I’m in the lecture hall bugging Dean and Cas as they get ready to demonstrate wings they built together. Dean is worried about the lightning that the wings admit hitting the audience, but a woman suggests setting up wireless lightning rods around the stage to deflect the sparks. She leaves to get the systems set up.
Cas sits with me and Dean in audience chairs. He says he’s not sure if he wants to do the presentation topless, like they originally planned. I vote that he does. I’m on a rope swing, circling around everyone, which freaks them out- particularly Castiel. I sit back in my seat and mention that the measurements for the strap-on wings were taken while he was topless, so the wings probably won’t work with a shirt on anyways. [End]
Relative to Real Life~
Night of September 17th, 2014
Real-life characters: Dean (Supernatural), Cas (Supernatural).
Dream-created characters: Woman, other people sitting with us in the seats.
Real-life places: Lecture hall in the high school.
Dream-created places: None.
Different than real life: I haven’t been in the lecture hall since I graduated in 2011.
Reasons:
Built wings, Dean and Cas, Lecture Hall, shirt and measurements = Basically everything was very heavily inspired by a fanfic I read the day before this dream. It was basically a recreation of it, really.
Reoccurring: No.
Precognitive: No experiences yet.
In the more general sense, wings symbolize spirituality, imagination,
thought. The Greeks portrayed love and victory as winged figures, and some
deities, such as Athena, Artemis and Aphrodite were at first—though not later—
also depicted with wings. According to Plato, wings are a symbol of intelligence,
which is why some fabulous animals are winged, depicting the sublimation of
those symbolic qualities usually ascribed to each animal. Pelops’ horses, and
Pegasus, as well as Ceres’ snakes, have this attribute. Wings are also found on
certain objects such as heroes’ helmets, the caduceus and the thunderbolt in the
cult of Jupiter (8). It follows that the form and nature of the wings express the
spiritual qualities of the symbol. Thus, the wings of night-animals express a
perverted imagination, and Icarus’ wax wings stand for functional insufficiency
(15). In Christian symbolism it is said that wings are simply the light of the sun
of justice, which always illuminates the mind of the righteous. Since wings also
signify mobility, this meaning combines with that of enlightenment to express the
possibility of ‘progress in enlightenment’ or spiritual evolution (46). In alchemy,
wings are always associated with the higher, active, male principle; animals with out wings are related to the passive female principle (33). It should also be
recalled that, since the foot is regarded as a symbol of the soul (15), the wings on
the heels of some deities, especially Mercury, stand for the power of spiritual
elevation comparable in essence with cosmic evolution. Jules Duhem, in his
thesis on the history of flight, remarks that, in Tibet, ‘Buddhist saints travel
through the air wearing a special kind of shoes known as “light feet” ‘(3).
To dream that you have wings, foretells that you will experience grave fears for the safety of some one gone on a long journey away from you.
To see the wings of fowls or birds, denotes that you will finally overcome adversity and rise to wealthy degrees and honor.
To dream that you have wings, suggest new found freedom. You are on the right track and are soaring to success without limitations. Alternatively, the dream means that you are trying to escape from a difficult situation.
To dream that you have the wings of an angel, indicate your sweet, angelic quality. Or you may be in need of some protection from life's stresses and problems.
To see the wings of birds in your dream, indicates your desire for a freer way of life.
Dreaming that you have wings indicates your sweet, angelic quality. You may be in need of some protection from life's stresses and problems. Or you may be trying to escape from a difficult situation. Seeing the wings of birds indicates that you have overcome your struggle to attain wealth and honor.
Wings are associated with flying, which in turn is associated with freedom and the heavenly domain. Dreaming about wings suggests that you may have a desire to be angelic, have a need for angelic protection, or want to transcend any current difficulties and problems. Consider the mood of your dream and what type of wings you were seeing. Superstition based dream interpretation books say that if you hear gentle flopping of wings you will hear good news. However, loud and powerful flapping of wings is said to be a warning against illegal or immoral activities, specifically those in which money is involved.
Wings are associated with flying, which in turn is associated with freedom and the heavenly domain. Dreaming about wings suggests that you may have a desire to be angelic, have a need for angelic protection, or want to transcend any current difficulties and problems. Consider the mood of your dream and what type of wings you were seeing. Superstition based dream interpretation books say that if you hear gentle flopping of wings you will hear good news. However, loud and powerful flapping of wings is said to be a warning against illegal or immoral activities, specifically those in which money is involved.
This page on the meaning of wings was born out of a class I taught last summer about extracting meaning from dreams.
Some of my students described dreams in which they sprouted their own wings and flew. Others recounted dreams they had of lions with wings. One dreamer even saw a pig with wings (yes, Marcus, pigs really do fly!).
