Mirror
This has a great many levels of meaning. Basically it is a looking at yourself, a self examination; and the face in the mirror may not match your own. It may be better or worse. That is, in self examination you may come across, or see, parts of our nature that are the worst side or the best side of yourself. These re the things you do not usually see about yourself. You may, for instance, see innate possibilities as they would be in full bloom. But the mirror might only reflect your negative worries about yourself, or how you think you appear to others. Worries about ageing might be one of these. Nevertheless, the dream process usually tries to lead through worry to growth.
This can show concern over ones ‘image’ or how others feel about you, self examination, self love, negative only if the love is not shared with others. In some dreams it reflects anxiety about changing or ageing. There is the possibility of self assessment, so how you are judging yourself a the moment. But also being absorbed in yourself.
The mirror particularly depicts self awareness in the sense of insight into your behaviour or character traits.
The mirror appears in many religious symbols and in much folklore. Water was probably the first mirror, and as such represents human consciousness, soul, or self awareness. This looking at oneself can therefore be a way of depicting self awareness, your ‘I’, as a distinct individual.
Alice goes through the mirror to enter Wonderland, which is again symbolical of looking within self, and exploring unconscious contents.
Indian and Buddhist philosophy use it in a slightly different way, as also Yoga teachings. It is explained that when we look at a mirror we do not see its actual surface. We do not see the actual mirror, only the images reflected on its surface, which appear as reality. Likewise, mind or consciousness is like a mirror. In it we see the images of physical existence and life experience, which we take to be the only reality. But the Yogi asks himself, what is this that is conscious of all these images? What is this mirror we call consciousness? Who am I outside of the images?
The mirror is also similar to water and can depict looking into the unconscious to see who you are. But like a crystal ball, sometimes you see things that your intuition is telling you. The following example illustrates this.
Example: Was looking in a mirror. Suddenly a shadow appeared on it. At first the shadow seemed threatening or frightening. Then I saw it was only a directive, a figure with its arm and hand extended as if pointing. Looking behind me I saw the shadow was cast by a featureless cat or animal. Its head was completely smooth, without eyes or ears. At first I thought it could not see or hear, but then realised it must be able to, as it was pointing to a man out in the rough sea. The man had a lifejacket on, so was in no immediate danger. But the sea was very rough. I went out and brought him in, dried him off, put him in my house to recover.
Here the cat is the dreamer’s intuition telling him that inwardly he is experiencing some stormy weather, and needs to take care of that part of him. It also points out that his intuition does not depend upon having physical eyes.
Changed face in the mirror or multiple selves: Becoming aware of aspects of ones character which are usually unknown or not accepted.
Example: ‘Getting ready for a wedding in an upstairs room, feeling a bit unsure of what to wear. I look in a mirror and see I have on stockings and suspender belt with a very short frilly petticoat. It looks very sexy. I am aware the door is open and have an urge to close it, but then feel okay about looking sexy and people seeing me.’ Nora LBC.
Nora is looking at how she may appear to others if she allows her natural feelings to show.
Cracked or broken mirror: Distorted self image. A poor understanding of yourself, or perhaps a warning that your sense of self is cracking up.
Useful Questions and Hints:
Is what I see in the mirror pleasnt or unpleasant?
Can I accept it may be a side of myself?
What can I do to meet the image I see?
See The Harvester – Resistances – Archetype of the Paradigm – Techniques for Exploring your Dreams
Comments
I dreamt I was in a mansion and I was walking room to room down a corridor, and each room had a huge grand ornate mirror on a wall. As I looked in each one, I began to look slightly different, like my eyes would be closer together, and then in the next room they’d be further apart, and in the next my nose would be bigger. I specifically remember in one reflection my skin was glowing unnaturally. The changing reflections began to scare me and I started running from room to room, still with my reflections changing. I woke up feeling scared and anxious and thinking about it now makes me feel the same. Would love to know the meaning behind this and why it makes me feel that way.
