It’s not a surprise for animals to pop up in your dream. Today, you can dream of a panda, next week a squirrel, and sometimes a snake.
Usually, when animals appear in dreams, they represent emotions, expressions, and the response of your natural self. They symbolize the part of your nature at odds with the inner critic that charms you towards conformity.
But since animals come with unique traits and personalities, dreams about them often have different archetypal meanings.
Also, the interpretations of these dreams depend on the relationship between the animal and the individual.
In this article, we will focus mainly on the dreams of the world’s largest terrestrial mammal: The Elephant. So, join us as we discover the interesting meanings and interpretations of dreams about elephants.
What Does an Elephant in A Dream Mean?
Elephants embody several meanings, especially if they pop up in your dream. However, these connotations can be positive or negative depending on the circumstance you’re facing in your waking life.
For instance, you could dream about an elephant when looking to grow your business. The creature could represent collaboration with an influential party. It might also mean you will be in control of the partnership, particularly if you direct the gigantic animal in the dream.
Some people harbor feelings of inadequacy or inferiority because they can’t measure up to others or have a physical defect/challenge. When such individuals dream of elephants, it means they’re not aware of their strengths and power.
These dreams also point to your state of mind. Maybe you have feelings you’ve suppressed for so long. And now they’re gushing out in the form of an immense creature.
Like most dreams, don’t take elephant dreams for granted because they may represent something significant in various aspects of your life. It could be your physical health, family and relationships, work and career, spiritual wellness, and even mental strength.
Elephant Dream Symbolism
Do you know what an elephant represents in your culture?
In many cultures, religions, and traditions, elephants are respected symbols. First, they’re the largest living land mammals. Second, they’ve been around for thousands of years.
Not only did they play a significant role in wars, but they were used for transport, too. Several mythological stories also display elephants as wise and loyal animals that guided lost people in the forest back to the right path.
Likewise, elephant art and figurines have been seen during the renaissance period.
In Feng Shui, an elephant symbolizes strength, fortune, good luck, and protection. Like fu dogs, elephant statues positioned at the entrance of a home offer protection against harm.
Elephants with lowered trunks in dreams symbolize stability and strength, especially when a family is facing tough times. Those with raised trunks bring good fortune to a home.
Native Asians considered elephants as mythical creatures at the same level as the phoenix and dragon. These animals embodied royal power and wisdom.
In fact, elephants are symbols of many political parties, like the Bahujan Samaj Party of India and the United National Party of Sri Lanka.
Buddhists worship elephants and consider the creature as one of the precious treasures of the universal monarch.
In Buddhism, elephants represent majesty, power, dignity, spiritual transformation, and enlightenment. While in Christianity, the creature is a symbol of hard work and patience.
Elephants embody the heart of many African cultures, like the Zulu of South Africa and Masai of Kenya. In these cultures, the animal stands for raw strength and power and represents wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and intelligence. The creature also offers guidance to those who need it.
Elephant Dream Themes and Their Meanings
As you can see above, many cultures and religions perceive elephants differently.
How you interpret your dream about an elephant will depend on your connection with the animal. What does the elephant mean to you?
With that in mind, the following are common themes that show up in dreams about elephants and their meanings:
1. Success/Luck
Elephant dreams are a cue for good luck and success coming into your life. This hold, especially if you see the animal swimming in water or drinking from a watering point.
Water is often considered a symbol of abundance. A dream where both water and elephant exist could mean a flow of abundance in terms of wealth, happiness, joy, and love.
If you save or help the elephant, it means you’re compassionate and will achieve success by assisting individuals in trouble. You will enjoy success in a career involving helping and nurturing others.
2. Maternal Instincts
Elephants are perhaps the most protective mothers on the planet. The oldest female elephants play a significant role in controlling the herd and ensuring family survival. So, dreams about female elephants it’s a sign you focus more of your attention on your family.
3. Big Ideas
Sometimes, elephants appear in your dreams when you need inspiration to meet your goals or objectives.
You might want to expand your business to another region or introduce a new product to the market but lack the belief to make your dream a reality.
This dream will encourage you that everything is possible. Of course, you need to put in the effort and stay persistent and resilient to achieve success.
