Machete: A machete is a very large knife-like implement designed for cutting through thick brush and undergrowth. The overgrowth of plant life that a machete is used on is a symbol of tangled thoughts and ideas that are impeding your easy progression through life. The machete then is a symbol for your ability to cut through old habitual thought patterns that block your way. This image often appears in a dream where the character aspect wielding it is a dangerous or scary individual. Remember that all dreams are for your benefit, and such a scary figure with this tool is really capable of helping you face those fears and clear a new path.

Machine Gun: A machine gun’s power rests in its ability to repeat its intention over and over again in rapid succession. The image of a bullet landing on its target is about violent penetration, driving some point home aggressively, or being attacked by the ideas, thoughts, and expressions of someone else. The machine gun takes this entire sensibility to another level through automated repetition. Any association that you make with shooting a gun, such as anger or retribution, could be escalating if a machine gun is featured in your dream.

Magazine: Magazines connect to the pop culture of the day. They reflect the sensibilities of the area of life that their content expresses. Your waking-life relationship to magazines should be considered in any interpretation of a dream that features one. In a general way, a magazine is a symbol of benign escapism.

Maggots: Maggots are flies in the larval stage that feed on decomposing flesh and therefore have a connection to disgust and decay. This is a classic example of a symbol that has a disgusting image but a numinous meaning. There are some implications to the presence of maggots, and the first is that something has recently died. Death is a symbol for transformation and change, so maggots imply that a change has recently taken place. Maggots are instrumental in the process of turning flesh into the nutrients to support future life. If you dream of maggots, you are in the process of coming out of a change that has taken place in the past.

Magic: You are relying on distraction and manipulation to get your needs met. This may or may not be a positive use of your energy; only you can decide that. At the heart of magic tricks is the power to distract and hide the true intentions of the person performing the magic trick or illusion. This has the benefit of getting a need met, but by means that are ultimately inauthentic. The person performing a magic trick in your dream will yield some important distinctions for your interpretation. If it is you, there may be a need to hide your true motivations. If it is someone else, you may be being deceived by a particular choice you are making in your life.

Magic Carpet: A staple of the genie, the magic carpet is about the power of magic, of course, but consider that anything that flies through the air is also working in the realm of the intellect and the mind. Magical thinking can be an uplifting boon or a defense against life’s more practical and difficult circumstances. Consider that a magic carpet in a dream could be an invitation either to put a little uplifting spiritual faith into your thinking, or to look to where you may be avoiding something that is on the ground that needs your attention.

Magician: You are connecting to your own power to manifest the unexplained or unexpected. The magician is one of the primary archetypes that make up the human condition. Magicians represent the part of us that can use magic, divine power, and the forces of will to create anything we desire. However, there is a large distinction between this as an archetypal figure and the popularized image of a stage magician engaged in the act of entertainment. The modern-day entertainer in the world of magic is an illusionist who presents us with the impossible. We know that there is a trick to what he or she is doing, yet we find ourselves awestruck nonetheless. This type of magician relates to the concept of manipulation.

Magnet: At the heart of a magnet’s symbolism is the power of attraction that it possesses. As such, if one appears in your dream, you are exploring the concept of drawing something to you that you desire. Sometimes a magnet may bring something that is unwanted through this power to pull things in. Let the context of the dream indicate whether the magnet in your dream is acting in your highest good or not.

Magnifying Glass: A magnifying glass makes something small appear larger so that it can be examined more closely. It is symbolic of the desire to investigate something at a deeper level.

Maid: A maid is a person who is responsible for cleaning and house chores. As a character aspect of your own personality, the maid is the part of you that is there to keep things clean and straightened up in the world of your thoughts and feelings that sometimes feel as if they are in disarray or need cleansing.

