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
I had a dream last night, that I have many pets like dogs and cats, and 1 tiger/cheetah and 1 lion. They were not fully grown ones neither babies, but young. But when I went to feed them, I mean to give them a meal, I couldnt find them. I was looking all around but I couldnt find them. FYI I have recently taken up a new job and moved to another country… But I dont know what exactly does my dream interpret as… Can anyone help? – Regards, Moby
i had a dream in which i got in 3 cubs to my room. There was a dog too. And the next day when i woke up the cubs had turned to big huge tigers. Though they didint harm me in any way. Two of the tigers and the dog were sleeping. The third tiger was up and when i opened the door it left the room. I get kinda scared and go to my friend’s room. And inform others about the toger roaming around freely in the corridor.
Does this signify somthing?
Maya – The tigers are your own inner strength – a sort of instinctive strength that only shows when challenged. You are only just waking up to sense this strength and how big it has got. One aspect of the strength is now ready to get out and be active in you daily life, but you are scared of what it might do.
Try using – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/secrets-power-dreaming/
Tony
Cris – It sounds as if there is something that you are barely aware of that is messing up your living space – you mind and feelings. So maybe think about your diet and eat healthy foods. Also try using http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/practical-techniques-for-understanding-your-dreams/
Tony
I dreamt that there is a tiger loose in crowd of people and it is mostly roaming about and sometimes attacking fowl or dogs…the crowd is terrified and running helter skelter…I too am part of the crowd and I keep running to save myself from the tiger but it kpes crossing my path wherever I go! At one point I feel as if it has caught hold of me from behind and I feel it’s breath down my neck and back.
this wbsite is stupid
I had a dream last night involving a black tiger. It was not a black jaguar or panther; I knew for sure in the dream that it was a black tiger. I believe this tiger came from a ‘collection’ of animals that belonged to someone in my family (either my paternal grandmother, or someone related to her), and the animals were finally being physically released so that I (and a few others in my family) could see them. I don’t really remember what other animals were in this collection; perhaps they didn’t make an impression on me like the tiger did.
At any rate, the tiger was released into a house. My parents, my female cousin & myself were inside the house, and we all reacted very differently to the tiger. My parents were not in the same room with the tiger when it came into the house; just my cousin & I were. At first, I just stared at the tiger; it was laying/sitting high up on a counter, looking back at us. It wasn’t really threatening at that point. I didn’t feel scared. I thought it was actually pretty cool & interesting. My cousin, on the other hand, was much more involved, and wanted to touch it, play with it, poke at it, tease it. I told her to stop, because I knew the tiger would get angry & upset by this. She just laughed and kept doing it. Then, the tiger jumped down suddenly, and scared us both a little bit. It growled and looked aggressive.
The next thing I knew, I was filled with terror and anxiety, and running all around the house. I was trying to do two things at once: hide; and find my dad, so that I could tell him to shoot the tiger. I was not really able to do this successfully, so I gave up on the hiding and decided to really focus on finding my dad, because that was more important. I found him, and told him to shoot the tiger, who came into his room right after that. He had his gun out but it wouldn’t shoot. He was freaking out, but the tiger wasn’t doing anything; it wasn’t trying to attack me or my dad, it just stood there. I then ran away again, and tried to lock myself inside a bathroom. The tiger was too strong, though, and it was able to break down the bathroom door. There was nothing else for me to do except face the tiger, so I did. It didn’t do anything to me. It just looked back at me. It then walked away, and I wasn’t sure where it was going, but I felt such great relief. I almost felt affection for the tiger too.
Later on, I came back into contact with my cousin, and she still seemed to think the whole thing was funny; she acted very smug toward the tiger. She did say, however, that we needed to ‘return’ the tiger to our grandmother, because that’s where it came from.
This was a pretty big dream, I think. What is your interpretation, Tony, if I might ask?
Hope you can interpret this dream. I usually don’t dream. But I have been dreaming lately, and I remember them with clarity.
The first one is that I was in a prison. There were a bunch of Lions and other very wild animals outside. One lion broke inside. Someone held it, I pet its head. It allowed me to. I was kind of wary of it, feeling that it can attack at any moment, but was not afraid of it knowing somehow that it couldn’t hurt or even kill me. I saw my little nephew reached out to touch it, and it beat him. I was furious at the Lion; me and other people inside the prison threw him out. I woke up.
