Tiger Tigress
Power, anger, sexual power, inner anxiety or terrifying urges. Fear of another person’s anger or forcefulness. Sometimes the power of a mother’s protectiveness. A woman’s anger or sexual craving.
Although similar in many ways to the lion, the tiger has a more feminine quality. It can therefore represent an angry woman; ones mother/a woman as a protector or destroyer; anger; spitefulness; the power and authority of ones animal strength; anxiety or fear, flight or fight. Often children have recurring dreams of being chased by a tiger (or lion), and this is about anger that they have been told is bad to express. So this is why they are running from it when they should have made it their friend. This is probably also why most people are still running or hiding from tigers in their dreams. Instead they should have been taught to direct their anger – a natural part of our defense system – effectively.
Do not to be afraid of the animals you meet in your dreams. They are only symbols of your own inner nature, your animal self. See Your Mammal Brain
The tiger represents your own power, the power that can protect your family and any children. Feel the power of that by imaging yourself as the tiger. Yes, actually imagine yourself in its body.
Also big cats, like domestic cats and dogs are very ‘mouthey’ – in other words they do everything with their mouth. They love with their mouth and love to hold you with their mouth. It is their way of giving a hug and wanting to be near. But of course tigers can bite for real too, but your dream tiger is a part of you. Even if it did bite you in your dream it is only like holographic image and can do you no harm. To be frightened of your dream tiger is to run away, avoid or deny your own wonderful natural strength and self protection. See Mouthey Animals
Example: Just last night I dreamt I was walking and a tiger came at me. I was scared, but I thought I would try to be strong and not show my fear. It did not work and the tiger ran at me. I climbed a tree and onto a roof of a tin shed. The tiger followed me up and I ran across a series of tin sheds. I finally realized I could not escape and I turned and faced the tiger. I screamed at the tiger and ran straight at it. The tiger got scared and turned and ran away, and then I woke up. These dreams have been on my mind, and I would love some insight into them. Thank you so much.
From that you can see that an image – in a dream – cannot hurt you, though it can cause you to feel fear. So chasing it was a way of changing your feeling, and that of course changes your dream. So, there is nothing in any dream that can hurt you, unless you run away from something. Running away is leaving yourself open to being a victim of whatever frightens you.
When we call someone a tiger we either mean they are fierce, capable of defending themselves, or very successful at what they do. But we also say a woman can protect her children or loved partner like a tiger. So it is also about strength and passion to protect and care. This aspect of the tiger depicts the primeval and passionate power of motherhood and the love and care of nature itself emanating from the unconscious. Tigers are individual creatures and are not, like lions, part of a group less it is a mother with her cubs.
Like any other animal, the tiger can also represent aspects of sexuality, depending upon how it is presented in the dream. As a symbol of sex it would most likely include elements of uncertainty – will I be attacked or overwhelmed – power and instinctive responses. It has to be remembered also that the tiger is a top of the food chain predator, and so can represent the predatory facets of human nature. See animal for an explanation of the role dream animals play in our life:
But it has to be remembered that every image in our dreams is an aspect of ourselves, and being an animal the tiger represents the wonderful strength we have as our heritage – if we claim it. Many people are frightened of their own strength and so run from their dream tiger, but as the following dream shows it can be your strength.
Example: An adult tiger was at my bed with one of my old high school buddy holding him on a leash. When I saw him I was furious what the fuck is such dangerous animal doing on my bed. Went to load my AK (the imaginary one, don’t actually own one), but when I pointed the gun at him he ignored me with calm and assertive look. I dropped the gun and in my admiration for him just felt his strong and firm energy. Since then I started to really think of Tigers as the ultimate alpha animal!!
Example: I was in a hallway behind a door, pulling it against me to shield myself against a tiger. The tiger was large with bloodstained paws. Some people stopped outside the door to look at the tiger. I told them to move along, as it had a very uncertain temper, and could easily attack. In fact it began to grow restless and growl. They went. I saw the deep colours of the tiger, and the blood. I was terrified that at any moment it would pull the door away from me. At that moment the tiger attacked me when I came from behind the door, and swallowed me. Now instead of feeling separate I was the tiger, and delighted in his movements and anger.
