Animals in Dreams – Week 2

May 10, 2026 /

Have you ever stopped to think about the animals in your dreams?

For some Indigenous tribes, animal totems were important symbols of ancestry, identity, protection, storytelling, and connection to the natural world and the world of dreams.

An animal in a dream can represent:

  • a basic instinct or emotion, like fear, anger, protection, or desire
  • a natural energy in you that wants expression
  • a part of yourself that is more wild, honest, or unrefined

In dreams, animals often appear when instinctive or emotional material is trying to come into awareness. Jung believed modern humans often become too intellectual and disconnected from instinct. Animals in dreams can therefore represent the “wild” natural parts of ourselves that still carry wisdom.

Different animals can carry different meanings.

Birds may relate to freedom, perspective, messages, or the soul. Butterflies often symbolize transformation and growth. Fish can relate to emotions, intuition, fertility, or the unconscious mind. Wolves may reflect independence, protection, or hidden fears, while snakes are commonly linked to transformation, healing, danger, or wisdom.

Context matters. The feeling of the dream, the behaviour of the animal, personal experiences, cultural beliefs, and what the animal means to you personally are all important when exploring possible meanings.  Perhaps its even a mythical creature.

A calm animal may reflect something grounded and steady in you.


An aggressive animal may point to anger or a boundary that needs attention.


An injured or trapped animal can reflect a part of you that feels hurt or restricted.

Choose an animal from your dreams, memories, imagination, or life recently. Create something inspired by it: draw, paint, sculpt, or write.

This week’s dream creativity theme: Animal Totems



Choose an animal that has appeared in your dreams, imagination, synchronicities, childhood memories, artwork, or life recently. It can be a real animal, bird, fish, insect, sea creature, or even a mythical creature.

You do not have to like the animal.

Sometimes the animals that unsettle us carry the deepest meaning.

What does this animal represent to you?
What emotions arise when you think about it?
What qualities does it carry?
Strength? Fear? Freedom? Protection? Creativity? Transformation? Chaos? Wisdom?

Some people believe an animal becomes a recurring “totem” if it repeatedly appears during important transitions in life. Whether viewed spiritually or psychologically, the animal can become a powerful symbol through which the mind explores emotion, instinct, memory, intuition, and transformation.

Create something inspired by your animal:


• Draw or paint it
• Make a clay totem or sculpture
• Write a poem, story, or reflection

There is no right or wrong interpretation. Share your creativity with the group and leave your animal “totem” somewhere that you see it… maybe it will reveal something more over time.

Photo from book “Dreams” by Andy Baggot

The word “totem” comes from the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) word doodem, meaning clan or kinship group. Traditionally, totems were used by various Indigenous cultures as symbolic connections to animals, nature, ancestry, and identity. They were not usually worshipped, but often used in storytelling, teaching, remembering ancestors, and expressing a relationship with the natural world. Today, many people use the idea of a totem more symbolically or psychologically, finding meaning in animals that repeatedly appear in dreams, synchronicities, art, meditation, or important life transitions. An animal totem can become a symbol through which a person explores emotion, instinct, intuition, memory, creativity, and transformation.

When an animal appears, it may be your inner world showing you something real, something natural, something that wants to be noticed.

In dreams, spiders often symbolize patience, creativity, perseverance, feminine wisdom, and the ability to weave and rebuild your life even after difficulties. According to Native North American traditions, the dreamcatcher was inspired by the spider’s web and is believed to filter out negative energy or troubling dreams while allowing positive dreams and guidance to pass through.
Week 2 : Animal Totems

Here are some of the creativity we came up with this week:

Hello julle, looked through a year’s dream-search history on Meta, but could not find any dream where I was searching the symbolic meaning of an animal. Giraffes, however, have been in my foreground for many a reason – so I looked that up.

Here it is: if you ever find yourself dreaming of a giraffe having a coffee, wearing a green polo neck (😁) …this is what it would mean, according to Grøk.

“Dreaming of a giraffe in a green polo neck jersey having a coffee is a highly symbolic, surreal dream combining themes of perspective, unconventional wisdom, and a need for relaxed, alert reflection. The imagery suggests you are in a phase where you are looking at your life from a “higher” viewpoint, but doing so with a need for comfort and intellectual”

