Elephant
Although the elephant is much like any other animal in your dreams, it tends to represent the power and influence of the potent forces active in your body and mind, that if you relate to well bring about health and success, and if badly illness and ruin. For example the elephant can refer to the powerful responses in us such as fear, sex, survival, and the power of imagination to evoke great anxiety or great pleasure. Often our personality evokes these forces in a destructive and disorderly way. A person may have read an article about cancer for instance and develop a great fear they have the disease, causing much stress and actual physical illness in some degree.
So some elephant dreams revolve around how we relate to this power, and the attempt of the elephant to place us on its back to direct it. So in general it is your potential or energy. Also depicts your big self, or the power of the unconscious and your cosmic, eternal nature. The tremendous inner power of the unconscious, with a mahout, or conscious direction or co-operation can achieve wonderful things. Ganesh, the Indian elephant god, represents the remover of all obstacles, the power of life manifesting. He is the god of good fortune.
So it is the totality of yourself rather than awareness of only the conscious ego. It is what is referred to in Christianity as the ‘spirit’, the influence that can heal or instruct, thus power from our unconscious; strength; unforgiveness from association of long memory; patience; fidelity; intelligence or wisdom of the unconscious. In some ways the elephant has similar qualities to the crocodile in its link with the collective unconscious. The difference is that the elephant does not usually in dreams seek to consume you like the crocodile or alligator. It therefore depicts a relationship with one’s incredible potential that can lead to directing or working with the potent forces of the unconscious. See: alligator.
If we run from the elephant: Being afraid of our own strength or inner power. The question is, can we meet this enormous energy in ourselves enough to direct it? Sometimes represents the collective unconscious.
Elephant’s trunk: Sometimes a sexual symbol, the penis. As such it is usually referring to how your sexual feelings are being influenced by the great spirit of Life acting on you – the cosmic power of the spirit. Also the trunk illustrates the ability to get or reach out for ones own needs – see example below.
Example: During an experience arising from the use of psilocybin, I had a very clear mental image of a baby elephant. It was like a bas-relief made out of clay, but mobile. I could see that the baby elephant had some problem with its trunk, and I wondered why my unconscious had produced this image so clearly and what it meant. Immediately the image disappeared and a series of associations arose unbidden. It was that the elephant actually ate with its mouth, but it had to reach out for everything with its trunk. As a baby the elephant would suckle, but as it matured it would have to learn to get its own needs with its trunk, therefore the problem was about me reaching out for my own needs. Danny.
Example: The I experienced the elephant as a powerful force which I intuitively sense and feel some anxiety about. I felt the elephant as a powerful influence which works below the level of normal consciousness, which acts upon masses, although it obviously influences individuals. But it influences individuals unconsciously, so they are inclined in a direction along with many others. As it enters my life I sense it seems to be an influence which might direct me into a communion with this deeper, more inclusive or integrative influence. Thus my personal activities might have added to them this influence which co-ordinates the processes of life, and adds to ones small endeavours the stamp or power of a grander life – the spirit. The life of the spirit I sensed here as the ‘company’ where I was accepted as a worker in this wider organisation behind life.
Example: I was on a road and noticed that a magnificent elephant had appeared. It had enormous tusks and ears, the latter being powdered with blue dust and adding tremendously to its impact. As it was coming in my direction I was frightened and began to run. I ran off the road, over a fence into a field. I thought the elephant would be stopped by the fence. It wasn’t. It walked straight through it after me. Then I tried to climb a low bank back to the road. The elephant was drawing nearer and I was so frightened I could hardly move to climb the bank. The elephant caught hold of me and I suddenly realised it wasn’t going to destroy me, but wanted, despite it being a magnificent and powerful beast, to sit me on its back. I was still frightened however and ran to a doctor’s surgery. The elephant came and, thrusting its trunk into the surgery, drew me out to it. AT.
Example: I looked out of a window and noticed a wild elephant in full charge. It ran past the end of the building and I went to the opposite window, seeing it charge another elephant. After the impact it seemed to be a strange mixture, in my mind, of elephant and rhinoceros. It then stood shaking with sexual motions, until a great deal of sperm came out and its tension was released. AT.