Although the symbolic meaning of wings in dreams is certainly a relevant point to explore, it's not the only bone of contention in our reach for deeper digging.
Consider, mythology gives us oodles of winged beasts in the form of hybrids:
Meaning of Wings on Horses:
Known as pterippi (pteros in Greek means "winged" and hippos means horse). Pegasus is a pterippus, and a magnificent one at that. The symbolic meaning of the horse is pretty intense with themes of power and mobility. The horse alone also carries archetypal themes of unifying grounded stability (four feet on the ground) with higher ideals (from speed and mobility). This theme really comes to life when we add wings to the horse. The pterippus, or winged horse, is a symbol of aspiring to the greatest heights of accomplishment. These beasts embody the concept of harnessing magic in the material plane. That's right, altering the physical matter via nonphysical methods. These kinds of feats are accomplished by swallowing whole the reality of our physical presence and balancing that with our (mostly) nonphysical nature/essence.
That's heavy. To help grasp those implications, Pegasus offers great analogy because of the dichotomy it offers. Grounded by the stability of its body, yet in flight by the ephemeral power of its wings. High and low (mind and body). Pegasus (white in color) stands for clarity of mind, and how clean mental focus combined with stable footing can transform our lives in magical ways. There's scads more about Pegasus to chat about, but this page is on the meaning of wings, not Pegasus. You can learn more about Peggy here on Wiki.
You can also learn more about the enchanting symbolism of the horse here.
Symbolic Meaning of Wings on Lions:
In alchemy, the lion is symbolic of gold - a spiritual quality that is lusciously luminescent and gloriously rich in value. Bling of the heart. Alchemical texts and artwork will depict a lion when a specific magical/spiritual goal is to be achieved.
Conversely, winged eagles in alchemical texts are symbolic of the beginning of a process. Alchemical eagles are symbolic of youth, initiation and the unbridled exuberance felt when launching in a new direction.
So, when we see winged lions (a mix of eagles and lions), it's a message of combination - a juxtaposition between beginnings and endings, fact and potential, the seeker and the accomplished.
Griffins are considered a version of winged lions. They're typically viewed as guardians of sacred places. They're most often seen at the entrances of tombs, protecting the ancient souls of the deceased. I love how this symbolism plays right into the hands of the alchemical lion and eagle. Griffins guarding transitioned souls are at once honoring what has passed and protecting what is yet to be (in the form of evolved spirit - from death to rebirth). Cool, no?
See symbolic meaning of lions here, and more about lions on my blog here.
See symbolic meaning of eagle here.
And, I've written more about Griffins from a Celtic perspective here (last animal sign on page).
Meaning of Wings on Serpents and Dragons:
I'm completely biased about this topic. I love snakes, and most things typically classified as "creepy" or "crawly." So when I encounter party-pooper perspectives of (evil, death, sin, and other nonsense) I throw it right out the window and venture back to a more reasonable perspectives on these magnificent creatures.
For example, I suspect one of the many origins of the winged serpent comes from ancient Egyptian observations of the cobra. The hooded cobra, specifically. When the hood is spread open, it looks a lot like wings. And just like the meaning of wings on the horse and lion, on serpents (cobras) we're also dealing with a theme of duality. The Uraeus (Egyptian cobra associated with the sun god Ra and often seen on headdresses of kings and gods) is symbolic of sovereign rule and the power to take and give life. Life and death is about as polar opposite as it gets.
The winged snake evolved into dragons over time and through nomadic legends into other countries. It shares a lot of the same symbolism of the snake. Power, life, rulership, dominion and a kind of magic that is to be respected (mostly because of its mysterious nature).
Winged serpents and dragons are a paradox. At once a slithery ilk, with bellies pressed lovingly against the soft, yielding Earth - yet with wings, they are creatures of the limitless skies. Like winged horses, this speaks to us of being grounded, while having unhindered imaginations. Feet on the ground, head in the clouds.
See more on symbolism of snakes here.
And, I've written more on symbolism of dragons here and here (dragon totems)
Of course, mythological creatures aren't the only source of wing meanings.
Winged Humans:
Angels, of course. They are divine liaisons. They are messengers with the ability to move freely from the realm of earth-bound matter to the unlimited heavens. They're depicted with human attributes, and so we reason they have human interest at heart. They are gifted with magic and flight, they are creatures of the divine. They live betwixt worlds (indeed, Greeks thought angels were responsible for moving constellations and planets). More duality.
You can learn more about the symbolic meaning of angels here on my blog.
