Amputation

To dream of amputation represents a loss of a part of yourself. Giving up power or abilities. You may feel "robbed" or unable to achieve goals. It may also reflect serious losses or dramatic changes that leave you feeling vulnerable. You may feel frustrated, limited, powerless, or helpless. It may also represent restrictions placed on you.

Amputated hands reflect feelings of being unable to do as you please or losing a capability.

Amputated legs represent a loss of independence.

Amputated arms represents a loss of function, reach, or an extension of yourself.

Example: A woman who aspired to be a writer once dreamed of being in love with a legless man. In real life she knew that writing was a field that was unsupportive of newcomers. The legless man reflected her desire to write being a difficult achievement without doing everything on her own first. A goal with "no legs" of it's own. A goal that would have to be supported by others forms of income.

Example 2: A man once dreamed of seeing a man who was missing his hand. In real life he was dealing with an illness that had destroyed his life and limited his ability to do things that he wanted.

Anaphylactic Shock

To dream of anaphylactic shock may reflect feelings about a situation being too stressful. Feelings of powerful uncontrollable stress and anxiety that dangerously pushes one "over the edge." Over-dramatic stress or anxiety that can cause you embarrassing failure or loss. Embarrassingly shocking failure that you feel you are powerless to do anything about without assistance. Embarrassing potential failure caused by an over-sensitivity. An over-sensitivity or unexpected problem requiring urgent attention.

Anecdote

To tell or read an anecdote in a dream represents enthusiasm for idealistic notions. A positive view of an idea or belief that you or someone else have had.

Consider how the anecdote makes you feel when you think about it.

Anesthesia

To dream of anesthesia represents a situation that helps to reduce the severity of a problem, or makes facing consequences more tolerable. It may also symbolize a compromise or concession that reduces a burden or unpleasant situation that can't be avoided.

Anesthesia may also represent a wish to avoid the full emotional impact of something that hurts you.

To dream of having no anesthesia may reflect a difficult situation where you are required to feel the full emotional impact of fixing a problem. Painfully or uncomfortably being denied the ability to hide anything. Feeling that you can't avoid how painful or unfair a correction is. Feeling that someone is being inconsiderate to your pain.

Example: A man dreamed of asking a doctor for anesthesia for a broken toe. In real life he was unhappy with a purchase he couldn't return. He asked the store for an exchange to settle the problem. The anesthesia reflected the reduced feelings of loss he felt on the purchase due to the exchange being better than no compromise at all.

Example 2: A man dreamed of having to endure a surgical operation without anesthesia. In waking life he felt that he had to speak to a psychiatrist about very personal issues and had to be perfectly honest about embarrassing details.

Anorexia

To dream of having anorexia represents self-deprivation. You may feel like you don't deserve something. You may have issue with guilt, self-acceptance, or your self-esteem. You may need to learn to love yourself or to let go of the past.

Alternatively, the dream may symbolize your quest for perfection.

*Please See Starvation

Antibiotics

To dream of antibiotics represents a solution to a problem that requires persistence or dedication. Something you know helps you if it's done regularly. You may have negativity that you are trying to protect yourself against. You might trying to prevent a problem from getting out of control.

*Please See Medicine

Antidote

To dream of an antidote represents a solution to a problem. The ability to set something right or correct something that went wrong.

*Please See Cure

*Please See Medicine

Arthritis

To dream of arthritis represents struggling with an area of your life that is always more difficult than it should be. Feelings about a permanent problem with moving around in life or holding on to things in your life. Problems or pain associated to your capabilities (e.g. emotional pain with holding on to difficult marriage). Issues with pain or holding on to things that are important to you that you feel may never go away. Persistent issues with pain or difficulty keeping your life the way it is. Persistent difficulty with your "grip" on some area of your life. Feeling on stress and struggle. Feeling helpless to effectively deal with a problem. Difficulty moving forward with plans. Feelings of barely being able to do something.

