Sunday, October 28, 2001		Dream theme

Dreaming of the head
Vinaya Katoch Manhas

So loud each tongue, so empty was each head,

So much they talked, so very little they said.

— Charles Churchill.

THE head commands all the functions of the rest of the body - directly or indirectly. Yet when we refer to head in our dreams we are not referring to its functions but rather to its appearance. It could be adorned with jewels, mutilated, deformed, etc.

As per the Parashar Samhita an ancient Indian text to see your bread broken into pieces is a lucky omen. As per the Swapna Kamlakar should a man see that his head has been pierced and has a hole or should he see the head of another person in a similar condition it is again a lucky dream for the dreamer as he shall gain in wealth and property. Should you dream that your head is adorned with a crown then you shall gain in status. Simply seeing someone's head in your dream is itself taken as a very lucky omen. As per the Yogi Shasta should a person see himself bald it means that his end is near. As per the Vradhyatra to see yourself beheaded is very lucky. Should you see your dead forefathers with bald heads it is a very bad omen as per the Swapna Pradeep. Thus, although seeing yourself beheaded is a good omen but to see yourself bald is a bad omen. In the Indian culture a person is made to shave his hair when his parent dies or if he has committed a shameful act, it is used as a means of punishment.

As per western thought, to see a well shaped in your dream signifies that you shall meet persons of vast influence and power who shall lend you much-needed aid. Should you dream of your own head then beware of a nervous breakdown. To see a head severed from its trunk means that you will meet with disappointments and shall see your hopes and anticipations come to a naught. To see yourself with multiple heads foretells a rapid rise in life but without stability. To dream that you have an aching head denotes that you shall be oppressed with worries. To have a swollen head means that you shall have more good than bad in your life. To see a child's head signifies financial success and lots of pleasures in store for you. To dream of the head of a beast, denotes lowly desires. To wash your head means that you shall be sought after by prominent people for your judgment and good counsel.

Psychologically speaking, head is considered to be the seat of the life force, it denotes power and wisdom. Dreaming of the head suggests that we should look very carefully at the way we deal with both intelligence and folly. To dream of the head being bowed suggests supplication. To see it covered means we may be covering up our own intelligence or acknowledging someone else's superiority. A blow to the head suggests that we should reconsider our actions in a particular situation.

Take the dream of a 24-year-old model who often dreams that she is walking through a corridor with her head covered with a black cloth as is the norm for criminals who are hanged. She keeps on walking but there is no end to the corridor. Suddenly she comes to an open place where there is lot of light, which blinds and then she finds her on a stage with world famous models. Here the cloth over her eyes represents the insecurity inherent to her profession. Coming on a stage with famous models denotes her wishes.