About a day later, I had the same dream. The same place. A bunch of tigers of different colors, they were magnificent animals and very angry. They all broke inside the prison. They were running toward me and other people to attack us, I was not afraid, just kind of calm yet tense, and I started to speak in tongue (I am a Christian) I spoke firmly in tongues at each one that runs toward me, and every time they step back. Each time one runs toward, I spoke firmly in tongue at it, and it runs away. There was one tiger left, and the people and I pushed it out of one of the windows they broke to get inside the place. They all stayed outside, trying to get in but couldn’t. It was very difficult to leave the prison, I saw a way out, but then I woke up.
I am having recurring dreams of being chased by tigers. In one dream the tiger was chasing me whille in my house. My sister was in the house and would not help me but could have. I ran into a bathroom. I just had another tiger chase dream. My children were with me. It seemed like a house also but didnt look like mine. The room I found had two doors. One of them had an opening at the bottom that the tiger eventually crawled under and we escaped to the other side. When we got on the other side of the door I ran to try to cover up the opening with boxes and other flimsy cardboard but noticed that this time the opening was at the side kind of like a half door.
I’ve been having the same dream for about three nights now, I look through a window I see the tiger walking in a different window through the other room, I run out of the room I’m in to go close the door, but the tigers already at the door, we’re fighting I have some kind of stick trying to push it back and close the door. the tigers aggressively trying to open the door. I finally shut the door, but later on it gets out, but when I see it gets out I wake up. Dose this mean something?
Nina – The dream shows you struggling to shut out your powerful female feelings. The tiger is your dream tiger and not an external tiger. So you do not need to be afraid of it or fight it. If you allow it into your life it will enrich you enormously. You will feel less afraid of people and life. Please see http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions/#Wolf
Tony
I had a dream I was looking into a field and I was looking at a deer but no one else could see it. The deer walked toward me and as it did, slowly started to morph into a white tiger. I was not scared, but it was like meeting something unknown but felt known? I remember walking with the tiger and then I found myself in a room with the tiger. ther room was also white with white carpet….That is all I remember but it was so vivid! I am searching within myself to understand what this means but am looking for interpretations
Ashley – Your dream suggests you probably love nature or the natural, and the dream show you looking at the natural in you. Please see http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/#mammalbrain
At first you see a deer, indicating that you had a meeting with your own beautiful soft female self. This changes into the white tiger, a fiercer side of you that has been purified – perhaps what you are, a pure soul.
See – http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/practical-techniques-for-understanding-your-dreams/#TalkingAs
Tony
Well I just had a dream were I was walking with my childhood friends, and we saw 2 big white tigers wanting to be released, they ran away and so did I. I can’t realy rember I saw another of my childhood friend and ask him to help me get my phone from the former 2 friends, these tigers where white. Lata I saw my self klose to the place were the tiger we’re chained the rope was a pretty thin rope. So I got scared and ran away to my house
Ive had this dream again – i wrote a few months back asking for some insight into it and to my knowledge got no reply I’ve had the dream again last night and remembered i had written here on your website. Please any insight would be much appreciated this dream has puzzled me for some time now
[I’ve also copied the short description of the dream i last posted]
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?
Hi Tony,
please help i had a dream about a woman in some sort of dirty natural open space. There are dirty people and animals around her. I am kind of scared for her. She discover a tiger who defends her and suddenly they are both in a house together.
This woman seems to have children and she tells them about this tiger she met but wen thy want to see this tiger she cant openly show thm. In the house she hides the tiger behind a curtain and they both seem to have fun and happy times. There isnt any talk though but i felt the happiness.
At one point the tiger and the woman seem to have very loving and passionate sex… I feel this too! This continues and the woman enjoys the physical companionship since she seems to have wanted it for a ling time. The children seem to be unaware of all this.
Then suddenly i see the woman and the tiger looking across the room while they are romancing they see a very dirty animal , looks like a hyena, eating some bits of leftover food from a plate on the floor. The woman feels scared and shocked.the tiger holds her…i then woke up.
