The Dream Book of Self-Knowledge

Journey, traveling

life itself is a journey, and a journey is a period of movement, full of change, a period of growth; in the unconscious a journey symbolizes inner movement from one way of existence to another.
each inner movement can be depicted by traveling in a dream.
much traffic on roads of all kind: a serious warning; these perceptions lead to psychological imbalance and stress, and are the roots of a future illness of (not only) a psychological nature.
a road that leads nowhere (dead end): the unconscious is alerting the dreamer to the worthlessness of his current life activities.
traveling without a ticket: the dreamer should rethink his intended steps since the future holds much risk and possible disgrace.
resting on a journey so that the dreamer gains new strength: does not refer to the physical loss of power, but occurs in a psychologically demanding period and reflects the need for mental rest and relaxation.
wanting but unable to continue on the journey: inner conflict between ambitions and lethargy.
taking the wrong path: inconsistency between personality (persona) and individuality (see archetypes of Persona and of Individuality).
forgetting to depart on a journey: symbolizes stagnation in the near future.
direction indicator: used to make minor adjustments in the life journey; the sign's content should be perceived since the unconscious is providing us directly with advice and recommendations.
prohibitory, instructional warning signs on journey: emphatic reminder to observe basic rules (usually moral).
Detour on the journey: see Detour.
overgrown, narrow path: does not attest to malice of the journey, but that few people have taken it even though it could be the best one.
broad path: never ends in a pleasant and happy state; this path therefore must be replaced by a difficult path that yields results.
breakneck path: usually a path upwards towards knowledge.
negotiating a steep rocky path: symbolizes the rapid overcoming of obstacles and we also recognize, based on other symbolism in the dream, the nature of this obstacle.
on flat land: the dreamer won't have to overcome any difficult life obstacles in the near future.
everything that lies on the path or that we come across on the way is that which the dreamer will encounter in the near future; these are obstacles, but even possibilities of facilitating the journey, advice and empowerment.
someone crosses the dreamer's path: a fateful encounter is approaching.
path littered with trash: a path toward material wealth, but also a deviation from emotional and spiritual experiences.
clearing the path: facilitation of a future life journey.
wet path: life drenched with emotions; does not indicate rapid progress since there is a greater threat to slip.
path ending in water, water across the path: important opportunity for the purification of one's being.
path leading underground: path to the subconscious mind toward hitherto hidden facts; if, for instance, an opening gate, narrow spaces or water join this image, this is the dreamer's entrance to prenatal and birth experiences (see Basic Perinatal Matrix archetype).
underground path: rewarding the dreamer's attempt at self-knowledge; an underground path leading out to the light is an allegory of birth (see Basic Perinatal Matrix archetype) or an allegory of a mythological path (see the archetypes of the Hero and of the Shadow).
business trip: urgent duties await.
shortcut of a dream path: faster way to knowledge.
path ending, cannot go further: end of one life phase and beginning of next.
traveling with children: rapid development in the unification process.
path home: represents individual stages of a return to true nature that is divine and not animalistic.
path to a port: symbolizes an approaching turning point in a dreamer's life.
path to barracks: symbolizes increasing inner discipline and the subconscious urge to submit to discipline from which the dreamer subconsciously senses freedom (in not desiring).
crossroads: crossroads in life.
path through a field: inner paths, whether positive or negative, are more important for the dreamer than outer, earthly life.
snowy (white): joy from purity.
bumpy, rocky: hard work.
path through nature: joy
during the dreamer's spiritual journey, dreams of traveling take on deeper meaning since the spiritual person's goal is, unlike earthly goals, freed from ownership interests.
a very important period is approaching when the dreamer realizes in the dream that the path is knowledge itself, or that the path is an allegory of a spiritual path.
muddy, sludgy: difficult and laborious work for the soul's recovery.
being attacked on a path: a clash between the ego's interest and the interests of others is approaching.
everything surrounding the path can be advice and assistance, but also temptation.
cross by a path: stop in your hectic life to ponder your life and plans.
a ditch by a path: If the dreamer enters or falls into it, he can expect in the near future unnecessary problems and delays; if the dreamer enters the ditch inadvertently, then he's dangerously playing with his fate; if he sees these images then he should consider them a warning.
path from a city: longing to free oneself from stress and a mind filled with trivialities.
path from a castle: often accompanied by rain which indicates the powerful support of emotions in abandoning egotistical and isolationist tendencies; see Castle.
straying from the path: unnecessary problems and delays.
stumbling on the path: this image can mean only a brief delay on the life journey or merely a call for caution; yet if the dream consequences of stumbling are painful, this image can be a foretelling of chronic problems.
a building standing directly on the path: no matter how beautiful the building is, it always relates to the ego which prevents forward progress. This building needs to be demolished.
a stone or rock on the path: informs the dreamer of the need in the upcoming period to attempt to remove obstacles on the life journey, obstacles that the dreamer himself once created through his own acts.
clearing stones or rocks from the path: gradual removal of the consequences of past acts.
a rope stretched across the path: due to an unresolved or unclear sexual or emotional relationship the dreamer cannot continue on the path to self-improvement.
a pit (hole) on a path which prevents the dreamer from continuing: the consequences of past sexually tinged acts are entering the dreamer's life.
black goats on a path: for single people a warning against an intended marriage; for married people a warning that a negative aspect of marital life will soon appear.
mountain path: the path to liberating oneself, the path to knowledge; for this journey we no longer take with us any possessions or pull any carts, for these have long since fallen into the abyss of uselessness.
along a stream: healing, pain leaves with the flowing water.
not paying attention to the path: the dreamer is playing recklessly with his fate.
dreamer's dangerous path: anticipates a risky period to come.
dusty, dirty road, trail: an emotionless (without water) state is safe for the time being, but once emotion arises from within, such a road will become dangerous and even an insurmountable obstacle. It is therefore important in this period to guard one's emotions.
construction of a transportation route (e.g. highway, road, railway): the start of an important period; the construction of a life journey; attempt at a fast resolution of life troubles related to the place where the construction occurs.
construction of a route directly on the surface of water: the dreamer has built a very risky crossing across his own emotions and it is very likely that he will "bathe" in his unprocessed emotions.
being knocked down on a journey: a premonitory dream in which the unconscious attempts to rouse courage in the dreamer to resolve a current crisis, to abandon a negative state of mind and set out on a new path, with feelings and ideas.
frozen path: often opens magnificent images of the spiritual level.
working one's way through a thorny path: in men's dreams it is an attempt to uproot from one's experience one's instinctual and sexual essence (the thorns) and emotional outbursts (flowers among the thorns) so that, in freeing oneself from instincts and emotions, spiritual anima can be discovered (the similarity with Sleeping Beauty is no coincidence).
traveling to one's birthplace: this image is a wonderful allegory "of the path home – the path to one's divine nature," which is why such dreams leave enduring imprints on a person's mind; instinctual personifications in particular and even sometimes emotional personifications act against the dreamer's attempt to reach his birthplace, while spiritual personifications and even sometimes emotional personifications help him or welcome him at the birthplace.
life path: see Life journey.
path to the holy grail: although it resembles an external journey through the world, it is only down this path that a person, by way of internalization, reaches the only true grail – in his heart; see Grail.