The above two examples illustrate firstly the enormous power of the elephant and how it is not usually an attacking or destructive power, and in the second example it shows the link between that power and the sexual drive.
Idioms: White elephant; pink elephants; rogue elephant. See: the self under archetypes.
Useful Questions and Hints:
If I imagine myself as the elephant what do I experience?
What powerful influence am I meeting or directing at the moment?
Am I aware in any way of the enormous impact the collective power of society and my own unconscious has on me?
What is my relationship with the elephant and what does this depict in my life?
See Do you imagine that is a real creature – Avoid Being Victims – You are the Projector
Comments
Hi i had a dream of an small elephant a few days ago but he seemed scared as if he was running away from something or someone i was behind it and it kept looking at me and leaving but he wasn;t running desperately . What does this mean????????
The other night I had a dream that bothered me so much that I woke up. In my dream there was a small (baby) black elephant. It was cute and playful and very docile. I for some reason decided that I had to kill this little elephant who was harmless. I felt forced to for an unknown reason. I took a knife and tried to slit its throat. It would’nt cut through the elephants tough skin it only caused some scratches. The elephant realized I was trying to hurt it and tried to fight back but it wasn’t strong enough. I got a different knife, a sharper one made from precious stone of some kind and succeeded in slitting the elephants throat. As soon as I did the elephant had a shocked look on its face like it knew it was going to die. It laid down on the ground and I could hear it struggeling to breath. I felt extremely bad for what I had done. Then suddenly this little elephant transformed into my 2 yr old son. He laid on the ground dying and I felt helpless realizing I had somehow done this to my child. There was nothing I could do but lay by him and tell him how sorry I was and stroke his hair gently. Then I woke up.
Angela – A pretty dramatic dream.
This is a warning dream telling to not to kill out in you a wonderful power and strength you could have had. As a baby you were a small vulnerable animal, with all the natural instincts to feed, to survive, and to bond with your mother. This natural and spontaneous part of your nature is the foundation of what you have become now as an adult. Not only were you born with an enormous natural wisdom gained through millions of years of evolution, but your newborn self also carried protective responses such as fear, anger, and sexual longing. These are all built into your nature without any recourse to a self-aware personality. But our animal self has the inherited wisdom about survival and relationships, parenting and finding a mate. There is a lot to learn from it, and it is a wonderful resource.
But what many people find is that they are frightened of their dream animal; they run terrified from it or even kill it. Or perhaps have never learned to help it evolve into the human world. This means that many people have a great lack in themselves and in their dreams they have to meet and work with the animal in them.
In killing it with a power of life an death we are given, you have killed out the flow of life to your own growing self, and may even effect what you pass on to your external child. But it is never too late to say sorry to the elephant that you are, but through love you can bring it back into your life, helping it to grow.
Life does not punish us for mistakes; but we punish ourselves by living in a destructive way.
Tony
Thank you for your knowledge, examples and expansive follow through.
Thank you Sabrina for your encouragement.
Tony
I been having lots of dreams with animals. First with a Lion trying to get me, I was up in a tree and Manage to hit the lion with a branch but this did not stop him and he nocked the tree down , I went in side a strangers house and asked for help , the guy had a rifle and shot the Lion but it did not die, so I took the rifle and continue to shoot and killed on Lion the another one appear and shot as well but manage to skape badly injured. I was thinking in my dream the Lions had babys and I was going to cut him Open to get the little cubs so they dont die.
second dream I had was with a toy Giraffe that was placed in my dream on top of books where I was studying , I thought some one was trying to scare me so I ran out of the room , but I started to hear a baby cry but I could not see the baby. even do I try looking for it. could not find the crying baby.
last dream , was with an Elephant and Rhino they where both in a houses back yard locked up. the baby Elephant was nice and had his trunck up , I started petting him throught the gate but then the rhino came and try to break open the gate, in his second attempt he broke loose I got on top of a car and the rhino run over on of the people that stud by.
