Rabbit
Due to human associations with its rapid breeding it is often linked with sexual desires. Also its softness and non aggression sometimes to the point of depicting us as a victim, or foolishly passive; may thus represent unworldly idealism. Perhaps because of its tendency to be the victim of predators, is often used as a sacrifice in dreams, which suggests the hurt we might experience to the soft, vulnerable parts of our nature as we experience the pain of meeting reality in the maturing process; feeling hounded by someone; ones vulnerable child self; docility or humility.
If the dreamer hunts rabbits: It could mean some element of self or others being criticised, attacked, ‘hunted down’ or hounded; instinctive urge to dominate.
Pet rabbit: Wanting to be petted or cared for; gentle contact and caring; responsibility.
Rabbit hole: Alice down the rabbit hole illustrates this – a going within self an experiencing the world within, that many are totally unaware of. So, going into the unconscious; the womb; perhaps attempting to escape from problems by turning being an introvert. Going into a rabbit hole could also suggest sexual intercourse. See: unconscious.
Rabbit in your garden: A quiet attack on your resources or personal growth; also may connect with the general definitions above.
EXAMPLE: Then they brought in a white rabbit, and thrust its eyes through with heated irons. And as I gazed, the rabbit seemed to me like a tiny infant, with human face, and hands which stretched themselves towards me in appeal, and lips which sought to cry for help in human accents. And I could bear no more, but broke forth into a bitter rain of tear. Anna Kingsford, From Dreams and Dream-Stories.
EXAMPLE: The nightmares returned – one terrible one in February 1896 about a tramp, seen holding over a well ‘washing, but with a kind of amused tenderness, an object that I thought was a rabbit, but I presently saw that it was a small deformed hairy child, with a curious lower jaw, very shallow: over the face it had a kind of horny carapace. . . made of some material resembling pottery. ….. The horror of it exceeded all belief.’ A. C. Benson, quoted in David Newsome, On the Edge of Paradise.
These two examples show how our dream process links the vulnerability of rabbits with childhood or children, and our own vulnerability and human pain.
Useful questions are and hints:
What part or role in my dream is my rabbit playing?
Can you put words to it?
If the dream rabbit is vulnerable what vulnerability in me is this reflecting?
If the rabbit transforms into something stronger in what way am I myself changing?
If I stand in the role of rabbit what do I feel?
See Techniques for Exploring your Dreams – Questions – Magical Dream Machine
Comments
Last night I dreamt that there were several grey rabbits in my closet, they were trapped and when my friend attempted to pet one, it let out the most high-pitched shriek, soiled itself and then it died of shock. I then called my landlord because of the animals in there and the mess the dead one made.
Nora – In dreams you are alone with yourself and your imagination, attitudes, fears and your heritage. So everything in the dream is you – a reflection of who and what you are. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
The closet in a dream represents your many roles you play in life and what is often hidden. The rabbits are the vulnerable instincts you have – (sorry about all the links, but you will not really understand without them – also it saves so much time in really answering your enquiry.) see http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/animals/
The theme in your dream suggests that you are not taking responsibility for your own actions, but trying to get other people to clear up your mess – the landlord. The animals are YOU – and they show how much anxiety or shock you are causing to yourself. You have an animal nature, because you are a mammal with all the vulnerability of living things. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/
Tony
My dream was about this rabbit that was on my lap, it was a large rabbit and I was paralyzed by it. It was trying to get at me and I could not move, even when I was trying to wake myself from my dream because of noises I thought I heard. I was totally paralyzed. I can relate to the vulnerable feeling, it kinda makes sense to me. Very interesting. I have never dreamt of rabbits, ever!
Hi. Today I dreamt with a rabbit. This has never happened and I have never had rabbits. This rabbit was brown in color. I was in a store and there where more baby rabbits. The rabbit that came up to me was more like the size of a hare. It was sweet and shy at first. Then the rabbit started talking with me. I never pet rabbits, always felt like they are glorified rats. In the dream I wasn’t scared to pet and play with the rabbit. In the process the rabbit was a little girl. At some point she became a real girl and the rabbit was some sort of really lovable dog. I wanted to adopt this little girl who seemed to me the most beautiful creature that no one else wanted or appreciated. The dream was so real and emotional and has left me wondering why the rabbit and who is this girl.