Medium used for the painting: watercolour😄🦒
This is just a quick crayon drawing I did while teaching my art class.
At the age of 15 I got to ride an elephant through the jungle in Thailand and I thought that this is what I was dreaming about. But then I went onto ChatGPT to see what the meaning of dreaming riding on an elephant was and this is what came up, and I think it is spot on:
Riding the elephant may symbolize that you are learning to “steer” a powerful part of your life: emotions, responsibilities, leadership, or inner strength.
I’ve dreamt about black spiders quite a few times over the last few years.  In the one dream I was even dating a big black spider and then noticed I was turning into something…I already had small undeveloped black wings!  Some of the dreams sound a bit anxious, but others I face the fear, and then some bizzare ones like the dating one!  I usually only crochet octupusses (octopie?), but made an exception and made a spider.
I often dream about trying to evade a pack of lions. They’re somehow in my garden and hungry and trying to coming into the house.
Its always a wild panic trying to get children and dogs inside and safe without the lions entering.
They’re always super persistent and agressive and will not leave the property and there is no phone to call for help. Sometimes they manage to get in as theyre smart and then we need to make a run for it again to a different part of the house, or outside in the garden again. This will continue until the panic of it all finally wakes me up.
I was teaching for many years and often took the Gr. 2 learners  on excursions. So we went to the national Zoo. The learners enjoyed it very much and I walked with them uphill to the lions 🦁 den. We were standing at the fence and suddenly the Lion roar on top of his voice. The learners start screaming and the girls cried the more I explained that they are behind bars the more scared they got I had to take them down. They never saw a lion in real life. It made such an impression on me that same night I dreamed I was walking through a huge green forest when I suddenly hear soft music 🎶 coming from the trees. 🌲 I followed the sound and saw many animals dancing in a circle. ⭕️ Monkeys swung from tree to tree laughing loudly. A beautiful tiger with shiny orange fur walked to me and told me not to be afraid. Soon coulourful parrots 🦜 flew above my head making the sky look like a rainbow 🌈 Suddenly dark clouds ⛅️ covered the sky 🌌 A gaint lion 🦁 appeared on top of a rock 🪨 The lion wanted help because his paw 🐾 was sore. Everybody helped him and wrapped the lions paw. 🐾 When the lion felt better the clouds disappeared and the son shone brightly again. The animals celebrated by dancing and singing 🎶 around me. Just as the Tiger 🐅 invited me to join I woke up smiling. 😊 The next day the learners enjoyed my dream I had to tell it twice!! They insisted to go to the zoo again to see the friendly Lion 🦁 ‎
Before humans named the stars, the gods made cats to guard the world from the things hiding in the dark. Small enough to go unnoticed, yet powerful enough to walk between shadow and moonlight, cats became silent wardens of ancient magic.

That is why they stare into empty corners, patrol the house at midnight, and act as though they know secrets we never will.

Ginger carries the fire of old sun-cats in his spirit, while Sokkies belongs to the shadow-watchers — silent, clever, and always listening.

Together they rule the house like tiny ancient guardians disguised as pets.

My malevolent little gargoyles.
OH THE DREAM THAT IS PRINCESS PENNY

You came as a guest, small enough to fit between two hands, never meant to stay.

Tiny queen of the house, fierce guardian of the garden, hunter of rustling leaves on the roof and unfortunate birds.

You have your addictions, catnip and my left pinky.

You endure the endless toe bean kisses, the ridiculous little songs I sing
as warnings to incoming affection

You hide in trees
with the patience of a tiny tiger, waiting for me to pass beneath, then launch your sneaky ambush with satisfaction.

My favourite evenings are ours woman, dog, and cat wandering the streets together
like a slightly odd little family held together by love.

Princess Penny,
you arrived as a temporary visitor,
but somehow became my whole world. 💜
According to Google, “Dreaming of a turtle typically symbolizes patience, wisdom, protection, and a need to slow down in life, reflecting a “slow and steady” approach to challenges. It often represents a need for emotional security, grounding, or a reminder to maintain steady progress toward goals.”

I don’t often dream about animals, but when I do it usually involves a turtle or a snake. I thought drawing a turtle would be more fun, so here is my contribution for the week. Credit due to Pinterest for inspiring me with one of its turtle pictures.
For as long as I can remember I’ve dreamt of horses. I especially have a dream of riding a fresian. In my dream, the horse may be carrying the part of me that is fearless, respected, graceful, and fully alive — and perhaps also the part of my bond with my father that feels powerful, beautiful, and inherited.(Chat assisted with a little poem on how I feel)

Beneath a sky of burning gold,
A midnight spirit, fierce and bold,
With flowing mane like storm and sea,
The Friesian rode the wild through me.

No fear could touch the path we knew,
Its strength was ancient, deep, and true,
A silent thunder at my side,
Where freedom’s heartbeat learned to ride.

And in its eyes, dark, wise, untamed,
I met the woman yet unnamed.

Image by ChatGpt.
For this week’s task, I took inspiration from a dream (more like a nightmare) I had years ago. I was being tightly squeezed by a large snake. As I lay dying, many people passed by, but no one stopped to help. Despite the dark nature of the dream, I decided to put a more light-hearted twist on it for my creation. May I present Dylan wearing a “Julius Squeezer” T-shirt designed by me 🙃
So I chose the Eagle🦅.

We had a visit in our garden from an eagle during a very difficult time this last month..

So I have been thinking of why the eagle and why then.. The topic has come up again since the visit as if the eagle wants to remind me of his visit.. So here is my tribute to this majestic bird.. He haunts me like a memory in a dream…
I often dream that I’m being chased by a spider, or that there’s a huge spider crawling over my head while I’m sleeping, or lots of little spiders…sometimes they’re hanging from a web, sometimes they’re with me in bed… I wake up frightened and try to chase them away…just to realise that it was a dream! So I decided to draw lots of spiders and colour them in playfully… I think it could make a nice gift wrapping design or scatter cushion print… 🕷️🕸️

I dreamt I was at a friends house. I was trying to carry water but it kept spilling. On her couch and floor. She didn’t mind.
Later her husband brought in a fish tank for the water and then it held  three beautiful Japanese fighter fish in it. Serene and peaceful.

💭 I’ve thought it could mean different things.
Ive read before that these fish represent wisdom. Beauty. Individuality. Water could be  consciousness / emotion. The fish tank is to gain wisdom to find a “home” for my inner world 🌎

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