Rafael – First of all you need to realise that dreams are a magical mirror in which your innermost hopes, longings, fears/terrors and genius are made real. They are made real as external environments, people, animals and relationships. It is as if all your deepest feelings, hopes, fear and wonder are projected outward onto a multidimensional screen. It is a world of virtual reality that you feel is real. Unfortunately this wonderful virtual reality world is usually felt as dealing with other people, as externals, like something that can damage us, or something like the Devil that can possess us. But the greatest truth I have found in exploring dreams – not interpreting them – is that we are alone with ourselves in the world of our dream.
So in your dreams you have been cruel to yourself. This is because you are frightened of things, (the lions), that are part of you. You need to remember that every image in your dreams is an aspect of yourself, and being an animal the tiger represents the wonderful strength you have as your 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!!
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 defence system – effectively.
The baby crying is your own childhood fears. The lion cannot be killed unless you badly injure yourself, because it is you own self. The rhino and the elephant should never be locked up because it shows how frightened you are of your own strength. So imagine that you are caring for the lion and allowing your inner animals freedom.
Tony
Hi there. I just had a vivid dream that I found a bundle of paper in the street, inside was a purple ceramic elephant with a small trunk. I touched it’s trunk. There were street traders around, so although I wanted to keep it I looked to see if a trader owned it. I saw a purple ceramic mask on the street and realized that must be the same traders goods although he was not there. Another trader called me by my name & told me to leave it in the street, but I thought it might get lost or stolen & I wanted to purchase it. I kept hold of the elephant and stayed close waiting for the trader to return. Someone told me it might cost $800. I was hoping to barter for an affordable price… I was not going to lose this beautiful purple elephant. Please interpret my dream. Thank you.
As a child (15+) years ago, I used to have this recurring yet not recurring dream. I thought it was a normal thing, but recently no one I know has had anything similar happen to them. So let me explain. My dreams would occur every night, they felt so real! I had two friends (I don’t remember names any more, but one boy and one girl) these two people were a little bit older than I. They guided me and played with me as a child (only in my dreams). Along with them was elephants. These elephants became very close to us. We would take care of them and they would take care of us. We would swim with them, walk with them, ride them, give them baths, they would shoot water out their tusks for the three of us to play. I don’t remember what was happening or why, but there was a problem in the town. The elephants where trying to help us out of the town and protect us from what was happening. It that time the elephants around the elephant we was riding was being killed. It was such a sad dream that in the morning my mother found dried tears on my face and pillow. The three of us was safe because of our trusted elephant friends. Which by the way they were filled with rice. (I don’t know why rice, because they looked so real. But they exploded with rice). Every night I would give my friends a hug and give my greeting to the elephants when it was about time to wake up. On the last night of seeing them. They were more upset than usual. They told me that everything will be alright and that we will one day see each other again. That I was not to worry. Every day I use to try to go to sleep and see them again. It is like my lost family. My two friends and our trusted elephant. Could you please tell me if you have heard of this type of dreams and what is your take on this “dream”
Lisa – Well, my honest reaction is that they were children who were dead and they were your spirit companions. As you said, “They guided and played with me as a child.”
The psychological view of it is that they were imaginary friends because you were a lonely or creative child. But having a wide background I believe they are similar to the playmates of the great psychic Eileen Garrett. I quote a large piece of what she says about them for you to see the difference between an imaginary child and a real spiritual prescence.
“I believe that I first met “The Children,” some time before I went to school, at about four years old, Out-of-doors next day, I saw them again. They stood, as children will, intent on looking; I joined them and after that they came to see me daily. Sometimes they stayed all day, sometimes but a little while, but no day passed of which they were not a part. When I looked for “The Children,” I had to seek them out-of-doors; sometimes they would come within, but I grew to know that they were unhappy inside the house. Until I was thirteen, they remained in touch with me, coming and going. I regarded them as “My Children.” From the moment they came, toys lost their mean¬ing for me. Like the growing things around me, which I loved, I loved “The Children.” Other people came and went, I saw them; they interested me for a moment, and when they left I was glad; not so with “The Children;” anything that interrupted my life with them made me restless; they became as much a part of it as the sunshine, the flowers, the rain and the wind. The living things around me that I loved began to change; the animals grew up, the flowers died, the garden altered; but “The Children” never changed. I dreaded, lest I should lose them, when school began, but they assured me that school had no terrors for them, and they promised to remain with me. So the days went on, “The Children” and I talked and laughed and played together and were very happy.
