Stadium: The power behind the stadium in both waking life and as a symbol is the sheer number of people it can hold. First and foremost, people in dreams represent thoughts and ideas. When thousands of these are gathered, it is a symbolic representation of agreement and the momentum that is created when great enthusiasm is put behind a single notion. What are you gearing up for in your life that requires an intense focus?
Stage: A stage is a structure for presentation. As a symbol in a dream, the stage suggests a moment in your life when you either desire to or are being required to present a certain idea, concept, or new direction in your life in a very public way. Because what is presented on a stage is a manufactured reality, this image in a dream may be asking you to consider how authentic you are being in your life right now.
Stain: A stain is evidence of some sort of accident or unintended occurrence that has happened in the past and has shifted or altered how you think about a person, place, or thing. In this way, a stain connects to regret or shame about something you cannot undo that is having a residual impact on your memory.
Stairs: You are in the midst of a transition in life, perhaps directly connected to personal growth or assessment. Climbing up stairs should be interpreted as ascending to higher levels of consciousness. Going down stairs connects to revisiting places or moving into lower levels of thought, such as anger and envy, or facing your own emotional development by revisiting old issues. Where the stairs are is important to consider. A stairway in a home is about personal transitions, whereas stairs in public environments reveal issues around how you operate out in the world, in full view of others. There may be literal elements of this image in a dream, as a dream that takes place on a stairway at your workplace will likely connect to issues that are work-related. A stairway in a public park may reveal shifts that involve issues of relaxation and leisure.
Stars: Stars are the tiny impressions made by gigantic objects of great magnitude that are vast distances away from us. They are the constant reminders of the enormity of the universe in which we find ourselves. In a dream, stars may be expressing your highest, most aspirational consciousness. Stars often remind people of the concept of fate, that certain experiences are “in the stars.” If this feels in alignment with the context of your dream, you may be experiencing a powerful sense of inevitability about something that is unfolding.
Statue: The power of a statue is in the stillness of the object itself. Many statues are works of art that depict the human form. In this way, a statue can represent the sensation of feeling stuck in one particular form of expression.
Stealing: You may be expressing a desire for things that are not rightfully yours. The objects of theft are often things of value. Therefore, the symbolic meaning implies resources or levels of abundance that are being coveted and then taken without permission or regard for consequences. The reverse side to stealing is being stolen from. This interpretation features the same themes and adds the elements of violation and loss.
Stepfamily: The stepfamily has the same meaning as a family of origin with the added element of fate thrown into the mix, as a secondary family by marriage indicates a choice that brings with it a multitude of relationships. If you have a stepfamily in your waking life, the people who make up that family represent character aspects of your personality and also reflect the primary relationship that connects that stepfamily to you. Such a dream may be reflecting both your own consciousness as well as the waking-life interactions of the individuals involved. (See Family Members.)
Stepsiblings: If your waking life includes a stepfamily, your dreams may reflect this by those individuals showing up as characters. If this is the case, the stepsiblings in your dreams are acting as both character aspects of your personality as well as reflections of your archetypal consciousness as defined by the family. (See Family Members, Siblings.)
Stepparents: If your waking life includes a stepfamily, your dreams may reflect this by those individuals showing up as characters. If this is the case, the stepparents in your dreams are acting as both character aspects of your personality as well as reflections of your archetypal consciousness as defined by the family. (See Family Members, Parents.)
Stigmata: A mystical expression of the Christ consciousness, stigmata replicate the bleeding at the hands and feet of the crucifixion wounds. If they appear in a dream, they may be a symbolic expression of a powerful initiation and you may be moving to a higher level of your spiritual awareness. If you are a Catholic, there may be a more personal association with the stigmata as an outward sign of your inner devotion.
Stock Market: At the heart of the stock market as a symbol is the notion of taking enormous risks with the possibility of a high return on investment. The very essence of speculation is the notion that nothing in life is certain, and if the stock market is featured in your dream, some element of your life is feeling the acute challenges of the nature of life to move up and down in quick succession. What are you willing to risk?
Stockings: Though stockings are a little out of fashion at the moment, their primary purpose is to give the illusion of beauty and glamour to a woman’s legs. In this way, they also have a measure of eroticism associated with them. The legs do the walking, so consider how you are walking the walk in your life when stockings are featured in a dream. The context of the dream will offer distinctions for your interpretation.
Stones: A stone is a small piece of rock. Rocks are connected to memory and things that are part of the past. A stone in a dream is like an old idea that you either have been carrying around with you or are being invited to pick up and take with you from a current experience. (See Diamond, Emerald, and other specific stones.)
Store: A store is a place where a specific need is met. Consider the type of store as part of your interpretation and understand that this symbol indicates your ability to get that need met. (See Market, Hardware Store, Groceries.)
Storm: A storm is a symbol of an emotional disturbance, since in most cases water is involved, and water is the ultimate symbol of emotions. Rain symbolizes tears and grief, and wind connects to thoughts and intellect. When these two elements of the human condition combine in very violent ways, a storm is born. A storm in your dream is evidence that some challenging situation in your life is either coming soon or just about to pass, as all storms move on eventually.
