AUTOPSY
If there is a dead body being dissected in your dream, then you’ve managed to find yourself at an autopsy. This dream indicates that you are similarly dissecting a situation in your waking life which is irretrievable, but which can still be taken as an opportunity for learning. Take the information you need and then walk away from the corpse.
AVALANCHE
A series of emotions, held back, are now coming to the forefront and need to be expressed, by any means necessary. Alternatively, you might feel overwhelmed by a series of events in your life. Either way, you should regard the avalanche as a positive signal.
B
BABY
There are, of course, many different ways in which a baby might appear in your dream. In essence, a baby represents new potential as well as fragility, something which needs to be protected and allowed to grow. In this case, the baby could even represent something as simple as a new idea or recently discovered talent. However, if you are actually pregnant, such a dream might be your own way of expressing anxiety about the new life that’s inside you and the changes that it will bring to your life. If you dreamed that you had a baby that you’d forgetten about, then the baby represents a part of you, yourself, that you have neglected and that now wants attention. If the baby in your dream is dead, it signifies the failure of an idea.
BADGER
Remember that dreams offer us information in all sorts of ways, sometimes in puns. To “badger” someone is to doggedly try to persuade them of something. Maybe this is happening to you or you’re doing it to someone else? The badger itself is also a symbol of hard work, determination, and stubbornness. If there is someone in your life who is set in their ways, then the badger in your dream could represent that person.
BAG
Think about the bag in your dream. Is it intriguing and full of different pockets, some of them ingeniously hidden? Then this indicates the many different “compartments” of your psyche and includes your hidden desires and ambitions yet to be fulfilled. If the bag is too heavy, then perhaps the metaphorical burden that you’re carrying in real life is similarly overloaded. If the bag is empty, it’s likely that you have a very “zen” attitude toward life and eschew material possessions.
BAKERY (BAKING)
Baking or a bakery signifies riches, success, satisfaction, and gain in all areas. Bread means money, and so does dough, right? Enjoy.
BALD
With a baldness dream, context is all. If you’re a man with a full head of hair dreaming that you’re bald, this could constitute an anxiety dream. This could be anxiety about actually going bald or anxiety about a different situation in your life. If you’re a woman in a similar position, multiply that anxiety times ten. If you’re already bald, however, dreaming of this condition is a reminder of your own wisdom.
BALL
You might be seeing a basic soccer ball in your dream, but it’s likely to have a more profound meaning than a simple piece of sports equipment. Dreams often play with imagery, and the shape of the globe suggests completion and wholeness; the Universe, no less. If you are watching a ball game and not participating, it could mean that you need to overcome insecurity or anxiety in your waking life. If you are at a costume ball, then be wary of someone close to you who doesn’t have your best interests at heart.
BANANA
The saucy banana, appearing in a dream, is a not-very-well-disguised phallic symbol. You could either be unhealthily obsessed with them or repressing certain sexual urges. You can also slip on banana skins, so do be careful.
BANK
Generally speaking, the bank dream is about security—and not just the financial kind. A bank is somewhere that we put things to keep them safe, so you need to determine what you feel is being threatened that needs security. A relationship? Your job? Context is all when you have this dream. If you dream that you’re robbing a bank, maybe you feel that you’re not receiving the credit you deserve in your waking life and need to grasp it for yourself.
BANQUET
Generally speaking, food and eating represent spiritual nourishment rather than the bodily kind. If you dream that you’re taking part in a banquet or a feast, it’s possible that you’re not getting the sort of spiritual satisfaction that you crave in your “normal” life. Then again, if you’re following a strict diet or regime in your waking life, then it’s possible that the dream is compensating for all the treats you’re missing; your subconscious is “cheating” on your diet.
BARE FEET
If you don’t usually go barefoot in your everyday life, how does it feel to go barefoot in your dream? If you feel nervous or uncomfortable, the bare feet could indicate that you feel exposed about someone or something. After all, footwear protects an important part of our body. If, on the other hand, going barefoot feels liberating and lovely, then the dream is indicating that you need to let your hair down once in a while and try something new. You might even like it!
FAMOUS FREAKY DREAMERS
THE SWINGING SPORTSMAN
Jack Nicklaus is one of the worlds’ most famous and successful golfers, but in the mid 1960s his play wasn’t on form and he had run into a bad patch of scores. It was after a dream that his luck finally turned around. Here’s what happened, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle on June 27, 1964:
On Wednesday night I had a dream and it was about my golf swing. I was hitting them pretty good in the dream and all at once I realized I wasn’t holding the club the way I’ve actually been holding it lately. I’ve been having trouble collapsing my right arm taking the club head away from the ball, but I was doing it perfectly in my sleep. So when I came to the course yesterday morning I tried it the way I did in my dream and it worked. I shot a sixty-eight yesterday and a sixty-five today.
BAT
It’s not really surprising that the bat has a reputation for evil and devilishness. It looks pretty sinister, after all, swooping around in the dark with pointy wings and beady eyes. Of course, the bat is also associated with all things demonic—including, of course, vampires. If bats appear in your dream, it can signify irritations and hindrances as well as the other “horror movie” symbolism suggested above.
BATHING
Immersion in water has a deep spiritual meaning and is an important ritual in many faiths all over the world. To dream of bathing isn’t just about cleansing the body, but also the soul—letting go of the past, washing away any stagnant areas in your life, and letting new ideas flow.
BEACH
Funny places, beaches. They’re not quite land, and yet not quite water. The beach goes into the water, and the water laps up onto the beach, the sand a no-man’s land between the two elements. Therefore, the beach is considered a liminal place, a threshold between two worlds. This probably reflects your current situation. You could be between jobs, relationships, or homes. Beaches of course also signify vacations and holidays, a time away from the normal routines of life, so the dream could be your way of taking a mental vacation.
BEADS
Beads