I stopped trying to interpret dreams many years ago. When I studied religions, I also studied dreaming. (Psychology, sociology, political science and a host of other inter and intra personal relations.)
The spiritual symbolism of the white wolf goes back eons. For a wolf or wolves to appear in a person’s dream we can learn about our subconscious. “From singular or family groups, we can learn about the nature of the dreamer or people that the dreamer is connected to in their life. It can also reveal information pertaining to their spiritual growth and internal changes such as emotional growth, decisions surrounding personal relationships or even career goals.”
Last night, around 2 am, I was dreaming. I don’t often dream. My meds knock me out and my mind goes blank. I may be dreaming, but I am not aware.
My dream involved my characters in a book I am editing and I can’t recall much about it. In an instant, an aggressive white wolf image was up close, his face in my face. It startled me and I jerked to jump two feet off the bed. My heart was racing and the fight or flight response kicked in. I was scared! More like a flash of nightmare than dream.
Of course, as soon as I opened my eyes, it was gone. That didn’t take but a second. The ordeal was short lived, but quite impressive.
This morning, with the internet at my fingertips, I found this really neat article on wolf dreams by Debbie Edwards, a psychologist.
WOLVES in Dreams – Meanings and Interpretations
I like the way Ms. Edwards lays it out on her page.
- Wolves are surrounded by notions of mysticism, magic and folklore.
- Color: black, gray, white , red.
- Lone or Group.
- Behavior: timid, aggressive, protective, playful, sleeping, invisible.
- Environment: day or night, clear skies or storms, stars and moon
Here is how my dream interprets:
Regarding the dreamer: A white wolf can represent someone or something that is directly influenced by spiritual communication or teachings. Someone that would be very knowledgeable or connected spiritually could be represented by a white wolf. It can also represent the purity of a message that is delivered by a spiritual presence. It can also represent someone who is pursuing a stronger connection to their faith, spiritual practices or ceremonial activities.
[One thing in my book I have been trying to do in my writing is offer insights in the narrative. I’m also trying to develop more of a spiritual connection to my characters. My alpha reader is giving me guidance.]
The lone wolf: If a wolf appears to the dreamer without the company of his or her pack, it is important to pay attention to a specific person or situation that is relevant to the dreamer which would describe more of an isolated or detailed situation or person.
[I am still processing the alpha reader’s impression of my book and its characters. He has been giving me examples over the last few days.]
Aggressive- An aggressive wolf can represent defensive postures or fear based movements in life. Is the dreamer feeling under attack by someone or others? Is there an aggressive person in their life who is trying to intimidate them?
[I’ll say. I’m defending my baby.]
Night or day- A wolf appearing at night will reveal things either hidden in the subconscious or things that may not be “visible” in the dreamers perception. Something is happening that the dreamer is given an inside view on that otherwise has been elusive from view.
[My alpha reader is most likely right and I am wrong. Like it or not!]
This was my dream interpretation, whether accurate, or not.
S.K. Nicholls 
I rarely get ideas from dreams, but it does happen. Most of mine are from daydreams.
Now I do a lot of daydreaming. In fact, it is what I do most of the day long 🙂
I think most writers are like that. I have to work to make mine fit any kind of story structure.
This wolf thing was an instantaneous flash. No long dream about a wolf. A scary shot in the dark.
I dream of instantaneous flashes too, but they usually involve Scarlett Johanssen.
LOL
I can’t remember the last time I dreamed anything. Sometimes I can’t sleep because of the voices in my head. No, not THOSE voices, my characters’.
You dream analysis appears to be on the right path. Seems to jell.
Thanks Tess. It took some research. I had to go there, because this dreaming is unfamiliar and new to me also.
I didn’t do anything. 😮 Interesting research.
I rarely remember my dreams. Most nights it’s like I pass out and wake up a few minutes later. I’m sure there are things in there since I sense I had a dream. Rare that something sticks.
That sounds like stress…when you pick your feet up off the floor and next thing you know, you are putting them back down again!
With a creative mind like yours, there’s probably lots going on in that head when you are out.
Not sure. Been like that since high school.
Just read a lovely book by Susan Scott. There is a great essay on dreams, she goes really deep into the study of them.
Interesting. I’ll have to look her up. I have always been fascinated with how the subconscious mind moves us.
I don’t remember most of my dreams but occasionally I question what my mind was up to when I was asleep. I think I’m glad I don’t remember actually.
It was thinking of a particular Englishman and longing to have him lying next to you. I know this to be true. I have felt that longing, not for an Englishman, but for someone to love. It took nearly fifty years, but I have him now.
And he loves you back…even when he gives one too many opinions on your wip…lol
Hahaha! I am reminding myself 😉
I do dream and it’s crazy that I remember most of them. My friend likes to interpret dreams and she has a dream book. I think it’s interesting that they usually are spot on too.
With most interpretations we can usually find some way to apply the results to our own life happenings. It is like those Facebook things where you see what movie star you are and why, or horoscopes. But there is symbolism in dreaming that is sort of universal. I don’t put so much faith in it, but it’s fun to explore.
Right. I understand.
I kept a dream log for along time when I used to have very vivid, frightening, clairvoyant dreams. Entertained my therapist. He sent me to the Mayo Clinic on dream study at Emory University in Atlanta. It was an interesting time in my life, but scary.
I can imagine.
I’m always fascinated by dreams and their interpretations. I don’t dream about writing or any characters that I’ve written into my stories, but I have taken some of my dreams and translated them into my poems, especially the most colorful and fanciful ones. I dream in full color. 😄
I’m a full color dreamer also. I read an interesting article that pointed to the fact that people born after 1960 tended to dream more in color than those born prior and they believe it is because of color television. I guess that’s one for technology enhancing our creativity.