Stove: The implication behind the stove as a symbol is that something may soon be cooked. Since cooking food is directly connected to sustenance and nurturance, the stove in your dreams relates directly to the shape of your relationship to self-care. A working stove indicates that all is functional, whereas a stove that is broken or otherwise compromised is indicating that something about how you are providing for yourself needs to be examined.
Stranger: A person unknown to you is still representing a character aspect of your personality, even if his or her identity is concealed or the person is a stranger. When making an interpretation about a person you don’t know, you must focus on what you actually do know. What the person is doing in your dream and how you feel about that will give you the essence of your interpretation. Whatever message your dream is presenting you with, the fact that it comes from a stranger or a person with a concealed identity indicates that the unconscious is not quite ready to reveal what is being called into action in your current situation. More will be revealed; we learn in stages and increments and often resist change, so be prepared for initial levels of fear to come up around this type of imagery. The unknown assailant who chases us may simply be trying to give us our forgotten lunch money or an umbrella because it is raining. When there are clear personality traits apparent and the person’s identity is unknown to you, it likely points to an area of development within your own personal makeup. An angry or aggressive stranger may point to an integration of that energy into consciousness. A more helpful or gentle stranger indicates that softer elements are being called into prominence. Whatever end of the continuum your dream stranger is on, be prepared to consider the necessity and power of the energy he or she is embodying in the dream. A deliberate concealment of identity can also indicate a matter of the unconscious tricking the conscious into hearing a difficult piece of information; for just as in life, it is sometimes easier to hear impactful news from a stranger than from someone we love.
Strangling: You are feeling constricted in areas of communication. Since strangling involves cutting off the air supply at the neck, communication is the focus of the interpretation of any dream with this image in it. It is important to recognize that there is a specific intention associated with strangling, which is to cause death. Any death in a dream should be considered a transformation of such magnitude that an inevitable rebirth must surely follow. Strangling necessitates that two people are involved, which means that you should consider the other person as a character aspect of yourself. If you are the aggressor, then the person you are choking is a part of your personality that you are attempting to or needing to stifle.
Street: A street is part of the construct of a city or town where there are buildings on either side, as opposed to a road, which can be more rural in nature. All roads are symbols of your movement through life, so a street in a dream is more about places where you may actually stop and create some lasting element of your social experience. Consider the phrase “on the street where you live” as an indication of this symbol connecting to home or your community.
Strip Club: A strip club is an interesting location for a dream because it simultaneously represents elements of both the masculine and the feminine principle in action. It is a place that celebrates the female body and in this way expresses the power of the feminine. The objectification that goes on there indicates elements of the masculine principle in an undeveloped form. Issues of sexuality, seduction, and eroticism are the focus of such a dream setting; however, be willing to also consider that this energy is not in alignment or true integration. Sexual feelings may be pulling at you in an unbalanced way.
Stripper Pole: The pole around which a stripper dances is a symbol itself for the penis, and the dance itself is a seduction of the feminine principle interacting with the masculine principle. This dance can be symbolic of an erotic or sexual desire, but it can also be a symbol for stimulating the life force and creative impulses within you.
Stroke: You may be harboring destructive, negative thoughts, and they are having a dangerous impact on you. A stroke is caused by some sort of disturbance in the integrity of the brain. Caused by a blood clot or the eruption of a blood vessel, the damage that results from a stroke can range from innocuous discomfort to death. The brain is the symbolic center of the intellect and thoughts. When thoughts are compromised by some sudden challenge, a symbolic dream-stroke may occur if the cause is severe enough.
Stuffed Animal: One of the first staples of childhood comfort, a stuffed animal is primarily a symbol for affection and warmth. Your personal relationships with stuffed animals from your childhood should feature into your interpretation, as a person with a deep connection to such things may be activating a sense memory of such comfort. Also consider the animal itself; there may be a connection to the power that the animal represents and the need to have a portable availability to such nurturing energy.
Submarine: A submarine is capable of diving to extreme depths and navigating the world far below the surface of the ocean. As the ocean represents the unconscious mind, the places where a submarine can go are akin to parts of the psyche that are absolutely down in the depths of the unconscious, but that ultimately can be explored in a limited fashion—like the thoughts, memories, and material that are usually buried but occasionally are investigated and made known. A submarine in a dream indicates that a deep investigation is underway, and anything else that such a dream expresses could be important information.
Subway: An underground world of its own, the subway system in any city can get you from one place to another without seeing the light of day. Any travel from one place to another in a dream represents a change or transformation. Since a subway ride is relatively short, the scope of the change it represents is also relatively minor. The idea that is being represented the most by this image in a dream has to do with being just under the surface of your consciousness. Such a dream indicates that you can learn something by doing a little investigation of what is lurking below and find yourself in some new territory as a result.
