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

Dragon:

Animal instincts to be conquered, hence the battles of Saint George and Saint Michael with 'the dragon." The dragon fight is related to the archetypal themes of search/quest, the hero/heroine, and, in more modern terms, separating ourselves from the collective values of our parents/ancestors. The dragon can symbolize a guardian or guarding quality; something that needs to be guarded/protected in your life/psyche. As a devouring creature, it may represent negative aspects of the mother archetype. It shares much of the same symbolism as the snake, and both can symbolize the developing Self

Pagan/Wiccan Interpretation of Dragon {Positive}

Basic meaning: Unconscious fears that are repressed and need to be acknowledged

Symbolism in Dreams

The Jung/Freud Approach

Dragon

(1) Is the dragon guarding a treasure, or a cave which might contain treasure? If so, the cave probably represents your unconscious, the treasure represents yourself, the dragon that stands between you and your true self represents the fearsomeness of the unconscious, for one who is still afraid of what may be lurking there. This is a repression of the unconscious contents

(2) For Jung, the first stage of the individuation process is the conscious ego's heroic struggle {the hero/heroine journey of mythology} to lift itself out of the orginal all-encompassing unconsciousness and to establish control of unconscious forces. This finds symbolic representation in the legendary dragon-slayer, St George (St George = the ego; the dragon = the unconscious).

(3) The dragon may represent the devouring aspect of (your relationship with) your mother. 'slaying the dragon" may therefore mean putting an end to whatever in your attachment to your mother is detrimental to the process of finding your own psychic individuality. Once the individual has achieved liberation from the "dragon", the feminine side of the manspsyche and the masculine side of the womanspsyche will no longer appear in threatening form, but as an indispensable companion and guide in further stages of self-development.

(4) A dragon may represent the generative power of (Mother) Nature; the unconscious, felt as womb pregnant with new possibilities of life.

(5) A winged dragon may symbolize some kind of transcendence, some passing from "lower" to "higher" level of personal maturity.

(6) A dragon may be a symbol for your sexuality, particularily if it - your sexuality - frightens you. Is your fear irrationsal; or does sexuality threaten to rule your life? In either case, don't kill the "dragon"; if necessary tame it.

(In China, "chi" is good, life-giving energy and the channels it runs along are called "dragon-lines", which are said to follow underground water and underground magnetic fields).

Source: Eric Ackroyd

May represent mother; the unconscious; intuition; instincts; nature; personal growth.

(1) By virtue of its sexual associations, dancing may represent a coming together - courtship - of the masculine (animus) and feminine (anima) side of one's nature. See anima - animus HERE

(2) Joining a dance probably means relating cooperatively with the other person or group. What does that person or group symbolize? It may be some part of you: your hidden self, with its mulitude of emotions, instinctive impulses, ideas, ideals, beliefs/prejudices, attitudes, ambitions, etc.

(3) Perhaps it is the "dance of life". Participating/not participating in the dance would then mean relating harmoniously with Nature (or your unconscious)/being out of step with it. (Dancing clumsily may signify that you are "out of step".)

(4) If the dance is a frenzied solo performance, it may represent some kind of "possession", indicating that some psychic element (unconscious)is threatening to take you over. If this is the case, you need to identify the causes of any compulsive behaviour you observe in yourself; and then to come to terms with it - which will usually mean either making space in your life for some hitherto repressed part of you; or getting rid of (repressed) guilt-feelings; or both.

Dancing may be a sexual symbol, representing sexual intercourse.

Reference: Eric Ackroyd

(1) Is the dragon guarding a treasure, or a cave which might contain treasure? If so, the cave probably represents your unconscious, the treasure represents yourself, the dragon that stands between you and your true self represents the fearsomeness of the unconscious for one who is still afraid of what may be lurking there.

(2) For Jung, the first stage of the individuation process is the conscious ego's heroic struggle to lift itself out of the original all-encompassing unconsciousness and to establish control of unconscious forces. This finds symbolic representation in the legendary dragon-slayer, St George (St George = the ego; the dragon = the unconscious).

(3) The dragon may represent the devouring aspect of (your relationship with) your mother. 'slaying the dragon" may therefore mean putting an end to whatever in your attachment to your mother is detrimental to the process of finding your own psychic individuality. Once the individual has achieved liberation from the "dragon", the feminine side of the manspsyche and the masculine side of the womanspsyche will no longer appear in threatening form, but as an indispensable companion and guide in further stages of self-development.

(4) A dragon may represent the generative power of (Mother) Nature; the unconscious, felt as womb pregnant with new possibilities of life.

(5) A winged dragon may symbolize some kind of transcendence, some passing from "lower" to "higher" level of personal maturity.

(6) A dragon may be a symbol for your sexuality, particularly if it your sexuality - frightens you. Is your fear irrational; or does sexuality threaten to rule your life? In either case, don't kill the "dragon"; if necessary tame it. (In China, "chi" is good, life-giving energy and the channels it runs along are called "dragon-lines", which are said to follow underground water and underground magnetic fields).

Opening up to your true identity. A need to relax, get away from everyday stresses. A need to be more in touch with nature and for a simpler life.

Restriction of some aspect of the psyche self; repression. A snake may symbolize sexuality; psychic energy, or the power of Nature; intuitive wisdom; the unconscious.

A red rose may symbolize love; or passion. Roses, like flowers generally, may represent the beauty of Nature and a need to be in touch with nature.

If the child in your dream is you as a child, the significance of the dream may have to do with a childhood experience.

The child may be a symbol of your true self, That which is essentially you and which you are capable of unfolding. The fact that your real self is represented by a child suggests that your true self is a a beautiful unspoilt product of Nature; that is worthy of unreserved love; and that it needs the nourishment of your love if it is to grow.

The child may represent the transcendent nature of the self; it is much more than just your conscious ego or your present image of yourself; it holds together the opposites that are within you, "head" and "heart", extroversion and introversion, masculine and feminine.

The child may represent a new beginning, a new development in your psyche - a new attitude to life, a new set of values, a new reconciliation of previously conflicting forces.

There is in all of us a child - our emotional self - that often needs reassurance, to be told that all is well and there is no cause for fear, or anger, or guilt, and that love makes all things good and dissolves all pain. At the same time the child sometimes needs to be chided and corrected if it is eventually to - as it should - grow up.