Dear Claire,
I have had this returning dream about a horse in water. It is a silvery-grey colored horse, and it is in murky river water all of the way up to its chin. The water is calm, and the horse seems unfazed and unafraid of the water that has risen up so high. Even though I am not physically in the dream, the horse is actually staring at me, like it is looking into my world from where it is standing in the river. It seems like the sun has gone down in the dream, like it is after sundown and just before dark. The horse’s eyes stay very calm, but they are very focused on me and almost challenging me. The horse seems aware of the rising water, but the horse just isn’t concerned about it. The horse is not moving through the water. It just keeps standing in one place while it looks intensely at me. I know that the horse is confident and will move through the water when it is ready to, and I feel very reassured by the horse, for some reason.
In dreams, bodies of water are classic and powerful symbols for life, growth, transformation, and transition-not only because water is the source of all life, but also because it sustains life and is fluid and ever-changing. Because rivers are also wild and uncertain, they can often symbolize what is wild and uncertain in life-and, due to their continual fluidity, they are not only a powerful symbol for change and transition in life, but also for passages and journeys in life. Furthermore, because rivers are boundaries or barriers in the physical world, they can also serve as symbols of separation, barriers, challenges, or struggles in our lives-and a river that is “rising”, as in the above dream, would most likely indicate rising challenges which need to be dealt with in life.
This appears to be an extremely positive, bold, and confident dream-symbolizing the dreamer’s current situation in life. The demeanor of the horse is especially significant-it is up to its neck in the river’s “murky” current, yet it remains unfazed and fearless while it placidly, yet intentionally, stares down the dreamer. This “dream horse” appears to be subconsciously designed to draw attention to something occurring in the waking world. The lack of fear and the competent and bold behavior appear to reflect how the dreamer is feeling/supposed to feel about his/her current situation life. While the river situation appears dire, the horse is still under control and unruffled-confident that it can advance safely and victoriously through the dark, rising waters (most likely the pressures, challenges, and negative situations in life)-all indicative of the dreamer’s state of mind concerning his/her current challenges and issues in life. Thanks to this “dream horse” and its powerfully reinforcing and reassuring message, the dreamer will most likely remain unafraid, unfazed, and confident in his/her ability to persevere and take on, undefeated, the rising and dark tide of life.
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