When I told my aunt and uncle of “The Children,” they were obviously annoyed with me and again accused me of lying. They ridiculed the whole idea of the existence of these playmates and they asked me where they came from, what were their names, and where I had met them. My aunt did not believe me when I told her that I had met them out-of-doors. I begged her to come and see them for herself, but she replied, “Now do be quiet about those children of yours. You are making it all up; there are no such children, and God will surely punish you for telling such lies.” Daily I appealed to her, “Please, Aunt, come today and see them now.” I tried to tell her more about them, how there were two girls and one boy and that one girl was older than I. She asked me how I knew all this. “Do you speak to them or touch them?” I stood abashed at her doubts. “If ever you try, you will discover that they are not real at all. You are only imagining these children.”
“The Children” laughed when I told them how my aunt doubted their existence. “We are wiser than she,” they seemed to say. I never doubted the reality of “My Children,” or the fact that we spoke in ways that no grown-up understood. I touched them and found that they were soft and warm, even as I. There was one way in which they differed from other people. I saw the form of ordinary humans surrounded by a nimbus of light, but the form of “The Children” consisted entirely of this light.”
Lots of people have similar experiences, but like Eileen’s aunt (she was brought up by her aunt as her mother and father had died) she criticised so much that any child would learn to be quiet.
Tony
In my dream, I stood, gazing–overcome with emotion– tears of joy filled my eyes, with a love only a mother can feel, at a BEAUTIFUL BABY ELEPHANT. It was so PERFECT! ABSOLUTLY PERFECT! It stood before me, happy, and it (I did not identify it as male or female) it felt and knew I loved it. It was happy and TOTALLY unaware that anyone would think it was “different”. I knew full well that it was different–but it was MY beautiful perfect baby, (I had actually given birth to it, but did not experience the birth in my dream.) Now, I am human, and I knew that this is not normal. But, I loved it sooo much in my heart–my heart simply overflowed–that I did not even care what people would think, this was not normal! BUT WHO CARES! I LOVED MY PERRRFECT BABY! and it was all I could see. I was filled with joy. VERY strong, beautiful emotion, with overflowing tears, and joy of heart. A Love that did not care what others would say of it, or think–I though, “people are going to think this very odd, because it is not human! how could this be!?? very very very ODD!! How can a human giver birth to an elephant?” LOL! But I had no concern for that at all due to my overwhelming love for my perfect, perfect baby. –end of dream–
Renee – I receive so many dreams where people are terrified and are running in fear from elephants; I usually tell them that every thing in our dreams is a part of them, a part projected on the screen of their dreaming mind. So the fact that you gave birth to a baby elephant is a wonderful description of what I said – you gave birth to a power you have which under the image of the elephant will grow, and with your love will be a great force in your life.
A lovely dream and a lovely mother.
Tony
I had a dream that elephants were in captivity. My best friend and I were trying to set them free. Mid-way in the dream I see a text on a cell phone from a long time friend I have recently had a falling out with. The text is not to me but to my friend helping me set the elephants free which makes no sense since they don’t know each other in waking life. The text was asking if my friend would like help to set the elephants free to which my friend replies no. Meanwhile when we are trying to set the elephants free one of the owner shows up and we have to run away fast! I run inside the house to the second floor where a mysterious man is sitting and I feel great fear and yell to my friend for help knowing that I am not being heard. That is where the dream ends.
Thank you in advance for any help beyond the great general summary provided from this dream dictionary page.
Maricela – Of course you need to look at not only the images, but also the themes being played and the setting.
This is explained in detail in http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/your-guru-the-dream-step-two/ But in your dream there is the theme of containment and setting free enormous power. This must have been something you have felt in your daily life.