Dear Mikey – A mansion may reflect your selves as you are plus features still latent, possibilities not yet developed or explored.
In your reflections you may also meet your own potential, the possibility to change your perception and the Inner Light that guides you through the growth process.
How do you do this? First recognise clearly that some process, some force, causes you to exist. You can call this what you wish, it does not matter. It remains what it is. Next recognise that this process that you are causes changes in your life and its action is apparent as growth and physical changes. Next, decide to go along with this process. Offer yourself as you are to it. Let things happen – allow changes to take place. You will be shown the way; http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/opening-to-life/
This path does not attempt to crush the ego, the appetites or the instincts. Rather, you hand them over living so that they can be transformed to higher levels of expression, and reach towards fuller self-realisation in everyday life.
Your small self-image is afraid of this; it is your ego that reacts because it feels powerless, even though in reality the “More than you believe yourself to be” is part of your totality. It is the enormous potential you have within you, it is Life you are frightened of or have been ignoring; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/the-archetype-of-the-self/
Anna 🙂
The old man asked me:
“Do you live in this house too?”
“Yes, I’m dreaming right now. I’m sleeping in Paul’s bed. This is all a dream for me”
So I looked at the mirror and I saw a blond figure with blue eyes, deeply wrinkled skin..still beautiful. I appeared to be young but wrinkly, though that didn’t bothered me at all. I was actually pleased with the image, smiled to the mirror left. When I touched my tongue on my palette the dream started to fade..and eventually I woke up.
My hair and eyes are black and I have young skin with no wrinkles. I wonder were that image came from and why
idk lol
Hi !
I was wondering if you could help me with this dream I just had last night ..
I was with my two cousins in a room and all of a sudden a mirror fell but did not break . the same thing happened a few more times and we kept leaving each room to go to a different one … My dream was persistent on the fact that the mirror was not breaking but was falling to the floor … Finally a close friend of mine who I am no longer talking with right now appeared in the dream and when he appeared all the mirrors in the room fell immediately … We all panicked in the dream and my cousin told me I need to find out what is the reasoning behind this… that there is something that is important that I need to find out … I literally woke up in the middle of the night sweating … I tried googling but all that is popping up is ” if a mirror falls and breaks” i’m just not sure what this could mean !
Thanks!
Dear K – Your dream may reflect unconscious energies/attitudes/decisions you use to not have to face yourself.
This is like not taking responsibility for your way of dealing with things, for decisions you take; even decisions you take without being aware of them are your responsibility.
A way to become aware of this may be to observe how often you use “it happened to me” in your waking life – like it happened to you that the mirrors fell down – instead of “I happen to myself” or “I decide to let the mirrors fall so I do not have to look into them”.
See also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/self-observation/
“The close friend you are no longer talking with right now” may reflect an inner aspect of you that is called the Shadow.
The Shadow is any part of ourselves that we reject, and so do not allow sufficient expression in our life. We may so dislike aspects of our nature we fail to recognise them altogether and instead see them in other people and criticise them.
Panicking and waking up in sweat is a reaction that comes with the thought of having to face things you find difficult to face.
Do know that very few people enjoy facing their Shadow parts, since that is the reason they rejected them in the first place.
A way to integrate your Shadow could be to use http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson for the friend you are no longer talking with right now. In your imagination you could put back all the mirrors in the room and have a look at “his” reflection.
Or you could use http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/dialogue-with-a-dream-character-or-object/ and talk with him to find out “something that is important”.
