Perhaps unequalled in the annals of human depravity is the name of Adolf Hitler; a symbol of insanity, pure evil and Machiavellian cynicism, if he appears in your dreams, it is worth asking what, or whom, is being tarred with one of the blackest names history can produce.
If you dream of Adolf Eichmann, a man responsible for organizing the shipping of Jews to the extermination camps in Poland in World War II and a powerful symbol of a fanatical obedience to an unjust cause, it may be that you are doing something for someone else that deeply toubles your conscience.
Mao Tse-Tung was responsible for the deaths of millions of his countrymen and his ‘Cultural Revolution’ led to the destruction of much of China’s cultural heritage and the imprisonment of a huge number of Chinese intellectuals, amongst other social chaos.
If he makes an appearance in dreams, it may be a warning against the dangers of personality over substance, and the total disregard for tradition and experience.
The final member of the triumvirate of hugely powerful and hugely evil leaders in the twentieth century is Joseph Stalin, who brought about the deaths of more than 20 million of his own people while holding the Soviet Union in an iron grip for during the middle part of last century. As with Hitler and Mao, Stalin is potent symbol of negativity, repression and cruelty. [1]
Evil manifestations in dreams will nearly always represent something in yourself. Don’t be offended: there is evil in everyone. What needs to be understood is that the same psychic forces may be good or evil - that is, they may work constructively or destructively.
Evil (destructiveness) rises up from the unconscious, where we bury the parts of ourselves that have at some time frightened us or caused guilt-feelings. We mostly project these repressed psychic drives or qualities on to other people, and this may be what your dream is saying you are doing.
Anger, hatred, and all other destructive tendencies can be dealt with only in oneself. The key to success in dealing with this evil within ourselves is to realize that what is evil is potentially good. Accept the neglected and feared things in yourself, let them assume their proper destined role in your life, and they will then be a power for good. Ev il may reside even in what we call our ‘conscience’. Conscience may be of two kinds: a repository for socially accepted norms of behaviour, including notions of right and wrong picked up from parents in our early years; and a medium by which the conscious ego can receive promptings and warnings from the centre of your being. The latter may sometimes conflict with the former - what your ‘destiny5 calls for may be at odds with what society demands - and courage may be needed to
remain true to your inner self. Since we are all in process of evolution, we cannot properly expect perfection in ourselves or others. An unbending perfectionism is a neurotic condition. The essential thing is to be aware of the evil in ourselves. Only thus can we control it; otherwise, it will control us. Beware of the person who thinks he or she is perfect! Self-knowledge is the first step towards solving the problem of evil. [2]
The unbalanced and real evils in the world, such as terrorising of individuals and minority groups, can of course be shown as the feeling of evil.
Example: %I am lying on the floor in my bedroom with a towel over me. I am trying to hide and protect myself because I am terrified. There are four devils trying to get into my body and take over. My bedroom is going like a whirlpool around me, like evil all around me. I wake in a hot sweat and am terrified to go back to sleep’ (Joanna). Joanna is most likely in conflict with her sexuality—the bedroom. When we fight with our own urges they often feel like external agencies—evil forces—attacking us. Sometimes refers to repressed emotional pain.
See also: aboriginal; devil under archetypes.
If you recognize yourself as the owner of these tendencies, you should accept them and practice the opposite in real life. That is, if you hate someone in a dream, love more; if you avenge yourself, forgive; if you are jealous, be good and generous.
According to an old teaching of I Ching, the perseverance of good is the only way to ward off evil. [4]
See also: Venting Dream, Devil. [5]
To dream that someone or something is evil, signifies a repressed and/or forbidden aspect of yourself. This part of yourself may be seeking recognition and acknowledgment. Alternatively, evil in a dream may also be a reflection of your strong, negative emotions like hate, anger, etc. [6]
Your personal shadow; negatives to overcome within.
Metaphysicallv, the dark forces that exist in all things, maintaining the balance (See also: Hell).
Demons and other malevolent creatures represent fears and anxiety that manifest through these images.
If very threatening toward the dreamer, this can reflect self-hatred or guilt. Alternatively, this can indicate dangerous companions whose immorality is disguised by flattery. [7]
2- Evil is that which cannot be explained away, and any violent action can be interpreted as evil. Any darkness can also be seen as evil.
3- By association, evil walks hand in hand with the Devil and Satan. [8]
Labelling something as “evil” according to your own assumptions, observations, judgments, or some other mental process.
See also: Threat, Bad, Criminal, Right or Wrong [9]
2. A generalized term for hatred. [13]
person, being taken away by an: serious disaster is ahead.
spirits, causing sorrow: wil be cheated out of your ambitions; try a new career.
driving, away: wil be mystified by unaccountable horror.
impairing happiness: wil have mastery over many matters. [15]