What are war dreams about?
Wars happen when groups of people attack each other. Wars, by definition, are full of aggression. This symbol is identified by words like war and battle.
War in dreams is a relatively common dream symbol, occuring in about 2.1% of dreams. That's about 1 out of every 50 dreams.
What are the major highlights of war dreams?
War is a normal dream symbol. Having war in a dream changes the dream in the same way as most other dream symbols.
Dreams of war are aggressive
War dreams have more aggressive interactions than a lot of other dream symbols. This doesn't mean that all war have aggressive interactions or only aggressive interactions. It simply means that having war in a dream increases the probability this dream contains aggression. Other symbols that are like this include calluses, police, climbing, magic, bullies, thrones, messes, being shot, wind, and wounds.
War dreams might be about death
Dreams that contain war are highly related to death. They are more related to death than 90% of all other dream symbols. Other symbols that are like this include cowards, plane crashes, armor, innocence, seeing a dead mother, stabbing, saving, Guatemala, funerals, and bankers.
What symbols more present in dreams of war?
War dreams are notable because they have substantially more nuclear bombs, enemies, fighting, Ukraine, warriors, countries, United States of America, weapons, Vietnam, destroying, Russia, armies, shooting, ambushing, missiles, guns, bombs, attacking, armor, Somalia, Laos, El Salvador, planes, grenades, tanks, elements of fire, invading, protecting, bullets, machine guns, killing, Afghanistan, heroes, the earth, spaceships, cannons, Iran, groups, pilots, kings, fires, opponents, different roles, Syria, captains, nazis, magic, the planets, disasters, east, Germany, evil, capturing, destruction, Morocco, Kuwait, natural places, Bangladesh, saving, China, and dragons than 95% of other dream symbols.
What symbols less present in dreams of war?
War dreams are notable because they have substantially less boyfriends, serial killers, recurring dreams, crushes, bedrooms, social media, paralysis, former partners, seeing a dead grandmother, romantic partners, sex, vomiting, teeth falling out, calves, getting a job, abortions, menstruation, precognitive dreams, nightmares, deformation, pets, raping, beds, recurring nightmares, babies, infidelity, strangling, mirror, peeing, aggressive interactions, verbs, giving birth, pregnancy, weddings, baggage, sleeping, underwear, being naked, flirting, grim reapers, cakes, mothers, dream within a dream, insights, and sleep paralysis than 95% of other dream symbols.
How does the dream symbol of war affect the different aspects of a dream?
Explore different elements related to dreams of war
Who is in war dreams?
Overall, dreams with war are less related to characters in dreams. Specifically, dreams of war are more related to different roles and 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.
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Who is in war dreams?
Overall, dreams with war are less related to places in dreams. Specifically, dreams of war are more related to natural places and more related to magical places than dreams in general. They are less related to home.
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What happens in war dreams?
Overall, dreams with war are aren't really related to events in dreams. Specifically, dreams of war are much more related to aggressive interactions and more related to disasters than dreams in general. They are less related to sex.
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How do war in dreams related to other dream phenomenon?
Overall, dreams with war are less related to dream events in dreams. Specifically, dreams of war are less related to nightmares, less related to recurring dreams, and less related to sleeping.
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How can you make sense of war in dreams?
War dreams are relatively common. Among other things war dreams are normally interconnect, aggressive, and about death.
Do you think this is true for your dream of war? How might your dream of war 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 war 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 war in dreams. See how you feel about war now, in your waking life.
What are possible meanings for dreams of war?
War is a heck of a metaphor that can apply widely to situations in life, such as a confrontation—especially a protracted confrontation—or battling a workload, or a hostile environment. Keep stretching the metaphor and it can apply to situations such a stressful exam week, or being treated like an enemy—and the enemy could be, for example, the hateful ex of someone you’re dating, or the side of yourself you treat with hostility.
