Dream Meaning

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Q:  Dear Master Lu, what do our dreams mean?

A:

• Dreams are a way for us to receive messages from the spirit world.  Some dreams are foretelling, a reflection of what you have thought about throughout the day, or are scenes from your past lives. Some dreams provide us with some revelation or suggestions, but we should not obsessively dwell on dreams.

• Some dreams become unclear as soon as you wake up, and you cannot recall them clearly, or these dreams may have been scattered and fragmented to begin with. Dreams like these are not very meaningful.

• If some dreams mirror what you are doing or thinking about in real life, it is likely a case of “one dreams at night about what one thinks about during the day”. We do not need to concern ourselves with such dreams.

• If you dream about eating meat dishes, killing animals and such, it is likely that you encounter a Dream Test.  Please refer to Q&A 90: Having Dream Tests.

• If you dream about ancient times, bygone eras or battles, it is possibly related to your past lives. If the scenes depicted are not particularly meaningful, you do not need to worry about them as the past has passed, and there is no point in dwelling on them. If you dream about yourself in a past life committing bad deeds, or dying, it generally means that you may encounter a predestined hardship or calamity in the near future, so you must strengthen your recitations and cultivation.

• If your dreams feature people who have passed away, e.g. deceased family members, regardless of the scene, it means that they are asking you to perform recitations for them. You need to recite Little Houses addressed to <full name of the deceased>.  Generally, you can recite at least 7 Little Houses for each deceased person, or 21 Little Houses for family members or close friends.

• If you dream about being chased, or people asking you for money or other objects, it means you have karmic creditors and you need to recite Little Houses.

• If you dream about becoming pregnant (but you are neither pregnant nor planning to get pregnant in reality), or you dream about babies or children, this generally refers to the children you have aborted or miscarried. You need to recite Little Houses addressed to the “children of <your full name>” to help them ascend to a higher spiritual realm.  If, during the process of offering Little Houses, you dream about children well dressed, happily saying goodbye to you (as if to bid farewell), or taken away by other people, or you dream about someone else becoming pregnant, then it means the child has ascended to a higher spiritual realm. 

• Dreams about dead poultry or animals usually refer to the small animals or creatures that you killed or ate in the past.  It means that you need to continue reciting the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra.

• Relatively disturbing dreams, which include dark scenes making you afraid or anxious, or dreams that feature disasters or inauspicious animals such as snakes, cats, worms/bugs, shoes, etc., indicate trouble or obstacles in the near future. Therefore, you need to do more recitations of the following as part of your daily recitation: the Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou, and the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra. If you dream about shoes, you should also include the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots.  You will also need to keep reciting Little Houses addressed to the “Karmic Creditor of <your full name>”. You should also make vows and perform life liberations.

• Dreams that have bright and beautiful scenes, or make you feel happy are good dreams. Dreams that feature Bodhisattvas, Master Lu, esteemed and virtuous Buddhist monastic or lay practitioners, auspicious creatures or even fresh food are all positive. They indicate good fortune or joy. Nevertheless, you must continue performing recitations and cultivating your mind diligently.

• For reference, the categories below feature some of the items that commonly show up in dreams.

 

Animals:

• Auspicious creatures, (such as dragons, peacocks, phoenixes, qilin/kirin):  These are all auspicious, and will bring good fortune.

• Fish:  Dreams about live fish represent good fortune and wealth; dreams about dead fish represent dejection or sadness, and you need to recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra. Similar dreams that feature domesticated animals (provided they are alive in the dream) are usually good.

• Dogs:  Dogs represent friends and companions in dreams. If you dream about dogs being friendly to you, it means your friends will be good to you. Otherwise, your friends will not be kind to you.  

• Turtles/Tortoises:  It indicates increased longevity. But sometimes different scenes require different interpretations.

• Snakes, cats, mice, predatory animals (such as tigers, alligators/crocodiles, wolves, bears and other such aggressive wild animals), bats, crows/ravens or spiders:  Generally, it indicates misfortune, and you should recite the Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou and the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra.

• Bugs and insects:  Seeing bugs or insects in the dream normally indicates problems or karmic obstacles. If you dream about your body being covered in bugs, it means your karmic obstacles are about to break out.

• Domesticated birds:  If they are dead or appear aggressive, it generally indicates that you have killed these kinds of birds before, and you should recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra.