Succubus: The succubus is a mythological creature that is itself a feature of dreams. The succubus is the female version of this mythological creature, and it is thought to be a phantom that removes life force from its victim and is often a feature of night terrors. If you are visited by a succubus in your dream, look to where in your life some woman or other experience is draining you of passion and power. (See Incubus.)
Suit: Any article of clothing relates to your personal expression and the persona you are choosing to present to the world. Wearing a suit indicates a connection to more formal activities as well as to the workplace for many people. If you are wearing a suit in a dream, you may be calling upon a more serious aspect of your expression.
Suitcase: See Bag, Luggage.
Sun: The sun is the source of almost all life on Earth. The power contained within the sun is so enormous, it is almost unfathomable. To dream about the sun is to connect to this level of power within you.
Sunrise/Sunset: A sunrise may point to a new beginning, just as a sunset may indicate an ending of some sort. If your dream-sun is blocked by clouds, you may want to consider where in your life your personal power is being limited or held back.
Surgery: A healing is underway, though it is potentially disruptive and violent in nature. Surgery is usually thought of as a painful and invasive procedure undertaken when some form of healing needs to take place. In its essence, healing is a process that fundamentally alters the structure of some part of the body. All surgeries can be categorized as either removing or adding something to the body. If something is being removed, begin your investigation in areas of your life where you are facing loss or release. If you are being surgically enhanced with new material, such as replacement joints or a pacemaker, look to ways in which you are currently taking on new paths or ways of being that are foreign to you. No matter what the surgery is, there is an implication that some area in your consciousness requires dramatic healing.
Sweat: This is evidence of some underlying fear, shame, guilt, or stress. On a social level, sweat is sometimes evidence of inner stress. This can reveal the presence of guilt or panic that betrays the person. If you feel this may be the case in your dream, your interpretation should involve investigating secrets or issues in your waking life that you would rather keep hidden.
Sweating: You are working to restore balance because of stress, fear, or guilt. There are both emotional and physical correlations to sweating and the appearance of sweat. However, the essential meaning assigned to sweat must connect with its most basic and primal function: to regulate the temperature of the body. We would die if this process did not operate effectively. If you are sweating in your dream, your interpretation may uncover an unconscious message that some life experience is posing a threat to your equilibrium and balance. Heat represents a visceral reaction to perceived danger in the form of anger or aggression. Sweating represents your desire to restore balance from whatever might be the cause of those feelings of threat. Sweating also serves to rid the body of toxins, so dream-sweat may point to the presence of underlying thoughts, ideas, or behaviors that are ultimately poisoning your sense of well-being.
Swimming: You are navigating the waters of your own emotional journey. Water represents the emotional realm of our feelings, both conscious and unconscious. Swimming is specifically about progress and making your way through the emotional territory in your life. The effort of propelling yourself forward is completely self-motivated and generated exclusively by your own body. This reveals how effectively or ineffectively you are pushing yourself through an emotional challenge in your life. The ease, pace, and depth of your swim offer a great deal of texture for you to investigate. The harder you have to work, the more effort is required to arrive at your destination of emotional growth. How fast you are moving will inform you of the speed of the process you are undergoing. The level of immersion communicates the emotional territory through which you are traveling; being on the surface reflects the emotions you are aware of, whereas swimming underwater implies deeper feelings that reside in your unconscious mind.
Swimming Pool: Water connects to emotional issues. A swimming pool is a humanmade construction that contains a small amount of water that is used for recreation and relaxation. In this way, a swimming pool in a dream relates to a manageable amount of emotional expression that feels beneficial and not overwhelming. Swimming in a pool might relate to being in a comfortable emotional state or a need to control your emotions. To avoid jumping into a pool reflects a desire to rise above emotional issues. Drowning in a pool is to be overwhelmed by emotional issues of your own making.
Swimsuit: A bathing suit implies that the act of swimming has recently or will soon occur. Any image involving water in a dream relates to your feelings and emotions. Taking a swim is an act of immersing yourself in your emotional nature, so the bathing suit in your dream indicates a readiness to explore your emotional nature more deeply. There may also be an aspect of experiencing your feelings in a more playful and restorative manner indicated by such a dream.
Swings: Swinging is one of the first ways in which a child feels a sense of freedom and exhilaration. In this way, a swing is a symbol of both this sensation as well as the childlike innocence that allows for such easy access to those feelings. In a dream, a swing set indicates a longing for this aspect of your consciousness. If the swings in your dreams feel dangerous or are connected to an injury, then you are processing some stress around needing more freedom in your life.
Swing Set: A childlike sense of play is what is reflected in this image. The idea that something so simple can generate an enormous amount of joy is presented by a dream with a swing set in it. If you have personal associations with a swing set from your childhood, those should feature in your interpretation. Sometimes the most joyful images can show up with a sense of distortion in a nightmare. A nightmare simply means the stakes are higher; such a dream may be calling for more of this playfulness in your life as something more important than you might think.