Unassuming dream images, feelings or impressions are often dismissed as insignificant in our high-tech world of complexities and left-brained machinations.
An image that threads various associations and dream parts is a pervasive symbol and is usually laden with layers of meaning for the dreamer — in waking or sleeping life.
The following dream symbol (and the circumstances surrounding it) was submitted for discussion:
“During a phone conversation, my friend mentioned the word “feather,” and it triggered a memory that I had dreamed about a feather the day before.
“As she uttered the word, the dream flashed and I saw the feather clearly as light- colored with brown accents and I mentioned this to my friend. Later that day, she e-mailed me saying that after our call while walking to her car she found a feather. I inquired about what it looked like and she described it as 3 inches to 4 inches long, mostly light-colored with brown marks.” — Sandy, UT
Ways for the dreamer to work with the layers of meaning of this symbol are to consider a feather’s universal qualities in addition to its attributes of color, size and what specific associations she has to it/them.
In European folklore, feathers were used to construct charms such as the “witches ladder,” where the colors of feathers and yarn woven together determined the type of “spell” it would cast. Brown feathers consistently symbolized stability, respect, home, grounding and a virtuous soul.
Feathers represent different things in various cultures. To the indigenous peoples of North America, feathers worn by chiefs allowed for communication with Spirit and enhanced their ability to receive godly wisdom since birds were sky creatures that soared close to their celestial gods.
The Celts wore feather-covered robes to invoke the blessings of the sky gods and empowered the wearer to rise above the earthly arena.
In Christianity, feathers represented virtue — in fact, three feathers were used to make signet rings that symbolized Faith, Hope and Charity. Other meanings of feathers include truth, speed, lightness, flight and ascension.
The most common association to feathers in Western culture is that they are a form of communication from angels. Alice Landry (in her “Signs of Angels”) states, “If you have prayed to the angels for guidance … be sure to notice feathers, especially white ones. They can appear … on the ground or floating from the air. Moreover, you may notice a random image of a feather, such as on television or on the side of a moving truck. The angels use various means to get your attention and let you know they’re here to help.”
When feathers appear in dreams, they can signify the ability to move through life easily by achieving a goal or overcoming challenges.
In this case, was the feather meant for the dreamer? For the friend? The dreamer reported that her friend was a special anam cara (soul friend), so I suspect the friend was a catalyst for recall as the dreamer’s memory of the dream symbol had been suppressed and forgotten.
I suggest the dreamer obtain the feather her friend found as a concrete symbol to place in her environment and observe what thoughts, feelings, ideas or associations occur — then explore them further. As with most dream symbols, there is nothing simple or unassuming about them.
— Marlene King, M.A. is a writer, artist and mental health professional and has been a dream practitioner for more than 30 years. Her column has appeared in Dream Network Journal and other publications. Contact her at dreamtimes guide@gmail.com
