What Do Witches Dream?

One of the first things my husband and I say to one another nearly every day is, "Did you have any cool dreams last night?" Fun fact about us is that we met 20 years ago on one of the first online dream interpretation sites around, and that is because dreams have always been and continue to be very important in our lives for many reasons. I would like to have a series of discussions here on the topic of dreams and especially their possible significance and lessons, but because those possibilities are as endless as the number of dreamers in our Magickal World , lets start simply.

Many of us have had extraordinary lives.

The sensitivity to things seen and unseen that many dismiss or ignore is for many of us what brought us to the path of a practitioner. We find ourselves being the friend who many come to for advice and understanding and that wisdom comes from our attention.

We notice hidden mannerisms, gestures and voice of those around us with heightened awareness. Our ability to see the symbolism of a reoccurring relationship scenario in a friend's life, or the ways that something important is trying to manifest itself to them as we give them a reading, is our way of viewing this world and this reality. But what of the Dream World?

Every culture has the shaman or the seer, the one who can slip between worlds and bring back the message. We as practitioners have that ability, but it is not always given the importance or attention it deserves.

Overall, we do not dream differently. The difference often comes from training, attention, ritual, and relationship with symbols. A practicing witch may build a stronger bridge between waking life and dream life, which can make dreams feel clearer, stronger, and easier to use in spiritual work. We may not dream more, but we can listen more intently. Most people dream, even when they do not remember it. Dream recall varies from person to person and can change with sleep quality, stress, routines, and how quickly someone wakes. A witch who records dreams every morning may seem to have “more” dreams, but in many cases they are simply better equipped to recall them. Once our recall is honed, then we can better understand and interpret them.

Let's say for example two people both dream of a black dog standing at a crossroad.

One may remember it as a strange animal encounter, or a memory of a lost pet. The other might be able to see many possible meanings. The color of the dog, or whether it was threatening or protective. The direction the dog was facing. The crossroads as a representation of choices, deities, or omens. Witches are often gifted with seeing dream patterns that stand out from ordinary stress dreams or memory fragments. These experiences are not exclusive to witches, but they may become more common when someone practices dream work.

The dream is not always a supernatural message. Sometimes it is the psyche digesting real life issues. For magical work, that still matters. The inner world may show whether your work is landing, what is resisting, or what remains unfinished.

Ancestors and Guides

Some report recurring dream figures who feel wise, familiar, or older than the dream itself. These may appear as a relative, animal, deity, stranger, child, shadow, or voice.

Whether understood spiritually or psychologically, repeating figures deserve attention. A presence that returns across months or years may be part of a deeper pattern. It may represent guidance, fear, inherited memory, a protective instinct, or a part of the self asking to be known.

If you treat dreams as sacred landscapes, you may wake with a strong sense: “This one matters.” That feeling is important. Dreams that carry awe, dread, comfort, grief, or recognition often point to an area worth exploring.

How to recognize an important dream symbol

Start by asking yourself these questions. What image has stayed with me? Did my dream body feel an emotion or have a strong reaction? The most important dream symbols are not always the obvious one, but the one with the emotional charge. A small item that makes you cry is many times more significant than the looming dragon or mother bear.

Repeating symbols over time are of high interest. One dream of a crow is interesting, but five crow encounters over two months is demanding your attention. Symbols that seem out of place, are contradictory, or break normal rules are also worthy of notice. Thresholds like doors, windows, staircases or forest edges can be meaningful transitionary images foretelling of available passages in or out of a situation.

So how do we become better at divining our dream symbols?

For me, I think a dream journal is a key step. It can be as simple as a pad of paper and pen on your night stand. When you wake from a dream, quickly jot down the symbols and emotions that most impressed you. Make notes that can jog your memories to other details after you wake in the morning. This one practice can greatly improve your recall and therefore your ability to contemplate further later. This can be your foundation.

Other ideas are dream pillows placed under your head as you sleep. Lavender and chamomile are two herbs used many times for this purpose. Create your own with personal color choices or magick symbols that resonate with you. Altars that include dream deities like Morpheus can also be very effective.

Through ritual meditation we can "re-enter" our dreamscapes. We can use visualization much as we do with spellwork to reexamine. "Crow, why were you at my window last night?" Place yourself in the dreamworld in your vision sight and listen intently.

Dreams speak in the oldest language of image and feeling. Witchcraft offers tools for understanding this language. Start with one dream, one symbol, one honest question. That is enough to open the gate.

Happy dreaming and many blessings,

Lynx