Monsters have appeared in our nightmares, dreams, stories and tales since we had the ability to create narratives. Monsters often embody the darker side of life and human nature, as well as the challenges that life throws at us. They are symbols which call us to overcome negative states of mind and climb the top of a metaphorical mountain in order to reach our dreams and live the way we want to. Your subconscious mind creates monsters which are symbolic of problems in your life, people who are a source of negativity in your life, or inner feelings which are holding you back. Your dreams don’t always reflect reality, or what’s going on right now in your life, it can draw from TV shows, stories, songs, snippets of adverts or conversations you’ve been part of or overhead, and it can be hard to unravel the jumble of sources your subconscious draws on.
To land on this page, you are either simply curious about what monsters might mean in a dream, or you’ve had a particularly interesting dream about monsters, and you want to find out what your dream means. Sometimes a very weird dream can affect the rest of your day positively or negatively, and finding its meaning helps reduce the effect.
Why Do We Dream of Monsters?
Essentially, we dream of monsters the most when we’re worried about something. The monster is a symbol of what you fear, or what you think is unfair, or something you can’t control. Dreams featuring monsters can represent pretty much every challenge life can create. The monsters themselves may come from popular fiction or folklore, or they may be exaggerated animals or something which isn’t visible at all.
Dreams involving monsters can also happen when we’re too fixed in our ways, and something needs to change. Having a monster dream suggests you haven’t been doing enough different things lately, your routine may as well be set in stone for how much it stays the same. You might have been completely overthinking a past or present situation, and because your attention is so inwardly-focused, you’ll miss out on something that may be perfect for you.
What does a Monster Mean in a Dream?
Monsters are often symbolic of pain arising from problems in life, or they can embody the problems themselves. They can also be used as a wake-up call to enjoy what you have, while you have it. Tomorrow might not be as kind, and if it is better, well, you haven’t lost anything by appreciating what you have. Monsters can also appear because they’re so prevalent in our childhood stories, and we come to regard them as archetypes (see also Character Archetypes And Symbolism) of fear, evil, or things which upset a balance or equilibrium.
Monsters in our dreams can also represent people; our perceptions of them, what we fear they think of us, or what they are capable of, or who they could be in the future. Because monsters can stand for so many things, it’s not surprising how often they appear in our dreams. Your dream monsters manifest from your experiences, your fears, and the thoughts stemming from your subconscious. Often, the monster is an event, a thought, or a problem you won’t acknowledge in real life. They can also embody a concept you can’t bring yourself to understand. To make finding the meaning behind your dream easier, I’ve listed a few categories of monster dreams below which will help.
In Your Dream
- You were fighting a monster or attacked it: dreams about fighting monsters are probably the most common kind of monster dream. Your subconscious may throw you into a similar dream because you haven’t learned a lesson somewhere, or you’re wrestling a fear in your waking life. The fight itself is symbolic of a conflict in your waking life, or one that’s imminent. The outcome of the fight will also tell you how well you’ll do in this conflict in waking life. If you won, you’ll resolve the conflict.
- The size of the monster: is significant, as the monster represents a problem, and the bigger the problem, the bigger the monster. This might be a problem which is making your waking life suffer, or it might be a small thought niggling at the back of your mind, which still has a negative effect on you.
- The monster was a serpent, a dragon, or a giant lizard: is a sign you’ve been overthinking far too much lately. You might be mulling over a decision, or how to solve a problem, but you’re thinking yourself into circles that don’t lead anywhere new. It might be time to get someone else’s perspective to help clarify things. If you dream of a giant snake or a lizard, you need to give your emotions a new outlet (and maybe quit watching so much TV.)
- The monster was a vampire: this dream suggests you want a better sense of safety or protection in your life. You feel your life is overly negative right now, or you’re dwelling too much on the bad things, or that something bad will happen and take away everything that’s good in your life.