 

Objects:

• Teeth:  Dreams about problems with your teeth generally predict family members experiencing health problems, or indicate that you may have conflicts with family members. Upper teeth relate to elder family members, whereas lower teeth relate to younger family members.

• Fruit and vegetables:  Seeing fresh fruit or vegetables in the dream is good. This indicates that you have attained a relatively good state from your spiritual practice, and you will have good fortune. However, if the fruit or vegetables are not fresh or become spoiled, you need to recall if you have committed any improper conduct or have had impure intentions/actions while practising Buddhism. You should also examine if you have done anything that reduces your merits and virtues.

• Food (cakes and chocolate, etc.):  If fresh, then it indicates good fortune. If spoilt or going bad, then it indicates misfortune.

• Dumplings:  A sign of getting together and reunion (e.g. of family members or friends).

• Noodles: It indicates increased longevity.

• Transport (cars, trains, airplanes, boats/ships, etc.):  A normal, moving car (or other vehicles) is good, indicating good fortune and progress. If the vehicle has broken down or fallen into disrepair, it represents obstacles or problems.

• New clothing:  Out with the old, in with the new. It indicates the elimination of karmic obstacles.

• Old clothing: Generally, it represents karmic obstacles. It means you need to diligently perform recitations and cultivate your mind, repent wrongdoings, and eliminate karmic obstacles.

• Shoes: Generally, it indicates misfortune or problems, or may indicate interpersonal conflicts or trouble with people.

• Hair:  Hair represents worries and concerns. If hair is long in dreams, it symbolises the presence of many worries and concerns, and you should perform more recitations of the Heart Sutra. But if hair is cut short, it indicates the elimination of worries and concerns.

• Eyes, glasses:  The eyes represent the soul. Seeing things clearly in your dream indicates that you have a very clean and pure mind. If your vision is blurry, it means your mind is not very pure. Glasses or spectacles are the glass of the windows to the soul, so if glasses are broken or dirty it means they are unclean and your viewpoints may be faulty or misguided.

• Umbrellas:  It indicates parting ways in relationships.

• Keys and locks:  Our minds can be compared to a lock, and the Dharma Door (Buddhist approach) can be compared to the key that can be used to unlock our minds. If you dream about being unable to unlock something, it means a problem remains unresolved, or that you have yet to have an open heart. Therefore, you should do more recitations of the Heart Sutra and read Master Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms.

• Clocks, watches and time:  It indicates that you should hurry up and make the most of your time in performing recitations and cultivating your mind, do not slack off.

• Money:  Money is a product of good fortune and misfortune. If you got the money in your dream through legitimate ways, it generally indicates some wealth. However, if someone asks you for money or gives you money in the dream, then it generally relates to Little Houses, and you need to recite Little Houses for your karmic creditors.

• Counterfeit currency:  You need to pay attention to the quality of your Little Houses.

• Damaged sutras or mantras booklets: It indicates that there has been improper conduct that has reduced your merits and virtues. It could also mean you are not reciting sutras and mantras well, or you have been disrespectful.

• Coffins:  If the scenes are bright and your feel happy in the dream, seeing coffins indicates wealth. If you feel afraid, or feel the coffin is being prepared for someone in your family, it may indicate that one of your family members will have some health issues.

• Excrement, faeces: If you dream about normal human faeces, it means wealth.  If you dream about animal faeces, it indicates misfortune. If the excrement is very dirty, smelly and disgusting in the dream, it indicates misfortune, or even the Hell of Excrement.

• Buddhist Altar: If you dream about the Buddhist altar being unclean, incense sticks broken or breaking, oil lamps going out, flowers deteriorating, etc., it means there has been improper conduct in how you pay respect or that you have not been sincere or have had impure thoughts. You need to reflect upon yourself and repent. If statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are missing or have fallen over in the dream, it means that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have departed. If the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on the altar have changed forms, making you feel dark, gloomy or scary, it means that foreign spirits have entered the statues.  You will need to recite at least 21 Little Houses for the karmic creditor of your house, and pay respect to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas sincerely and properly. 

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For dreams about Events, Figures and Numbers, please check into below Master Juhong Lu's website guanyincitta.com for details.  For mantra, sutra, and Guan Yin Citta Little House the combined Buddhist scriptures, please look at "How to Practice" page on our website or call 510-686-3599 if any questions.

 Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door 心靈法門 > Buddhism Knowledge Base > Buddhism Q&A > Q&A 165. Interpreting the meaning of dreams

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