Dreams that feature your parents can have numerous interpretations but the key to understanding them depends on the feelings you associate with your parents, particularly those when you where a child and your parents were the center of your universe. When your dream parents are true to character, the message of your dream is usually easy to understand. For example, if your parents appeared in your dream with words of encouragement and love and they were, or are, this warm and loving in real life, then your dream may simply indicate that you are feeling insecure and in need of validation or unconditional love. Perhaps you dreamt that your parents scolded you about your recent poor performance at work and you have memories of them chiding you harshly over poor grades at school? If this is the case, it may be that your dream is highlighting your dissatisfaction at not living up to the standards your parents instilled in you.
If your parents appear together in your dream, this indicates the rules and codes you learned as a child that still speak to you from within.
If you are hurting, killing, burying or trying to avoid a parent in your dream, this suggests a desire to be free from restraints and values gathered from your parents. You may feel shocked by such a dream, but it is in fact a healthy sign of emerging independence as when your dream parents die or are beaten, you can inherit the power gained from what was good in your relationship.
Dreams in which your parents appear foolish, drunk or disorderly have a similar interpretation; they are a means of gaining independence from internalized values. Dreams in which your parents are crushing you are fairly easy to interpret, suggesting that you need to break away from childhood behavior patterns and develop as an individual. Dreams in which parents die or are dead already can be interpreted the same way. When a parent appears in your environment, home or workplace in your dream and there is no sense of tension, this indicates that you have learned to develop your sense of self and can accept your parents as friends.
Frequent appearances by one or both parents in dreams may be a sign that you have not thrown off an infantile overdependence on them. Jung cites a young man’s dream in which the man’s father appeared as a drunken driver, smashing his car into a wall. This was the exact opposite of the man’s real father, who was a most respectable person, and who was rightly—but far too greatly— respected by the son. What the unconscious was doing through the dream was dethroning the father in order to enable the son to achieve a proper sense of himself as a person in his own right, with his own unique destiny and values. So if your dreams regularly feature your parents, this may suggest that you are more dependent on them than is healthy at this stage in your life. Dreams in which your parents hurl abuse at you or behave inappropriately may therefore be trying to shock you into taking your mother or father off their pedestal so you can give yourself some much-needed emotional independence and freedom.
Whether or not your parent’s behavior in real life mirrors their behavior in its dreamland negative, reoccurring dreams about parents often raise the question of whether it is time for you to become more independent and strike out on your own, regardless of what your parents may think is best for you in waking life.
If you behaved inappropriately towards your parents in your dream, for example swearing at them, listing their faults or even murdering them, such a dream is likely to be a safety valve that enables you to let off tension that you may have been repressing in waking life. It is also likely to be an indication that you need to break free of parental control and take charge of your destiny. Finally, if an interpretation of the appearance of your mother and father still eludes you, it may be that your anima (if you are a man who dreamed of your mother) and your animus (if you are a woman who dreamed of your father) may be making an appearance; alternatively, it may be that another archetype has disguised itself as one of your parents. [1]
Dreaming Lens: Which parent was in your dream? What were you doing at the time? Where were you? What age were you? What age were they? Were they the same as they are/were in life? Were they imparting information to you? Were they abusive? Were you?
Personal Focus: The voices of our parents become deeply imbedded as parts of our personality. This correlates with whatever information they repeatedly presented to us during our formative years. If their messages were ones of criticism and limitation, they live on within us as those inhibiting parts of our inner monologue. If they were supportive and loving, the same would apply. Chances are that they were a combination of all sorts of messages, some positive and others negative.
Depending on where you are in your life, you may be more aligned with the challenges they presented than the gifts they gave. It is usually most effective to deal with anger and resentment before authentically moving into forgiveness. The quality of the interaction in the dream will clue you in on where you are in that process. While dreaming of your parents may inform your actual relationship with them, it is important to consider what the dream is saying about how you parent yourself.
The Dreaming Lens will tell you if you are holding yourself back or encouraging yourself to move forward. If the context of the dream indicates being stuck, then you may be holding yourself back on account of messages you were given as a child. If there is positive activity or movement in the dream, the presence of your parent(s) may be giving you insight into ways in which you are empowering yourself.
A celebration or gathering where your parents are present can be considered a moment of inventory; of taking stock of who you are by virtue of who raised and guided you. If you lack a life connection with the dream parent, consider that their absence created just as powerful a Character Aspect of the inner parent as one who was present. Allow the Dreaming Lens to inform you of what area of your self-identity is being expressed. Allow the emotional sense of the dream to indicate how well (or poorly) you are functioning as an adult. [2]
The voices of our parents become deeply imbedded in us as parts of our personality. This correlates with whatever information they repeatedly presented to us during our formative years.