Ernesto – Most dreams are a sort of mirror reflecting a picture of what takes place within you. But as most of us are focussed mostly on what takes place in the outer world they miss much of what is happening in their inner world. See http://dreamhawk.com/inner-life/inner-world/
Dreams portray your inner world with images you have developed associations and feelings about. When I was working on the new site design, the designer said to me, “What’s the point of dreams – they don’t mean anything do they”. I noticed he had a T-shirt on that looked as if had been used quite a lot. So I said to him, “What about that T-shirt? If you dreamt of it what would you think it meant?”
He said it wouldn’t mean anything. So then I asked he where he had got it and what memories were attached to it. He said he had got it in America, but when pressed to explain his memories he refused to answer, looking embarrassed.
You first associate the process of Life, the rabbit, of which you are an example, as a glorified rat. But your dream, which reflects what you are conscious of about yourself, and also the enormous amount you do not know or understand about you as an example of life. So the rabbit grows and becomes like a hare, and then a beautiful little girl who you love.
I believe you dream is showing you that we are all animals, see http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/ which explains just how much of the animal we carry within us and depend on and of course dream about.
As you meet the wonderful animal you are in your inner world, you realise how much you want to adopt it/her; for she is the other side of you that you have missed seeing and love. The dog is still another aspect of you – for we are many interconnected life systems, the mystery and miracle of Life. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/practical-techniques-for-understanding-your-dreams/
Tony
Last night I dreamed I was a rabbit and I had to have surgery to become human to be with the one I love.
Ari – This suggests there is a situation or feeling you have about the sexual side of love that needs changing. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson as this may help you to see what is the real situation.
Tony
Hi,
I have a pet house rabbit which I have had for a year. I love her a lot but keep having recurring dreams where she has been swapped for an alternative rabbit because she has died. There are also other animals in the cage like gerbils burrowing and smaller rabbits. The gerbils keep escaping as the bars are too wide. I’m not sure what this means! Thanks
Hi.
I dreamt of surgery being performed on my forehead. The skin was expertly cut away using a scalpel and the skin lifted.
I don’t remember much of my dream last night, but I remember a very creepy rabbit doll that changed colors and turned its head to watch my every move. I tried to destroy it and it didnt work, it just continued watching me. Everywhere I went in my dream I saw multiple rabbits, all different colors, like pink, whether they were decor in the house I was walking through or the doll. What does this mean?
I recently dreamt of a rabbit. I was in a backyard (kind of looked like my parents’ current yard, but it wasn’t. Similar in the sense that there is a grass covered yard, with a border of trees, and woods beyond that.) and a wild brown rabbit in the yard near the border of trees relaxed and lounged out on its side the way a cat does, with its front legs stretched out front and back legs behind, and it let me rub its side and belly. It was so soft, I was really enjoying petting it, I was so amazed and happy that it trusted me to let me do this, and glad to have this rabbit friend!
I had a dream last night where I was lost, in the middle of a countryside and I was alone. I came across this ginger rabbit, who was very docile, let me pet him and then I ended up cuddling the rabbit and going to sleep with him, in the middle of the countryside.
Sarah – It sounds like a very healing dream. It shows you deeply immersed in your own nature – the natural you without any frills. But I wonder whether you have had a stressful time recently to have such a healing dream.
I wonder whether the rabbit is a mixture of a cat and a rabbit because if the colour – just a thought.