Example: A woman dreamed of thinking she had arthritis. In waking life she had spent a very long time away from her husband and was dealing with a loss of her home. The arthritis in the dream may have reflected her feelings of permanently having a problem living her life easily and holding on things important to her. She felt persistent pain associated with keeping her husband and her home that she thought would never go away.

Artificial Limbs

To dream of artificial limbs represents feelings about never allowing anything to limit your beliefs or sense of independence. You may have been cut off from power, freedom, or a capability and are using your resources to overcome it. Doing whatever you can to not allow a problem or limitation stop you. Choosing to never give up.

Negatively, an artificial limb may reflect use whatever resources are available to never have to face consequences. Feelings about negative situations or people in your life that will never give up. It may also reflect your negative attitude about giving up control.

Example: A man dreamed of his dog having an artificial limb that he took off and examined the cut limb. In waking life he was using pain killers, smoking, and alcohol to support himself emotionally and was finally beginning to think about the real underlying issues causing his problems. The artificial limb reflected his use of addictive substances to avoid facing his real pain.

Asthma

To dream of asthma represents anxiety under uncomfortable circumstances. Feeling intense fear or worry while also feeling unable to discuss it. You may be feeling a lot of pressure to do things all by yourself or to never bother others. Asthma may be a sign that you need to confront your fear of discussing you problems or reaching out to others.

Autism

To dream of seeing someone with autism represents issues with being too accepting of a weird or eccentric situation. Oddness that is obvious and stands out. Making excuses for unusual behavior. Frustration that someone is fully aware of you and chooses to ignore you. Frustration that you are not being listened to you no matter how obvious or direct you are with someone. Difficulty communicating or "getting through to someone. Your awareness of other people purposely not listening to reason or warnings.

To dream of yourself being autistic or that other people think you are autistic may reflect waking life situations where you feel your behavior is considered eccentric by others. Uncomfortable feelings about real mental health problems or disabilities you have being witnessed by other people. Feeling that other people think you are weird and stupid.

Alternatively, being autistic may reflect insecurity you have about not being like other people.

Example: A man dreamed of seeing a very autistic man. In waking life he he was having trouble being supportive of a friend who was in the hospital for chemotherapy. The friend in the hospital was acting very disruptive while he was supposed to be sitting still.

Autopsy

To dream of an autopsy represents a careful evaluation of the consequences of your actions. You or someone else may be trying to understand failures or find the root cause of a problem.

Band-Aid

To dream of a Band-Aid represents something you're doing to feel better about a problem. Not wanting to notice something negative again. A temporary solution that frees you from caring all the time.

To dream of a Band-Aid falling off represents a temporary solution that didn't work. You may have believed you could stop caring about a problem that has come back.

*Please See Bandages

Bandages

To dream of a bandage represents a need to heal, growing pains, or learning to cope with a problem. An unpleasant time of change or healing. You may be emotionally wounded and trying to protect yourself.

*Please See Band-Aid

Birds

Birds in dreams are symbols for transcendence and liberation. Escaping boundaries and limitations. A symbol for progress towards wholeness and harmony. They are your goals, aspirations, and hopes. The type and color of the bird is very important in decoding the meaning (e.g. black birds or vultures are not positive symbols).

Alternatively, birds can reflect a person's feelings about being spiritually free or clean.

To dream of baby birds represents the potential for transcendence and liberation. Plans or preparation for overcoming something. Being very careful as you work towards goals that give you freedom.

To see dead or dying birds represent disappointment and failures. Killing birds may reflect intentionally souring an inspiring idea or someone else's freedom.

To dream of feeding birds represents encouragement, inspiration, or supporting the idea of trying to overcome problems. Feeding the idea of freedom or transcendence. Encouraging yourself or believing in yourself. Alternatively, consider the type of bird you are feeding. For example, crows and vultures may reflect more negative thinking or behavior being encouraged.

