Sunday, April 21, 2002		Dream Theme

Dreaming of hunting
Vinaya Katoch Manhas

Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow-creatures is amusing in itself.

— J.A.Froude

ALTHOUGH in the olden days hunting was a royal sport, it is now banned. However, hunting is a common symbol in dreams. Dreams of hunting have more to do with either a feeling of being chased or trying to overtake something. The animal being hunted generally represents a person whose personality is reflected in the characteristics of the animal. This dream means that the dreamer would like to either hurt or overpower that person.

As per Indian thought to see yourself go hunting in a jungle and make a kill is a good omen. It means that you shall find favour with your lover or spouse and your love life shall prosper. On the contrary should you see the kill rotting then it is a bad omen. It warns you to look after your health and be very careful while handling business and professional matters. Such dreams generally foretell a downfall in these spheres. Should you see yourself getting overpowered by your game then beware of enemies taking advantage of you. If you see yourself getting hurt then beware of physical harm being inflicted on you by your enemies.

As per western thought, if you dream of hunting, it foretells that you will have to struggle for something you desire but which is, in reality, unattainable. Should you dream that you find the game you are hunting for, it means that you will overcome obstacles and fulfill your desires. To dream of shooting or killing a game foretells unfortunate events and selfish motives. If you dream of failing in your hunt, it foretells poor management of your affairs and loss.

Psychoanalytically speaking, dreaming of being hunted generally reflects our sexuality. It also points to our desire to physically harm somebody. Dreams of hunting can also be associated with a desire for change in everyday life. To dream of being a hunter alerts us to destructive and vicious tendencies within ourselves. Spiritually speaking, death and destruction are part of the spiritual journey. To see somebody hunting us and harming a particular part of our body can also be the result of a desire to punish ourselves for a wrong we have done.

Take the case of a 17-year-old girl who often dreamt that she was running through a jungle with a wild boar chasing her. The boar would often hurt her in her abdomen and pelvic area. This dream represents guilt feelings for a wrong action. It was a found out that the girl had been involved in an illicit relationship with her uncle and now seemed to regret her actions. She could not talk openly about what had happened and thus her feelings of guilt translated into her seeing the lower half of her body being mutilated in her dreams. Counseling helped the girl in question to get over her guilty feelings and only then did she stop dreaming of being hunted and mutilated.

Should you sees a similar dream but of a known person getting hurt, it signifies a desire within you to see that person punished for what you feel is a wrong committed by him or her towards you. This is a wish fulfillment dream.