Devil

Basic Meaning - A fear of those repressed contents of the unconscious that are, when acknowledged the very forces that could bestow a harmonious and balanced life.

(1) The Satan of Jewish - Christian - Islamic tradition was originally a horned fertility god, a personification of the fertilizing power of Nature {the tradition of God is separate from Nature}. In psychological terms, a fertilizing agent is something within the psyche that can inaugurate a new phase in the individual's development.

(2) The evil connotations of the devil figure may reflect the dreamer's fear of those repressed contents of the unconscious that are, in fact, the very forces that - if mobilized and utilized - could bestow a new and fuller life. What we repress is invariably something that had great value for us but on some occasion in the past gave rise to guilt-feelings or a fear of punishment. It is our fears that invest the unconscious with the fearsome characteristics of a dark underworld inhabited by evil monsters. In reality, the unconscious contains all the energy and wisdom we need for healing and wholeness.

It might be said that our fundamental human task is the conversion of the devil within ourselves, that is, converting negatively charged {dissident, destructive} psychic forces into positively charged {life-enhancing and unifying} powers. But you won't convert the devil with brute force, only with love. The negatively charged psychic forces are the ones you neglect and despise or fear. They become positively charged when you acknowledge them and integrate them into your conscious life.

If we do not recognize the "devil" within ourselves, we shall project him onto others and thereby give more scope for hatred and destruction {the real devil!} in the world.

{3} In certain contexts - if, for example, he has horns or is sexually involved with naked women - the devil may be a sexual symbol. If sexuality is repressed in such a guise in a woman's dream, it is possibly because she has a fear of sexual relations. In a man's dreamthe indication might be that he has a guilt-ridden attitude towards his own sexuality {which Freud might trace back to anxiety arising out of the normal male infant's erotic feelings for his mother}.

Demons

Demons in dreams probably represent parts of your unconscious mind that have been repressed and neglected and are now threatening to disrupt or mutilate the psyche. They should be approached lovingly, given attention and integrated into your conscious life. This will bring about their "conversion": They will cease to threaten and will contribute their vital energies to the enhancement of the self.

Self-knowledge - knowing what we are carrying around with us in our unconscious - is the only sure defence against what in ancient times was called demonic possession, which in psychological terms means the conscious ego being taken over by unconscious forces {obsessive fear or anger, or whatever}.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

Demons in dreams probably represent parts of your unconscious mind that have been repressed and neglected and are now threatening to disrupt or mutilate the psyche. They should be approached lovingly, given attention and integrated into your conscious life. This will bring about their "conversion": They will cease to threaten and will contribute their vital energies to the enhancement of the self.

Self-knowledge - knowing what we are carrying around with us in our unconscious - is the only sure defence against what in ancient times was called demonic possession, which in psychological terms means the conscious ego being taken over by unconscious forces {obsessive fear or anger, or whatever}.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

(1) A fight may represent conflict in a real-life domestic or work situation.

(2) The conflict may be within you, between opposing forces in the psyche. An obvious candidate is a clash between what you want to do and what you feel you ought to do. In this case, bear in mind that conscience is usually socially constructed and consists of the prohibitions and ideals that were imprinted in your psyche during your early years.

(3) The conflict may be between what we are in fact and what we are potentially. Jung sees conscience as the voice of inner wisdom that will lead us to our true selfhood.

(4) If the conflict is between conscious ego and unconscious, the aggressor in the dream fight will probably represent the part of you that is demanding release from the dungeons of the unconscious. It will not hurt you unless you deny it expression. Identify it, and then welcome it as a talent or energy that can contribute to your well being. Change the conflict into a dialogue, a respectful exchange between your conscious and unconscious. (Is this not the way to handle such situations in our waking lives, instead of aggression?).

Where there is unresolved inner conflict, there is a tendency to project the unconscious protagonist to other people, often with dire consequences in personal relationships.

(5) More specific inner conflicts are those between opposite psychic qualities or forces, such as masculinity and femininity, thinking and feeling.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

(1) The eagle may be an animus figure

(2) Eagles live in high places and have been associated in primitive societies with the Sun God. An eagle may therefore appear in a dream as a messenger from a helpful source in your unconscious. Does it 'say" anything to you? If so, take it seriously and act accordingly. (Sun mat symbolize your true self.)

(3) An eagle has strong wings and may, therefore, symbolize something within you that can lift you - perhaps out of depression, towards the "light".

(4) The sun may be a symbol of consciousness, and so the eagle may signify a need to extend your conscious awareness. Perhaps you need to get better acquainted with the contents of your unconscious and integrate them into your conscious active life.

(5) Eagles have sometimes been associated with fertility. Psychologically speaking, fertility means bringing to life latent (hidden - undeveloped) powers in the psyche.

(6) Is the eagle paired in some way with a snake - holding a snake in its talons, for example? In mythology, eagle and snake represent the conflict of opposites. In psychological terms the opposites may be the conscious/unconscious; thought/instinct; spiritual/animal; masculine/feminine. The dream may be pointing out an area of inner conflict that needs your conscious intention. If so, bear in mind that a lasting resolution of conflict is never achieved by denying the right of one of the conflicting parties. Some balance of forces in the psyche is called for, so that every psychic component gets its proper share of attention and expression without threatening the rights of other components.

Eagle and lion (or some other animal) may have the same symbolism.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

{1} A head may be a symbol of intellect: rational as distinct from intuitive thought {see Personality Types}.

{2} It may symbolize the conscious ego as distinct from the unconscious {which might be represented by the abdomen or solar plexus}.

{3} It may be a symbol of masculinity.

{4} A monstrous, horrifying head probably represents negative - because repressed - drives or processes in your unconscious. Try to follow Perseus" example. The Gorgons" eyes turned to stone anyone they looked at; but when Perseus succeeded in cutting off Medusa's head, the winged horse Pegasus sprang from her body. This may be seen as symbolizing the psychic or spiritual development that results from facing up to whatever is fearsome in one's unconscious.

{5} A two-headed creature may symbolize either duality, antagonistic opposites in your psyche or the {needed} union, or bringing together, of opposing psychic qualities/functions/forces - for example, masculine and feminine; conscious and unconscious.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

The beach is the meeting place of two worlds, land and sea, which may symbolize the conscious and unconscious realms of the human psyche. Perhaps there is something within your unconscious that the conscious mind needs to acknowledge. Dreaming that you are looking toward the beach, suggests that you are returning to what is familiar to you. Alternatively, you may be adapting or accepting to the changes and circumstances in your life.

Bridging the unconscious and conscious. The unconscious seeking conduit to the conscious mind.

Unconscious aspects becoming conscious. Beginning to recognize those true values within.

Where unconscious and conscious meet, offering vital information about some "foreign" or unknown aspects about yourself. May represent a transition to a new phase in your life. The conversion of two states of mind or attitudes that may have been in conflict but are now coming together.