Anna 🙂
I had a dream that I was with someone who I had been recently dating. He was causing trouble every where we went in the dream. I ended up walking away from him at a gas station where he was picking a fight with someone. As I was walking down the street, some women approached me telling me how bad of a person he is. ..one lady had a dead child in her hands and said he took her child before it took its first breath… they were all yelling at me and I got so overwhelmed that I ran from them screaming at the top of my lungs “I’m sorry idk what to do!” They were basically shouting and chasing me angry mob style down the street. I finally stopped running and just screamed harder than I ever have. Next thing I know I was in a white room with only a mirror. My reflection wasn’t quite me. My usually brown skin was chalk white and so were my eyes except for my pupils…(just little black dots. ) and under my eyes purplish black veins ran down my face like little roots in a plant. It seemed I had just got done washing my face( I’m guessing this was a bathroom) and I was just staring at myself. Despite my haunting appearance I was still beautiful but ghastly at the same time…please someone tell me what they think of this.
Dear Girlconfused – When you start dating a man your experiences with him may trigger all sorts of so far unconscious responses from your childhood.
This does not necessarily mean that this man in your waking life is the cause of your inner trouble – or did you perceive him as a “trouble maker” – his appearance in your life merely makes visible what trouble has been a part of your inner world already.
See also http://dreamhawk.com/health-and-healing/inner-baby-and-child/
You wrote that “He was causing trouble everywhere we went in the dream” and this may reflect that your inner male – the animus – is the real cause of your inner trouble and confusion.
In general we can say the man in a woman’s dreams represents the woman’s mental and social power, her ability to act creatively in ‘the world’. It also holds in it an expression of her complex of feelings about men, gained as experience mostly from her relationship with – or lack of relationship with – her father. The animus is also a synthesis of all her male contacts. So the whole realm of her experience of the male can be represented by the man in her dream, and is accessible through the image.
See also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/father-dad/#InnerFather
“He took her child before it took its first breath…” reflects that because of your inner confusion this relationship – a baby is also a symbol of the fruit of the relationship – did not have a chance to develop yet.
Blaming and judging yourself for your unresolved past is not helpful and your dream reflects that expressing your feelings without holding back IS; “I finally stopped running and just screamed harder than I ever have. Next thing I know I was in a white room with only a mirror.”
A white room with only a mirror may reflect your potential to heal and grow when you dare to face yourself and your inner world without judging and blaming.
For expressing yourself and allowing Life to help you heal and grow see; http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/opening-to-life/
What you see in the mirror is an image of your “haunted self” and I am grateful that you have not lost sight of your Inner Beauty.
Opening to life may help you to “face the roots” of your haunted self which can also serve as a guide into a wider awareness.
This is one of the many ways in which Opening to Life can be experienced http://dreamhawk.com/news/my-body-is-a-moving-sea/
If you feel like it you can use “Being the reflection in the mirror” to explore this dream symbol; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
Please be patient with yourself and your inner healing process and continue to look at yourself without blaming and judging as you do when you look into the mirror.
Anna 🙂
Hi I had a dream that I was looking at myself in a mirror walking with a lion. While having this dream I actually felt a tap on my head waking me up and I knew I was being told to research my dream but i’my not sure what it means.
Kind regards
Judy
Dear Judy – Researching your dream I see as exploring your dream.
A way to explore is http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
Because the lion is an aspect of you that you may not have met like this before, you could use this approach and allow whatever thought/feeling/image/sensation arises while “Being the lion”.
Becoming aware of your inner lion – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/lion-lioness/ – may help you to use your power more consciously.
You can use this approach also for your own dream figure and explore walking with and without a lion.
Switching back and forwards will help you sense the difference.
See also http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/processing-dreams/
Anna 🙂
I don’t have them often now, but I used to have many dreams where I looked at myself in the mirror and everytime I did, I saw myself as an old man. Each I saw my elderly self, it was slightly different than the other. I have had dreams where I had a mix of brown and grey hair and slightly wrinkled, and other times nothing but grey hair and even different eye color.
Dear Dave – Was it a time of great (inner) change when you had these dreams?
You do not mention how old you are, but the dream where you had a mix of brown and grey hair could reflect your aging process; http://dreamhawk.com/body-and-mind/the-initiation-of-ageing/
Perhaps you feel like exploring your elderly self while awake?
What does your dream figure think and feel when he sees this reflection?
