Quick Decode: Nature; domesticated; instincts

Popular Expressions: Creature comforts; Nature of the beast

Possible Meanings:

We share this planet with a countless number of different species. Wouldn't it be fascinating if one day we could get some feedback from animals and find out what they think about us?! We imbue animals with human traits. For example, people often say that foxes are cunning, owls are wise and dogs are loyal. When you dream of an animal it is important to find out what it represents to you. Some people are scared of rats yet others keep them as pets. Michael Jackson even sung a love song about a rat named Ben. Native American Indians often use animal totems to seek information and assist them in healing. When you see an animal in a dream, ask yourself what qualities it has that you would like to emulate. Perhaps you wish to empower someone else with these qualities. It is important to consider how you feel about the animal, too. For example, are you afraid of it, or do you feel nurtured? Is the animal a solitary beast or part of a pack, flock or school? How do you feel about its solitude or "pack" nature? Strong and empowered, or weak and overpowered? To determine what the animal in your dream means, you may also want to consider your ethnic background. For example, in early Roman times the owl was a symbol for healer, yet in Eastern cultures it was a symbol for predator. Is the animal free and able to roam unhindered in your dream, or is it caged, in a zoo, or wearing a muzzle or lead? Whatever the circumstances in the dream, they may indicate a current situation. Look at the theme of the dream and the people in it to determine the situation. Do you feel free and unhindered, or harassed and caged? Did you dream of an endangered species? In this indicative of how you feel other people treat you, ie. as though you don't exist? The animal in your dream may also signify the way you have been behaving lately. Are you acting purely on instinct? Are you behaving in an uncivilised manner? Or do you feel that acting like an animal is really a virtue, as animals are more aligned with nature than we are? They don't pollute the environment, they don't overpopulate, and they're happy to go about their own business, leaving the worry of yesterday and tomorrow to humans.