To dream of bird eggs represents goals, aspirations, and hopes that are developing and will take time to be realized. The opposite is true if the eggs are from a species of bird that isn't positive.

To see a flying bird represents transcendence and liberation. A weight has been lifted off your shoulders and you are experiencing a sense of freedom.

To see a caged bird represents a desire for freedom or liberation. You feel confined and restricted in some area of your life.

To see a blue colored bird in a dream symbolizes positive transcendence over negativity. It represents the power of positive thinking, truth, and doing what you know to be right taking a more powerful role. It is also an indication of purification and resolution to conflicts in your life.

To dream of a white bird represents a wish to transcend or rise above a negative situation that is being renewed. Finally deciding to escape a bad situation after avoiding it being kept down. A white bird may also reflect a belief that escaping a bad situation is a good idea.

To dream of a red bird represents freedom or transcendence that you are aware of being negative or dangerous. Getting your freedom back through violence, fighting, or with no concern for others feelings. Possibly a reflection of attaining freedom through dishonest means or cheating others to help only yourself escape a restrictive situation. A red bird may a reflect corrupt attitude about getting ahead of others in business. A red bird may also show up in the dreams of people experiencing corruption in communist countries that allows one to get more privileges than other people by serving the state.

To dream of a black colored bird may represents feelings of emptiness, loss, depression, death, or unpleasant change.

To dream of cutting a birds wings may reflect a wish to stifle someone or prevent something in your life from succeeding. A wish to stop transcendence from occurring. Keeping someone as a loser who can't win. Jealousy of someone better than you succeeding. Controlling someone by reducing their ability to be independent or successful.

People who suffering from Charles Bonnet Syndrome often have hallucinations of birds sitting on top of people's heads. This may actually be a waking vision symbolically reflecting the CBS sufferers feelings about themselves looking stupid enjoying their hallucinations or visions which they feel stuck with. Transcending boredom indulging in hallucinations they can't do anything about.

Refer to the themes section for birds for a more in depth look at bird symbolism.

Example: A man dreamed of seeing a white bird. In waking life he felt his life was over, but then had a powerful spiritual experience that made him want to fight his problems and overcome them.

Example 2: A very elderly woman dreamed of enjoying seeing white birds fly around her windows while being very careful not to let the birds out the door. In waking life she was enjoying thinking about what life would like after death and didn't want to bring the topic up with her family.

Example 3: A young woman dreamed of walking into a kitchen to see a birdcage with the door wide open and bird choosing to stay inside the bird cage. In waking life she was having problems adjusting to American freedom after having come from a communist country.

Example 4: A woman dreamed of seeing a white bird outside her car leading her as she drove. In waking life she was very spiritually focused in her decision making.

Example 5: A man dreamed of being scared to feed a bird. In waking life he was fearing supporting his wife while they were separated because she began dating another man. He feared that continuing to support her choice to live independently from him would help her to move on from him for good and leave him no chance to be with her again.

Example 6: A man dreamed of seeing blue colored birds which he wanted to take home with him. In waking life he was considering 2 ideas to help him fix serious financial problems that were holding his business back. The two blue birds may have reflected how he had two very good ideas to overcome his financial problems.

Example 7: A woman dreamed of seeing black birds on a tree. In waking life she was annoyed that her granddaughter wouldn't break up with her boyfriend.

Example 8: A young woman dreamed of seeing dead birds and being blamed by their owner, even though she didn't kill them. In waking life, she desired to quit her job and pursue a career in cartooning, but felt guilty about asking her parents to fund her education. In this case, the the dead birds may represent the death of her own dreams and aspirations.

Example 9: A male doctor, who fell ill with COVID-19, experienced vivid hallucinations while in his hospital room. He saw birds filling the room and flying about. In this case, the birds might reflect the doctor's feelings of transcending or being temporarily freed from the obligations of his usual responsibilities of caring for patients due to his illness.

*Please See Yellow Bird