But then there is the theme of the owner coming, and this is probably about the rules and regulations we carry in us from our background; all the should’s and the rules saying you should not that we are always facing.
The part about the text message you misunderstand, thinking in the rules of outer life instead of the inner life of dreams which is about a purely mental and psychological thing, and is taking place in a virtual reality, like a computer game, in which no one can be hurt. So to understand what the two friends represent you need to read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/characters-or-people-in-dreams/
But then you run away because of the enormous energy you released and then met the things that have always held you captive in the past reasserting themselves. And you face the mysterious man on the second floor – you are away from your basic physical needs and moved into your hungers, your urges arising from your trunk.
And the mysterious man is probably the very thing that you set free, the huge life force that you then run away from. The mystery man can be a way of describing the mysterious life process or higher self. It can be scary because we are not, in civilised cultures, in touch with Life but are frightened of it. Nothing can hurt you in a dream, so even if you fear the man is dangerous, it is only your emotions clothed in a dream image. See What we Need to Remember About Dreaming.
Tony
I had a dream I was riding in a car with a man and a woman and their child. I was protecting the baby and I didn’t want to be in the car. I felt afraid. The man started showing me papers with words I couldn’t read and on each side of the words I could see pictures of animals. The first paper showed a wolf and on the other side an elephant. He flipped the paper and showed a cat and on the other side an elephant with it’s front feet in the air. Then he flipped the paper and showed an elephant, laying on the ground. Please help me understand this dream.
Maria – You were on a journey with mother and father figures – as it was their child and ones dreams are usually all about you, it was your mother and father and you were also the child – in the way dreams show us to ourselves.
You were protecting a vulnerable part of your child self – see http://dreamhawk.com/health-and-healing/inner-baby-and-child/
Obviously you were operating from a child viewpoint so couldn’t understand words. And the animals are statements of your feeling reactions – fear and helplessness.
So I feel your dream is about you feeling powerless to be in control of your life and direction, and this arises from your child experiences. You can alter this by gradually taking control of the car, Imagine yourself doing the so while awake. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/peer-dream-group/ and read the heading Carrying the Dream Forward.
Tony
hello, i dreamt of an elephant in my street it was at the corner store- they where scared of it and started to hit its trunk- i was upset watching this
hope you can give me some insight
thanks
lazarus
I dreamt that an elephant was following me wherever i went, even when i drove across town in my car, it would show up at the location. i felt we had a strong bond, i cared for it deeply and it cared for me. but i also felt sorry for it because it seemed lost, and i knew i had to put it in a rightful home. i also remember having a chance to get on its back but i didn’t want to out of respect.
Lazarus – Each of us have many different moods, some of which seem completely in opposition to what we think of as ourselves. In our dreams we create a scene which mirrors what we feel unconsciously. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/what-we-need-to-remember-about-dreaming/
In your dream you have two opposing feelings; the one hitting the elephant’s trunk and the other not liking what is happening. The elephant is a wonderful thing to dream about, and its trunk is its means of feeding itself. So the dream may be saying that there is a part of you that is hitting the thing that provides food to the elephant. And if you fully realise that the elephant is not a thing outside of you, but is the powerful instincts that all the time underlie our daily life. Without those instincts that guide us, we do not function as fully and as efficiently as we could.
Tony
Hola!!!!! encontre esta pagina buscando el significado de un sueño que tuve… entraba a un parque con graaaaaaaaaaaaaandes arroyos de agua cristalina…. y encontraba muchiiisimos elefantes bebes de color celeste… tooodos chiquititos de diferentes tamaños… corrian jugaban, entraban en mis manos… y querian estar conmigo. Eran muuy suaves como delfines… y brillantes.
Fue hermoso.. al menos la sensacion al despertarme me dieron ganas de que esten todos conmigo jajaja.. a ver si pueden ayudarme a ver q significo este sueño! gracias!!! mucha luz!
Romee – Qué suerte de tener un sueño.
