Accident to the Dreamer
If you dream that you have an accident yourself, you should take note of the details, especially if it was caused by something you use every day, such as a bicycle, a car, or a lawn mower, and check that it is in good working order before you use it again. On the other hand, an accident dream could also be warning you of potential danger or loss of control if you continue a particular course of action. For example, you may dream that you are hit by a car as you run across the street to talk to a married colleague you’ve been thinking of having an affair with. An obvious interpretation of this dream is that the accident signifies pent-up guilt for something you have thought, said, or done, and that you are subconsciously punishing yourself over it. You could also be harboring deep anxiety over being found out. Dreams of car accidents might be urging you to slow down before you hit disaster, or telling you that you are ‘driving’ yourself too hard. You need to rethink, or re-plan, your course of action and set yourself on a better path. Your accident dream may also represent your straightforward fears of being involved in an actual, physical accident. You may just be nervous about getting behind the wheel, or going on a train, boat, or plane trip.
Whatever happened in your dream, notice how you emerge. Did you manage to rescue something or someone? If you did, this could suggest someone who needs your help or protection. It could also suggest an aspect of yourself that is worth saving. Were you hurt, or did you come out of it unscathed? If you weren’t injured, this could suggest that you have the strength to overcome what fate throws at you, but if you were wounded, you need to take better care of yourself and ‘toughen up’.
Accident in the Home
Dreaming of accidents in the home means tension may be building up in your home life, although it occasionally means you have unconsciously noticed something that might cause a domestic accident. Therefore check whatever it is that caused the accident: if you dream of falling down stairs, is the stair carpet loose? A dream that focuses on your home may also be saying something about your personality and approach to life. It may be that in order to progress with your life you need to make changes, and these changes may involve destroying what you have built up for some time.
Accidents from Above
To see something hanging above you about to fall implies possible danger. If it falls and misses you, perhaps you have had a narrow escape from some misfortune, or your unconscious is warning you to be alert to potential danger.
Accident to Loved Ones
To dream that a loved one dies in an accident indicates that something in your own self is no longer functional, and is ‘dead’. It is also symbolic of your own relationship with that person. Perhaps you need to let go of this relationship, or let go of a particular phase in that relationship and move toward the next. For example, the first throes of passion may have ebbed away, but you can replace them with love, stability, and commitment.
Accident at Sea
To dream of an accident at sea suggests potential problems with those who are close to you, or some kind of disappointment in love. If water overwhelms you, you are likely to feel overwhelmed by emotions. If this is the case, you need to assess how best to manage your feelings and put them into context. If you are trying to save other people in a shipwreck, you need to think about what these people represent to you. For instance, if you are trying to save a baby, perhaps that represents an element in your waking life, such as unconditional love, or wonder and excitement, which you need to develop in your waking life to help you cope with your emotional response.
Accident to Someone Else
This could be hidden aggression toward that particular person or an aspect of yourself that person represents that you recognize in yourself. It could also suggest anxiety about the welfare of the person in your dream.
See also CAR CRASH, TRAIN CRASH, PLANE CRASH.
ACHE Dream abscesses may indicate a site of physical illness that is not yet obvious when awake, but it is more likely that they represent swollen and painful emotions that are repressed and may be causing psychological infection. Aches in dreams indicate places where there may be blocked energy relevant to that part of the body. For example, we tend to refer to nagging problems in waking life as headaches and, since the head represents an authority figure, a dream headache may suggest an unresolved issue with an authority figure in your life. Throat aches may suggest an inability to express yourself verbally, while dreams of injury or strangulation to the throat almost always relate to current pressures in your life. Such dreams do not always urge you to speak your mind but they do remind you to be aware of those dynamics around you that are affecting you, as well as urging you to be honest with yourself about how you feel about what is going on. Chest aches indicate withheld emotions, and backaches blocked anger.
The sensation of pain in a dream may be a warning against taking unnecessary risks or an attempt by your dreaming mind to urge you to take a more positive approach to life. Dreams in which you are fatigued or racked with aches and pains may signify that in waking life you are worrying needlessly over problems that really aren’t that important. Take a more relaxed approach. Sometimes, however, your dreaming mind will inflict a pain dream almost as an act of revenge over some supposed fault or misbehavior in waking life. For example, if you are on a diet and have slipped recently, your unconscious may punish you in dreams that have the sensation of pain. Perhaps one of the most horrifying pain scenarios in a dream is to be impaled. Whether this is caused by a slip from a high spot onto railings or a vampire stake through the heart, such a dream refers to the pain of unwanted intrusion or enemies in real life.
ACID
See NEGATIVE SYMBOLS.
ACORN
See POSITIVE SYMBOLS.
ACROBAT
See CIRCUS.
ACTING/ACTOR/ACTRESS This can suggest a desire for public attention, but it can also suggest not expressing your real self – playing a part. If you dreamed that you were acting on stage, how did the audience react to your performance? We all role-play during our waking lives, projecting a persona that may not be entirely who we are in order to make ourselves more appealing to others; it is possible that your unconscious is commenting on how your performance was perceived. The part you were playing and the scene you were acting could be particularly relevant to situations in your waking life. Were you a tremendous success on stage? Did you receive a standing ovation? If you did, your unconscious may be telling you that the image you are presenting is convincing to others. If, however, your act was not well received, this might suggest that the image you are projecting is unconvincing to others and unhelpful to you.
If you dreamed that you were unwilling to step into the spotlight, this could suggest that your unconscious is mirroring your reluctance to be someone you are not in waking life, or it could simply suggest that you dislike being the center of attention. If you forgot your lines or needed the assistance of a prompter, you could be suffering from a lack of confidence in waking life, perhaps because you feel unprepared in some way. You may also be relying on someone else in waking life to guide you toward success. If an actor dies or is dead in your dream, this could suggest that a particular role you have been playing in life has outlived its usefulness and relevance. On the other hand, dreams about acting may simply be reminding you that life is not a dress rehearsal and that you only have one chance to make a success of it.