Section 4-4
Spiritual meaning of the symbols
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Spiritual meaning of the symbols
The guides use the universal language of symbolism to communicate with us in meditation and in dreams, to help us understand our experiences or to provide us with information we will need in the future. Our challenge is to recall the symbols upon returning to everyday consciousness. Unless we are attentive, they can quickly evaporate and leave us with a sense of unfinished business.
The process requires tracing back through our thought stream. Sometimes it can be effortless, sometimes it can seem impossible and other times, something will happen hours later that triggers a memory. It is important not to criticise ourselves for being unable to remember, or for failing to understand the message. It takes practice to develop such skills - lots of practice.
New
Breath (20250511)
Kiss (20250511)
Suggested interpretations for the symbols
Suggested interpretations for some symbols are listed below. Be sure to ask your guide for their intended message for you.
Not hearing your guide? Check out how belief systems can prevent communication.
| Symbol | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| A | Back to Navigate |
| Actor | Our feelings about the person or people being shown can reveal how we feel about some aspect of self or someone with whom we are associated |
| Animals and pets | Can represent unrecognized thoughts, attitudes and emotions. Is it a creature of the land, sea or air? Is it friend or foe? Does it have a name? What colour is it? What emotions are felt? Does it speak to you? |
| Attic | Where we store stuff. Is it clean or cluttered? |
| B | Back to Navigate |
| Basement | The unconscious. Is it clean or cluttered? Is the lighting bright or dim? |
| Bedroom | Where we communicate. Is the bed being used, is it made or unmade, is someone in it, is the wrong person in it? Is communication taking place? |
| Bird | Looking for a new spiritual truth, freedom, or could be a stagnant belief, imprisonment |
| Blood | Substance that transports the vibrations of our thoughts, attitudes, emotions, beliefs and desires to each component of our physical body. Can represent our innermost desires, or can be a message that one is behaving like a victim or martyr |
| Bracelet, hoop earrings, ring | Can represent the cycles of life, unity of purpose, communication, or can represent feeling trapped in a never-ending cycle of negativity |
| Breath, breathing | Represents divine inspiration or lack thereof Exhaling If normal: Trust that all is well If blowing, can represent surrender If difficulty exhaling, can represent resistance to sharing our understanding with those who could benefit from hearing a new point of view Inhaling If normal: Trust that all is well If gasping: Desperate need for enlightenment via information based in Universal Truth. In spiritual matters, tired of hearing the same old explanations that no longer ring true for us |
| Bridges, doors, gates | Can represent connections, possibilities, transitions, etc. What is the colour and condition? Are they functional? Can show that there is a way to connect with whatever is on the other side - one must only be truly willing to take the steps |
| C | Back to Navigate |
| Cardinal directions | Represent the direction our life is taking, or where we seek information. North Looking up, to Source, to God, to spirit South Looking down, looking away from Source, looking to physical, looking to self or others East Looking to the right West Looking to the left |
| Cat | Healthy, interdependent relationship, or a co-dependent relationship in which one or the other must always be in control |
| Closed door | Can show that we are unable or unwilling to open the door to new possibilities |
| Clothing | Can represent our spiritual beliefs. What style is being worn? What colours being worn? Is it new or old, clean or dirty, bought, borrowed or stolen? What are the shoes like? Hat? Gloves? Socks? Underwear? |
| Coin | Can represent change. Can also represent metal, mettle, medal or meddle. Do we have some or need some, or were coins found or lost? |
| Column | Represent support, or lack thereof |
| D | Back to Navigate |
| Darkness | Can represent the unknown, the unconscious. What feelings are being felt in the dream, and upon remembering the dream? |
| Death | Can represent a deceased loved one (or hated one!). Can also represent potential or required change. Can be preparation for the eventual so as to eliminate fear, or to show that dread is present. Can show that a big change has happened or is about to happen |
| Dog | Friend, or danger of betrayal |
| Dolphin | Joy, or stifled spirit |
| Door | Note whether open or shut, locked or unlocked. Are we inside or outside of it? Does it have a window? |
| E | Back to Navigate |
| Elephant | A secret was revealed and nothing bad happened, or everyone is trying to keep from talking about the terrible thing that everyone already knows |
| Elevator | Can represent a sudden change in how we feel about ourselves. Better? Worse? More - or less - balanced? What style is the elevator? Old, new, express (where the lower floors are skipped)? |
| Emotions | What emotions were felt while the dream was taking place? What emotions are felt as the dream is recalled? |
| Escalator | Can represent a gradual change in how we feel about ourselves. Better? Worse? More balanced? |
| F | Back to Navigate |
| Fish | Spiritual food, or having a false beliefs we stubbornly maintain to be true |
| Food | Can represent our spiritual diet, either what it is or what it needs to be. Is the food fresh or spoiled? Junk or nutritious? What colours are shown? |
| Flying | Can show us that we are feeling free, or that we are needing to free ourselves of something, or that everything is going well |
