Incest

Incest dream meanings

Uncover Hidden Dream Meanings

According to the famous dream psychologist Carl Jung all dream images are contextual and the same “theme incest” may appear in one or more dreams.

In order to understand what this dream means we need to look at the background of the relationships that you have with the family members featured in the dream. Carl Jung believed that incest in dreams are not negative. In Carl Jung’s book (the source I have detailed below) there is a paragraph about how Caesar had numerous dreams of incest with his Mother. At the time, dream interpreters were employed in the Roman empire. According to legend, Caesar's mother represented the kingdom and that the incest itself represents part of our dream-ego.

The fact that you have had a dream about incest should not shock you. It is all about your own psyche and how you are dealing with the relationships of your family at the moment. On a more negative front dreaming of paternal incest indicates that there is complexity and difficulty in the relationship. This could be (in waking life) your own parents or someone controlling you (such as a partner). The frequency of these dreams will provide a clue as to how important it is in your life and the state of your psyche. It could be that a relationship with someone close is unexplored and this is why this dream has spontaneously arisen.

What is the general meaning of dreaming about incest?

Having a dream of incestuous practices means something completely different. In dreams, this can indicate that you are trying to express yourself. In families, we sometimes are not given the freedom we desire. A dream of this nature can result after having an argument or problem with a family member in real life. Also, your dream represents the relationship between masculine and feminine.

You probably are in a phase of your life in which you are worried about the future. In essence, the dream is a symbolic union between the adult and the inner child. Alternatively, if you have recently argued with a family member, and you express your desire to reconcile, then the dream can describe forgiveness. Or maybe you are in a relationship with someone who reminds you of your mom or your dad, or another family member.

Positive changes are afoot if

  • You become more understanding with yourself.
  • You accept what you are in life.
  • You give love in order to receive love.

Detailed dream interpretation

The story of Oedipus the King has as the main theme the incest between a mother and son, and its tragic end. Oedipus is drastically punished for his incestuous actions. He loses his eyesight, while his descendants are also punished for Oedipus's incest. Therefore the incest is a very strong symbol even if it simply appears in the dream world. In the ancient myths like the one of Oedipus, incest between gods and goddesses was a way to obtain innocence, purity, and energy, and therefore a dream about incest could omen the need to clean your own strength.

Incestuous dreams fully disturb the one who has them, believing that he or she sees in them an unconscious desire or a perversion. Freud says that such dreams ignore the demands of morality. An incestuous dream does not represent the repressed desire, and you do not need to get out of your mind if you had such an image in your dream.

If you dream of incest, this can be the omen of a progress in life. Any dream in which uncomfortable events occur is a sign that you must try to keep high standards by which to guide yourself in all areas of life. This dream can refer to your fear of love and maturity.

The dream connects your personality and also your fears in life. Any dream of this nature does not have any defined meaning, but on the contrary can indicate something completely different. Usually, such a dream symbolizes your unconscious longing for the love from your mother, father or sibling. Sometimes a dream that involves a family member could mean that person needs your help, and your unconscious has perceived this signal and it lets you know you should look after that person. The same dream can refer to your homesickness and nostalgia if you are away from home.

The Arabic tradition of dream interpretation claims that such a dream suggests that you are acting against your nature, while the Western tradition suggests that you might lose respect or money. The dream interpretation clearly states that you will lose your honor. This is an ancient meaning, so I tend to not read too much into it.

If you are a man and you dream about incest with your daughter, this is the symbol of your fear about a relationship in real life. If the incest in the dream occurs between siblings, it is a reference to your secret wish to improve relationships with people that you have had difficulty with.

Feelings that you may have encountered during a dream of incest

Disgusted. Anxious. Terrified. Surprised. Worried. Confused. Upset. Overwhelmed. Offended. Insecure. Upset. Angry. Scared. Strange. Insecure. Furious. Tired. Lazy. Sad.

Source used in article

Jungian Dream Interpretation: A Handbook of Theory and Practice By James Albert Hall

By Flo Saul
Oct 12, 2012