Mail: Your dream includes some sort of communication, perhaps something you anticipate hearing about. Our relationship to postal mail has changed greatly since the advent of e-mail. It is now considered so slow that it is routinely referred to as “snail mail.” While our current perceptions of mail have changed, the essence of this symbol connects to the origins of mail and its impact on the world. Communication between two parties is symbolic of intellect and the inner process of deduction and decision-making. The slow speed and back-and-forth nature of mail add the texture of anticipation. Putting a thought in writing connects to the permanence of a thought expressed. Mail in a dream could connect to communication that is slower than desired. Junk mail is akin to anxiety and the background chatter in the mind, where information like an important letter can get lost in a pile of unwanted catalogs. A dream could connect to the need to ferret through the unimportant to find clarity. Since the majority of mail comprises bills to be paid, this might symbolize being put on notice for the price you will have to pay for some choice in life.

Mail Carrier: You are dreaming about your connection to important communication. This symbol may soon be going out of the collective consciousness. As computers and modern technology become the norm, the delivery of mail to our homes is becoming a less primary way of staying connected to the outside world. While this may be true, we still live in a time where on an almost daily basis there is a human being that comes to our residence and delivers items of interest and importance to one degree or another. As a character aspect in a dream, a mail carrier is the part of your own personality that remains connected to the larger circles of your life but is detached from your core personality. The term “going postal” has become synonymous with violent outbursts connected with overwhelming stress. If the dream has any dark or shadowy elements to it, you may want to explore the mail carrier as a character aspect of an undercurrent of violent feelings that are just waiting for an inciting incident to allow them to explode. What a mail carrier is delivering in a dream offers an important second layer of meaning. What new information is your unconscious trying to send you?

Makeup: Makeup is associated with the public persona and creating the illusion of more beauty than you actually possess. There is an element of inauthenticity being expressed through this as a dream image and a desire to present a face to the world that may conceal the truth beneath the surface. What is happening with the makeup within the context of the dream should enhance your interpretation. Putting on makeup is to cover up something true with a false presentation. Taking makeup off is to desire a more authentic way of being seen in the world.

Mall: This is actually a fairly ubiquitous setting for many dreams. A mall is a location that offers a variety of retail establishments, so on one hand it represents your access to a certain form of abundance, prosperity, and freedom. On the other hand, it has a connotation of a lack of sophistication that must be taken into consideration when interpreting a dream that takes place there. There are many choices at a mall, and this is a strong element of the symbolic meaning associated with such a location. If your dream takes place at a mall, you are exploring your consciousness of choices that you have about abundance and prosperity in your life, but the ideas being expressed may be more connected to the social pressures to experience wealth in a very particular way that is not necessarily aligned with abundance as a spiritual principle.

Mammogram: The breasts connect to the feminine principle of nurturing and the maternal instincts. They are also connected to sexuality and eroticism for many. A mammogram is a symbol of breast health and making sure that all is well in this area, like getting an inside view of how you are aligned with these principles in your life. (See Breasts.)

Manatee: The manatee is a mammal and thus relates to us more directly as beings of consciousness. Manatees are, however, fully aquatic animals and as such connect to the unconscious as represented by the ocean that they call home. Therefore, first and foremost they are a totem that allows for conscious exploration of realms that are ultimately unconscious in nature. Though they are large in size, manatees have a gentle nature and graceful movements. In this way, they vibrate with the principles of peace and surrender. When a manatee visits your dreams, you are experiencing the medicine of serenity.

Mandala: A mandala is one of the oldest symbols in the world, having been discovered by anthropologists in just about every ancient culture on the earth. It is a circle divided into four equal parts, which relates to the sphere of the earth divided into the four hemispheres. A mandala is perhaps the ultimate symbol of unity and totality, and if one appears in your dream, you are having an aspirational experience of a spiritual nature. Such a dream indicates an important moment in your spiritual development when a new level of integration and wholeness is at hand.

Manicure: A manicure highlights the fingertips. The fingers connect to creativity and the things you can do with your gifts and talents. To dream of a manicure is to seek a certain amount of recognition for these abilities and to be recognized as someone who can be productive. There is also an association with a manicure to prosperity and the relief of stress, so a dream that features one could be indicating a need to relax in this way.

Map: A map is a detailed description of an area so that navigation of that area is possible. As a symbol, a map represents the guidance you need to go where you desire. Since most maps deal with land, the focus here is on traversing areas of your conscious mind. There is an implication, however, that you may be going to places as yet unexplored. The map shows up in your dreams when you are about to go on a trek of self-investigation and is an indication that you are being guided by forces beyond your comprehension to help you do so.

