What Hugging Means in the Dream Land.

By Heather Long
Exploring the meaning of dreams can involve
delving into fears, aspirations, hopes and
readiness for emotional support. Hugging in a
dream can mean many things, depending on the
context in which the hug occurs. An embrace is a
symbolic gesture that can mean different things
to different people, but there is an underlying
feeling of interconnectedness that appears to be
consistent.
Whom Are You Hugging?
The meaning of being hugged in a dream changes
based on whom you hug. Mothers who dream of
hugging their children, for example, are signs of a
positive, protective and trusting bond. It’s not
uncommon for a pregnant woman to dream of
holding, hugging and loving the baby she is
carrying.
Possible meanings can apply to your personal
experience with dreams about embracing
someone:
Dreams can have many layers, and meaning can
emerge from both literal and symbolic
representations. For example, an enemy may be
an ex-lover or a former girlfriend, and hugging
this individual can be expression of grief and loss.
Does the dream mean you should reach out to
that person? Not necessarily. It could just mean
that you miss the relationship, but this doesn't
necessarily mean that you miss the specific
individual.
The thrill of hugging a stranger can represent the
encouragement to be open to new relationships.
How do you tell the difference? If the stranger
hugs you and you feel trapped, confined or
uncomfortable, then it could be a warning to
avoid the situation. If you hug the stranger and
experience the same feelings of anxiety, it could
illustrate the need to press past personal barriers
for the new experience.
What if you and the stranger both reach out for
the hug at the same time? That is an
encouragement to accept opportunities when they
come your way. That opportunity doesn’t have to
be another person, but a chance at a new job, a
new education or other.
Spiritual Awakening
Many Native American tribes saw hugging in a
dream as a sign of a person’s willingness to
accept change. Awakening requires overcoming a
fear of being judged, personal insight, and the
desire to exceed personal boundaries. As children,
hugs were a great source of comfort and safety.
The act of embracing the unknown suggests that
contentment and satisfaction can be achieved
when one steps beyond your comfort zone.
Psychological Exploration of Dreams
Psychiatrist Carl Jung was not the first to
study dreams, but his work in dream analysis is
among the best known to professional
researchers and pop culture alike. It was Jung
who advocated that dreams must be interpreted
on an individual level, taken in context with the
dreamer. Jung believed that dreams could be
approached from two different perspectives, the
objective and the subjective.
The objective approach identifies objects and
people in the dream as exactly what they appear.
The dream of your child is a dream of your child,
etc. In the subjective context, the person, place or
thing represents of something else. Jung believed
that it was the dreamer who could identify when
the dream was subjective or objective.
Not All Dreams Have to Have Meaning
Everyone dreams, and many dreams go
unremembered. In dreams, as in life, sometimes a
hug is just a hug, but if you are experiencing
recurring dreams about embracing, then it could
be a sign that the symbol is important to you. In
addition, if the dream prevents you from resting
well, it can be a sign that you may need to
explore sleep problems or disorders as a possible
contributor to the restlessness.