If you are born in the year of the Tiger in Chinese astrology, dreaming of a tiger might be a comment on your strength and weaknesses. It could be wise to consider your basic characteristics in the light of the dream. See Chinese Zodiac Tiger
The tiger can represent many things however, and below is another important aspect of a tiger.
Example: While in a basement a person approached me holding quite a large animal. As they handed it to me I saw it was a tiger cub, large and very well built, with a thick neck. I was surprised, but even more surprised and disturbed when a huge tigress came through a doorway above us at ground level and came down the stairs to us. I thought she was going to attack us, but she took the baby cub and placed it down. She then came with something in her mouth, probably money, and placed it near me. She gave off a powerful feeling of not wanting the cub, and with the money handing it over to me or us for our care. There was an atmosphere of irritability about her. Peter G.
In this example the tiger has an obvious connection with the mother. The dreamer had often been threatened by his mother that she was going to give him away, or put him in a home. So the dream probably dealt with his need to confront these feelings of abandonment which, like the tiger, were threatening. Interestingly, almost exactly five years later, in the same month, Peter dreamt the following.
I am in a house. There is a feeling I am sharing it with a number of people, as if there is a connection with a friend Mike. Suddenly I notice there is a tiger cub running around the room. It is a large room and empty except for myself and the cub. I realise this must mean there is a mother tiger about and worry that it will be angry or aggressive because of its cub. I go to walk through a doorway, but the mother tiger walks through. I stand still, not daring to move. But she brushes against me in a friendly way and strolls over to look at her cub. Peter G.
Interestingly the dreamer sees himself as a young tiger in his dreams.
Example: There is alarm that a wild tiger is about. I am concerned to find a place out of sight, behind a desk, in case the tiger sees me. It comes in, and, although there are many other people, it comes directly to me. As it comes towards me, I see it is small, and young, and un-coordinated in its random, flailing movements (rather like Tigger in Winnie-the-Pooh). Its body is like a pipe-cleaner twisted into a tiger shape. As it comes to me, I see it is full of energy but also shaking uncontrollably with fear, drenched in sweat. It is furiously wagging its tail, which may have a white bow tied to it (or is it the shape of the tail? – the latter I think), as if it is desperate to please. So from within my fear I say to it “Good tiger, there’s a good tiger,” to calm it down. I think, or say: “This tiger is terrified, because it is quite out of its element, in a classroom with humans.” I look up and see there is no one else in the room – just me and the tiger. JH.
JH says of his dream: “This seems to me to be a very revelatory dream. Clearly I am the tiger, and so I am frightened of my own fear in trying to hide from it. But the clarity of the dream is in the basic fear of existence the tiger exhibits.” Here the tiger is clearly about the fight and flight instinct in us all, and the struggle JH has in dealing with this in his life as a teacher.
Idioms: Fight like a tiger; paper tiger.
Useful questions:
Am I dealing with anxiety or anger in this dream?
What relationship do I have with the tiger, and what does this say about the way I deal with the ‘tiger’ aspects of my life such as fear, anger, aggression and dominant strength?
Does my dream tiger show any signs of motherhood in this dream, and if so how does that reflect on my mother or motherhood?
Comments
my aunt saw in her dream that a tiger has sit on my mother’s head and parted her wet hair into centre partition and then said go up to ur living area.
what does it signyfy??
I have a memory, it’s kinda old, but I remember it clearly. I’m from Denmark (there are no tigers), and yet… When I was 6 or so, I looked out of my window, and i saw a tiger. This was not a dream, I remember it clearly. There’s a little forrest next to my house, and the tiger was just laying there. I was terrified. The tiger looked at me, and I ran into my parents without telling them about it. I realize, that this could not possibly have happened, and yet I wonder. What does it mean, when a tiger appears in front of you? My curiosity haven’t been satisfied, I would really like it, if anybody could tell me.
