Resurrection: The idea of resurrection may initially be thought of as a religious symbol, as it has great significance in the world of depth psychology and the concept of the archetypal mind. The idea that something dies in order to be born again is a part of the cycle of consciousness that allows for tremendous growth and transformation throughout a person’s life. Any sense of resurrection as a theme or symbol indicates that a time of great change is occurring. What in your life is dying off in order for a new path to be reborn?
Revolution: Change that happens very suddenly can be thought of as revolutionary in nature. Remember that the seeds to such an uprising are sown over a very long time in the form of discontent and dissatisfaction with an old regime before the necessary impetus is present to rise up and demand change. This is the case with internal shifts inside your psyche and the dramatic shifting of habits or patterns that are ready to be changed in a dramatic moment of change. Dreaming of a revolution means that such change is happening in your life.
Rhino: The primary symbolic meaning associated with the rhinoceros is that things may not be as they seem. Though rhinos are enormous in size and move slowly in a way that is deeply connected to what is beneath them, they can run up to thirty miles per hour when charging. Though they can be quite aggressive, they are mostly docile. In this way, rhinos remind us that not everything is as it seems, and if one appears in a dream, you are being called to appreciate the contradictions in your life.
Ribbon: A ribbon is a marker of some kind, designed to draw attention to something in a colorful and playful way. The presence of a ribbon in a dream indicates a desire to highlight something specific. Look to where the ribbon was affixed and if it had any additional sense of purpose to round out your interpretation. A hair ribbon relates to a desire to feel more attractive. A ribbon on a gift is a reflection of a need to have what you offer the world stand out in a dynamic way.
Ring: The circular shape of a ring is a symbol itself for things in life that embody a sense of continuity. An engagement or wedding ring reflects the sense of wholeness and continuity reflected in the choice to partner with another person. In this way, the ring is symbolic of any sort of commitment to something long-term. In a dream, this may not necessarily be to a person in a relationship, but can also reflect a commitment to an idea, a project, a belief system, or some other structure. If a ring is lost, stolen, or broken in some way, consider the ways in which your steadfastness is in question.
Rip: A rip is a break in the integrity of something made out of fabric. The symbolism here is that something has been broken or rendered obsolete because of the loss of structure. If something is already ripped in your dream, the offending moment has occurred in the past. If you are ripping something in the dream, there may be some anger issues that are causing things to break down. If the person doing the ripping in your dream is someone else, consider him or her as a character aspect of yourself and think about what the person is ripping in order to have a sense of what this image means.
Ritual: A ritual is any activity that is imbued with a deep intention and is often a symbol for something in and of itself. If your dream feels like it has a ritualistic sensibility, there may be a call to turn to the more spiritual side of your nature and the part of life that feels mysterious. Some dreams that feature ritual settings feel dark or scary and may reflect feeling overwhelmed by things you don’t readily understand.
River: Any dream that involves water connects to emotions. In the case of a river, the essential meaning relates to the expression of feelings and emotional flow. All rivers eventually deposit their contents into the ocean, the symbol of all that is unconscious. This adds the perspective of emotions that move freely across our conscious awareness as they travel back to their ultimate mysterious source. The intensity of the river’s flow in a dream is a direct barometer of the level of emotionality in your life that is being expressed by this image. The force of a river can run the gamut from a babbling brook to a torrential powerhouse. The volume of water involved can also vary greatly. A dry or barren riverbed indicates a lack of expression and a desperate need for emotional content. One that is overwhelmed by flooding might point to a situation that may feel dangerous and threatening to the stability of your life. An obstacle that blocks a river, such as a dam, reveals some level of emotional blockage.
Road: The road in your dream is a symbol of your path or direction in life. Your individual path is a combination of past choices you have made and current circumstances and decisions you are about to make that determine the road you’re on in any given moment. Such an image in a dream is representative of your current life path. It can be a snapshot of where you are and how you feel about the present moment in your journey. The more isolated the road, the more the dream relates to your private life and personal issues. A public or widely traveled road will likely connect to aspects of your life that are more social in nature.
Roadkill: Finding roadkill in a dream indicates that a violent act has already occurred. An animal killed in this way is reflecting some sense of innocence that has been sacrificed by moving too fast through your life. Consider the animal for additional meaning if it is clear what animal it was.