Marching: Marching is about keeping time and aggregating what might otherwise be separate entities and coming together in unison. If you think of the people marching in your dreams as thoughts and ideas, the image of marching is a symbol of agreement and aligning what might otherwise be chaotic and random thoughts into one focused idea. Think about who is marching and the setting in which this is occurring for details to round out your interpretation.

Market: The market is a place where you can obtain many things you need and desire with an emphasis on daily living wares and especially food items. In this way, it is a symbol of the sustenance and self-care associated with feeding yourself and the principle of abundance as it relates to the bounty of the earth. In a dream, the market is the place in your own consciousness that represents what is available and what you are ready to receive in this arena. Such a dream will have this concept as an overall theme, and you must use the things that occur and the characters that appear in this setting to gauge your current relationship to these principles.

Marriage: You need to integrate some aspects of your character. Marriage is a joining of two energies into a third entity of cooperation and harmony. Symbolically, it relates to habits, patterns, thought processes, or belief systems that at one time were experienced as separate but now are either integrating or need to. If you are one of the marriage partners, consider the spouse in the dream as representing the quality of personality that is being called forth at this time.

Mask: A mask covers the true face and presents a particular version of one’s persona to the world. This is a symbol for the way in which human beings never quite reveal all of who they are, but there are masks that are presented to the world. This occurs in degrees of authenticity, and a mask in a dream indicates a stronger separation between what is being presented and the true identity that is hidden below. Consider the mask itself from the dream; if you know what it looks like, you will have a better idea of what you are trying to portray at the time of the dream. If the mask is being removed, you are stepping into a more genuine version of your self-expression.

Massacre(s): You are dreaming of an enormous transformation in personal ideology. A massacre is an event of great magnitude by virtue of the number of deaths caused by a single force. Any death is a powerful symbol of transformation and change, as it always portends a rebirth of some kind. A mass death can be interpreted as any death would be—change so great that it can only be understood as the passing of something old to make way for the rebirth of something new. Look to your life for evidence of some change or shift that feels inordinately large in scale and you will probably find the stimulus for this dream. Since people in your dreams represent parts of your personality, the loss of large numbers could indicate that many old thoughts or patterns are being left behind.

Massage: A massage can be a relief from stress as well as a tool for healing certain muscular injuries. At the heart of this image is the connection to the essence of relaxing and in a dream may point to a need to dig deep in order to let go of stress. There is a sensual element to having a person touching your naked body, and this may factor in the interpretation as a need to stimulate your own sensual nature.

Mastectomy: The breasts connect to the feminine principle of nurturing and the maternal instincts. They are also connected to sexuality and eroticism for many. A mastectomy is a radical response to the presence of cancer in the form of complete surgical removal of one or both breasts. As a symbol, such an act is reflecting a deep loss of connection to these powerful feminine forces. There may be a literal connotation to the dream if you or someone you know is going through a waking-life experience of facing breast cancer. (See Breasts.)

Masturbation: You are looking to stimulate some sort of self-expression, from power to creativity or even sexuality. Any image that involves sexuality is going to be complex and is best interpreted by starting with the symbolic meaning first, by breaking down the image into its basic parts. Masturbation has a specific purpose, which is to induce orgasm. There are two functions that might be assigned to orgasm. One is the pleasurable relief from stress that it provides and the other serves to remind the person of his or her sexuality. Also of importance is the current state of your sex life and your relationship to your sexuality in general. If there is another person involved, consider that individual as a character aspect of your own personality. If you are watching someone masturbate (or you are masturbating someone), then the qualities you assign to this individual may be the part of you that has access to elements of your sexuality at the time of this dream. The same is true if the person is masturbating you; however, this distinction connects more to an aspect of your personality that may be trying to stimulate a sexual response in you. The gender of this other person should be considered as well, no matter what your sexual preference. A man connects to the masculine principle of taking action, whereas a woman embodies the feminine principle of being receptive. The human sex drive contains the same power as the creative instinct. Masturbation in a dream may not necessarily be expressing the need to be sexual as much as the need to be creatively expressive. Look to where your life might be calling you to wake up your sense of passion.

