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What are descending dreams about?

Descending in the act of lowering yourself or something. You can descend downstairs. You can descend into the caves of the earth. Descending can also be metaphoric. This symbol is identified by words like descend.

Descending in dreams is a very uncommon dream symbol, occuring in about 0.4% of dreams. That's about 1 out of every 250 dreams.

What are the major highlights of descending dreams?

Descending is a normal dream symbol. Having descending in a dream changes the dream in the same way as most other dream symbols.

Descending dreams are friendly

Dreams of descending have greater increase of friendly interactions within the dream than most other dream symbols. While not all dreams of descending will be friendly and they can also contain aggressive interactions, dreams of descending are more likely to have friendly interactions than most other dream symbols. Other symbols that are like this include helping, canoes, chimneys, fun, wrestling, qualities, speaking, embracing, hallways, and Chad.

Dreams of descending are aggressive

Descending dreams have more aggressive interactions than a lot of other dream symbols. This doesn't mean that all descending have aggressive interactions or only aggressive interactions. It simply means that having descending in a dream increases the probability this dream contains aggression. Other symbols that are like this include roofs, beginnings, ignoring, weakness, tanks, amputation, basements, ribs, general body parts, and scientists.

Descending dreams are scary

Dreams containing descending are more related to fear than 90% of all other dream symbols. Of course each dream is unique and this does not mean that all dreams of descending are about fear. It simply means that if you dream of descending, this dream has a great chance of being scarier than most other dream symbols. Other symbols that are like this include baboons, panic, couldn't open eyes, obeying, closed my eyes, armageddon, hyenas, cold, mosquitoes, and praying.

How does the dream symbol of descending affect the different aspects of a dream?

Explore different elements related to dreams of descending

Who is in descending dreams?

Overall, dreams with descending are less related to characters in dreams. Specifically, dreams of descending are more related to animals, much more related to insects, and much more related to fantastic beings than dreams in general. They are less related to close people, less related to family, and less related to romantic partners.

Animals

more than usual

Insects

much more than usual

Different roles

the same as usual

Fantastic beings

much more than usual

Distant people

the same as usual

Close people

less than usual

Family

less than usual

Romantic partners

less than usual
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What are the emotions in descending dreams?

Overall, dreams with descending are aren't really related to emotions in dreams. Specifically, dreams of descending are more related to happiness, much more related to grief and sorrow, and much more related to fear than dreams in general. They are less related to sadness, less related to hatred, and less related to fun.

Happiness

more than usual

Sadness

less than usual

Grief and sorrow

much more than usual

Embarrassment

the same as usual

Confusion

the same as usual

Fear

much more than usual

Pain

the same as usual

Hatred

less than usual

Fun

less than usual

Love

less than usual
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Who is in descending dreams?

Overall, dreams with descending are more related to places in dreams. Specifically, dreams of descending are more related to human places, more related to transportation, and much more related to natural places than dreams in general. They are less related to work.

Home

the same as usual

Work

less than usual

Human places

more than usual

Transportation

more than usual

Natural places

much more than usual

Magical places

much more than usual
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What happens in descending dreams?

Overall, dreams with descending are aren't really related to events in dreams. Specifically, dreams of descending are more related to aggressive interactions, more related to friendly interactions, and much more related to disasters than dreams in general. They are less related to sex.

Aggressive interactions

more than usual

Friendly interactions

more than usual

Sex

less than usual

Disasters

much more than usual
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How do descending in dreams related to other dream phenomenon?

Overall, dreams with descending are aren't really related to dream events in dreams. Specifically, dreams of descending are more related to lucid dreams and more related to sleep paralysis than dreams in general. They are less related to recurring dreams, less related to sleeping, and less related to waking life.

Lucid dreams

more than usual

Nightmares

the same as usual

Recurring dreams

less than usual

Recurring nightmares

the same as usual

Sleep paralysis

more than usual

Sleeping

less than usual

Waking life

less than usual
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How do descending in dreams related the senses?

Overall, dreams with descending are more related to senses in dreams. Specifically, dreams of descending are more related to hearing, more related to smelling, and more related to taste than dreams in general.

Hearing

more than usual

Smelling

more than usual

Taste

more than usual

Vision

more than usual

Touch

more than usual
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How can you make sense of descending in dreams?

Descending dreams are very uncommon. Among other things descending dreams are normally interconnect, friendly, aggressive, and scary.

Do you think this is true for your dream of descending? How might your dream of descending be different?

All dreams have meaning

You can gain insight from thinking about any dream, no matter how strange. Only you, as the dreamer, have final say on what your dream may or may not mean. Each dream is unique.

Look for the differences

The DreamWell dictionary provides information on how each dream symbol appears in dreams in general. Finding how experience descending in dreams can be a key to understanding its meaning.

Return to the feelings

Our emotions in dreams can help us understand its meaning. Pay attention to how you felt in the dream. Pay attention to how you feel about descending in dreams. See how you feel about descending now, in your waking life.

What are possible meanings for dreams of descending?