A war isn’t a skirmish or squabble or even a fight. It’s a protracted situation. That’s how the symbolism is differentiated. It’s stronger.
Decoding the meaning of a dream symbol like war begins in your feelings and emotions, because you react to symbols according to subconscious knowledge of what they mean. You’d expect scenes of war to trigger strong feelings and emotions, but if they don’t, that’s a clue that the symbolism connects with milder associations.
For example, if battling a workload is just a fact of daily life for you, the war in your dream isn’t likely to make you feel horrified or desperate. The war metaphor is based on the idea of battle.
If you react strongly, that’s a clue that the dream connects with a meaning of war that’s more charged.
Look at details, too. Such as a blasted battlefield representing a protracted confrontation. You’ve been dropping bombs on each other for a while, and it shows in the dream landscape. On the other hand, if the battle hasn’t begun yet, it’s likely to mean the war represents something you’re expecting, instead of that’s happening or already happened. It’s the week before exam week, and you’re still gearing up, not yet taking exams. That’s when the battle begins.
Look at your enemies—are they general or specific? If they are targets seen at a distance, or non-human, or just average Joes, then they’re more likely to represent something that’s non-personal. The war might symbolize the way you go about advancing your career, and the enemies are simply targets you’re trying to reach.
On the other hand, if the enemy pounces on your chest and looks at you hatefully before ramming a combat knife into your head, then the meaning is more likely to tie in with something very personal, such as the ex who hates you or the war of the roses you’re in with your spouse. See: Enemies, Opponents
Look at the actions—it’s all part of the story. Such as in the last example when the knife is rammed into the head—that’s specific to the situation. It could mean that your enemy is getting into your head, or the enemy is in your head.
Consider facts about war that fit the dream-story. War is when two or more sides face off. War is organized. War is chosen, whereas battles erupt. War has a bigger buildup and bigger consequences or reward. It’s inevitable. That differentiates war symbolism from ordinary fighting symbolism. A fight can be a temporary or one-time thing, something that’s comparatively less serious than a war. War is next-level. Nuclear war is “next next-level.” See: Nuclear bombs
War can be used to symbolize a situation in your life or inside yourself, but also consider the state of mind a war situation creates. It can mean you’re constantly on guard or wary. It can symbolize paranoia and fear. It can symbolize a “war mentality,” such as a person being at war with the world. It can represent one side imposing its will on another. It can be used to create scenarios related to brutality and compassion. The possibilities go on and on.
As with other dream symbols, the symbolism of war is captured in figures of speech. “At war with yourself” means self-conflict to the extreme. Sides of yourself are battling for supremacy in your mind or heart, or you are making decisions contrary to your values, ideals, or true feelings.
A “war footing” is similar to a “war mentality,” meaning you are alert, ready to attack and defend. Sometimes you have to be because you don’t know from where the next psychological or emotional attack is coming.
Dreams are known to create scenarios to make a subject more personal and understand it inside-out. For example, you hear stories about a relative’s experiences in war and dream about being in the heat of battle. Or you read about a heroic World War II battle, then dream about it.
Dreams are also known to show what it is like on the other side. Portrayals of war tend to focus on the victors and the glory of conquest, but there is nothing glorious about war for the people in the thick of it. A dream might show the dark side of war—children mangled, cities destroyed, grief and sorrow—to shatter the illusion that war is something to be envied or desired.
Then again, maybe in an exaggerated way that imagery sums up your childhood.
A civil war can symbolize a war within a family or organization. It can be an apt way of describing your relationships, job, or neighborhood.
See also: Armor, Armies, Destruction, Documentaries, Enemies, Erupting, Family, Fighting, Guns, Invading, Movies, Nuclear bombs, Opponents, Subconscious, Warriors
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 war
Read some real dream reports of war 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.