Robots: You are stuck in a rut of endless productivity and emotionless activity that is robbing you of life force. A robot is a nonhuman entity that is designed to replicate some level of human functioning. Dreaming of one may reveal your own personal relationship to emotional responses with regard to accomplishment. It is important to also ask yourself if there are areas in your life where you might be operating in such an automatic fashion that it might be draining you of vibrancy and joy.
Rocks: See Boulders/Rocks.
Roller Coaster: You are dreaming of the up-and-down nature of life, which is often expressed by using the analogy of a roller coaster ride. Just as in life, these extremes can be simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. As a ride in an amusement park, a roller coaster is something that a person chooses to experience, knowing that it will contain surprising twists and turns. If you resist the sensations of the journey, it can be terrifying. If you welcome them, there can be great exhilaration. Which end of that continuum you find yourself on in the dream illuminates your relationship to the ups and downs your life is currently throwing at you. A roller coaster symbolizes one of life’s biggest challenges—sudden changes in intensity and direction. These rapid shifts constitute the rhythm of life that we have all come to expect, especially when transition is afoot. Dreaming of such a symbol indicates that life is currently or about to hurl itself up to the heights, plummet into the depths, or both. Remember that if you find yourself riding the roller coaster of life, you have chosen to benefit from all of the possibilities life has to offer. It is through the challenging ups and downs that we are able to create brilliant manifestations of our heart’s desires.
Roller Skates: Roller skates speed up your movement through life and also add an element of playful fun to how you are moving about. If your dream features roller skating, you may want to have things move a little faster and more smoothly. Additionally, if you are not graceful on the skates, such a dream could indicate a moment when you feel out of balance because things are speeding up just a bit.
Roof: The roof is the top of a building; in this way it connects to the mind and thoughts in the consciousness that the building represents. If the roof is not in good shape, then elements from the outside will get in in a way that can be damaging. If this is the case, you may feel that you are not protected from the thoughts of other people interfering with your own ideas about things. If you are standing on the roof in a dream, you desire to get a higher vantage point by connecting to the highest level of thoughts you can have about a situation. This higher vantage point is a powerful place to be, but it also puts you in the position of being able to fall off, so a dream about falling from a roof connects to the risk associated with having vision. If the roof is in disrepair, your thoughts are not in alignment or are out of integrity.
Rooster: All birds are messengers and the rooster has a very specific message that it brings. Its crowing signals that the day has begun. If a rooster appears in your dream, a new cycle is beginning and you are being alerted to this. From Chinese astrology, the rooster is practical and resourceful, but is also the strutting archetype that is filled with confidence. The rooster in your dream may be connecting you to these qualities.
Rope: This symbolizes the potential to do a great variety of structural adjustments in your life by keeping resources close at hand. Rope is a magnificent tool that allows you to do a number of things; the most common is the tying up of objects that would otherwise be separate. In the world of symbols, what you tie together with rope might be anything from ideas to emotions. The rope itself is the potential to execute some measure of control over situations that feel somewhat chaotic. What the rope is doing in the dream will offer deeper meaning. Make sure to pay special attention to how the rope is knotted, as a knot is evidence of past efforts to control things that may not have been as effective as desired. Remember too that any knot can be undone with the right amount of effort.
Roses: Of all the flowers, the rose is the most directly connected to romantic love. Also, flowers represent passionate expression, the desire for forgiveness, and the presence or need for joy in your life. They also connect to the fleeting nature of all such things, as flowers wilt and die before long. The color of the roses has some meaning, where red roses are given to the beloved, white roses indicate pure love on a higher realm, and yellow roses connote the platonic love of friendship. If the thorns are prominent in your dream, then you are considering the challenges that are associated with love and intimacy. The health of the bloom also has meaning; the fresher the bud, the more hopeful the promise built into the symbol. A wilting rose may point to love that has faded.
Rug: A rug makes the floor feel better to the feet, protects the floor beneath it, and also adds beauty and a sense of décor to a space. There are elements to this symbol that suggest feeling more grounded in a space and adding a sense of abundance and prosperity to your life. The shape that the rug is in may be expressing beliefs you have about such abundance. Something old and worn means your ideas are outdated. Something new and beautiful indicates that you are ushering in a new vision of prosperity and luxury.
Running: Running is walking, only speeded up. On the one hand, it symbolically relates to the desire to move through your life at a faster pace. Running can also connect to a sense of self-care if the act is connected to fitness and exercise. Additionally, running is often present in the nightmare of being chased. You must use the context of the dream to indicate how to interpret this desire to move more rapidly and make sense of the symbol. Ask yourself what are you running from. (See Slow Motion.)