◇ Depends on the scene Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below
Stillness and cleansing. Open blooms mean peace and quiet luck; closed ones call for rest.
Category: Nature & weather (how to read this category)
Psychology
Water lilies floating on calm water read as settled emotions. Water often stands for the unconscious; a bloom on it is peace rising from within.
Folklore and history
Its Japanese name means sleeping lotus, as it closes at dusk. Ancient Egypt linked the blue water lily to the sun and rebirth, and Monet painted his lily pond for decades. Dream lore reads peace and purity.
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This site's view
In this site's view, open or closed shows your inner clock. Open: time to reach out. Closed: rest within, no need to force cheer. A dark, bottomless pond hints at feelings still sunk beneath a calm face.
Going deeper: our reading
Water lilies are said to take their Japanese name, 'sleeping lotus', from the way many varieties open by day and close in the evening. The similar lotus raises its leaves and flowers high above the water, while the water lily's notched leaves float flat on the surface. Monet famously painted the water lilies in his garden pond until late in life. In this site's reading, the dream reflects a way of living that opens quietly at the water's level instead of reaching higher. Watching a bloom unfold from the bank suggests you can wait calmly for things to settle. Seeing flowers close at dusk expresses a wish to rest after finishing a day's or a chapter's work. This is our speculation, but painting or photographing the pond with someone shows there is an everyday scene you want to keep looking at again and again.
What to do on waking
Spend five minutes doing nothing, gazing at water or the sky. Stillness settles the mind.
In this scene
- ◎Good Calm and clear: things flow smoothly (good)
- ▲Warn Stormy or swallowing you: feelings overflowing or being swept by change (warning)
- Only watching: you see change from a distance — a time to prepare
- 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
Turning a bad dream
In Japan, people once tried to turn a worrying dream for the better: a baku charm under the pillow, telling the dream to a nandina bush, or reciting an old dream-turning poem. Read the column on dream trading and dream-turning
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FAQ
Q. Is dreaming of water Lilies a good or bad sign?
A. Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below. Stillness and cleansing. Open blooms mean peace and quiet luck; closed ones call for rest.
Q. Why do I keep dreaming of water Lilies?
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 water Lilies?
A. Spend five minutes doing nothing, gazing at water or the sky. Stillness settles the mind.
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 "Nature & weather"
- Fallen Leaves
- Young Leaves
- A New Sprout
- Seeds
- Tree Roots
- Vines
- A Chrysanthemum
- A Lily
- A Morning Glory
- A Hydrangea
- A Camellia
- Plum Blossoms
※ Dream interpretation here is entertainment drawing on psychology and folklore — it is not scientifically proven. "This site's view" is our own interpretation.