If their messages were ones of criticism and limitation, they live on within us as those inhibiting parts of our inner monologue.
If our parents were supportive and loving, the same would apply. Chances are that they gave us a combination of messages, some positive and others negative. Depending on where you are in your life, you may be more aligned with the challenges your parents presented than the gifts they gave.
It is usually most effective to deal with feelings of anger and resentment before authentically moving into forgiveness.
The quality of the interaction in the dream will clue you in to where you are in that process.
While dreaming of your parents may inform your actual relationship with them, it is important to consider what the dream is saying about how you parent yourself. [3]
The father may represents the expressive, creative, and protective sides of God while the mother His receptive and nurturing side. Carl Jung suggests that women in dreams represent our collective unconscious and men our collective consciousness. Thus, the woman is that force, or current, inside of you that urges you on and inspires you. This knowledge is intuitive and unexpressed by words. Men, on the other hand, represent the active part of us that uses the information received to create the physical reality of our lives. When the two are working together well we have balance and experience awareness leading to peace and productivity.
To dream of being a parent (if you aren’t) au- gurs a surprising turn of events concerning a cause you believed to be lost; and a dream featuring a parent- (or parents-) in-law portends an awkward situ- ation which will require all your diplomatic skill to surmount.
To dream of the parents of others indi- cates that you can count on the help of friends when you need it [5]
Depth Psychology: Dreams about parents are a sign of maturity and letting go of the standards, rules, and problems with which your parents raised you.
The dream also may refer to your need for more guidance, security, and emotional warmth. Important here is the actual relationship you have with your parents! [6]
If they appear to you after they are dead, it is a warning of approaching trouble, and you should be particular of your dealings.
To see them while they are living, and they seem to be in your home and happy, denotes pleasant changes for you.
To a young woman, this usually brings marriage and prosperity.
If pale and attired in black, grave disappointments will harass you.
To dream of seeing your parents looking robust and contented, denotes you are under fortunate environments; your business and love interests will flourish.
If they appear indisposed or sad, you will find life’s favors passing you by without recognition.
If the parents are still living, perhaps you need to contact them.
If the parents have passed on, then they could be bringing you an important message.
Dreaming of one’s parents is perhaps the most subjective dream symbol of all.
The dreamer’s relationships with his or her parents, as well as the other symbols in the dream, need to be considered before a workable interpretation can be found. Astrological parallels: Saturn (father) and the Moon (mother) Tarot parallels: The Emperor, The Empress [8]
A dream of a mother is usually a dream that foretells a happy conclusion concerning a love interest as a mother represents love, protection, and nourishment of the body or the spirit.
If a deceased parent speaks to you in a dream you will have some very good luck. Unfortunately to dream of parents in law you will soon become involved in an embarrassing situation. [9]
If you dream that your parents are getting divorced, you may be expressing your real life concerns and worries about your folks.
For more detailed descriptions, also see “Mother” and “Father”. [10]
A reflection of your relationship with your parents now, or a memory from past experiences with them.
Archetypally, the God or Goddess parent to all humankind who guides and inspires (See also: Angel, Icon).
Any authority figure whom you respect in the same manner as a parent.
A personification of your Higher Self. [11]
The interpretation will depend on what other aspects were involved in the dream, and how you feel about your parents, in general. [13]
2. Relationship between the dreamer and parents.
3. Approaching change, often in aspects of life or personality (if dreaming of being a parent when the dreamer is not).
4. Good luck and prosperity. [14]
Dreaming of parents may also symbolize the union of the feminine and masculine facets of your personality. *See Father, Mother. [15]
In dreams parents may represent animus / anima; or the union of the masculine and feminine components of the psyche; or Wise Old Man and Great Mother; or just themselves, or your relationship with them, or vour image of them. [18]
If parents have crossed over, could be an actual visit or message from them.
A maiden who dreams of either or both of her parents may look forward to a happy marriage with a man of ample means. [20]
2. Guardians;
3. Past;
4. Literal parents; John 9:23; Heb. 11:23; Rom. 1:30. [21]
accompanying: have switched roles with that parent.
another’s: a bonus of parental support from left field.
beating their children: unexpectedly good affairs if you exercise care in their planning.
being accompanied by: new endeavor wil succeed.
embracing a: holding onto their ethics despite peer pressure.
grouchy, being a: difficulty instil ing their principles into your children.
naked, being: big family disagreement brings fortunate change.
of own after they are dead: closure.
parricide, committing: in your maturity you no longer depend upon them.
questionable parentage, of: major rows within family; your ideas wil create enemies.
visiting: business affairs going bad wil lead to a quiet life. [27]