Un elefante azul, aunque pequeño, es el poder de vida o de Dios que fluye en su vida. Es por eso que usted tiene por ejemplo las corrientes cristalinas del agua en el sueño.
El sueño también le da el poder para satisfacer y superar las dificultades en su vida.
Bienaventurados sois.
tony
I had a dream last night, a pleasant one of a baby elephant which follows me to my house. I even touch and pat it and talk with it. I ask if the baby elephant wants to stay with us and it says OK. But, I find out later that someone sent it away as in the dream we live in a community where animals are not allowed etc. I keep looking for it all over the place. I find it in some place and was very happy and bring it back with me to my place. I felt very calm when I woke up in the morning as I found the elephant back in my dream. What does this dream signify ? Pls. help !!
Sridhar – It means that because of outside influence you were separated from your elephant and are now with it again.
The elephant is wonderful to have in your dream. It is so full of love and power, and can help you in many practical ways, such as feeling more confident and happy. It is a link from within you of a power greater than you, a sort of blessing that can protect and clear obstacles in the way of what you do. It also, because it is a link with a greater power, can give you great wisdom. So stay close.
Tony
I had a dream that an elephant was following me down the street, along the pavement. As I turned to look at it, it stumbled on the kerb, fell into the road and was hit by a huge lorry. The elephant died in front of me. This is the only time I remember ever dreaming about an elephant, and it really freaked me out! Any idea what it means?
Jo – The elephant in you dream can be about how we relate to this power, and the attempt of the elephant to place us on its back to direct it. So in general it is your potential or energy. Also depicts your big self, or the power of the unconscious and your cosmic, eternal nature. The tremendous inner power of the unconscious, with a mahout, or conscious direc¬tion or co-operation can achieve wonderful things. Ganesh, the Indian elephant god, represents the remover of all obstacles, the power of life manifesting. He is the god of good fortune.
But in your dream it suggests that you have a commercial interest in directing your inner forces – shown as the huge lorry. And that interest led to the death of this wonderful power you could have. Fortunately you can resurrect the elephant by expressing your sorrow – and if I am right about your commercial direction, you could change your goals.
Tony
I had a dream involving seeing an friendly, blissful smallish elephant emerge from the Caribbean and roll onto the sand and roll around….then followed by an army (friendly) of elephants with no trunks…that were marching…standing up like humans…towards a monastery…on the side of the waterway…where a young female monk lived….it seemed they were going there to pay homage to her….I remember being worried about the first elephant…being in salt water…and out of his/her natural element….this dream has really STUCK in my head….and I feel like it brings with it some important message….
Denise – Elephants are okay in the sea and can swim long distances, from island to island when necessary. So there is not need to worry about them.
The young female monk is you – the female in you that likes to meditate or is in touch with your inner life. And of course you are honoured by the elephants, for an elephant in our dreams is about the enormous strength it brings to our instinctive drives. If you are lucky the elephant in other dreams may lift you on to its back, because it wants you to give it directions. Without those directions the enormous power of your unconscious emotions and fear can cause havoc.
The army of elephants without trunks could refer to you not reaching out for your needs in an independent way. For an elephant without trunk is unable to feed itself.
Tony
Can you interpret my 2 dreams over the last couple of days? #1 was that I was in a grocery store shopping with my 11 year old son and calling my 28 yr. old son to come pick us up as we walked at dusk to the store. While shopping, I looked to see a large bird pirched on my left forearm, maybe a parrot . I approached animal cages. The top left cage contained 2 dwarfed elephants. Both being different colors, mature in age(?), and non threatening, but receptive to my presence.They came to the door of the cage to acknowledge me. To the right of them was a duo of guinea pigs ..I can’t remember what they were. But also, non threatening but receptive to me. Dream #2) I was in a house, peaceful and pleasant with my family. A mature,whitefemale dog having hair that concealed her face looked at me. She was about a 40-50 pound dog. She went outside, I hung out the window to view her, then she picked up in her mouth 1 of 2 puppies, identical to her, and brought them into the house and put them under my bed. The dogs hair was pure and spotless white, perfectly curled and even in length and she was communicative through her soul, her mind.