4. Past Experiences
“Elephants never forget”
This old saying confirms that elephants have great memories. Thanks to their incredible memories, these mammals have survived for centuries.
As said earlier, older female elephants (often referred to as matriarchs) lead the herd. Over time, matriarchs develop powerful memory, allowing them to remember places they frequented in their early lives. That includes places they found food and water in the past.
What’s more interesting, they also keep track of friends and enemies and often guide the other herd members to stay away from trouble.
When an elephants turn up in your dream, it might symbolize an experience, person, or object from your earlier life.
The animals act as a guide towards your past so you can learn from it and prevent similar encounters or situations in the present.
5. Companionship
Elephants form social ties and value companionship. Seeing them in your dream is a way for your subconscious mind to shift your attention towards your marriage and the relationships you share with friends and family members.
Elephant Dreams Astrology
In Astrology, elephants symbolize hard work, intellectual pursuits, and fairness. Individuals born under the sign of the elephant are determined, romantic, and idealistic. They often form strong bonds with family and close friends and are generous, peaceful, and diplomatic.
When an elephant pops into your dream, it’s a sign you embody some of these attributes. It also means that you work tirelessly to attain financial security and feel stable, especially if you are an OX (Chinese Zodiac). If you’re a Libra, the dream means you long for freedom and desire to enjoy the pleasure and adventures life offers.
But one thing stands out between individuals of these zodiac signs; they have a strong drive to gain as much money as possible. Even though money will not necessarily buy you happiness, it will provide you with a way to afford adventure, relaxation, and rest.
Most dreams about elephants is a sign of coming into large sums of money, whether through marrying someone rich, an inheritance, or even winning a lottery. You will no longer toll so hard to meet your needs. Basically, elephants represent the opportunity for a different lifestyle. It also represents love and friendship.
11 Common Types of Elephant Dreams and Their Interpretations
Dream of Baby Elephant
A baby elephant in a dream is a cue for blossoming power, intellect, and strength along with playful nature.
But it could also mean that you are allowing your problems to grow. The issues might look trivial, but if you don’t tackle them now, you’ll have a hard time in the future.
Dream of White Elephant
A white elephant is revered in Buddhism and it’s seen as a symbol of spiritual evolution and enlightenment.
So, encountering one in your dream could mean you’ll attain spiritual enlightenment or receive answers to your visions related to spirituality. The dream could also show that you’ll acquire property or financial assets.
Dream of Black Elephant
Black elephant dreams signify changes in your life. Most likely, you will have to face a difficult time before your goals can manifest. The dream could suggest that you’ll become prosperous in your endeavors.
Dream of Elephant in Water
As said earlier, dreams of elephants in water signify abundance. Chances are, you will enjoy financial stability, love, and joy. The dream could also stand for your agility and foresight in dealing with tricky situations.
Dream of Elephant Attack
Getting attacked by an elephant in a dream means that someone in a higher position means you harm or plans to shatter your dreams. Therefore, you need to be extra vigilant of your surroundings. Also, avoid undesirable situations from authoritative figures at all costs.
Dream of Elephant Chasing You
Dreams of getting chased by elephants signify your resilience towards achieving your goals. Another interpretation is that some people or obstacles are standing between you and your success. The sooner you get rid of the people and overcome the obstacle, the sooner you’ll attain your life goals.
Dream of Flying Elephant
Sometimes you might have a plan for your life, but because of fear, you end up pushing it to the backseat.
Flying elephants appear in your dreams to encourage you to believe in yourself. Trust your capabilities and muster the courage to implement your plan and visions.
Dream of Dead Elephant
A dead elephant dream implies that you have to prepare yourself for transformation. It’s time to let go of your former life and embrace the new life. New beginnings are always an opportunity for personal and professional growth and development.
On the other hand, the dream could serve as a warning. Avoid entering deals and agreements blindly, especially those that involve influential individuals.
Dream of Elephant Trunk
An elephant trunk symbolizes wealth. So, if you dream of touching or getting hit by a trunk, it could mean that you’ll achieve financial success soon. A dream of an elephant lifting you with its trunk predicts your victory or achievement.
Dream of Elephant Stampede
An elephant stampede dream shows that you often go against the tide or you prefer taking things slow. Nevertheless, other people’s actions usually cause you damage. This is true, particularly if you’re getting trampled over by the elephant.
