Another view on animal dreams

I love this article by Ryan Hurd. It reminds us that there's many ways to understand a dream.

that's excellent!
i must try to keep that in mind, i'm so often surrounded by packs of dogs or lions and tigers. :D

He doesn't exactly say what he thinks the animals mean. But it seems the point is to make peace with them. Usually animals are "my lower nature" - from physical needs upwards. But that doesn't mean I can treat them anyway they want. I used to have dreams of lions bashing down my door from time to time many years ago.

The strategy of dealing he offers is pure genius. He hands over the resolution to the dream itself, and even though lucid allows an unconscious process of resolution occur. I think Robert Waggoner would be delighted, who thinks that the consciousness manifesting at these times is the higher consciousness.

Cheers,
Oliver

the fact that he then can call on the wolves when he needs help, made me think of shamanic power animals.
perhaps having grown up with the dog/wolf like he did, resulted in wolves being a natural power animal for him.
so maybe not all dream animals are to be interpreted. maybe they are simply our power animals trying to make contact, or waiting to be 'tamed'...

me too i mainly think of dream-animals as power-aspects within us, though i believe or have understood of my own dreams that it depends of how they appear. A spider i.e. can appear as small, ugly, fast and unpleasent in behaviour, but it also can appear big, beautiful and settled as an impressionable figur of dignity and power. Likewise can appear i.e. a Tiger as a sublim and powerful or even smoochy cosy friend, but on the other hand also as a threatening naughty aggressor. In my eyes there is non of them without meaning but i agree in that these animals as inner aspects of us are either waiting to be conntacted and recognized or be transformed into their "higher" aspects.

I wonder if he's meant to follow them- they may show him some interesting things- a path.