This is an integral part of many books and movies: the persecution scene. A lover is chasing his loved one, a murderer is hot on his victim's heels, the police are chasing an attacker. Or from another point of view: a woman feels threatened by a stalker, a man runs for his life, a bank robber is escaping. Every pursuit has two sides: that of the pursuer and that of the pursued.
The underlying principle is always the same: someone wants to have something, get close to it, grab it - for whatever reason. The other side wants the exact opposite: to escape, to get rid of something or someone for good.
Dreaming of being chased is also about these two aspects. First of all, what is relevant for interpretation is which side you are on: are you being followed or are you following someone or something? Who or what is your counterpart in the dream and on your way?
Dreaming about being chased or chased
Chasing or being chased by someone in a dream
Dream about chasing a stranger
Chasing someone in the dream indicates that the person in the dream may have became aware of a serious error. It is usually a matter that affects another person in the dream. The bad conscience now "haunts" the dreamer even in his dreams. It is necessary to relieve this conscience in the long term.
Dream about being persecuted
Most people have experienced a scary dream in which the persecution played a crucial role. Those who are harassed, hunted, attacked and pursued in their dream experience often wake up drenched in sweat, for the fear they feel is very real. Rape or assault is often experienced if you are caught in a dream by your pursuer.
If we're sued, then we can trying to escape an unpleasant feeling or situation in the real world. Perhaps the dreamer is symbolically pursuing his guilty conscience - then you have to actively deal with feelings of guilt!
Those who can escape chasing dreams will probably manage to finally face this situation. After that, the dreamer will feel liberated, although the confrontation may have negative consequences.
Dreaming about being chased by animals and monsters
Dream about being chased by monsters
Everything that looks monstrous and horrible in a dream and haunts the sleeper, as a rule, reflects the person's worries and fears. After dreaming about being persecuted by a monster, the dreamer should realize that such worries may be completely unfounded - after all, there are no monsters in real life. (See dreaming of a monster).
Dream about being chased by wolves
Chasing a wolf in a dream often portends danger. This dream warns the sleeper about his surroundings and difficulties impending events that an acquaintance or friend may cause. According to the traditional interpretation, the fight with the dreamed wolf represents a competitor in matters of love or vice versa. You have to keep your eyes open and try to hold on to your ideals and not give in to jealousy.
Dream about being chased by a tiger
If you were followed in a dream by a tiger, people in your family or friends could bring you negative feelings. Did you argue with anyone? Aggression, anger and feelings of revenge are literally in the air. In such situations, it is always advisable to talk to each other. Who can appease a tiger in a dream after the chase will also be able to eliminate conflict in waking life.
Dream about being chased by a lion
In the general interpretation of dreams, it signals a loss. This is expressed mainly in financial areas. Therefore, the dreamer should understand the lion hunt as a reminder not to spend money too carelessly. Contracts should also - if possible - not be signed immediately, but rather read critically down to the fine print.
Dream about being chased by a dog
Many sleepers dream of an aggressive dog chasing and chasing them. This dream situation symbolizes the personal fears of the dreaming person. The issues will likely be pushed aside rather than dealt with now. The resulting bad feelings are symbolized by the hunter dog.
Dream about being chased by a cat
If the kitty chases you in the dream, the cat in the dream symbolizes escape from unpleasant feelings. The dreamer feels downright pursued by these emotions.
Dream about being chased by a snake
If you wake up from your sleep and still think "Help, a snake is following me!", you can often experience the fear of the dream. The dangerous snake can indicate repressed urges - but also sexual desires that have so far remained hidden in the subconscious.
It is advisable to consciously manage this in the waking world. My article on snake dreams can give you more details.
Dream about being chased by armed people
Dream about being chased by the police
The police persecution is exciting, even during sleep. Basically, the image in this dream shows us how we deal with the concept of freedom. So if the police pursue us in dreams and arrest us, then we may feel deprived of our freedom in the waking world. Maybe a person is too restrictive in our life. (See dreaming of police).
Dream about being chased by the mafia
What a dream! As soon as one experiences persecution by the mafia, the excitement after waking up to the threat is sure to be high. If weapons are also involved in the chase, one probably felt the fear of death in the dream. Such dream events indicate manipulation from the outside: the person concerned may be subject to blackmail or pressure, but at the same time is afraid to ask for help. You should confide in someone.