Tony
i am so confused. i had a dream last night that i was a rabbit, but i stood on my hind legs and wore a coat, so i was kinda like a ralistic looking cartoon rabbit. and i could talk. and there were others like me and we entered a huge cavern. there was a high cieling and the walls were lined with racks and racks of coats all the way to the ceiling and down to the floor, but they were all dimly colored and fleece or wool looking. we all went into the next room, but it wasnt really a room, it was like a coridor and it split off into two ways. the stairs that went up went towards light and the stairs that went down were towards dark. i went down. but when i reached the bottom, it wasnt really dark it was just dim. it was a room and there was a door. and for some reason i was running from wolves, which was weird because i wasnt running from anything until i got to the door. it was locked and i desperately tried to open it. there was 2 other rabbits with me and we ran back up the stairs, but the room was different now. we ran from the wolves. we went up and down and through a maze of halls but most doors we came to were locked. the wolves caught up with us once and they were snarling and snapping at me and had brown eyes that flashed soft red when they reflected. i was terrified. and i came to another locked door, couldnt open it and heard the wolves coming and then i woke up. i dont know what any of this means and im really confused and scared of what it means. any help? -nina
Nina – Dreams are about a totally different world – your inner world – and it works in a totally different way to your outer life. We tend to believe that all the rules that apply to our physical life are the same as apply to our inner dream world. For instance in the body you can be hurt and die, but the reality of the inner world is that you can never be actually hurt or die. Like a computer game you can experience dying and yet, you the player, remains unhurt. We also often believe that animals are a separate and often threatening thing, but we are ourselves largely an animal and carry our history of animal evolution in our body. See Levels of the Brain and – Dreams are Virtual Realities
Your dream shows you exploring your inner world that is usually unconscious. In the inner world you are a shape shifter and can be anything – thus the rabbit. You went deeper into yourself – going down – and found a great fear, and fear in the inner world is quite ridiculous as nothing can actually harm you. So face the fear and it sill dissolve as you feel it.
The wolves are images you use to frighten yourself with. Say “BOO” to them next time. Even if they bite and eat you, it is only like a computer game you are playing with yourself.
Tony
I recently had a dream that I got a baby rabbit. It was in a cage and I was showing it to my friends in a parking lot. Out of nowhere a car can and crashed into a building. It took me a minuete to realized it ran into my rabbits cage and killed my rabbit right before hitting the building. I searched everywhere for my rabbit and finally found its cage smashed and assumed the rabbit had died although I never saw its dead body. What does this mean? I am currently trying to make some huge life decisions and want to know if this could be a good or bad omen. Thanks
I dreamt that there was a grey rabbit just sitting on my desk, right in front of my window. It didn’t move, just sat along the side of the window. Somehow, a baby bird got into my room and just flew around. At one point, I think the baby bird was playing with the rabbit – I remember it being around the side of the rabbit not facing the window. Is there a different meaning with this dream than what is described above, because I’m having a difficult time linking it.
Hi,
Last night I dreamt about a rabbit dying in front of me ( the image looked a lot like the cover of Watership Down, a favourite of mine so no surprise I got that image). I also dreamt about a bull being stabbed and killed by the matador, strange that they are two different animals being killed as I watch. Could there be a link? Thanks
Brian – This just a wild guess, but are you are Taurean with the Chinese birth sign of the Rabbit?
But getting to the dream – I think, because you linked Watership Down with rabbits the meaning of the rabbit is in what you feel about the book. But in general rabbits often suggest vulnerability, but vulnerability that survives against all odds.
The bull, like the rabbit is also about sexuality, but in the bull is the strength of it. So killing two animals, the bull as a sacrifice in the bullring, says that a part of you has died. It is a death that sometimes leads to new life, a life if our inner world. You could find out by using http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/practical-techniques-for-exploring-your-dreams/#TalkingAs
Tony
In my dream white baby rabbits was just coming out of nowhere jumping all over me and i was scared..What does that means
in my dream there were a litter of baby rabbits
except for one baby rabbit appeared to be more advance then the others, what I mean is he acted more of an human toddler than a rabbit. I took on the rabbit as though it was a child and raise the rabbit to its fullness. the rabbit spoke and was taught as if it was a normal child. once it became an adult it resented me for taking him away from his litter
Adneva – We can think of this as the story of human life. Way back we were an animal, one of many who had no sense of separateness and we part of the ‘family’. Then one or two were a bit different and so began a journey leading to human life and self awareness. Self awareness is a very heavy load to carry; so much so a large portion of humans break done, or they depend on drugs such as nicotine, alcohol, anti-depressants and harder drugs to feel normal.
So your dream seems to say that your animal self, something we all carry within us, resents being made into a human with the great load of consciousness. It would rather be lost in the animal consciousness without self awareness.
Perhaps you can talk to it and say, “I love you and that is why I chose you. If we work together it can be a good life for both of us”.
Tony