The symbolism of descending in a dream can mean the same as “in decline.” For example, a peak is reached in life—physically, personally, mentally, socially—and everything afterward is perceived as moving down or declining. It can symbolize falling fortunes, falling body temperature, lowered expectations, or declining health, skill, or ability.

“Stepping down” means to relinquish a position of authority or power. See: Stairs and ladders

Movement down can be associated with emotions, especially if the setting is a basement or stairs. Emotions are felt most strongly in the gut and chest, which are located below the head, so in dreams your emotions can be symbolized as descent into a basement or low area. See: Basements

For example, a young woman dreams that her boyfriend is at the top of the stairs of their house and is about to take a step down. She screams and shouts for him to stop. Her reaction here is key because it reveals strong feelings related to the underlying symbolism. Otherwise, why react so strongly to something as simple as walking down stairs? It’s because stepping down symbolizes his attempts to understand her, especially her emotions, and subconsciously she understands what stepping down means. She’s highly protective of her emotions, doesn’t let anyone in. “Don’t go there,” is what she’s really trying to say.

Downward movement can symbolize a lowered opinion of someone or something.

It’s associated with a “sinking feeling” and “descent into chaos.” You have a feeling things are about to take a turn for the worse, or a situation is melting down.

Downward movement is associated with “coming down” off a high—drug-induced or related to mood and feelings. See: Crashes

Downward movement, especially a spiral movement, can indicate that a solution or answer is being sought in the unconscious mind. When solutions are sought for issues related to soul or personal development, we descend into the unconscious mind. In spiritual traditions the underworld is a place of wisdom and rebirth. See: Spirals

Descending movement can be a visual pun for “descendent,” meaning “to descend from.”

Be sure to read the entry for Elevator.

See also: Ascending, Basements, Climbing, Crashes, Depression, Descending, Elevators, Falling, Hell, Spirals, Stairs and ladders, Unconscious minds

This interpretation is from ""The Dream Interpretation Dictionary: Symbols, Signs, and Meanings" and is provided by J.M. DeBord aka "RadOwl". He is the author of several acclaimed books about dreaming, the host of The Dreams That Shape Us podcast, and is a moderator of r/Dreams, one of the largest dream sharing communities on the internet.

Examples of dreams of descending

Read some real dream reports of descending dreams.. These real life dream reports come from the moderated dream sharing communities of Reddit including r/Dreams, r/Nightmares, r/DreamInterpretation, or r/thisdreamihad. Please note that some of these may contain graphic, sexual, or violent images and text. Use the source link for each dream to view and join the discussion of each one.

An enflamed phoniex from above descending, a dragon made from ice ascending from below.

I had this dream where in one eye I could see a dragon made from ice coiled in the shape of an 8, the patterns on its skin almost made it seem like the 8 was a pair of eyes opened but in between the two loops was its head where its actually eyes were peacefully asleep.

In the other eye I could see a phoniex of fire with its wings spread wide creating the number 3 when you added in its head and my angle from below which I was looking at it from. It's eyes were closed too just like the dragon but it was not at peace it was agitated.

All of sudden the right eye of the dragon and the left eye of the phoniex started to open, and my eyes involuntarily started to close too but as it did I could see what the dragon and the phoenix were both looking at. Both were staring at each other but there was a sense that I was staring at a mirror, and a pain in my stomach could be felt and I felt the desire to bring fire to ice and ice to fire. As soon as the two sides of my eyes started to come together, an annoyed sigh came out of my mouth and the words too soon. My eyes opened up and I was back awake.

I am really lost, I feel like this is important by the unease I feel but I am having a hard time piecing it together.

I had this dream where in one eye I could see a dragon made from ice coiled in the shape of an 8, the patterns on its skin almost made it seem like the 8 was a...

Source | Show dream

Caterpillar screeching, bursting then dying in my dream..?

I could hear a descending whistling (almost like the whistle of a teapot).. I followed the noise to my kitchen closet where I saw a big caterpillar was curling up and dying, he had burst open from his stomach.
When I reached him he was already gone, and the sound had stopped.

This is something that really stuck with me after I woke up and i felt really disturbed for some reason, I’ve been thinking about it since I dreamt it.

What’s the significance of a caterpillar in a dream? And with that, what’s the significance of me seeing him like that and feeling so disturbed?

I could hear a descending whistling (almost like the whistle of a teapot).. I followed the noise to my kitchen closet where I saw a big caterpillar was curling...

Source | Show dream

met my subconcious as a person

before you read, just know, i never knew or thought about talking with parts of yourself, but still it felt very intentional.

yesterday, i had a pretty shit day and also had some form of fight with my gf, but i convinced her i could pick her up and we go to my place.

when we went to bed, i remember i had 2-3 sleep paralyses, but they just annoyed me, rather than scare me. after that a very clear dream started and it started off with me being in a city i don't know, but i lived there and my dad visited me. we ran through a chase like a movie, but when i reached a river, i noticed i was dreaming and started flying a bit through the air, but i didn't know how to descend, but only ascend. i then met in a really nice house an older, calm man with long hair and a beard, who kinda looked like me.
i asked, 'who are you' and he said 'your subconcious' and we kinda started a talk like you have, when you sit together in a Café.

i asked him a few questions, and he calmly knew answers to everything and was happy to explain them to me. one questions was, if i love my gf (i always think i don't/ can't love, caused by anxiety, etc) and he said 'yes, you do, a lot' and something like i shouldn't let drop her.

it was a weird experience but i am looking forward to meet him/ me in his house again. he's a nice guy.

before you read, just know, i never knew or thought about talking with parts of yourself, but still it felt very intentional.

yesterday, i had a pretty shit...