Maria – This view of the tiger did happen, but not in the outside world we see with out physical senses. First of all you need to recognise that you have an inner world much bigger than the outside world. To save time in explaining this again, I will quote something: “At the other end of our awareness than our physical senses is an ocean of consciousness that does not have a focussed sense of self. This ocean of consciousness that is at the core of our being is what has been called many names. In India it has been described as Sat-Chit-Ananda – Being-Consciousness-Bliss. When we discover it as the centre of ourselves it is no longer seen as exterior or distant. But in waking life where we lack awareness of it we see it either as non-existent or as separate and distant.
This part of us is not limited in awareness by our physical senses, but has a more global awareness. As one person who experienced it regularly describes it, in our body awareness it is like looking through a crack in a wall at a big river. So all that we can see is what ships are passing in front of us now. But in the other level of us it is like looking over the top of the wall and seeing the whole river, what has passed us and what is coming.”
Another thing is that of course you saw it outside you. Any visions, voices heard or hallucinations are all the product of the dream process breaking through the barrier that usually only allows to see with our physical eyes. If you have had such an experience you will see, if you think about it, that as with dreams, images, people, voices appear as if outside you. That is exactly the work of dreams, which project a whole dream, its drama and characters, onto the screen of our sleeping mind. When happens while awake the inner world has projected into your outer world experience.
Tony
In my dream I walk out of a house to see a tigress in labor,she was crying to me. I spoke to her to keep her calm and she spoke back with a cry. I felt her pain,and felt sorry for her as she was calling to me. I was then chased back in to the house by a black bear who walked up. I shut and locked the door,but the bear was very smart and unlocked the door and came in. I ran to another room and locked that door. The bear was unlocking that door,and i woke up from my dream…
So I’ve had the following as (what I’ve only just noticed to be) a recurring dream;
I am the tiger certainly not an adult probably a similar age to myself (16-21) alone in the middle of a jungle its warm and there are low clouds not allowing me to see far – nothing happens (ever) but i can move freely and all the while have an overwhelming rage in my chest.
As i said I’ve only just realized that I’ve had this to be a recurring dream over the last 5 years on an irregular monthly bases regardless of whether I’m dating or not.
Any thoughts?
I hardly ever dream, but when I do I remember them. A couple of nights ago I dremp that my boyfriend’s mom and I were sitting outside chit chatting. She was atleast 20 years older but we suddenly heard the neighborhood dogs barking. They went after something that headed our way. We lived in the same house that we are in now. Suddenly in the flood light the dogs had ran the animal into the light. It was an older tigress. She stoped and started staring at me. I remeber thinking “oh my goodness, I can either let this animal devoure me, or stand my ground and show no fear. Suddenly it pounced in top of me. I could feel it’s warm breath on my neck. I had made the decision and woke up, I have NO idea what this means or which decison I made, If you can help any I would greatly appriciate it!!! Thank you so much.
Melissa – A dream is simply your brain creating images to make sense of your fears, you feelings, hopes and even inspiration. So nothing can hurt you in a dream, except you my frighten yourself with all the awful fears you live with.
The tiger is probably your own female strength – and most people are scared of their own inner strength. So it is okay to let the tiger eat you, it is only an image you have of your body, but the tiger wants to become part of you so you can become strong. Try imagining yourself as the tiger – I mean get into its body in your imagination and see what it feels like.
Tony
I had a dream that i went to pick up mail from my dead fathers house and when i left the house, he appeared to me as a white tiger and asked for the keys of the house as i was finished and he swalled them and turned and said goodbye to me. what does this mean?
I keep dreaming about a tiger in my front yard that hides in the bushes, but comes out almost “on patrol,” often. Never harming anyone, but we are on the lookout when we go outside. The tiger always goes back to the bushes when we go outside.
i want to study Oneirology dats study of dreams. Plz guide me
I had a dream last night that I was being approached by multiple tigers. They were not aggressive, but I hid from them and tried to protect my son and friend as well. We kept ending up in the worst hiding places. We escaped without being attacked, but I was fearful the whole time.
