago, but am not sure if you got the answer. I did not get a confirmation.
Yes, I am the same Vera! I know I have and still am dealing with big issues in relationship and with my father. But it is still not all clear to me. I guess because there are so many things that come to mind.
I hope you get this message. Not sure if the response option really is working.
So I would love to get your help once again.
I did write this dream in the “shooting shot” section of the dream dictionary but I guess Tony has so many emails to reply to I thought maybe it’s best I write to you.
Here is what I wrote to Tony:
Hello Tony,
When I was a kid i had a reoccurring dream. I do not know why I have to take the journey back to these. But while I looked up my recent dream about escalators and running from someone with knifes I remembered that dream from childhood. Maybe a connection?
I remember I would hide behind a sofa, (curled up, face down) because someone was following me. Then I could feel the person come closer, nearer and nearer. I could feel how I was about to be shot in my back before it happened. And when it happened, each shot was incredibly painful. There was no blood, or open wound. It felt like immense pressure each time a bullet hit me. The sofa stood in the former child’s bedroom where we would sleep as kids which was later used by my grandmother as living room. But in both uses for that room there was no sofa. What was I hiding behind? What does the sofa represent?
I thank you for your help and effort, Tony and Anna!
Yes, it is working 😉
I tried to leave a comment many times 2 years ago and thought you probably get a private message because I could not see my reply.
Wow! This interpretation seemed to link all the underlying themes in my dream, high quality!
G – Thanks.
I saw a red bull chasing my mom in d street ….. I distracted it … It den started chasing me … I smehow climbed up ….. But then too it was chasing me climbing upon the stairs with lots of anger …. Bt smehw its horn got on a long rod which ws with me …. And I ws behind a black gate holding dt rod ….. While the redbull was climbing up to chase me it cudnt …den I climbeD up n thrwo sme food I guess I threw flesh … From the first or second floor balcony with the help of the ppl stayin in dt black gate house !!!!!
I dreamt of my grandmother and I walking in very green pastures during spring time and we were chased by bulls. We both ran and thereafter sheep came after us. When I ran we saw antelopes and koedoes everywhere in the green dusty road. what could this mean?