| G | Back to Navigate |
| Garden, plant, shrub, tree | Can represent growth or lack thereof. Can show the need to look for the root cause of an issue |
| Genitalia, sexual intercourse | Can represent communication or reproduction. Is communication occurring? Is communication being withheld? |
| Glass or beverage container | Can represent transparency in our communication skills, or lack thereof. If a drinking vessel, can represent how we are absorbing our spiritual lessons. Is the container clean? Clear? Coloured? Dirty? Cracked? If broken, can show that a change has happened or is about to happen. If stepping or walking on broken glass, can show that our life path is filled with pain and needs to be swept clean |
| H | Back to Navigate |
| Hospitals | Can show inner conflict, unhealthy beliefs, unrecognized emotional pain. Are you the patient, a visitor or a caregiver? What is the room like? Who is present or missing? Is the lighting bright or dim, is it day or night? |
| Hotels | Can represent a "facility" (check definition in a dictionary or on-line and ask your guide which meaning applies). Can show that we feel like a guest in our own home (not accepting ownership or responsibility) |
| House and rooms therein | Can represent where we live spiritually or physically. Can also represent our physical body. Is it a house from the past? Is it familiar? Is it in good repair? What is its street number? See attic, basement, bedroom, kitchen, living room, washroom facilities |
| K | Back to Navigate |
| Keys | Can represent a core beliefs, a plan, a creative idea. Do we have the key? Is it functional? Has it been lost or stolen? If stolen, could be a warning. Is the key new or old? What metal is it: brass, gold, nickel, silver? What colour is it? |
| Kitchen | Where we prepare and eat our spiritual food. Is the food fresh or spoiled? Is it junk food? |
| Kissing, French-kissing | Represents affection, faith, trust Someone kissing us Represents the gift of divine information bestowed upon us by our guide, whether the person kissing us resembles someone we know or not Us kissing someone Shows our increasing level of trust and faith in the guidance we receive, or the need to trust |
| L | Back to Navigate |
| Light images (candle, flashlight, lamp, sun, moon, star, light bulb, lighting in a room, etc.) | Can represent God's unconditional love or enlightenment. Are we moving toward or away from the light source? If lighting is dim, can indicate more understanding is needed. If bright, can show enlightenment has been achieved or is available. What emotions are being felt? |
| Living room | Where we live. What emotions are felt? What condition is it in? What is the furniture like? What is the light source? |
| Locked door | Can represent our desire to hide something, or to hide from something, or can be used to show that someone is preventing us from gaining access to something, or that the time is not yet right for taking the next step. Do we have the key? If so, does it work? |
| M | Back to Navigate |
| Mirrors | Can represent how we see ourselves, or how we think others see us. If broken, can show a need for some serious changes, or can mean that we need to recognize some change(s) we have made |
| Modes of communication (book, computer or tablet, flag, newspaper, radio, telegraph, telephone, television, etc.) | Communication is either necessary or not recommended. If communication is necessary, with whom is it required and what subject needs to be discussed? If not recommended, why? |
| Modes of transportation | Can represent the way in which we travel our spiritual path, or our physical body. What is its state of repair? To whom does it belong? How fast is it moving? Is it travelling recklessly or controlled? Buses and trains can be used to represent work or vacation |
| Money | Can represent how we feel about ourselves or our financial situation. In the dream, do we have some or need some, borrowed or loaned, donated or stolen, gambled away or won, spent foolishly or hoarded? |
| Monkey | Is someone behaving like a child? |
| Music and song lyrics | Our guide will use song lyrics to help us recognize issues needing our attention. Hearing the same line or two from a particular song is a signal to pay attention to whatever is happening |
| Music genres | Whatever the style of music, it can hold a symbolic meaning for us:
|
| N | Back to Navigate |
| Nudity | Can represent how we feel about self. Is there shame or discomfort? Is there privacy? Who else is present? |
| O | Back to Navigate |
| Open door | Can show that new options, new possibilities are now available |
| P | Back to Navigate |
| People | Can represent aspects of ourselves. Can also represent unresolved issues within ourselves. Who is being shown? A parent/caregiver can represent love / withholding of love, support / control, the old days or the old ways, etc. If the person being shown is no longer alive, the Universe is using our knowledge of the individual to show us something about ourselves |
| Places of education (archive, college or university, library, museum, school) | Can represent a lesson. What needs to be learned, researched, uncovered, dug up? What is needed to complete the lesson? If late for class or an exam, ccan show an unresolved issue or a negative behaviour like absenteeism |
| Places of worship | Can be used to show us how we feel about our relationship with our Creator, or that we have a religious belief that disagrees with the Universal Truth about a current life issue |
| Police, law enforcement (courtrooms, judges) | Can represent either human or spiritual laws. What emotions are felt? Is someone being charged with an offense? Is someone testifying for or against someone? If so, who is it and what do they represent? |