Slow motion battle
So I just woke up from a dream. It was dark out and my aunt went outside in my dream. Then she started running so me and my sister went outside to see what it was I went down the steps towards the front of my driveway and my sister went through the front yard where my aunt was going. My aunt grabbed my sister and started running towards the door of the house. Then I saw she was running from a rabid animal so I started running up the steps but I was going so slow. On my way towards the steps to my door I passed by a standing toddler. The rabid fox was right infront of the doorway so I swung a stick I had grabbed failing to hit the animal but it still ran away. As I was about to go up the steps to my door way I remembered the toddler just a few feet back and knew it wasn’t going to survive if the fox came back so I went back for it. But as I was going towards the door which was only feet away. I saw the fox coming back at full speed and I knew we weren’t going to make it back inside so me and the baby stood infront of the fox with the baby in front of me. I tried swinging the stick unable to land any hits much like before but found that this time the animal seemed unfazed. And then he bit the baby infront of me. And I just didn’t know what to do I didn’t save the baby like I should’ve and kept it behind me but I also didn’t wanna leave it even though it was getting bit. I just had this feeling we were going to both die after that moment and then I woke up.
Im trying to find some symbolism here but I can’t seem to. If anyone can try and see what this means please let me know. I don’t understand the point of the baby showing up in my dream when it was random to me cause I didn’t know the baby. And I don’t understand why the fox came back once I got the baby and was no longer scared by the stick I was swinging. Or why all my movements seemed so slow and my accuracy was completely off.
What was the meaning and symbolism behind my dream? What did it all mean and why did it wake me at that point?
So I just woke up from a dream. It was dark out and my aunt went outside in my dream. Then she started running so me and my sister went outside to see what it...
Source | Show dream
Similar dream for 5 years straight.
Its been 5 years and I haven't spoken to anyone of this and have been trying to ignore it. But I am new to reddit and looked up if a subbreddit like this exists, so here I am!
Whenever I dream, the dream is always follows the same pattern, sharing similar themes, but different settings:-
1. It starts out mundane, in an everyday-life-kind of scenario.
2. However it soon devolves into a life or death situation- I have to escape from a killer who specifically wants to kill me, I have to hunt down someone, I have to hunt down the person who wanted to kill me, or a battle royale. This part often incorporates settings from the various books and novels I read.
3. Most of the time I prevail, immensely confident in my abilities. But at the end, just before I am about to finish it, I find myself weak and unable to deal the finishing blow.
4. Towards the end of the dream, the reason for my fighting is revealed. Its a woman. I have to save her, I have to win her affection, I have to leave her, all varied reasons.
5. I never quite remember what she looks like, but she is familiar. She makes me feel so peaceful, so warm, so happy that it hurts.
6. From here on, there are two endings
7. (Ending-1)I reach her. I am so happy, so very happy, but I suddenly realize its a dream...everything uptil now was. This realisation is accompanied by a heart rendingly profound sense of loss that accompanies me throughout the day after I wake up. When I realise its a dream, everything starts slipping through like sand between my fingers, but I would give anything, any price to not wake up again.
These are the days I wake up crying.
8. (Ending-2) I reach her. There is a very real sound of a gun cocking behind my head and the feel of cold metal pressing against it, and then such peace, I wish it would last forever.
These are the days I wake up feeling so well rested and ready to tackle the day. And even till today, in tense situations or when I am stressed, I have developed a habit of imagining the cool metal against the back of my head and it calms me down.
To anyone who read this far, I would sincerely like your opinion. Thank you in advance.
Its been 5 years and I haven't spoken to anyone of this and have been trying to ignore it. But I am new to reddit and looked up if a subbreddit like this...
Source | Show dream
I dreamt what happens after I died
This has never happened to me before and its kind of freaking me out. Im wondering if anyone else has experienced this before because nobody in my circles that I asked ever had.
This is the dream:
This was a few nights ago and im still fucked about it.
