Sex

In dreams, sex is usually a symbol like other dream content and can mean a variety of things depending on how it is presented in the dream, both completely mundane and more mystical. Generally, erotic dreams are about attraction and the union of separate energies within one's inner dynamics.

Union, Integration  

The overarching meaning that sex tends to have in dreams is about union (coniunctio) and transformation (see also Kiss). This is particularly the case when the other person is an entirely unknown figure. Sex with people of the same gender usually represents attempts or the need to integrate (unite with) parts of one’s shadow. Similarly, oral sex may indicate a need to "take in" phallic or feminine energy.

An affair with anima/animus

Edinger argues that a sexual union with someone of the opposite sex in dreams suggests an affair with the anima/animus, which tends to be a consequence of "anima-possession" the day before the dream, accompanied by a descent into the unconscious. However, it can have a positive effect if one reflects on the situation and learns something from it. (The Mystery of The Coniunctio, p. 66.)

Closeness and Love

Sex in dreams can also reflect a need for closeness, a deeper emotional connection, or perhaps a compensatory bridge to another person. It can symbolize a desire for companionship and individuation.

Sex represents intimacy, the highest expression of an feeling-based relationship, eros in Jungian terminology. The fact that sex and love have always been associated with each other is evident in terms like "making love, "faire l'amour," and so on.

Sex and Projection

Dreaming of having sex with someone one wish to be close to should primarily be viewed subjectively. For example, one may be attracted to someone because one has projected positive qualities onto him or her, and the dream could represent the need for union with these inner qualities.  

The same applies to sex with someone one dislike — it indicates the need to understand that the negative qualities one have projected onto the other are actually one's own. In both cases, the union with unconscious content would lead to growth in consciousness.

Unconscious Attractions

There is a notable opposition between erotic dreams and dreams about intruders: the former often illustrates what the dream ego (symbolically speaking) desires, while the latter represents what is trying to enter the dream ego's life.

Sexuality

Sex in dreams can, of course, also be an illustration of sexual frustration or a reflection of the dreamer's attitude toward the opposite sex, and so on.  

As always, it’s important to understand the context both in the dream itself and in the dreamer's life in order to draw conclusions; and it is of course crucial to consider how the erotic situation is portrayed by the dream.

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