Cross or Crucifix

This powerful religious symbol often carries with it either comfort, judgment, healing, pain, or a desire for protection. Obviously, how the object enters the dream and what effect it has on the dream plot is very important.

The symbol can have either great attraction to the dreamer or revulsion and avoidance. To avoid the cross may indicate either judgment, shame, ambivalence about traditional values, or a memory-dodging consciousness. This memory-dodging is a defense mechanism to prevent looking all the way into the implications of choices or experiences tied to religious symbols in your life.

On the positive side, the cross can feel very redemptive or provide a sense of security. Many religious icons operate as a positive taboo for us. Just as dark taboos are symbols, practices, or icons we do not mess with out of fear, certain positive symbols carry positive taboo power. We are secure because of the power of the symbol. Christians who encounter the cross in dreaming may experience a sense of inner healing, renewal, or reconciliation in the dream.

Who is with you when you encounter the cross and what are the activities immediately prior to or subsequent from the cross experience? These questions may give clues as to whether the cross is an internal healing symbol or external one for broader reconciliation.