I was at my childhood home, my parents were really old and frail (75/80’s, they’re actually in their 40’s irl) I felt like i was 24/25 (Im 19). The tv was on and I was cleaning not paying attention when the tv had a really loud alarm. The news guy said that america has fallen and showed huge street fights with fire everywhere and people getting shot and falling by the hundreds. The same dude came back on with another alert and said that the outsider countries that were waiting to attack have just declared war too. The phone rang and I watched my younger brother (18) answer it and hang up. I couldn’t hear him or anything else. He didnt say anything but him and my other brother (17) went upstairs, got a bag and left the house. I knew they got drafted to fight and I knew they didnt say anything bc they weren’t going to come back. My dad got up and hobbled to the door and said he had to protect the family, but I knew he didn’t want to go. He was doing it out of duty, and everyone knew he was too old he would die for certain. My mom was crying and so was my little sister (9) and so was I. Then there was another emergency alarm on the tv to immediately get underground and put something between your teeth and bite down, North Korea was coming. I got my family to go the basement and I was coming behind them, still upstairs when I looked out the window and saw a blinding white light growing and I knew I was going to die right then and I had this huge feeling that I had let it get to that point. It was MY fault that it did.
The light became everything and then it became all dark and my eyes adjusted to see that I was in a moving hallway of sorts. It in space, made out of space, and I could see outside of the area but I was confined to the inside. It was like a black space snake and I was inside riding it like a train. Some of the space scales of the snake worked as doors and I could go into points of time in the future/past, of my life which was a tiny section of it overall and in general too. I looked inside one room but I didn’t go in. It was just trees in a swamp. I opened this other door that had a vibe™️ to it and instantly I was met with this warm yellow glowing light that filled the entire room (which had no walls, it was just the light) and it had the MOST loving feeling ever. It felt like the ultimate motherly warm love ever and I could just melt into it and be happy and safe forever and I was about to step in when the light shifted and formed the face of a lady. The lady opened her eyes and looked directly dead in my eyes and without opening her mouth or anything she said loud and clear: Speak. The sound was in my body and everywhere at the same time.
And then I woke up. And I remained fucked up because I’ve never died in a dream and continued dreaming ever before.
Also my interpretation of the dream was: i have to speak on what ive been meaning and KNOW i need to speak on in order to not let bad things happen. Im trying to write a book and Ive been too scared to start.
This has never happened to me before and its kind of freaking me out. Im wondering if anyone else has experienced this before because nobody in my circles that...
Source | Show dream
I am seventeen and don't do drugs and this was my dream
A Devil with humongous breasts comes and most of the people go to suck on it. There is cocaine in the devil's breast milk .People get addicted and start killing other people who deny sucking the devil's breasts. Apparently I am the leader of the group which is anti devils breast milk
We fight a war and my group lose because the others are fueled by cocaine enriched breast milk .
A Devil with humongous breasts comes and most of the people go to suck on it. There is cocaine in the devil's breast milk .People get addicted and start killing...
Source | Show dream
Have you ever had a dream you though could be from a past life?
I was rushing down a cobblestone street with someone I knew very well, possibly my sister. It must have been the early 1800s by how we were dressed and we were in a middle class area of England. I’ve done some research and the buildings, road and my clothing all matched the early 1800s. We were extremely happy because we were bringing home a roast or ham for Sunday dinner. We stopped at an outdoor vendor who was selling herbs and carrots which we needed as well but his supply of food was scarce. In my mind I knew we were so lucky to buy whatever we could from him because the war was either happening or had just finished (maybe the war of 1812 but I don’t know). We lived in a small two story townhome with a bunch of other people, mostly family. We also invited two people over for the Sunday dinner - one of the men was around my age and I really fancied him though to my disappointment he never looked my way as we sat around the wood dining table. That’s all I remember but it was crazy vivid when I woke up, I’ve never experienced a dream like that before.
I was rushing down a cobblestone street with someone I knew very well, possibly my sister. It must have been the early 1800s by how we were dressed and we were...
Source | Show dream
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