Gargoyles are fabled to be humans who have succumbed to base behaviors (greed, lust and other unsavory aspects of human nature)....like an antithesis to angels, I suppose. But, their wings are symbolic of the ability to overcome these crippling facets of personality. Essentially, gargoyles are the spokespersons (err, or spokes-creatures) for human potential. We've all got wings and inherent ability to glide above and beyond primitive, substandard tendencies. Gargoyles remind us that our conditions cannot determine our divinity.
Symbolic Meaning of Wings in Dreams:
If you're dreaming of wings, it's a clear sign of a desire to rise above a challenge. Dreaming of wings on animals may be a message to overcome base or animalistic qualities. It may also indicate the inner self's desire to escape from undesirable (primitive) living conditions.
Dreaming of wings by themselves may indicate it's time to work on your inner landscape, a prompting to fly into the realms of spirituality. It may also indicate for a spring cleaning of the mind (sweep away rubbish thoughts) and gain clarity in thought about a certain situation that's been troubling.
Dreaming of wings on people (i.e., angels) is a distinct message from the divine. The presence of angels in dreams are a call to pay attention to your environment and glean more information from it. Messages abound, "wake up" and pay attention.
To dream that you are in a hall, represents your ability to share and get along with others. If the hall is empty, then it symbolizes the unexplored and untapped aspects of your character. Consider the activity that is taking place in the hall and the people that were there.
To dream that you are giving a lecture, suggests that you are becoming somewhat of a bore. You need to improve your communications skills. Alternatively, your dream may serve as a continuation of your intellectual thinking, carried over from your waking hours.
To dream that you are listening to a lecture, indicates that you need to do some research and weigh out your options before making a decision on some matter.
Dreaming that you are giving a lecture, suggests that you are becoming somewhat of a bore. You may need to improve your communications skills. Alternatively, your dream may serve as a continuation of your intellectual thinking carried over from your waking hours.
To dream that you are in front of an audience, represents the world around you and how it is paying close attention to your actions. Alternatively, it signifies your fears of having your personal feelings and private thoughts discovered or revealed. If the audience is rowdy or noisy, then it suggests cluttered thoughts and confusion of ideas.
To dream that you have no audience, denotes that you are not being acknowledged for your work or achievements. Perhaps you are feeling ignored or neglected.
If you dream that you are performing in front of an audience, pay attention to who the people in the audience are and how they make you feel. Is your partner in the audience? What about friends or colleagues? Do you feel nervous or confident? Is the audience supporting you or discouraging you?
In dreams, audiences often consist of people we would consider to be authority figures, such as parents, bosses or teachers. If an authority figure is a member of the audience, your dream may be about proving yourself, and whether you consider yourself to be a failure or a success.
To dream that you are part of a demonstration, indicates that you need to speak up for yourself and for your rights. Pay attention to the details of your dream as you may be ignoring or overlooking some important issue in your life.
To see lightning in your dream, signifies sudden awareness, insight, spiritual revelation, truth and purification. Alternatively, lightning implies a shocking turn of events. There are many forces governing your life that may be beyond your control and even destructive.
To dream that you are struck by lightning, symbolizes irreversible changes occurring in your life. You are undergoing a permanent transformation.
Lightning in your dreams, foreshadows happiness and prosperity of short duration.
If the lightning strikes some object near you, and you feel the shock, you will be damaged by the good fortune of a friend, or you may be worried by gossipers and scandalmongers.
To see livid lightning parting black clouds, sorrow and difficulties will follow close on to fortune.
If it strikes you, unexpected sorrows will overwhelm you in business or love.
To see the lightning above your head, heralds the advent of joy and gain.
To see lightning in the south, fortune will hide herself from you for awhile.
If in the southwest, luck will come your way. In the west, your prospects will be brighter than formally. In the north, obstacles will have to be removed before your prospects will brighten up. If in the east, you will easily win favors and fortune. Lightning from dark and ominous-looking clouds, is always a forerunner of threats, of loss and of disappointments. Business men should stay close to business, and women near their husbands or mothers; children and the sick should be looked after closely.
Seeing lightning in your dream means sudden awareness, insight, and purification. Alternatively, lightning may imply a shocking turn of events. It suggests the many forces governing your life may be beyond your control. Dreaming that you are struck by lightning, symbolizes irreversible changes occurring in your life. It is a transformation of sorts.