| Purse (briefcase, luggage, suitcase, wallet) | Can represent wealth or security, a cherished belief, baggage of unresolved issues or unrecognized issues about career. Is it with you or has it been left behind? Is it heavy or easy to carry? Has it been stolen? |
| R | Back to Navigate |
| Root vegetables (beet, carrot, potato, turnip, etc.) | Can represent unrecognized beliefs or buried memories. The vegetable's health and condition can reveal how we feel about the belief or memory |
| S | Back to Navigate |
| Snake | Feeling at peace with self, or belief that one is "bad" and has been condemned by God; that forgiveness is not possible |
| Snow | Can represent a need for rest and relaxation, or for looking within. Could mean a relationship is about to change, or a difficult issue needs to be (or has been) resolved |
| Song lyrics | Can help us understand some aspect of ourselves or our experiences. If lyrics repeat throughout the day, there is a message in them that we are not quite grasping. Meditate to find the message A couple of suggestions for Going Home music: |
| T | Back to Navigate |
| Teeth | Represent our ability/inability to process life's experiences and to tolerate information that goes against our beliefs or desires. If teeth are missing, can show that a big change has happened or is about to happen |
| U | Back to Navigate |
| Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO's) | Can show we have a new recognition of The All, or there is a design for our spiritual path. Are we fighting it? |
| Unlocked door | Can show the time is right to take the next step |
| W | Back to Navigate |
| Walking | Can represent how we walk our spiritual path. Do our feet get tangled? Are we running freely? Limping? Using a cane or crutches? Unable to walk? |
| Washroom facilities | Can show that something needs to be released, or that an issue with our releasing process needs to be examined. Are the facilities clean and in good repair? Is releasing taking place? Is there difficulty in releasing? Is there a door for privacy? If so, is the door in good repair or broken? Is the lighting bright or dim? |
| Water images (lake, ocean, pond, river, swimming pool, etc.) | Can represent spirituality. Is the water cold or warm, clear or muddy, torrential or calm? What colour is it? If a river, is it flowing in the correct direction? |
| Windows | Can represent how we look at the world, how we think the world sees us, or how much "light" we let in. Are we on the inside or the outside of the window? Are the windows clean or dirty, smudged or smeared, small or large, operational or stuck shut, old or new, boarded up or covered? If broken, can show that something has happened or is going to happen that could drastically change our viewpoint |
| Workplace | Can represent our spiritual path. Are you working? How do you feel about your work? What is your position? Where is the boss? Who is the boss? What are your feelings for the boss? Boss can represent God, a person or an idea. What is being bought or sold? What is on display? If other employees are present, who are they, how do you feel about them, what are they doing? What are you doing? |
Full list of symbols
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Basement
Bedroom
Beet
Bird
Blood
Book
Bracelet, hoop earrings and ring
Breath
Bridge, door, gate
Briefcase
Back to top of B
Bedroom
Beet
Bird
Blood
Book
Bracelet, hoop earrings and ring
Breath
Bridge, door, gate
Briefcase
Back to top of B
Candle
Cardinal direction
Cat
Carrot
Classical music
Closed door
Clothing
Coin
College or university
Columns
Computer or tablet
Courtroom
Back to top of C
Cardinal direction
Cat
Carrot
Classical music
Closed door
Clothing
Coin
College or university
Columns
Computer or tablet
Courtroom
Back to top of C
Lake
Lamp
Library
Light bulb
Light image
Lighting in a room
Living room
Locked door
Luggage
Back to top of L
Lamp
Library
Light bulb
Light image
Lighting in a room
Living room
Locked door
Luggage
Back to top of L
Mirror
Modes of communication
Modes of transportation
Moon
Money
Monkey
Mug
Museum
Music genres
Music/song lyrics
Back to top of M
Modes of communication
Modes of transportation
Moon
Money
Monkey
Mug
Museum
Music genres
Music/song lyrics
Back to top of M
⇐ Section 3
Section 5 ⇒
Section 4
Section 4-1 - Ground rules
Section 4-2 - Colours
Section 4-3 - Numbers
Section 4-4 - Symbols
Contact the author |
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© Copyright: Sheila A. McBeath 1999
ISBN 978-1-7753521-2-9
If you print, reproduce or use any of this information, do not alter the content, and acknowledge "Making Change in Our Lives (a workbook)" within your material.
Terms of use
The information in this website and/or e-book is provided as spiritual information only. It is not to be used or relied upon for medical diagnosis or treatment. Consult your healthcare provider before making healthcare decisions. Your use of this web site and/or e-book means that you accept these terms.
Last Updated 20260614
This site uses Statcounter web analytics to track statistics using a 3rd party analytics cookie. No personal information is stored in the cookie. To set a Refusal cookie for your web browser, visit statcounter.com
© Copyright: Sheila A. McBeath 1999
ISBN 978-1-7753521-2-9
If you print, reproduce or use any of this information, do not alter the content, and acknowledge "Making Change in Our Lives (a workbook)" within your material.
Terms of use
The information in this website and/or e-book is provided as spiritual information only. It is not to be used or relied upon for medical diagnosis or treatment. Consult your healthcare provider before making healthcare decisions. Your use of this web site and/or e-book means that you accept these terms.
Last Updated 20260614
On this page
Navigate the items Spiritual meaning Suggested interpretations Search for a symbol Full list
Navigate the items Spiritual meaning Suggested interpretations Search for a symbol Full list