The dream seems to have alot of love and sexual activities. Im not this woman but i felt all her happiness/ feelings in the dream.
What does this all mean?
I would like to share my dream. I walk into my parent’s backyard (which came out of my house) and there is, from what I remember, a tiger and several about 5 cubs. One in particular I was immediately able to run to, grab and hug and feed. I was in a rush to hide the tigers so they wouldn’t hurt anyone and for some reason I placed them in my neighbors frontyard which have some high beam shaped trees. (They are no longer there). This stood out to me because that became the “cage” for the Tigers. One of the cubs allowed me to chain it up on the side of the house as if it were a dog but the real dog was in the window of the house. I returned to the front yard, excited. But when the tigers (no longer cubs but grown tigers) saw my excitement they all began to come to my direction. Immediately myself and family member (not sure who) realized I needed to calm down. When I did so, they returned to sitting calmly, back straight staring out the tree formed bars – So beautiful. It wierd to me because the tree beams were just trees and the tigers could walk freely if they chose but they sat there – so beautiful. About me: I am a married mother of 5. All children under 11 youngest is 8 1/2 months.
I also want to say – your sight is AWESOME! My sister always recommends me researching the symbolism and the sights I visited before never interested me. This time around I found yours and I must say I am way more interested in finding out more. Thanks for providing examples and so much info. I appreciate the time you take to do this.
Thank you very much for what you do…I just discovered your site today as I sought the meaning of what it means to see a tiger…for me these occurrences are during meditation and rarely dreams.
The encounter was on the morning of December 20th…perfectly timed, but I forgot until now, December 22, 2012. Namaste.
I should have mentioned that my encounter was a loving and gentle one; a tigress with the kindest and gentlest eyes….like she was an “old friend” whom I’d long forgotten. There was no fear or terror…it was as if I looked and said, “Oh, there you are.”
Velma – Thank you for sending such an interesting dream.
Interesting because you seem to be experiencing what I call a ‘waking lucid dream’. A very good ability to have as it opens you to many gifts, such as intuition. See http://dreamhawk.com/inner-life/using-your-intuition-1/ and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/the-waking-lucid-dream/
The meeting with the tiger is a big step to becoming more conscious of your inner resources. You are obviously a caring and courageous person, because you have tamed your tiger – yet it is still wild and is not caged or bound – a wonderful resource to have.
As I said to someone recently, your tiger is the wonderful force of Life. It is the fierceness that is natural to healthy women. It is the force that fights against any form of repression, as is happening to you. It will rear up in you and become the tigress that you are if anyone challenges you. But when not challenged you are kind and gentle.
Tony
Lately every dream I have features a tiger, and the dreams all seem to be connected. The first dream I was at the zoo, desperately wanting a pet tiger, and a strange man came and gave me one of the Zoo’s tigers, but I had to sneak it out of the Zoo which I did successfully.
Then in my next dream I had my new pet tiger, the same one I had taken from the zoo, and I was caring for it in my backyard and me and the tiger were both really happy.
Then in the last dream I remember, I had to try and hide my tiger so that nobody would know I had it, but unfortunately the neighbours spotted it and reported me as the thief of the tiger from the zoo, and a strange man came and took the tiger. I tried to explain that someone gave me the tiger, but he wouldn’t listen, and I lost my tiger, and was completely devestated and humiliated because I was in the media for stealing the tiger
What does this mean? And will I keep dreaming about my dream tiger?
Lizzie – There is an awful struggle going on in you about the inner animals. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/brain-levels-and-dreams/
The zoo is a form of socialised imprisonment of our inner animal. We do this to most of our children, train them to repress their natural urges and feelings.
But you managed to hide your inner tiger for a while. Your neighbours are the attitudes you grew up in – ones that cannot tolerate any natural behaviour. Unfortunately they are in you, thus the struggle.
Your tiger is the wonderful force of Life. It is the fierceness that is natural to healthy women. It is the force that fights against any form of repression, as is happening to you.
Keep on dreaming about your tiger. But imagine you are in the dream where the tiger was taken away and fight for the right to keep it. Your dreams are your inner world and nothing should prevent you from keeping your tiger. So please see http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/peer-dream-group/#carryforward
Tony