I've been dreaming about a huge house with many, many rooms and staircases - a very solid building. In my first dream about this house, I saw myself fighting all kinds of demons and protecting my younger sister from them. When the fight was over, I saw a devil standing behind me, just watching. The presence was very real, and I woke up. (I'm not religious.) In my second dream about the same house, I was trying to save some people from a massive twister. As the tornado came through the house, I felt the structure shaking and heard a horrible sound. Nothing happened to the house; everyone was safe. The sky then became a magnificent blue color. I woke up. In my third adventure, I discovered the decomposing body of a huge monster at the foundation of the entire house. I started cleaning this mess up. Some stranger was helping me. I didn't see his face; he was wearing some kind of a hooded white cloak. We were able to clean everything very fast, even though the size of this dead thing was massive. Then all of the sudden there was lightness in general. All of these dreams were in black and white though I usually dream in color. I forgot to mention the beautiful garden, huge old trees and the big body of water that surround the house. What could these dreams mean?

-O.

Dear O.,

There are so many interesting elements in these dreams! I'm going to look at some of the individual symbols and details separately and then try to pull it all together in terms of what these dreams may signify about you and your life.

The house in your dream denotes your own soul and personal self. When we dream of a house that is changing, that signifies that we are trying to make better choices and move in a more enlightened direction.

When you dream of the house, know that it represents YOU. In stressful times, there are tornados, while in peaceful times, things are just right there.

Seeing the devil in your dream signifies some guilty feelings that you have been storing up. Are you feeling particularly negative about certain aspects of your life? The devil comes to tempt us. As the Great Deceiver, his portent in the dream is that you may be fooling yourself and not facing a certain situation in your life that really needs to be faced.

Don't ignore your spiritual needs. If someone around you is blocking your evolution, put that person aside for a while.

The devil also represents the idea that you can come up with a clever way to solve whatever problem is causing negativity for you. Fighting demons in your dream signifies that you'll defeat your enemies/ challenges or clear up the hurtful situation you're supposed to face.

In nightmares, monsters represent some part within yourself that you find ugly. Since the monster is dead in your dream, it seems that you have conquered the fear that others don't see you the way you would like. In disposing of the monster, you are shedding your insecurities.

That's a great part of your dream! Not only do you do it quickly, but there is someone there to help you do it in a most efficient way. This person exists in your real life, but you probably haven't identified him as that helper yet. He might not look anything like the person in your dream, but he's around.

You are reaching a new level of spiritual enlightenment. Since you're dreaming of that garden, it tells me that all your hard work in that aspect of your life is about to pay off. The garden is a symbol of your stability and inner growth as a person.

The lake in your dream symbolizes your emotional state at the time of the dream. Stress and worry make the lake into a moat around your house instead of a separate body of water. When you let your emotions flow, then the moat around your house will disappear.

Susyn responds:

Dear O.,

Recurring dreams of a particular house normally represent different aspects of the dreamer himself. Given your various dreams of battles in this house, I'm wondering if there was some malevolent force that haunted or harassed you in childhood.

When we dream of having to protect a sibling, it can suggest a fear from childhood or disturbing experiences at home. For example, if you grew up without a parent or with an abusive father or mother, this could explain your need to protect your sister. It could also suggest having lived in a haunted house when you were growing up, whether the spirits made their presences known or not.

You mention the solidity of the house, and this too is a representation of your own strength and ability to withstand whatever might come your way. In your second dream, the tornado might represent an unexpected or sudden change in your childhood that you had to brace yourself for, though it would most likely have been emotional in nature, as opposed to an actual weather storm.

In your third dream you describe discovering the decomposing body of a monster that requires some cleaning up. This speaks to old wounds or traumas that are no longer in your life but might need the help of a therapist or counselor (who is represented by the stranger in the white hooded cloak) to unravel. It's also possible that you've already completed this work and are currently finishing up a series of clearings, cleansings and releases from the past.

Dreaming in black and white often indicates that you are recalling life events from the past. This series of dreams could be happening to remind you of the inner strength you possess and the battles you have weathered, whether they were physical, emotional or spiritual. It's important to note that, in all three of these dreams, you always emerge the victor.

The beautiful gardens, stately trees and the body of water in your dreams most likely represent the new world you've created. The gardens indicate the renewal of life, while the trees signify life's enduring spirit. The water reflects your emotions as well as the spiritual life-giving tools you possess to confront anything that might come your way.

I believe that this dream is an overview of the spiritual work that you have accomplished as well as the growth you've attained in your efforts to confront and clear out anything in your past that has been holding you back. Now you can move forward without any issues or negative energies subconsciously blocking your way.