In anthropology, woman corresponds to the passive principle of
nature. She has three basic aspects: first, as a siren, lamia or monstrous being who
enchants, diverts and entices men away from the path of evolution; second, as the
mother, or Magna mater (the motherland, the city or mother-nature) related in
turn to the formless aspect of the waters and of the unconscious; and third, as the
unknown damsel, the beloved or the anima in Jungian psychology. In his Symbols
of Transformation, Jung maintains that the ancients saw Woman as either Eve,
Helen, Sophia or Mary (corresponding to the impulsive, the emotional, the intellectual, and the moral) (33). One of the purest and all-embracing archetypes of
Woman as anima is Beatrice in Dante’s Commedia (32). All allegories based upon
the personification of Woman invariably retain all the implications of the three
basic aspects mentioned above. Of great interest are those symbols in which the
Woman appears in association with the figure of an animal—for example, the
swan-woman in Celtic and Germanic mythology, related to the woman with the
hoof of a goat in Hispanic folklore. In both cases the woman disappears once her
maternal mission has been completed and, similarly, the virgin qua virgin ‘dies’ in order to give way to the matron (31). In iconography it is common to find parts
of the female figure combined with that of a lion. The Egyptian goddess Sekhmet,
characterized by her destructiveness, had the body of a woman and the head (and
therefore the mind) of a lion. Conversely, a figure with a lion’s body and a
woman’s head appears in the Hieroglyphica of Valeriano as an emblem of the
hetaira (39). The inclusion of feminine, morphological elements in the composition of traditional symbols such as the sphinx always alludes to a background of
nature overlaid with the projection of a concept or of an entire complex of cosmic
intuitions. In consequence, the Woman is an archetypal image of great complexity
in which the decisive factor may be the superimposed symbolic aspects—for
example, the superior aspects of Woman as Sophia or Mary determine her function as a personification of science or of supreme virtue; and when presented as
an image of the anima, she is superior to the man because she is a reflection of the
loftiest and purest qualities of the man. In her baser forms as Eve or as Helen—
the instinctive and emotional aspects—Woman is on a lower level than the man.
It is here, perhaps, that she appears at her most characteristic—a temptress, the
Ewig Weibliche, who drags everything down with her, and a symbol comparable
with the volatile principle in alchemy, signifying all that is transitory, inconsistent, unfaithful and dissembling. See also The Loved One and Sophia.
To see a woman in your dream, represents nurturance, passivity, caring nature, and love. It refers to your own female aspects or your mother. Alternatively, a woman indicates temptation and guilt. If you know the woman, then it may reflect concerns and feelings you have about her.
To see an old woman in your dream, indicates your concerns about aging and growing old. Alternatively, the old woman may be an archetypal figure to symbolize feminine power.
To see a group of women talking in your dream, refers to some gossip.
To see a pregnant women in your dream, symbolizes abundant wealth.
Seeing a woman in your dream, represents nurturance, passivity, caring nature, and love. It refers to your own female aspects or may also represent your mother. Alternatively, it may indicate temptation and guilt. If you know the woman, then it may symbolize the concerns and feelings you have about her. Seeing an old woman in your dream indicates aging and growing old. Seeing a group of women talking in your dream, refers to some gossip. Seeing a pregnant women in your dream, symbolizes abundant wealth.
A woman or women generally represent intuition, creativity, nurturing, and love. At times they can also represent the negative attributes that are given to women and include physical and emotional weakness, gossip, martyrdom, passivity, moodiness, temptation, and guilt. The content of the dream is to be considered, as well as the emotional tone. If the dream is sexual in nature, look up sex. If the woman in your dream was a stranger and you are a man, she could be symbolic of your feminine side or your attitude about women. If you are a woman, this stranger may be symbolic of different parts of your character or personality. The woman is that force or current inside of you that nudges you on and inspires you. It is your intuition and the knowledge that in not necessarily attached to words.
To dream that you are topless, signifies your way of showing and exhibiting love. You may be inviting love toward your direction.
Dreaming that you are topless means your way of showing and exhibiting love. You may be inviting love toward your direction.
To dream of a shirt, refers to your emotions or some emotional situation. The shirt you wear reveals your attitude and level of consciousness about a particular situation.
To dream that you are giving a shirt to someone, may be a metaphor for "giving the shirt off your back". It refers to your self-sacrifice and generosity.
To dream that you are shirtless or that you lost your shirt, signifies financial worry, monetary lost or risky endeavor.
To dream of putting on your shirt, is a sign that you will estrange yourself from your sweetheart by your faithless conduct.
To lose your shirt, augurs disgrace in business or love.
A torn shirt, represents misfortune and miserable surroundings.
A soiled shirt, denotes that contagious diseases will confront you.
Dreaming of a shirt, refers to your emotions or some emotional situation. The shirt you wear reveals your attitudes and level of consciousness about a particular situation. Dreaming that you are giving a shirt to someone, may be a metaphor or "giving the shirt off your back" and refers to your self-sacrifice and generosity.