- The monster was strange: and you couldn’t identify it, then your dream suggests that you shouldn’t take things at face value, because something is not as it seems. Someone in your life might be acting a bit suspicious, and your subconscious has picked up on tiny cues you wouldn’t have otherwise noticed. Strange creatures also appear in dreams when something is unclear in your life, and they can embody the confusion you’re feeling, or a fear of the unknown. As you probably can’t categorize what type of creature this was, there’s an element of freedom to this dream, and may suggest you’ll soon enjoy a period of life free from stress. If there’s more than one of these odd monsters, it may suggest the unknown or unanswered questions in your life are having a detrimental effect.
- You couldn’t see the monster, but you know they were there: your dream is telling you not to ignore your instincts. Have you been kicking something down the road, which you know you should be dealing with now? This dream is urging you to sort it, and soon. Are you ignoring a problem, or a tiny suspicious voice that’s been saying something bad about someone? It’s significant enough to appear in your dreams, so you should confront it.
- The monster transformed: you’re in a transitional phase in your life. It might not be a good thing – you may feel out of place, or out of control, and you might be acting badly towards others in order to claw a sense of control back. In this case, the monster is you – the negative aspects of you – and on some level, you know you need to stop, and your dream is drawing attention to this. Alternatively, dreaming of a monster transforming can suggest you’re about to overcome a problem that’s been plaguing you for a long time.
- The monster was a source of anxiety: this fear comes from your waking life, and it’s bleeding into your dream. This specific “What If” is weighing heavily on your mind, and your subconscious is giving you a chance to confront it through your dream, as it’s overwhelming you in waking life. If the monster was larger than you, your subconscious may be suggesting that you need outside help to deal with it. If it had sharp teeth or claws, you are afraid of someone attacking you verbally or physically. It can also be a sign you haven’t been taking care of yourself lately, and the monster is the lack of time or motivation to do so.
Children dreaming of monsters is more common than adults dreaming of monsters, as they consume more media with monsters in. They can also regard problems as monsters, and their fears can present themselves as such, as we tell them over and over that monsters can be defeated, and they’re not real.
How to Decode Your Monster Dream
The details of your monster dream are important in finding which meaning applies to the surreal story that plays behind your eyelids each night. Were you scared in this dream? Did you feel you could handle the monster? Did it chase you? Did one of you start a fight? Did you finish it? Fears often take the form of monsters in our dreams. Is there someone who has been rude to you lately? Have they had a negative effect on the rest of your day? Do you have a choice with them, or is everything their way or the highway?
What does it Mean to Dream of Monsters?
Dreaming of monsters can be reflective of someone who is causing you a lot of problems, or needless pain. Maybe they made a bad decision, and it’s come back to haunt you, though you didn’t have a say in what they did. Monsters created by your subconscious can also be feelings you’ve been ignoring, and it’s time you did something about them. Not to sound like your mother, but if you are ignoring something or worrying when you have the choice not to, aren’t you suffering twice? Time to process these feelings properly, and they’ll go away on their own.
What does it Mean to Dream of Running Away from a Monster?
Dreaming of running away from a monster represents your avoidance of problems, emotions, or other people. This dream is your subconscious telling you what you already know – they won’t go away on their own. You may need help in order to banish these problems from your life, but they’ll be gone all the same, and you’ll be freer for it.
What does it Mean to be Scared in a Dream?
A dream which invokes fear or a nightmare doesn’t have to be a bad thing all the time. The fear can represent a fear of the unknown, rather than something concrete you’re actually afraid of. It may be the start of something new, something exciting. Or, it could be something which you should be afraid of, and after a dream like this, it’s wise to be careful.
What does it Mean to Dream of People Running from a Monster?
If you dream of crowds fleeing from a monster, this indicates you’ll soon be in a situation that you’ll want to run away from. That could be an awkward situation with someone you haven’t seen in a long time, or someone you never wanted to see again. Maybe your work life will get busier, and you’ll find yourself dreaming of time off.
What does it Mean to Dream of Strange Creatures?
Dreaming of creatures you wouldn’t see in waking life or beings you couldn’t recognize suggests the future has some minor problems in store for you. You could already be in the midst of them, in which case your dream is trying to make sense of these issues and how best to solve them. Time might be your best friend here, and you should listen to your instincts as things develop, in order to tackle these ‘creatures’ as soon as possible.
What does Dreaming of a Monster with Large Teeth Mean?