What arises when you use this approach for your reflection in the mirror?
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/archetype-of-wise-old-woman-wise-old-man/
Anna 🙂
I made a typing error…i said I didn’t not like it…i most certainly meant, I did NOT like it at all…very scary.
Dear sweetie – Unfortunately your interesting name 😉 does not reveal if you are male or female.
The boy who is hanging upside down may reflect your child self and it would be interesting to explore this part of your inner world; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
My perception is that his/your life must have been turned “upside down” at a very young age and as a result you have start repressing life within you.
Evil is ‘live’ spelt backwards. In dreams the sense or presence of evil is often depicting those things you have so repressed that they are no longer properly alive and healthy.
It usually refers to some of your own urges which you have judged as wrong because of moral or social values, and thus denied expression.
Repression has turned them back upon you making them an internal evil. They therefore need meeting/facing as you did in your dream and being brought into proper recognition – “I felt it all the way into my heart and soul” – and expression.
Expressing what lives in your inner world without editing is what Tony has called LifeStream and it means that for a given length of time – about 30 to 60 minutes once a week or daily if you feel like it – you allow your body, feelings, voice, sexuality and mind be moved spontaneously, as happens in dreams.
See http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/opening-to-life/
Anna 🙂
I had a dream last night that when I looked at my bathroom mirror from my bed, there was a blonde headed boy, a child, perhaps 2 years old or younger, the bluest eyes, but he was hanging upside down in the mirror staring at me…i woke up very disturbed because I felt eebie jeebies…it was like I could sense he was an evil evil little boy, his stare was demonic, I felt it all the way into my heart and soul..and I didn’t not like the feeling….what does this mean???
But u was looking at myself in the mirror and the room was dark but light enough for me to see and there was a little girl who was staring at me but as I looked behind to see if the girl was there she wasn’t she was only in the mirror and that really made me freak and get scared to go in the room by myself
Dear Sasha – What you are looking at in the mirror is your inner child and you have probably confused your waking life with your dream life; “as I looked behind to see if the girl was there she wasn’t she was only in the mirror and that really made me freak and get scared to go in the room by myself.”
Your inner child is trying to connect with you and I suggest you answer this inner call.
You could use http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/dialogue-with-a-dream-character-or-object/
See also http://dreamhawk.com/health-and-healing/inner-baby-and-child/
Anna 🙂
I need some help with three dreams that I’ve had in the last three days. I have been going through much family turmoil in the last 4 months and relationship turmoil. I am not very religious, but met an amazing girl who introduced me to Christianity, which I then started to explore and found some comfort there. My parents disapprove entirely and on Four days ago things got out of hand and I punched a mirror and shattered it.
The next night, I dreamt that I was sleeping on an old mans lap, and felt so comforted there. The next night I dreamt of the woman that I love and I just felt relief and love for her. Last night I had a dream in which I saw the mirror that I shattered but it was put back together, albeit with the cracks, but completely put back together.
I need help…is my subconscious mind trying to tell me something??
Dear DrTriathlon – Is that all you remember from the dreams about the old man and the woman you love? See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/not-enough-information/
Sleeping in a dream means that you are not aware of something, you are missing something and putting the mirror back together may serve the purpose of looking into it so that you can become aware.
The mirror particularly depicts self-awareness in the sense of insight into your behaviour or character traits.
The mirror appears in many religious symbols and in much folklore. Water was probably the first mirror, and as such represents human consciousness, soul, or self-awareness. This looking at oneself can therefore be a way of depicting self-awareness, your ‘I’, as a distinct individual; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/individuation/
Because your parents disapprove entirely you could explore if this turmoil is merely about becoming independent from your parents http://dreamhawk.com/pregnancy-childbirth/example-emma/ and starting the inner journey to find your own wisdom (the old man) inside you; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/archetype-of-wise-old-woman-wise-old-man/
Anna 🙂
I had a dream last night that I was looking in the mirror and couldn’t smile. No matter how hard I tried I was unable to. I felt like I was smiling but on my face was a frown. This past month has been emotionally challenging but overall I’m a happy person. Any way of interpreting this dream?