Source | Show dream

"The More Beautiful World our Hearts Know is Possible"

I was on a bus with my friend and some younger kids from my old boy scout troop. I turned to one of the young ones and asked him if he knew Rembrandt because his face was covered in a birthmark that looked just like Rembrandt's last painting. I described the painting to him saying it was really sparse and empty and contained a self portrait of Rembrandt looking over his shoulder with a really haunted look on his face.

Then, I looked out the bus window and saw that we were parked outside this playground, I wanted to go out and hang from the monkey bars. I decided to go out and my friend hesitantly followed me. Once we were outside, the playground was like this exotic marketplace, with other cultures and aliens. My friend and I ate these balls that made our skin turn blue, green, and pink which we both found funny.

We walked through the market and this guy suddenly was taking us on a tour. He was showing us stuff his company made, I don't remember much but at some point we descended down into the cellar which was full of Arizona tea products. All these different flavors of tea and juice, in a maze of glass walls. We wandered through and eventually all sat down.

At this point, there was a short pause and then people started talking about human potential and how often we limit our experience of the world. They talked about how rich and full life can be and how deeply we can feel the world around us. I remember them specifically saying "the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible". As they talked, I was watching these bottles of water, inside the water, these shimmering portals were opening up, inside was the most vibrant blue sky I've ever seen. It felt like life was opening up fully.

Then, we walked back up to the surface and as we went, the tour guide (who was now Danny devito for some reason) was saying to watch for signs of life's flourishing. Each hall we passed was a different biome, like the first was an evergreen forest and the guide said that if we listened closely, we'd hear the signs of life. I listened and heard these nuts on the ground making a chattering sound. We passed some other halls with new environments, all with new sounds of life. Eventually we got to the surface and I woke up.

Additional info: The kid with the Rembrandt birthmark was always shy and awkward. I kind of feel some of that in myself too and can resonate with how isolating it is.

The friend in the dream is super into nature and plant life.

I bought a bus with another friend and we're hoping to travel around the country in it next year.

Overall, I feel like the last few years of my life have been kind of introspective, like a cocoon period and I'm hoping that soon I'll be able to open up and enjoy my life more freely.

I was on a bus with my friend and some younger kids from my old boy scout troop. I turned to one of the young ones and asked him if he knew Rembrandt because...

Source | Show dream

I had a dream about (what i assume) was the rapture

I’m not sure how to interpret it as i’m not a religious person and have no idea whats set to happen during the christian interpretation of the return of god/christ, nobody talks about the dream itself on google. I’m not an obsessive “the end is neigh” person I never even consider the end of everything I just go about my business grateful for the time I have here, anyways to the recollection.

I remember waking up and knowing it had been snowing outside for days, it was day time but everything outside was two tones darker and gray, like there was a blanket over the sky? and I knew that the sun hadn’t been out in awhile and it was freezing out (in the negatives) and there was a lot of soot on the ground.

I remember walking outside and I subconsciously knew something was coming, and sure enough more than a few golden “ships” that looked like complex towers descended from beneath the blanket, they were massive and a few very unusual orbs that looked like a guro ball were in a formation around the towers, it looked like they had massive horns on each of them and a sound like a battle horn, it was so loyd it almost didn’t register in the dream and it shook the earth itself, soot flew up from the ground. despite the fact that it was horrifying to witness I felt fine.

I don’t know what happened directly afterwords but I remember that I was enveloped in a golden “aura” and was able to move around freely while everyone around me was frozen, I tried searching for someone I cared about but everyone’s identity was obscured, they looked like multicolored shadows more than people. Next thing I remember I was on a black ship that had prongs on the top of it and was narrow and long, flying up to the atmosphere and despite the fact there were no windows I could see outside of the ship, ( sorry for the poor explanation the ships were far too complex to explain in words) something flew out from underneath and impacted the earth instantly, hit the ground and In seconds the whole world was set ablaze and somehow I knew it wouldn’t extinguish anytime soon.

I didn’t know where I was going but I understood what was happening, we ended up at this very odd structure in space that looked like red tree roots but was built in a four way intersection sort of way, the ships prongs hooked ip to the middle of the structure and all of a sudden we were traveling through an endless tunnel of golden rings, a word like “time” popped into my head and I knew then we were traveling through time somehow through this tunnel.

Not sure if this is accurate or if I just got abducted but if anyone has any insights that’d be awesome thanks for reading, my girlfriend just told me I got raptured when I told her about it and she speculated we were traveling to earth again but in a different point in time please let me know what you guys think

I’m not sure how to interpret it as i’m not a religious person and have no idea whats set to happen during the christian interpretation of the return of...

Source | Show dream
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