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

If a beardappears in your dream, this suggests feelings about manhood, or so-called masculine qualities within yourself. If the beard is cut off, it suggests uncertainty, whilst a long, thick beardsuggests the opposite. Hairs on the chest or other parts of the bodycan also indicate male characteristics or expressions of sexuality.

Idioms: keep your hair on; make your hair curl; hair-raising; didn’t turn a hair; put hairs on your chest; let your hair down; tear your hair out; split hairs.

Handscan signify power and creativity. You use them to express yourself and as extensions of your personality. Consider the nature of the gesture of your hands in your dreams because it signifies what sentiments your dream is trying to express. If the hands are dirty, perhaps you are behaving in an inappropriate manner and you need to think about cleaning up your act. A fistcan suggest anger or passion, folded handscan suggest acceptance, joined handsaffection, and upheld handsjustice or a blessing. Clasped handsindicate friendship, a hand on the breastsubmission, and, if the hands are placed together,this suggests vulnerability. If hands are covering the eyes, this represents shame or disgust, whilst hands bound or tied upsuggest feelings of restriction. If you place your hand on someone elsein a dream, this can suggest a pledge of service and wringing your handssuggests grief. If hands are raised to the head, this can indicate the need for greater care and thought. A handshakesuggests contacting an aspect of yourself or the growth of a new friendship.

Generally, left handssymbolize feminine, receptive qualities, whilst right handssymbolize so-called masculine, active attributes. Sometimes in dreams the left handcan suggest cheating. If you hold a different object in eachhand in your dream, this indicates some kind of conflict between your beliefs and your actions in waking life. To dream that your hands are injureddenotes an attack on your ego. Large handssignify enormous powers of self-expression. To dream that your hands are hairydenotes that you will play a part in falsely incriminating someone. To see blood on your handssignifies that you are experiencing some sort of guilt. To dream that you are washing your handsrepresents a worrisome issue that you need to work through. If you dream about the palm of your hand you may be thinking about your future (see PALMISTRY). Thankfully you have free-will, so positive actions taken now can determine your future.

Idioms: second hand; in the hands of; bite the hand that feeds; hands are tied; soil one’s hands; hand to hand; hand to mouth; hands off; hands on; helping hand; hard hand; open handed; lend a hand; upper hand.

To see a headin your dream signifies wisdom, intellect and logic; it may also represent your accomplishments. That the head stands for the themes of decision making, intellect and thought is fairly obvious, given the huge number of idioms for head and face; if we think of an idiom such as ‘to lose one’s head’ or ‘to lose face’, it is fairly clear what dreams of headless or faceless bodiesmight mean. Dreams may also use the image of a head to show that you are in two minds about something, or in the process of changing your mind. For example, if you change your headin your dream, this indicates a change of attitude, being uncertain about something, or even being two-faced.

Idioms: in over your head; swollen or big head; head in the sand; egghead; square head; off the top of my head; hold your head up high; head over heels; get it through your head; heads up.

To see your legsin your dream suggests that you have gained enough confidence to stand up for yourself. If your legs are weak, then you may be feeling emotionally vulnerable. If you see the legs of someone elsein your dream, this may indicate your admiration for them. Perhaps you need to adopt some of the attitudes of this person. If your legs are wounded or crippled, this signifies an inability to stand up for yourself. Perhaps you are lacking courage and refuse to make a stand. If one leg is shorter than anotherin your dream, this suggests some kind of imbalance in your life. You are placing too much emphasis on one thing and ignoring other important aspects of your life. If you have three legsin your dream, then perhaps you have taken on too many responsibilities. According to ancient dream lore, if you have a wooden legin your dream, you will have many new worries. Bear in mind leg-related idioms such as: legless, didn’t have a leg to stand on, can’t stand up for myself, ball and chain on my legs.

To see thighsin your dream indicates strength and endurance, and it refers to your ability to make things happen. To dream of your kneesindicates feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability. You may have taken on more than you can handle. To see your calvesin your dream suggests movement and versatility, and your ability to jump from situation to situation. It can also suggest that you are involved with someone who is needy and over-dependent. To dream about your anklesindicates that you are seeking support and direction in your life. Ask yourself where you want to be headed. Bear in mind the phrase ‘ Achilles heel’; could dream of heels be referring to your vulnerability or a particular weakness?

The mouthrepresents the devouring, demanding aspects of yourself; it can also signify your need to communicate about something that is upsetting you. If the mouth is open, this may represent your receptive side, as in mouth-watering. On the other hand, perhaps too much has been said and it is time to close your mouth—in other words shut up. A dream of your mouth being buttoned or sewed upcan again suggest regret over what has been said or done. If you dream that you are chewing, it might suggest that you are mulling over, or considering, something. If you are pulling something out of your mouth, perhaps you need to clear the air by expressing your feelings, or do you have a nasty taste in the mouth?

To see your own tonguein your dream signifies self-expression. Have you said too much or do you need to say more? If you rip someone’s tongue outin a dream, this means that you are extremely upset by what someone has said in waking life but have been unable to express your anger. To dream of your own jawin your dream represents your stubbornness, determination and forcefulness. If your jaws are tight, this could suggest unexpressed anger and other powerful feelings that you are holding back. If lipsappear in your dream, this is associated with sensuality, sex, love and romance, as well as communication, as in ‘read my lips’.