Dream about being chased by a child
The child stands in the dream interpretation to represent the new opportunities and possibilities that arise in the dreamer's life. As a result, a new phase of life may become possible. If the child now resumes hunting in the dream, it means that a certain path in life is particularly good.. The dreamer almost cannot avoid this favorable opportunity even if he fears her.
If you wake up with the thought "A girl is following me!", then this dream signals your own not yet fully developed sexuality or a past love that does not let go of the dreamer. Persecution by a girl in a dream can also indicate a slight influence.
General interpretation
Persecution is a very common dream symbol. Most of the time, the dreamer is chased and on the run. The reasons can vary and should therefore also be examined more closely. Perhaps he was in the dream a member of a forbidden association or a brotherhood like the Freemasons.
In general, a dream in which you are being followed means that you are likely to unconsciously try to escape from certain situations or emotions. You may want to shirk responsibility or let go of feelings of failure. Stressful and unresolved fears or feelings of guilt can also be the reason for the dream of persecution.
Dreams of persecution often turn into nightmares from which one wakes up frightened. Here it is usually not possible to shake the hunter: the hunter catches up to you, no matter how fast you run - because he has more energy than you or because the escape route is cut off.
Such a dream scenario symbolically represents that what you want to get rid of will catch up with you after all. The persecution scene can symbolize many things, such as a relapse into previously abandoned unpleasant behaviors, recurring fears, or traumas that are meant to have been overcome.
Either way, you need to be aware of what you are running from in waking life. Try to consciously accept the feelings that come to you and thus bring about a change.
You can also achieve this by trying to confront your pursuer in a dream. However, some practice is required for such active intervention in dreams.
If you haunted someone in a dream, you can try to compensate for a mistake you made to another. They want forgiveness and want to reconcile. On the other hand, such dreams of persecution can also draw attention to the defamation of others, which you will soon have to defend yourself against. You may also need to reconsider your own decisions.
Psychological interpretation
Psychologically speaking, dreams of persecution refer to (unconscious) fears that you cannot get rid of. For interpretation, it is important to decipher the symbol of the persecutor.
If this is not possible because you do not know who or what persecuted you, this is a fear which is still unknown to you and which you must recognize yourself. If you deal with this while you are awake, chances are that your next dream about persecution will give you clearer clues about the persecutor. As soon as you recognize your pursuer, you can interpret the dream further.
If you are both a persecutor and the persecuted, then the dream means that you are running away. Maybe you are afraid of a decision to make, maybe of a certain trait. It's often about your own ambition and drive to perform, part of which is running away from you.
Human bullies can refer to real people or their own feelings or traits that bother you or try to suppress. If you know the bully in waking life you should be wondering why this person is bullying you. Do you feel harassed by this person while you are awake, is this person just uncomfortable?
If you are followed in a dream by your life partner, it may be an expression of a relationship problem: you may feel pressured, restricted; maybe you feel sexual or general insecurity in the relationship.
If your pursuer is a shadow or shadow creature with an undefined form, it usually indicates that a negative experience or trauma that is thought to have been overcome is threatening to catch up with you again.
Be sure to deal with it consciously and, if necessary, deal with your memories. However, a shadow can also indicate future emotional threats and fears that have not yet been deciphered.
If you're being followed by animals, objects, or monsters, the symbols may refer to feelings and situations that you haven't processed. These are often fears, aggressions, feelings of guilt, a guilty conscience. Or frightening and overwhelming situations. Here it is important to carefully analyze the dream symbol and determine its individual meaning.
Animals as persecutors often refer to your animal and instinctual side - your passions and feelings. Such a dream is reminiscent of a hunt or hunted hunt, and often means that you are not at peace with your emotional side. It is important to identify the dream symbol, so: what animal is it?
Other interpretations of the "persecution" dream symbol are:
- Being chased by a wolf: fear of being betrayed or slandered
- being chased by a dinosaur is chasing someone: an authority figure (possibly also from the past) bullies the dream
- Surveillance or spying on a friend: Indication of future or past betrayal feared by a trusted person
- Being Persecuted by a Person of the Opposite Sex: Sexual Fears You Should Dispel.
spiritual interpretation
In the spiritual dream interpretation, persecution in the dream indicates your fear of your own actions.
