While talking about caves and their symbolism, we should always bear in mind that thousands of years in the past, a human being was living inside of one. As proof of that there are numerous cave arts left as a world’s inheritage. Nowadays, humans get to experience caves in more ways than ever. As a natural phenomenon and as a spiritual refuge.
Generally speaking, dreaming of caves is related to the idea of escapism when things get rough. Constant life struggles, social relations, existence problems put us under a lot of pressure, where at some point we find no other choice but to keep everyone and everything away for some time. That being said, caves in dreams could easily be compared to what a mother’s womb is to a child. A place of serenity and protection. The only difference is that, when we are older, the place where we retreat is usually ourselves.
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We all get to those moments in our lives when we feel like the only way out is to escape. The farest, the deepest. Into the caves. Read carefully, but keep your mind open.
Definition of a Cave
A hollow in the earth, mostly in the hill or mountain, large enough for human exploration.
Dream of a cave – the search of a lost self
The minute you close your eyes, you feel lost. Your dream is all over you, and it’s cold. Almost creepy cold. You open your eyes and what you see terrifies you. A cave. With you in it. Although it feels scary and a bit claustrophobic, your dream of being in a cave does not imply anything bad. It seems like you’ve reached a certain age or state of mind where you start to question yourself, and you dig deep inside. Perhaps you are anxious and afraid of the unknown, and your subconscious mind is portraying your fear to something so scary as a cave.
Dreaming of a cave is followed by interpretations such as protection, emotional retreat, exploration of a subconscious mind. It is the road to self discovery. When analyzing your dream of a cave, try looking at it this way. When we go through rough times and deal with almost unbearable problems, at some point we have to stop and think it all over. Is there something we could’ve done better or just differently? What caves in dreams represent are a kind of emotional sanctuary, a place within yourself where you retreat to be alone and rethink.
Perhaps you are going through an upsetting situation, where you find it difficult to get along with people, and the best way to handle everything is to retreat and spend some time alone. At this moment it feels like the best and the only right decision to take. Feel free to do what suits you the best. But, be aware. If you are overwhelmed by feelings of insecurity, or not being loved and wanted, it could be dangerous to your psyche if you choose to isolate yourself from others.
Safe or insane dream – walking into the cave
It is not unusual to dream that you are walking into a cave when you are going through an emotionally challenging period in your life. Transitions from one job to another, or from a relationship to being alone, are all stressful situations, no matter how strong you seem or feel to be. That is why at some point you get the urge to withdraw and reflect. Your subconscious mind needs stability.
If you were walking down into the cave, and you feel like it’s a little darker than you would expect, it signifies that you might get into trouble if you don’t get rid of bad behavior and some old habits that do you nothing but harm. And if in that dream you walk into the cave all by yourself, then it could mean that you will have to deal with problems in the near future and you’ll have to do it on your own.
You see a ray of light and already dream of escaping the cave
Nothing can be as claustrophobic as a feeling of being stuck in a dark, cold and empty space, such as a cave. If you have dreamt of not being able to exit the cave, no matter how much you try, then possibly you will have to deal with numerous problems in the following days. Seems like life isn’t getting any easier, no matter how much you try.
Perhaps the best thing for you to do would be to confront the problems or people that cause it, and stop distancing yourself. Sometimes we have to find the guts to deal with unbearable situations. But, once we are over, we find ourselves so much stronger.
On the other hand, if you had a dream of escaping the cave, it means that you are much stronger than you or anyone else might think. You seem to be easy on finding the way out of any situation. That is why you will be spared of severe losses once you’re on a battlefield. You will find the way to rise above any problem or situation.
The third interpretation of a cave dream could be the impossibility to find a way out of the cave. Needless to say how bad you feel about yourself when you don’t even feel like you should fight?!
You can’t say something is impossible if you refuse to even try to handle it. In your dream, you have already given up on finding the way out of the cave. But, in your reality you have the opportunity to learn how to get along with people, how to deal with different situations, and how to find your place under the sun. All you have to do is try!
Hiding inside the cave in a dream
Whenever you feel like hiding, from people or life in general, it means you are overly exposed to stress and you are seeking for a place to escape. Family, friends, coworkers, you name it. They can all be a source of eternal strength, but also a train full of troubles. If you want to take some time off and reflect, do it. But don’t take it way too long before you go out and face the world.
Being trapped in a cave while dreaming
To dream that you are trapped in a cave means that you will have to deal with the side effects of your actions. Perhaps you are having issues at work, with your colleagues or the amount of work to do. You feel exhausted and overwhelmed by the daily troubles and you can’t find the way out.
On the other hand, caves could also be related to the sexual side of your personality. Being trapped in a cave with someone in particular, could be interpreted as some form of a control that exists between the two of you.
The darkness of caves – not dreamy at all
When something is so deep under the ground and dark at the same time, it can be pretty much upsetting to dream about it. For that matter, caves are taken for places where you hide and bury all your suppressed fears and wishes. Your dream of a dark cave could mean that you are exploring some new things in your life, but it could also be that you are taking a pause to reflect on your life.
Fantastic or dangerous? Dreaming of a water filled cave
If you think about it for a second, seeing water in a cave is almost as dreamy as a dream itself. But, don’t worry, for it is a good sign. Water is a symbol of infinity and purity, therefore it could be a reflection of your spirituality. This kind of a dream happens to people who usually walk through life guided by their own intuition, searching for that deeper meaning of life, beyond the experienced.
If you were drinking water from the cave in your dream, it means you have found your inner strength to confront your deepest emotions.
And if by any chance the water was too tempty, and you had to take a swim in the springs of your dreamy cave, then try to portray those emotions from a child’s perspective. The dream reflects your deepest childish emotions and an absolute believer in positive outcomes.
A man from another era – a caveman of your dream
The caveman usually stands for a primitive person. But, when dreaming about him, it usually refers to the most basic and primal human traits that lie beneath the surface of every one of us. Emotions like fear, jealousy, rage are not that necessary, but sometimes you have to use them in order to get what you want and need.
Dreams of caves cold as ice
Not only have you been dreaming of a dark cave, but also the cave is cold as ice. Maybe there is somebody in your life that is a bit cold and emotionally distant, causing you to do the things you would never ever do. These types of people are manipulators who take advantage of your weaknesses and judge you about it later. All of that is causing you severe pain and depression, forcing you to withdraw.