Dreaming of a monster with large teeth can suggest a problem which will be created by hearsay or gossip. Someone might be saying things behind your back, or taking things the wrong way without the proper context. If you dream of the monster trying to bite you, this is a sign things will work out for the better. These problems are part of a bigger picture, and because of them, you’ll solve a much bigger issue, provided you give yourself the time to do so. Your dream of a monster with big teeth doesn’t have to mean anything at all, it could be that your subconscious mind stole the image or experience of brushing your teeth to help fill out your dream.
What does it Mean to Dream of Having a Relationship with a Monster?
Dreaming of having a relationship of any kind with a monster may suggest you feel restricted in some way. There’s a loud voice in your life that wants to tell you what to do, when and how you can do it, and it’s taking its toll. Is this something you have to put up with, or is it something you can get rid of? This dream can also reflect a hatred of rules and authority, and this dream is giving you another outlet. Alternatively, you might feel that your partner doesn’t suit you, or they’re acting in a way that’s making you suspicious of their motives, and they’ve therefore become the monster in your dream.
What does it Mean to Dream of Monsters Attacking?
Dreaming of monsters attacking is a symptom of a larger anxiety. Something has been weighing on your mind for a while, and your subconscious is trying to release some worry by saturating your dream with it. A dream of monsters attacking can also signify someone will need your advice soon.
What does it Mean to Dream of a Strange Animal?
Dreaming about animals that aren’t possible (or they are, and we just haven’t found them yet, who knows?) can be a sign you’re worrying too much. This dream can also suggest there’s a lot of fear you haven’t faced yet, and you need to learn to express your emotions better. This dream can also signify that you have an abundance of goals you don’t talk about, for fear of being judged or worrying they might not happen.
What does it Mean to Kill a Monster in a Dream?
Killing a monster in a dream is indicative of stopping a problem in its tracks before it can do real damage. If it was chasing you or attacking you in this dream, you’ll overcome a huge personal hurdle, and come out stronger for it. Conversely, dreaming of killing a monster can suggest you’re pulling the pin on an opportunity you really should consider, as it could look awful or scary, but might bring great things to your life.
What does a Dream of a Monster Eating You Mean?
Dreaming of a monster trying to eat you suggests an imbalance in your life. Something is “eating” all your time and energy, and while this may be a passion or a person, any kind of imbalance can quickly turn messy. Are you avoiding something in your waking life? This dream can indicate you can’t run from it forever, no matter how far you get. Alternatively, this dream of a monster eating you can be a sign of good news, which will consume most of your time once you know what it is. It might be a new opportunity that takes up the majority of your time.
What does Talking to a Monster Mean in a Dream?
Talking to a monster in your dream can be a projection of a different part of you, something you won’t acknowledge in waking life. Your dream could be a way of resolving an issue, or connecting to a wise part of yourself which is unconcerned with everyday worries but the bigger issues. Maybe you don’t know how to approach a problem, and this dream is your way of diagnosing a solution. Dreaming of talking to a monster can also be a bad sign. You’ll receive some awful news, or you’ll have to deal with someone who will make your life very difficult.
What does a Dream of a Monster Standing in Front of You Mean?
A monster standing in front of you in a dream can indicate there’s something wrong which you’re ignoring, and your dream is trying to get you to face facts. The monster in your dream can also represent someone you know, someone who you haven’t realized is causing you grief in your life, but you will soon. They’ll slip up, or news of their actions will come back to you, and you’ll see them for who they really are.
What does a Dream of a Monster Killing You Mean?
Dreaming of being killed by a monster is a dream foretelling a new journey or a fresh start in life. While you might have woken up feeling awful, this opportunity will bring a lot of positivity to your life. This dream signifies that any problems will be minor, or, if there’s a long string of problems, you’ll sort through them quickly and with ease. It might be time to watch for problems – not to create more – but to be ready for the ones you know are coming.
Your dream involving monsters can represent addictions, problematic people or issues which will have a profound impact on your life. Monsters in dreams can also represent the times after the hardship, where we are wiser, and stronger for it. Problems aren’t things to fear, but they help teach us and guide us toward the future.
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