Recognizing dream symbol meaning
When you’re trying to understand the meaning of a dream symbol, what you’re really looking for is what that symbol means for you (not for someone else) in its current context in this particular dream (not in someone else’s dream or another dream you had ten years ago).
I use the term “true meaning” to refer to the accurate translation of what your subconscious mind was portraying in the dream. The true meaning is usually the one that resonates with you as you’re considering various possible meanings, the one that rings true according to your intuition, and the one that your subconscious mind recognizes as the original meaning.
Intuition Is Your Dream Translator
Your intuition is your own personal translator of dream meaning. Intuition is key in understanding both the meaning of the overall dream and the meanings of its individual symbols because your intuition is the part of you that recognizes the truth.
Explore Until Your Intuition Says Yes
Rather than working in a linear or logical way (like when you’re solving a math problem), your intuition may require you to spend some time mulling over your dream symbol before an intuitive insight comes forward. So try looking at your dream symbol in different ways and considering different meanings until your intuition says, “Aha! That’s the one.” Keep exploring until you experience a flash of intuitive recognition, a sudden sense that everything within you is in alignment, or a sense of peace and completion. (You’ll learn to recognize this intuitive sense as you encounter it more often.)