Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Writing down your dreams
• Part 2 of 3: Understanding the symbolism of doors
• Part 3 of 3: Learn more about dream interpretation
• Tips

Have you ever had a dream in which one or more doors appeared? Was it a recurring dream? Did you wonder if the dream meant something or if you were trying to make something clear? Doors can be powerful dream symbols and have various meanings, bad or good. Keeping in mind that dreams are very personal, it is best to consider what a dream door symbolizes for you: by writing down the dream, understanding the scope of its possible meanings, and by learning more about the limitations of explaining of dreams.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Writing down your dreams

1. Write it down. Writing down your dream will help you remember the events in the dream and it also serves as a good reminder for the future. It should also gradually improve your dream recall in general.
   • Try to keep a dream journal. Grab a notebook and use it only for jotting down your dreams, and keep it by your bed, such as on a nightstand, for easy access.
   • Get into the habit of writing down the details as soon as possible before your waking mind forgets or starts adding items that were not originally there.
   • Focus on images rather than telling a story when recording the dream. The order may not be important, and you may be forcing the dream into a story.
2. Consider your association with doors in the dream. Start by rereading your dream log and analyzing your personal link to doors in your dream. What and how does your mind associate with doors? For example, do they remind you of your time in a restaurant with swinging doors leading to the dining room? What feelings do these associations evoke in you?
   • Pay attention to the setting of the dream. Where did it take place? Is it a place you've been before, or a totally new, imagined location?
   • Was someone or something else near the door in your dream? For example, it may be important if your deceased grandmother was there and held the door open for you.
3. Consider relationships with people in the dream. As with the grandparent, the people appearing in your dream can shed light on the overall meaning of your dream. Often they represent themselves, but sometimes they also reflect facets of our mind. For example, a small child tugging on your coat can represent an inner sense of guilt.
   • Who appeared in your dream? In addition to their relationship to the door, think about who they are and what relationship you have with them.
   • Often times, the less direct personal relationship we have with someone in a dream means that they are more likely to be part of our psyche - that is, your mind is trying to tell you something.
4. Remember the emotions in the dream. Focus on how you felt during the dream, because emotion is the key to the interpretation of a dream. If you were nervous in the dream, chances are the door has something to do with inner fear. If you were feeling aroused, the door may be facing something hopeful that you are looking forward to.
   • When you record dreams in your log, make notes about how the dream made you feel. All you need are impressions - happy, depressed, anxious, angry, restless, powerful, etc.
5. Learn about collective symbols. The psychologist Carl Jung thought that some images in dreams are actually universal symbols. These draw on a "collective unconscious", free from cultural boundaries. If you are serious about getting to the bottom of the meaning of doors that appear in your dreams, consider learning more about Jungian dream analysis.
   • For example, dreaming about being chased can mean running away from a fear - something you don't feel prepared for.
   • Dreaming about death can be a transformation in your life - illness can involve an inner conflict.

Part 2 of 3: Understanding the symbolism of doors

1. Understand the possible meanings of doors. Doors mean a variety of things in dreams. In general, they are interpreted as a symbol of transition. Dreaming about a door suggests that you are in need of change, or that you are currently in transition from one stage of life to another. Doors can lead to adventure, secrets, opportunities and new beginnings.
   • The saying "When one door closes, another door opens" is very relevant here. The door can lead you to a new phase.
2. Consider the door itself. Door placement, condition, color, and nature of the door are all important to interpretation. A door in good condition, for example, could mean your transition is a healthy or sensible one. A dilapidated door, on the other hand, can mean you are insecure or fear change.
   • What is the color of the door? Some dream interpreters think that a red door means you have bottled up anger or frustration. A black door symbolizes secrets, and opening it means taking a risk.
   • What kind of door is it? Trap doors can represent hidden opportunities or sometimes suppressed feelings in the subconscious. A revolving door can mean going around in circles - that you might feel like your life isn't going anywhere.
   • Are you outside or inside? Being inside might suggest that you have a need for introspection and taking stock of your life, while outside can represent his freedom and opportunity.
3. Consider what's behind the door. A closed door can mean closed possibilities. But if your dream leads you through the door, it's also important what's waiting on the other side. Pay attention to where the door leads, as this is closely related to its possible interpretation.
   • For example, if you come across a land of plenty, the dream may indicate that you will make the transition to a glorious new phase in your life.
   • On the other hand, if the door leads to something depressing, boring, and sad, it may suggest that you fear change and are hesitant.
   • A door that takes you somewhere familiar and comforting to you is a sign that you are ready for a change, but that you remain whole and just more experienced and wiser on the other side of the door.
4. Consider it going through the door. Going through the door is important, as is the emotions it evokes in you. If you wake up with a reminder of stepping over a threshold, for example, it means that you are ready to begin your new phase in life.

Part 3 of 3: Learn more about dream interpretation

1. Read about dreams and how to explain them. If you want to learn more about the possible meaning of dreams and dream symbols, consider learning more about this field of knowledge. While we still know very little - including why we dream - new and interesting discoveries are being made all the time.
   • For centuries people have tried to interpret and understand dreams. The first modern attempts were made in the early 1900s with the theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, and many of them are popular to this day.
   • Scientists currently have a range of theories. Some argue that dreams don't really mean anything, but are the result of random electrical signals in the brain; others think that dreams evolved as a means of defense; and still others think that dreams help process the emotions and events of the day.
2. Be aware of the limits of the dream interpretation. Looking at dreams can give you insight into your own psychology. But we still know very little about dreams and their function. Dream symbols may not always be universal - that is, they may not apply to everyone - and you probably shouldn't rely on them when making important life decisions.
3. Take online resources with a grain of salt. The internet has all kinds of websites that give the meaning of symbols such as doors, water, fences and other things. There are even many useful, searchable "dictionaries". If this sounds too good to be true, it is. Take these sites with a grain of salt.
   • Websites will often give very specific meanings to symbols. Dream interpretation is, in fact, a lot messier than this. Given how little we know about the brain and dreams, you better rely on your own judgment or the advice of a psychoanalyst.
   • Dream interpretation is very personal and varies greatly. Some symbols may have a common cultural or even universal meaning, but these are exceptions to the rule. Don't trust that a symbol really means what the "dream dictionary" says.

Tips

• A door stuck halfway through indicates that you are half-hearted about making a change. It's the dream that tells you to keep pushing that door open and move on to the inevitability of change. A person who does not want to change can dwell in the past and mourn the person he once was.
• A door that won't open is an indication of your reluctance to make the transition.