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Ernesto
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The Meaning of Dreams About Paralysis header image

Did You Dream About Paralysis? Here's What It Means

Did you dream about paralysis? It's a complex dream topic that can have a few fascinating interpretations.

Scroll down for three different perspectives from our dream guides on what it means to dream about paralysis.

Which of these interpretations best matches your dream?


What does paralysis mean in dreams?

1. The traditional interpretation

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Mary Leyen
Dream Expert,
Contributor: "3 of Dreams Book of Dreams"

A dream about experiencing paralysis often reflects feelings of being stuck or powerless in a waking life situation. But it's often a dream image with multiple nuances.

It can symbolize an inability to make a decision or take action. Seeing someone else paralyzed in your dream, on the other hand, could indicate your perception of that person as helpless or unable to function effectively. It might also reflect your own fears of becoming dependent or losing autonomy. Both scenarios urge introspection and confrontation of these feelings.

Paralysis is often a colorful and puzzling dream concept to offer a firm opinion about. To know without any doubts, it's really necessary to get to know the dreamer's life and current circumstances.

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2. The psychoanalyst's interpretation

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Ernesto Andrahi
Psychoanalyst,
Contributor: "3 of Dreams Book of Dreams"

Dreaming of personal paralysis, in Freudian terms, may signify a latent sense of impotence or a repression of one's ability to effect change, a manifestation of the ego's struggle against perceived obstacles.

Somewhat similarly: It's a symbolic representation of the psyche's conflict between desire and action. Observing paralysis in another, however, might suggest a projection of one's own fears of dependency or loss of control, a transference of one's anxieties onto an external figure. It could also indicate a subconscious perception of the other as immobilized or ineffective. Both instances call for a deeper exploration of these latent anxieties and the unconscious conflicts they represent.

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3. The spiritualist's interpretation

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Liz Morrison
Shaman and Spirit Guide,
Contributor: "3 of Dreams Book of Dreams"

Dreaming of personal paralysis can be a spiritual message about feeling trapped or unable to progress on your spiritual journey. It may represent a spiritual stagnation, where you're unable to move forward due to unresolved issues or fears. Witnessing another's paralysis in your dream, however, may symbolize your spiritual perception of them as being spiritually stagnant or unable to evolve. It could also be a reflection of your own fears of becoming spiritually immobile. Both instances are spiritual calls to action, urging you to confront and resolve these issues to continue your spiritual growth.

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Which dream explanation matches your dream?

Which interpretation of paralysis applies to your unique situation?

Only you can say for certain. Remember that our dreaming mind can be a multifaceted landscape. Just about any object or image from a dream can reflect many different things — or be the result of multiple forces in our waking lives.

Have a better analysis on a dream about paralysis you can add? Contribute your own analysis in the comment section down below.

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