Hi! my brother dreamed about me lying on a mirror with people around crying. what does this symbolize?
I dreamt looking myself in a mirror in a bathroom that was supposedly in a new and better house. I could see my reflection from head to waist. I looked serious and a part of me hated the muscle folds in my waist. And I washed/ splashed my face with water. What would that mean?
Dear Elle – A new and better house may refer to a state of mind that gives you a better inner foundation and makes you feel better about who and What you are; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/the-house-in-your-dream/
I wonder if you have been doing inner work to get to this inner place.
What you become aware of when you look in the mirror is your more serious side and a part of you that is capable of hating (parts of) yourself.
Your dream reflects that some change of thoughts and feelings is still desirable; “And I washed/ splashed my face with water.”
Washing is a symbol for clearing negative feelings and so you may want to explore what your dream figure feels when she washes her face; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
and
http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/carrying-the-dream-forward/
It may also serve a purpose to explore what you associate with “muscle folds in your waist”;
http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/muscle/
If associated with masculinity then I suggest you also read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/archetype-of-the-animus-jungs-view-of-the-male-in-the-female/
Anna 🙂
Thanks anna
🙂
So I had this dream and I don’t know what it means and it’s scary to think of as you say a self reflection. In my dream I see my reflection in a mirror and next to my reflection is me my face is cover by my hair I cannot see my face but I know it is me. In my dream I fear this reflection but do not question that it is there and my sister walks it and I leave. Then once I return the reflection is no longer in the mirror, it doesn’t look like me, but I know it’s my reflection and it’s done something horrible. I’d like to know what this means if you could just email me that would b nice. Thank you.
Dear Isabelle – We all tend to be so judgmental of ourselves – of our shadow – and that is what can cause the fear when you see your self-reflection.
What I see in your dream is that you become aware of a part of you that you have not integrated yet; “and next to my reflection is me my face is covered by my hair I cannot see my face but I know it is me.”
At first you do not dare to “face this part of yourself” and so you hide it behind your hair; fear seems to paralyse you from questioning what you see in the mirror.
When you return to the mirror – a courageous step – you dare to face yourself and then you are faced with exploring a belief; for you believe that you have done something horrible.
Please read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/the-archetype-of-the-shadow/ to learn that we all tend to judge ourselves and we all tend to believe that what some parts of us do is “horrible”; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/beliefs/
I trust that you have read and understood what is expressed in the entry “mirror as well:
“Basically it is a looking at yourself, a self-examination; and the face in the mirror may not match your own. It may be better or worse. That is, in self-examination you may come across, or see, parts of our nature that are the worst side or the best side of yourself. These are the things you do not usually see about yourself.”
So you dared to face a part of you that you consider the worst side of yourself. That is something to be proud of and integrating “your worst side” will make you feel (more) human and (more) whole.
Wholeness means you have integrated and come to terms with every aspect of who you are. You have met within you the murderer, the saint, the swindler and the honest trader, the sexual pervert and the straight married person, the homosexual and the heterosexual, the darker and the light filled should find a balance in each individual.
This balance is like a razors edge in which any one-sidedness would lead to imbalance within you. But at the same time it is not about being perfect or a saint, but a balanced and whole human being with very wide choices.
Perhaps you feel like exploring your reflection; http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson?
Anna 🙂
I’m having weird creepy dreams lately, I really hope you can help me with this one.
I had a dream of me looking at myself at the mirror, the same mirror I have, something I’d usually do before going to sleep but I was wearing a long black hood. I decided to lay down after and my reflection was still there! It kind of morphed into a guy, it was beautiful at first but it decided to be a scary creep and smiled at me. What was in the mirror was surely unpleasant. He looked like he was planning something definitely not good then I suddenly had sleep paralysis and was sitting on my chair.