When the elephants step on trees in your dream, it indicates that your challenges will soon be a thing of the past. But if someone gets killed in the stampede, that’s a sign someone is not happy with your well-being or success.
Dream of Playing with Baby Elephant
If you play with a baby elephant in your dream, it means you have a strong support system. Don’t shut yourself out from the world when dealing with major life changes.
Instead, seek the support of your close friends and family. That way, you can overcome any challenge and free yourself from mental, emotional, and spiritual torture.
Spiritual Meaning of Elephants in Dream
Spiritually, these land mammals embody lots of physical energy related to the 1St to 3rd chakras. These chakras link to great physical health, being grounded, survival, manifestation, identity, empowerment, and obstacles in life.
Besides chakras, dreams about elephants can represent themes associated with major events in your future and on your path. This can relate to dreams you wish to manifest, relationships, business ideas, projects you’re working on, etc.
Biblical Meaning of Elephants in Dream
The Bible doesn’t talk about elephants directly. However, Revelation 18:12 mentions the animal indirectly the original Greek word (elephantinos), translated from Ivory.
With that in mind, elephants have deeper symbolism in the Bible.
Elephants are a symbol of temperance. It stands for self-restraint or embodies moderation. Without a doubt, Elephants possess great power, but they never take advantage of the situation. Instead, they display great self-control.
Self-control is a virtue that the bible encourages Christian to observe, according to Peter 1:5-8. This virtue is also one fruit of the holy spirit along with peace, joy, patience, faithfulness, goodness, and gentleness.
Christians also see elephant dreams as a symbol of strength and power, loyalty, compassion, and the vastness of God.
Dream of Elephant Meaning in Islam
In Islam, Prophet Muhammad is born in the Elephant’s year. Also, Yemen’s King Abraha and his army of 40 thousand soldiers used elephants to destroy Kaaba in his attempt to take Mecca. But one of his beloved elephants, Mahmud, denied crossing Mecca no matter how much they tried.
In Islam, elephant dreams have several meanings. For example, seeing an elephant killing people in a dream shows the death of a ruler or someone close to the ruler. Talking to an elephant means a ruler will help you.
When you dream of drinking elephant milk, it means you’ll gain money from an individual with authority. The same applies to eating elephant meat.
Dream of Elephant Meaning in Hinduism
Elephants hold a sacred place in Hindu mythology. The animals stand for prosperity, wholesome life, and good health.
Lord Ganesha (the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati) is always portrayed with the head of an elephant and the body of a man. He’s the Hindu deity of wisdom, new beginnings, and success.
Lord Indra is known for flying the King of elephants, Airavata. He was born after the vigorous churning of ancient seas and he signifies divine intelligence and immense power.
Besides, several temples, including those at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, South India, boast a multitude of elephant carvings and sculptures. The same goes for temples dedicated to Lord Ganesh.
Is it Good to See Elephants in Dream?
Generally, seeing elephants in your dream is a good sign, even if they freak the hell out of you. These creatures show up in your dream to pass an important message about challenges you might encounter soon.
Since they’re a sign of good luck and prosperity, they could appear in your dream world to encourage you to pursue your future goal or give you the strength and wisdom you need to achieve success.
But like every other dream, elephants in a dream can have negative connotations too, especially if you’re hunting or killing elephants.
The dreams show your destructive side and if you continue to embrace it, it will lead to your downfall. It’s also a sign of self-sabotage, disregard for sacred life, and greed.
That means you’re full of negative energy, and the only way to heal and be in In tune with the universe is to learn to clear the bad energy.
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Final Thoughts
Despite being enormous and powerful, elephants can be surprisingly emotional, sensitive, laid back, and caring.
When they pop up in your dream, it’s usually a good sign, and it could mean lots of things. Such dreams often symbolize overcoming life challenges, prosperity, abundance, new beginnings, intelligence, courage, and strength.
But don’t think for a minute these dreams are without negative connotations. Sometimes, they warn you of big trouble or individuals who mean you harm.
On that note, how you interpret elephant dreams will depend on the backdrop of the vision, your relationship with the animal, and the category of your elephant dream (Asian or African elephant).
In short, ensure the dream’s context aligns with its meaning to get a correct interpretation.