I have had the same dream two nights now with two different twists. The first night, I am in my childhood home with my family and we are going on a trip, getting packed up and ready to go. Before we leave, I notice a tiger in the yard and we quickly lock all the doors. However, it manages to break in. I run to my room and lock the door. The second night, last night, I am in my childhood home again with the same scenario, but now there are also friends and an ex-boyfriend there. Instead of locking the doors, my mother lets the tiger into the house. I am afraid for my dogs and again I run to my room. Each time the tiger doesn’t bare its teeth or anything. It just wants to get into the house. Any thoughts?
I had a weird dream last night, hence googling and finding this thread… I was walking down a familiar path in the woods and a young buck attacked me (there have been a couple of aggressive deer near my house lately). I was pushing him away while I noticed a tiger approaching us. I pulled back figuring the tiger would be happy with the deer’s neck exposed, but it lunged at me instead and I woke up.
I dreamed about a tiger that was being controlled by 2 black dogs. I remember feeling sorry for the tiger and thinking why does it allow the dogs to control it? It can kill them whenever it wants. I think for some reason, I’m the tiger and my anxiety and fear represent the dogs? Any other ideas?
Angie – The black dogs are your own will power or decision making. You make the decision to hold back your tremendous power because you are frightened of what it will do. Try being the tiger by using http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/practical-techniques-for-understanding-your-dreams/#TalkingAs.
I am sure you find something interesting.
Tony
I had a dream last night, That i was sitting in the living room of my house and my husband came in holding two tiger cubs ! I ask him where they came from he said outside and there are four more. I went outside and sure enough there were four more cubs lying in the underbrush of the trees. I sat down on the ground and they were all over me. My husband looked at me and said yes you can keep them !! I was so happy playing with those cubs!! . What might this dream mean?
Clare – You must feel that your husband is a supportive person. So you meet six young new expressions of you female strength and even power. Please look after them and recognise what part of you they are. To do this please see – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/#mammalbrain
And also claim the strength of the animals. To integrate another part of you open your heart and your body to feel the creature. Open by accepting it as a part of yourself – just as the blood and guts and faeces are a part of you. Allow yourself to grow emotionally and become strong. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson
Tony
In my dream I was at my friend/neighbour’s house and he had 5 cubs. 3 white and 2 brown. Me and my friend parthiv were playing with them in the compound and taking care of them as they were his pets. But suddenly he went inside the house for something and I went to close the gate of the compound in order to prevent the cubs from going out on the street. Right when I turned around towards the cubs i saw some kind of animal that had a dianasore face but the rest of the body was like a cat… 4-5 of them came with the speed of hourse and grabbed the cubs in their mouth, took them in the out house and killed them but did not eat them and left the dead bodies of the cubs. I was so attached to the cubs therefore i was shocked but scared at the same time that what would I tell parthiv? what if he would consider me the reason of his loss?…..what does this dream mean?
Krupa – I think it means you were caring for something you love, natural growing feelings. Then something arose that upset you when your friend left you, so you felt angry and killed those feelings.
Tony
Krupa – I think it means you were caring for something you love, natural growing feelings. Then something arose that upset you when your friend left you, so you felt angry and killed those feelings. But as these were feelings you didn’t admit to you were shocked.
Tony
I had a dream that a child was being eaten on by a lion over his years of life but he did not die. I never saw the attack but I heard them once. He was about 16 when he told me that he wanted some in the village to kill the lion. He was 3 when it begun. His wounds were deep each time the villagers allow him to attack. In my dream it had gone on for so long that I decided to kill the lion. ( The ages are guesses) I have no Idea what this mean. I was not related to this child. He was a boy. I live in the US, but this clearly was village and we were in some teepee like home.
Pat,you are an intercessor,in the sense that God wants to use you to save lives that are lost and oppressed,all you need is to consecrate your life. GOD WANTS TO USE YOU TO LIBRATE SOULS.