Animal

Animals that are simply animals in dreams usually represent "natural" (instinctive or emotional) aspects of ourselves. This can be in a specific sense, but particularly a multiplicity of perhaps non-specific animals can symbolize autonomous psychic components. Jung writes:

"The animal form indicates that the content … in question still belongs to the extrahuman sphere, that is, to a plane beyond human consciousness …" (Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious , par. 419.)

"They express the level on which the content they denote is situated, namely an unconsciousness as remote from human consciousness as an animal’s psyche. Warm-blooded or cold-blooded vertebrates, or even invertebrate animals of the most varied species indicate different degrees of unconsciousness." (Aion, par. 291.)

A rough distinction shows that unlike cold-blooded animals, warm-blooded ones represent "unconscious content that can become conscious." (Aion, par. 338.) With warm-blooded animals, unlike cold-blooded ones, one can obtain "psychic rapport." (Ibid, par. 369.) A conflict or a scene with animals separate from the dreamer indicates that it does not take place within consciousness, but rather in the collective unconscious or in "the instinctual sphere."

Animals are linked to both the lower and higher functions of humans. We can observe that gods (nature deities, Egyptian gods, etc.) and especially spirits are frequently depicted as animals. Jung points out that "theriomorphic symbols" do not only hint at a kind of lowest common denominator but also at the expansive and spiritual. They are paradoxical, pointing both upward and downward at the same time. If such material is assimilated, consciousness expands in both directions. (Mysterium Coniunctionis, par. 427.)

If the animal is a blend of creatures (like the mythological figures Minotaur and Centaur) or simply strange, the animal has a symbolic significance beyond or alongside this.

Species  

Different types of animals carry different symbolic values, see for example Bear, Dog, and Lion. Wild animals, Jung says, "suggest latent affects." It is important to approach the image as the animal it reflects, not just regard it as "an animal." To understand what the animal in the dream represents, it may be a good idea, alongside spontaneous associations, to learn more about the species or to describe objectively what characterizes it, as dreams often rely on objective facts when "choosing" symbols.

There has always been a perceived hierarchy of species—from insects, through reptiles, to mammals—representing different levels of instinct. The victory of a higher-ranking animal over a lower-ranking creature signifies a triumph of "higher life" over "lower life." (This symbolism is echoed in the familiar motif where the hero defeats the beast.) The struggle between the eagle and the snake can be understood within this perspective; the lion’s victory over the bull can be seen as the triumph of light over darkness.

This hierarchy appears in dreams as well, where, for example, reptiles represent unconscious aspects that, due to their great distance from awareness, cannot be integrated into consciousness, whereas a dog, for example, lies closer to that threshold.

The symbolic classification of animals follows the four elements: aquatic animals belong to water, reptiles to earth, birds to air, and warm-blooded mammals to fire.

Emotions and Instincts

As mentioned, wild animals, raging animals, and dangerous animals are symbols of emotions; "uncontrolled emotions are essentially animalistic," as Jung put it (Mysterium Coniunctionis, par. 405). He further suggests that a person’s lost connection with instinct is manifested in emotion, "which in dreams is expressed as animals" (Civilization in Transition, par. 680).

Similarly, von Franz notes that it is typical for clients to dream of wild animals at the beginning of analysis—“the unbridled appetite, the autonomous complexes, desires for sex and power, which are usually symbolized by lions, mating dogs, and the like” (Creation Myths, p. 355). As analysis progresses, this is often replaced by the more serene and spiritually oriented imagery of plant life, etc.

Transforming into an Animal

To be transformed into an animal is to lose connection with one’s human instincts and, so to speak, adopt the animalistic (the specific animal in question, of course, being crucial); to be overwhelmed by some animalistic instinct. However, another person in the dream could also be transformed, indicating that relevant complexes have lost their human connection and regressed into a “pre-human” state. The hero’s task of lifting the curse from a transformed human is, as we know, a very common motif in folktales (Redemption Motifs, p. 39).

Being Chased by Animals

If you are chased by animals in dreams, it likely reflects a conflict with your instinctual self, or with the “natural” part of yourself that the animal symbolizes (cf. Snake). You perceive it as dangerous because you maintain a hostile relationship with it. The appearance and behavior of creatures in dreams generally reflect the dreamer’s attitude toward the content they symbolize.

As a Dream Figure

If an animal represents a conflict in the dream, it indicates that the dreamer is more unconscious of its content than if it were represented by a human (cf. Face and Head). von Franz points out in The Cat that "if one’s shadow appears in the form of a panther, it means that it is quite far from consciousness," but if it “takes the form of such-and-such known person … one can safely assume that one really ought to know what it’s about.”

Fighting Animals

When wild animals attack each other, it can illustrate that different instincts are in conflict with each other. This is not uncommon; we possess a whole bundle of instincts, and they do not necessarily get along very well. A dream that shows, for example, a large animal devouring smaller animals may indicate a “dangerous” instinct. Conflicts illustrated by fighting animals are usually ones the dreamer is unconscious of (otherwise, the conflict would likely be reflected, for example, as a conflict between the dream ego and another person, or between groups of people).

The Natural Animal

Animals are "natural"; they live, so to speak, in accordance with God's intentions. Humans, on the other hand, with their consciousness and free will, have the ability to deviate from their nature and go against God’s will. In this way, wild animals can symbolize an adequate or natural life. (We emphasize wild animals here since only domesticated animals can "misbehave.") Since animals live in accordance with their nature and are fully adapted to their surroundings, benevolent animals are sometimes a symbol of the Self.

Jung states that:

"[Animals have] a psychology of a kind that is not human. It is lower than man's ... but as much as it is lower, it is also higher than man's. The animal represents the will of the deity. Thus, the animal is also a symbol of the deity” (Dream Symbols of the Individuation Process, pp. 104–105).

“People do not understand what I mean when I say they should get to know their animal or assimilate their animal. They think the animal always jumps over fences and creates chaos throughout the town. But in nature, the animal is a well-behaved citizen. It is docile; it follows the path with great regularity, it does nothing extravagant. Only man is extravagant” (Visions, p. 168).

Ancestral Animals

An animal, such as an ape, can represent our "natural self," connected to our human history that traces back to animals. In other words, there is an animal within us that can be healthy and given space in our lives (for example, through a simple and physical lifestyle) or become sick and trapped, for instance within somebody living in an apartment surrounded by electronic devices.

Pets

If you dream of your dog or cat, the symbol likely carries shades of the content described above, but a pet is a friend with whom you have a real relationship. Your pet is dependent on you and requires care and attention. The symbol is probably connected to eros or the feeling function. With our pets, we can let go of our persona and be entirely ourselves. Dreams about pets often reflect how we take care of ourselves.

Helpful Animals

According to von Franz, if a hero is aided by an animal, he will always succeed, for it means the hero is connected with his natural self and walking along the true path, so to speak. All folktales seem to agree that one should always listen to what animals have to say. Not doing so would mean neglecting one’s instincts or one's own unconscious.

If you dream of a helpful animal, or even a talking animal, it may indicate that the unconscious is ready to help the dreamer. This generally indicates a positive prognosis, according to von Franz (Archetypal Dimensions, p. 89). The archetypal figure of the wise old man sometimes appears as a helpful animal.

In any case, it is always a good idea to pay attention to the animal's message or intentions, as it always has something important to contribute in one way or another.