Matches: Matches hold the potential for fire and therein lies the symbolic meaning. The presence of matches represents the desire and possibly also the intention to light a fire. Fire is a symbol of change and transformation. When matches appear in a dream, you are considering making a change in the near future.

Math: Math is the language of the entire universe. Every single element of what we know life to be can be expressed by mathematical equations. Math is very analytical and left-brained and thus represents this aspect of thinking. In a dream, the interpretation of math can be as mundane as expressing a need to call upon your logical mind to help you through a life circumstance. It can be as profound as a dream of sacred geometry, where you are considering existence itself. The context of the dream will illuminate which way to go with your interpretation.

Measurements: Taking measurements is usually about planning to do something with exactness and precision. There are times when being well prepared is very important, and the presence of this activity in a dream is an indication that this is the case. “Measure twice, cut once” is the saying.

Meat: Meat is a staple of most protein-based diets. Its symbolic meaning connects to sustenance at a fundamental level. If you have a dream that features meat in it, there is something that needs to be fed in order to be strengthened; this could be an idea, a project, or a new direction in your life. The state of the meat in your dream has significance. Raw meat indicates that there is still some work to be done in order to strengthen your objectives. Meat that is rotten means an opportunity may have passed you by. If you have a waking-life relationship with meat that generates strong feelings against the eating of it, this personal association must be considered as an interpretation.

Mechanic: Any person in a dream is a character aspect of your own personality. A mechanic is responsible for keeping your car maintained and running properly. A car is a symbol for how you move effectively through your life’s journey. Therefore, the mechanic in your dream is the part of yourself that can be relied upon to handle the breakdowns and challenges that happen along the way.

Medicine Man/Woman: The medicine man or woman is an archetypal character aspect; they are part of your personality, but at a much higher, aspirational level. The medicine man or woman has two functions. The primary one is that they are the keepers of wisdom and healing power. You turn toward this archetype when you need to face great change or heal something at a profound level. They are also the part of you that perceives change before it happens, as these shamanic figures possess a heightened level of intuition and energetic sensitivity. If such a figure appears in a dream, you are having an aspirational experience at a very high spiritual level. In the case of a male figure, you are connecting to the masculine principle of taking action. In the case of a female figure, you are connecting to the feminine principle of stillness and receptivity.

Meeting: A meeting is a staple of the world of business. It is a symbolic gathering of consciousness or different ideas in order to create some sort of unified direction. All of the people who attend a meeting in your dream are to be understood as aspects of yourself whose qualities are needed collectively in order to accomplish some current goal or objective in your life. This is more of a rational mind symbol and calls into being the part of your nature that can plan, schedule, organize, and carry out movement.

Menstruation: The power of the feminine principle is represented by menstrual blood, as the force for the creation of life is at the heart of the feminine side of human nature. In this way, menstrual blood is a symbol of the power to create at the most fundamental level. However, there is grief present with menstruation, as the periodic bleeding that all young women experience is evidence of fertility that is not going to materialize. As such, you may be dreaming about regrets around accomplishments not realized and creativity that has not been expressed.

Mermaid: The mermaid is a mythological creature with the torso of a woman and the lower half of a fish. In this way, she is an archetypal figure that embodies the feminine principle coupled with the capacity to connect to the unconscious mind and the emotional realms. In modern media, the mermaid has been transformed into something lovely and beguiling; however, her origins are dark and are associated with peril, death, and seduction. A dream that features a mermaid should be considered aspirational, and you must keep in mind all of her qualities, light and dark, when formulating an interpretation. In any case, such a dream is connecting you to the spiritual side of your nature.

Microphone: The primary use of a microphone is to amplify the voice. The voice is the center of your power as an expressive human being. A microphone in a dream connects to a need or desire to increase the power of your convictions, your ability to declare what it is that you desire, and the authority you wield in your life through knowing how to command your words. If the microphone in your dream is not working properly, you need to make some adjustments in order to get your voice heard.