Theresa Cheung - The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams - The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams

A symbol of independence, refuge, home and security, which might indicate that you need something to fall back on. Alternatively, it may signify a prosperous endeavor, new opportunities, or an imminent fortune. Making a nestsuggests homebuilding and the accumulation of material possessions, as in ‘feather the nest’, or partnership with someone else and the parental urge. If you dream of birds leaving the nest, it might suggest that you are taking on new responsibilities in waking life or are the parent of a child who is about to leave home. Similarly an empty nestcan suggest your own sense of loneliness. Has your brood flown away to make their own way in the world?

If you hear bird song in a dream, the same interpretation as for birdsin general applies. Pay attention to the sound. Is it sweet, happy, anxious, excited or alarming? All these impressions will help you with the interpretation.

This can indicate restraint or entrapment or feeling stuck in a job, lifestyle or relationship. Is your freedom somehow restricted in waking life? Are your inhibitions stopping you expressing your personality? Is your job humdrum? Is your partner possessive? If you opened the door in your dream and let the bird outto fly away with joy in your heart, this is almost certainly a message from your unconscious to take steps in waking life to release yourself from restrictions and or inhibitions. If the bird wouldn’t or couldn’t fly away, are you putting limitations on yourself? If the bird’s wings were clipped, is someone deliberately holding you back? Freeing a bird from its cagerelates to expressing your emotions. If the bird in the cage is a pet bird, this often suggests happy memories. See also PETS.

Feathers

Your interpretation of feathers will be influenced by whether or not you are allergic to feathers but there are some common associations with features. If you are allergic to feathers, they may have a negative interpretation, but in general, feathers represent the beauty of the bird from which they came. If you know the bird from which the feather came, see the BIRDS A TO Z on page 84, and follow that interpretation. If you don’t know the species, the general interpretation for BIRDS applies. The color, or colors, of the feather are also significant. (See COLORS.) Feathers can also represent flight to aspects of yourself, and because of their connection with wind and air can suggest a connection to the more spiritual side of yourself.

If a feather drops on youfrom above in a dream, this is a message from your unconscious but what is that message? Features are light and so do you need to lighten up and take a more relaxed and softer approach to life? A white feathersuggests cowardice. A black featherrelates to the unconscious and your ability to explore it. Feathers on a ceremonial headdresssuggest achievement (having a ‘feather in your cap’). Features may also suggest disagreements of some kind; has someone ruffled your feathers? Alternatively are you taking a featherbrained or frivolous approach to some aspect of your life? Or do you need to feel comforted in some way? Feathers are often stuffed in pillows and are therefore associated with warmth and comfort.

Represent a sunny outlook in life, rising above everything, a sense of freedom, independence and liberation, as if a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Flying birdscan also suggest aspirations and desires, and if the bird is flying high, an expansion of your viewpoint. Another interpretation is that flying birds represent sex, a similar form of release and uplift.

A group of birds can often symbolize yourself and the people in your life. Are the birds flying in the same direction? If they are, this can suggest harmony; if they are not, confusion may be indicated. Are the birds huddled together? If they are, do you prefer to surround yourself with people similar to you, as in ‘birds of a feather?’ A flock of birds can also represent your need to be part of a group that you identify with and admire; but is the flock celebrating or stifling your individuality? If the birds are in a tree, the branches of the tree may represent your family life, and the leaves and birds your thoughts. If the birds are fighting, this suggests disagreements about viewpoints, or differing opinions, in waking life. If a bird is attacking you, it may represent an attack on your ideas and opinions, such as being criticized by a parent; another interpretation is it symbolizes a fear of others, or of going beyond your boundaries.

A large birdrepresents the power of the unconscious to uplift or terrify, and can also suggest a threat or a parent.

If dead birdsappear in your dreams, they might represent a threat to your freedom, depression or the loss of purpose and meaning. In your waking life, an ideal or hope may have died, or your creativity has been stifled. Wounded, molting or songless birdscan also represent problems that are constantly on your mind.

Ancient dream oracles suggest that to see a blackbirdin your dream is a bad omen, bringing about misfortune for you in the coming weeks. It is a good sign, however, if the blackbird is flying. Modern dream researchers suggest that anxiety is expressed by the presence of black birds, or a blackbird in particular, in dreams. If the blackbird is attacking someone or somethingin the dream, it is a comment on how you may be relating to your emotions in waking life.

If a blue jayappears in your dream, it could be calling your attention to something or someone you are neglecting in waking life. Alternatively, it can also suggest the need for humility, as you may be arrogant and over-confident.

An almost universal symbol of death and decay. It could represent an ugly or rotten part of yourself or your life.

If the canary is healthy, it represents your own happiness. The opposite also holds true—if the canary is hurt or injuredin any way, your own pain or injury is being mirrored.

If a cardinalappears in your dream, it represents a sense of vitality and happiness. You feel as if you could accomplish anything.

Is there something or someone unique in your waking life that you need to pay more attention to? Small miracles happen every day in the most ordinary of activities. Perhaps your children are reaching milestones of development? Is your garden blossoming? Have you noticed how much your family and/or partner is supporting you?

To see chickensin your dream can symbolize cowardice and stupidity, or chatter and gossip. Listen closely to what people may be saying about you or what you are saying about others. Alternatively, chickens can also show that there is potential for growth but this may only come about with the support of others. A group of chickenscan also suggest that something you have done in waking life is about to rebound on you: as in chickens come home to roost.