Yard: A house represents your sense of self, and the yard is the part of the house that bridges the gap between your personal identity and your public persona. A yard is connected to the house itself, so that it is directly expressing part of who you are. It is outside and therefore is also related to the public part of yourself that you allow people to see. Since people have a lot invested in how they present their yards for public scrutiny, the yard in your dream is a symbol for this very same kind of attention toward superficial details that project a desired identity that may or may not be true to what is happening on the inside. A front yard is more public, and the back or side yard to a house relates to the same general interpretation, with the caveat that a deeper sense of privacy or an invitation is required in order for that part of your nature to be visible.

Yard Sale: One has a yard sale to get rid of stuff that is no longer wanted but could be beneficial to others in exchange for money. In this way, the symbolic meaning of a yard sale connects to this desire to transform the past into a sense of abundance now. A desire to clear things out and make space for something new could also connect to this image in a dream.

Yarmulke: The yarmulke is a sign of devotion and respect in the Jewish tradition, where keeping one’s head covered at all times is a symbol of reverence to God. It is also a visible identifier for the outside world to recognize a person of the Jewish faith. In this way, a yarmulke symbolizes both this inner sense of devotion and this outer sense of identity. Your interpretation will depend largely on your personal relationship to this particular religion.

Yelling: We raise our voices in volume when what we are expressing is fueled by anger or a sense of higher stakes with regard to what we want to express. In this way, yelling in a dream is an indication that whatever is going on has a heightened level of importance. This is also a typical dream image when the dreamer is processing deep-seated rage. Often, the desire to yell is present but the voice is unable to respond, and the dreamer is left feeling shut down by the overwhelming experience. This image in a dream is a reflection of the overwhelming way in which rage can be crippling and must therefore be examined, processed, and released. Examine who you are yelling at for more details about where in your psyche the breakdown is occurring. If you are being yelled at by a character within your dream, who that person is will offer you clues to where in your life the rage is originating.

Yellow: Yellow is the color of emotions and gut feelings and is appropriately centered in the solar plexus, creating a relationship with this area of the body and the color of the sun. The solar plexus is where we experience our feelings and the rapid shift from one state to another. Associated with the adrenal glands, yellow connects to adrenaline, the chemical manufactured by the brain that creates anxiety, sudden bursts of energy, and the fight-or-flight response. This is reflected in the use of yellow to indicate caution in signage and traffic management. Of course, many emotional states are very pleasant, which is embodied by our experience of sunlight as warm and comforting. (See Colors.)

Yin/Yang: This symbol from the Hindu tradition represents balance, wholeness, and integration. In a dream, it is a powerful expression of these principles calling to you from a higher realm of consciousness.

Yoga: The practice of yoga is one of the most ancient disciplines on the planet. It is based on the principle of moving the body through space and holding particular poses for long periods of time to stimulate organs and the glandular system. The fortitude required to hold the poses long past what is comfortable is the foundation of a successful practice. When yoga appears in a dream, you are being pushed past your comfort zone in some area of your life.

Yogurt: This delicious food is created when a bacteria is introduced into a dairy product. This contradiction is what is at the heart of yogurt as a symbol, for it reminds us that sometimes that which is sour can add to your experience when you remove the judgment from the mix. This symbol in a dream may be asking you to accept some distasteful elements and trust that there is good in everything.