This was a dream question sent to me for answer: If you’d like a chance for your dream question to be answered find out more about the The Dream Download™ here. Topics like this feature in my book Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal.
“I dreamt I was going up in a lift (elevator) but don’t remember getting to the top. What does this mean?”
Some people would rather walk up five flights of stairs than travel in one. They’re convenient but often break down. They can be made of glass or the strongest metal. You might find them where you live or where you work but we’re told not to travel in one when there’s danger nearby. So is your lift/elevator dream trying to tell you something?
One element of an elevator (or lift) dream is that that people often notice the direction of travel – either up or down. You may be particularly drawn to the fact in your dream, the lift is travelling an extremely long way and not getting anywhere. These are important metaphors in dreams because they can be symbolic of how we feel in our life during the day. Sometimes a lift dream is a metaphor for the “ups and downs” of life.
The direction of the lift is also often thought to suggest reaching part of your subconscious mind – going up, in to the higher realms of possibility and potential.
You were going up in your dream and you don’t remember reaching the top. This may symbolise your journey through life at the moment, striving to achieve something but perhaps you’re not quite there yet. If you were travelling higher than you felt comfortable with, this can suggest that you are pushing some boundaries but this may be in a positive way or with good reason. Just because something’s uncomfortable doesn’t always mean it’s not good for you, so it’s worth taking some time to think about what that might be and whether or not the risk is worth taking.
The ‘Higher Self’ is often recognised as that part of you which only has your best interests at heart. So understanding why you’re going up in your dream will be valuable for you, especially if you feel you’re growing on a spiritual, soul level as well.
Going down can symbolise a need or fear of going in to darker corners relating to memories and problems of the past, or getting in touch with what’s known as your ‘shadow’ self (I have a whole chapter about going Into Darkness in Answers In The Dark). If this had been your dream it may be time to put some, if not all, of the past to bed and let go of resentment or guilt which has been holding you back. Similarly if the lift stops with you in it, it may be that you have been facing obstacles or thwarted by problems, preventing you getting where you want to go.
If lifts/elevators are an important part of your day – perhaps you work in a high rise building or have use it for reasons of mobility – then elevators can reference something in your life which you have started to take for granted. It may be wise to consider if you need or have a ‘back up’ plan or alternatives regarding a specific scenario which has been on your mind.
A Few Top Tips:
* Have a think about your aspirations and what you’re trying to achieve; whether you’re taking enough positive action and keeping your thoughts healthy to achieve your goal. If your lift dreams start “going down”, pay attention to your mood and ask how you benefit from holding on to any unresolved hurt. Imagine what your life would look like if you moved passed the problems you’ve been facing.
* Pay attention to the “state” of the lift in your dream. If your lift looks fragile, perhaps you would describe yourself the same way. If the lift is strong and does the job effectively perhaps you’ve not been giving yourself credit for how well you perform under pressure.
* How you feel about elevators in your waking life is also particularly relevant to the interpretation. If they are the last thing you would ever use – i.e. you’re frightened of them – the lift can be symbolic of a fear which is present in your waking life. In these cases it can be important to acknowledge this fear, rather than letting it get out of control.
Keep a dream diary if this has become a recurring dream; you might find you spot patterns in your dreaming which explain why you dream what you do. I offer a template in Answers In The Dark.
Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive. The Dreams Maven™ is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio. You might also like Monday Mojo™.
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© Delphi Ellis, updated 2023 – please note this content may also appear elsewhere as promotional material for Answers In The Dark.
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