◎ Lucky dream Traditionally a lucky sign
God of destruction and renewal: break the old to begin the new.
Category: World mythology (how to read this category)
Psychology
A god of destruction and renewal may reflect a wish to break an old self or routine and be reborn. Fear at the destruction suggests resisting change; calm acceptance means readiness. His dance may show the power to meet change with joy.
Folklore and history
Shiva, a principal Hindu deity, holds the role of destroyer among the three gods of creation, preservation and destruction — a destruction seen as purification for new creation. He is known as Nataraja, lord of the cosmic dance, and for swallowing poison to save the world, turning his throat blue.
A hands-on guide to researching strange phenomena and ghost stories, right down to how to look up haunted spots online — a reference for our own reporting and research methods.
Handbook for Investigating Strange Phenomena and Ghost Stories: How Anyone Can Explore Other Worlds (Yoshiyuki Iikura et al. / Seikyusha)
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This site's view
In this site's view, remember the god who drank poison — destroyer yet bearer of the world's pain. If things broke in the dream, it is time to release the old; if he sat in stillness, calming your mind first is what makes change good.
Going deeper: our reading
An Indian myth tells that when the holy river Ganga descended from heaven, her force was so great it would have shattered the earth, so Shiva caught her in his matted hair and let her flow down gently. The god of destruction was also the one who absorbed and softened overwhelming force. In this site's reading, people who dream of Shiva often carry the role of absorbing huge changes they cannot stop, or strong emotions pouring in from others. Standing before a great river asks how you will receive its force. If the god sat quietly with eyes closed, it is time to calm your mind and wait for the current to settle. Water running down your hair or body shows you are beginning to release the weight you took on. This is our speculation, but destroying and absorbing may spring from one strength.
What to do on waking
Let go of one unused item at home to make room for the new.
In this scene
- ◎Good Praying or visiting: wanting to settle your heart; a wish may be heard (good)
- Receiving words from a god: the strongest kind of oracle — keep the words
- ▲Warn The god is angry or turns away: your conscience asking for a review (warning)
- It felt good: the lucky reading gets stronger
- ▲Warn It felt frightening or painful: the warning reading gets stronger — rest first
- The same dream again and again: something your mind has not settled yet
An EMF meter that shows disturbances in the electromagnetic field on a color LCD — a classic item for haunted-spot exploration, worth introducing alongside a flashlight and protective goggles.
Gain Express EMF Meter, Electromagnetic Field Radiation Detector, Color LCD, with Japanese Manual
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FAQ
Q. Is dreaming of shiva a good or bad sign?
A. Traditionally a lucky sign. God of destruction and renewal: break the old to begin the new.
Q. Why do I keep dreaming of shiva?
A. A recurring dream usually points to something your mind has not settled yet. Research suggests such dreams tend to stop once the underlying worry is resolved. Keeping a dream diary helps you notice what triggers it.
Q. What should I do after dreaming of shiva?
A. Let go of one unused item at home to make room for the new.
Related dream essays
- True Dreams and Reverse Dreams: Why We Read Dreams Backwards
- Buying Dreams, Turning Dreams: A Japanese History of Dream Trading and Dream Charms
Read this dream with your own scene in the Dream Dictionary →
More dreams in "World mythology"
- Isis
- The Eye of Horus
- A Pyramid
- A Scarab
- The Feathered Serpent
- Ganesha
- Kali
- Judgment Day
- Persephone
- Dionysus
- A Centaur
- A Cyclops
※ Dream interpretation here is entertainment drawing on psychology and folklore — it is not scientifically proven. "This site's view" is our own interpretation.
