I had the most intense dream the other night. Sure, I dream a lot, and those who know me well are aware that I’m an extremely deep and vivid dreamer, but there are occasionally those dreams that kind of leave you breathless and sweaty after you sit up in bed. I’ve noticed that over the course of my life, I tend to have one particular recurring dream. It’s different every time, but it always involves some wild animal (lion, tiger, or bear — no Dorothy jokes, please) in my house trying to get into the room I’m in.

In the dream, I’m trying to shut the door to keep it out, but it always finds another way into the room. What’s even weirder is that my family members are there with me, but I’m the only one who is terrified and trying to do something about the animal, while everyone around me acts like nothing is wrong. I should also mention that the animal is never trying to attack me, but I definitely feel threatened by it. I don’t necessarily believe that all of our dreams have meaning, but I do think that dreams are a manifestation of our thoughts and experiences that sometimes follow us into our sleeping states, playing themselves out for us in strange ways.

I’ve looked into my particular situation and through my reading and research, various sources say that recurring dreams usually mean that there is something in one’s life that has not been acknowledged and is causing some sort of stress. The dream supposedly repeats itself because the issue has not been corrected. Other dream websites I’ve looked into also mention that people who experience recurring dreams are attempting to deal with some sort of trauma from their past but, with time, the dreams eventually lessen.

According to World of Dream Symbols, a website that focuses on and discusses different things that appear in our dreams, recurrent dreams are a message from the subconscious mind (also known as the “Higher Self”) and serve as a reminder that one is doing the same thing over and over again. I decided to look up the three different animals that have appeared in my recurring dream to see if there is any sort of relationship among them.

Bear
This represents independence, strength, resurrection and the cycle of life.  It can mean that one is undergoing a period of introspection and thinking. If you are being attacked or pursued by a bear, this can indicate feeling trapped, aggression, having to deal with an obstacle or threatening situation, and/or being in a domineering relationship with a friend, family member or some other person.

Lion
This signifies strength, courage and power. It can also represent one’s need for control over others. Being pursued by a lion can indicate self-destruction and the need to overcome challenges and obstacles.

Tiger
This also represents power and aggression, and to be attacked/pursued by a tiger can mean that one is repressing feelings or emotions that frighten them.

Reflecting back on all this, I can take it to mean that I am a very independent person who relies on myself and doesn’t like to ask for help from others, even when I need it. I think this can sometimes lead me to feeling helpless because I’m overwhelmed by stress and afraid to voice my concerns or feelings to others, which then makes me feel trapped in my own personal situation by the responsibilities that I’ve placed upon myself.

I’ve overcome all obstacles that have come at me in life on my own, and while this has definitely made me a stronger person, it has been taxing at times. I always make it my point to be there for others, so I think it’s okay to realize that I can ask for help here and there from those who are close to me and that it’s okay to open up. After all, that’s what friends and family are for in the end. Now that I’ve come to face this reality about myself, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll have any of these types of dreams again in the future.

Only time will tell.

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By: Kamala Kirk