Wow, that certainly is interesting. I was born in ’57; my parents didn’t have a color TV at home until ’82 (well after I left home). Hmmm….yet I do believe overall in the general population, I’m sure color TV influences ‘color dreamers’ anyway. I really do find dreams fascinating, and I like to hear about others’ dreams. 😀
Hum, as you mention a white wolf could be a good messenger, but a threatening wolf represents a predatory behavior of someone you trust, or it can be a message of Self to change a self inflicting behavior, like anger management.
I don’t think I have anyone close to me that is predatory. LOL, at least not that I am aware of. I connected it to my recent manuscript that my husband read because I was dreaming about my book characters when I had the image pop up. Change a self-inflicted behavior, Hummmmmm,.like writing 😉 Thanks for the comment and the insights.
I often have dreams I remember–sometimes they’re funny. I had one about a beach gathering last night, but now I don’t remember the details. I don’t think I’ve ever dreamt of a wolf. A friend of mine and I have discussed our “house dreams” that we’ve both had and interpreted as trying to put something in our lives in order.
I had a recurring house dream for a while. MY dad was there. I was trapped in different rooms, working my way through the house until finally coming out on the roof or in the back yard to my dads insurance company. Never did get the full interpretation on that one. Thanks for coming by and and sharing.
You’re welcome. Sweet dreams! 😉
I still have a recurring nightmare that pops up when I’m feeling fearful about something in my life. As much as I hate it, it’s become my cue to evaluate and face whatever is before me.
That may not be a bad thing 😉
I love interpreting dreams!
I don’t dream very often anymore. I do like symbolism though. There are so many universal symbols. Can’t all be coincidence.
I had a dream that I was in a large building with my wife and two brothers , I’m not sure what floor we where on but it was very high. An old man and old lady came out to join us and then turned and walked out unto the deck, they turned into wolves and then jumped off the building on to the mountains, then a large white wolf came from behind the mountains and leaped onto the buildings deck, two more wolves jumped onto the mountain from the deck I’m assuming were my brothers, the large white wolf came towards me and I grabbed its head and it tickled my right armpit. All I can remember is how large the white wolf was and how thick and long his hair is, I was scared and I couldn’t stop him from tickling me , I never once seen his face only when he jumped from the mountain to the deck. I tried so hard to stop him from tickling me and then I woke up .
I had a dream that a lone white wolf carried me
By wind safely to my destination after I jumped out of a semi that was backing up in an alley
And was going to crash. No one was hurt, but I was upset, it was dark and icy in the alley. A delivery truck zoomed by me, then another semi came barrelling down the alley. It was gold. It seemed like it was out to get me. Just before that semi backed up an squished me, I felt a presence of wind pick me up and swoosh me off to the class reunion I was supposed to be attending. Near the end of my ride down the alley, I had to blow and swim with my arms to make it up the stairs. Everyone was around, the wolf had disappeared.
I often dream and remember most of my dreams, in colour and in detail.
I just woke up from a dream where I was in bed with my two dogs and a new puppy. I was talking to my dogs and they spoke back. The covers over our heads. The next moment another dog licked my hand and I realused the bed was outdoors next to a fence, the dog licking my hand on the other side.
I pulled the covers and it was daytime, the sun shining very brightly, the skie blue, my bed standing in wat I remember as my dads garden. Exept no walll just palisade vencing. I stood up straight on the bed noticed a white wlf on the outside of the fence, on the inside of the fence we where surrounded by a group of white wolves and dogs.
My mind went to my dogs posibly being attached by these hungry white wolves and dogs. Me not being able to protect them.
I moved into a protective posture, realising I wouldn’t be able to protect them or myself and I would not be able to monitor the movement of all of them.
This is when one of the animals startied to move towards me in a agressive manner. I braced myself for the posible bite and impact ony left arm partialy covered by a white sheet.
The wolf or dog came towards the bed I thought hes going to jump for me…and I woke up.
If I try and interpret every dream I will drive myself crazy, I might spent half my day with my nose in books. As I mentioned, I dream often and remember many dreams (I believe). A while back I tried the “interpreting dreams” thing and left it. I would drive myself mad and achieve nothing as the word implies you interpret, its an opinion not fact, a speculation. I couldn’t make myself crazy on a speculation.
Ha! It’s good we can wake up when things get scary. Thanks for your comment.
My son and I were kayaking in the wilderness north of Prince George BC. When you paddle for long periods the rhythm sets in and you daydream. But suddenly, I looked up from my reverie, and on the far shore was a huge white wolf. I have paddled in four different oceans and on 4 continents. I paddled 2000 miles alone in the Canadian wilderness. In all those years, I have never seen a white wolf. I have seen many wolves, but always with other wolves, I have never seen a lone white wolf. The minute I looked up, I whispered to my son, “See the wolf?” and the wolf stopped in his tracks, looked directly into my eyes for a good 10-15 seconds, then he turned and trotted away. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen and I’ve seen lots and lots. 1 hour prior to this, I received an email (telephone service up there is sporadic at best) telling me one of my favorite aunts had passed away. I don’t believe in coincidences. . . . but what does it mean?
Facing adversity head on , and rising to challenges are two things I have heard in folk lore related to the white wolf. Also, white rather than black, comes from the east. I guess you’ll have to apply what you know about it to your personal circumstances. It sounds like you had a beautiful experience, one to be treasured.