The Mystical Symbolism of Curtains in Dreams

Dreams about curtains often hold significant meaning, blending personal subconscious thoughts with rich cultural symbolism. In many traditions, curtains act as veils between different realms—representing boundaries and the hidden aspects of our being. When curtains appear in dreams, they may signify a desire to uncover hidden emotions, reveal secrets, or even indicate changes awaiting in one’s life journey.

In mythology, curtains have been associated with thresholds—where the known meets the unknown, and where perception morphs into reality. The interplay of light and shadow in these dreams encourages the dreamer to explore their inner depths and confront what lies beyond the visible. As scholars of the dream world reflect upon such symbols, it becomes imperative to consider not just what is seen, but what may lie hidden from view.

• Curtains often symbolize the veil between reality and dreams, revealing hidden truths.
• In mythology, curtains signify boundaries between different worlds and experiences.
• These dreams may indicate a desire to explore suppressed feelings or aspects of life.

Symbols

• blinds
  • Spy glass:

    (Spy glass; Telescope) In a dream, binoculars represents a notable person or the person who is looking through them. Looking with binoculars from a distance in a dream means victory over one’s adversary, attainment of one’s goals, rising in rank, spying, or happiness. If a merchant looks through binoculars in a dream, it means sovereignty, prosperity, presiding over his fellow merchants and gaining power.

    Bird’s nest:

  • Telescope:

    (Spy glass; Telescope) In a dream, binoculars represents a notable person or the person who is looking through them. Looking with binoculars from a distance in a dream means victory over one’s adversary, attainment of one’s goals, rising in rank, spying, or happiness. If a merchant looks through binoculars in a dream, it means sovereignty, prosperity, presiding over his fellow merchants and gaining power.

    Bird’s nest:

  • Askance:

    Eyes in a dream represent one’s religion or wealth. If one sees grass growing all over him but does not cover his ears or eyes in a dream, it means prosperity. One’s eyes in a dream also represent his faith and the road to victory in this life and in the next.

    One’s eyes in a dream also could represent his guidance or his heedlessness. Having many eyes throughout one’s body in a dream represents one’s piety, vigilance and excellence of character. If one sees the eyes of his heart in a dream, it means that he sees with the light of clarity.

    If one sees a man looking at him with a side glance in a dream, it means that he will suffer from an adversity, mistrust, disapproval, suspicion and disdain at the hand of such a man. If such a man opens his eyes and looks at him straight forward in the dream, it means that he will help him in his business or support his interests. If one’s eyes turn into iron in a dream, it means distress, a scandal or serious suffering from one’s community.

    If one sees himself looking at women in his dream, it means that he commits adultery with his eyes by looking and desiring what is unlawful. If one looks at someone’s eyes in a dream and likes them, it means that he will suffer from an adversity, religious corruption or jealousy. If one sees himself having an extra eye inside his body in a dream, it means that he is an atheist.

    If one sees himself having an extra eye over his shoulder in a dream, it means that he will be named to receive money in absentia. If one sees his eyes transfixed in a dream, it means that he looks suspiciously at a relative or someone else’s wife. Black eyes in a dream represent a religious person.

    A bluish-black eyes in a dream denote opposing one’s religion. Blue eyes in a dream mean religious innovations. Green eyes in a dream mean a religion which is different from all religions.

    Sharp sight in a dream means blessings, while weak sight means joblessness and living from the generosity of others. If a father sees weakness in his sight in a dream, it means that a sickness will inflict his children. If one loses his eyes in a dream, it means the death of his children.

    If a poor person or a prisoner sees that in a dream, it means that he will never become free again, or see any light for the rest of his life. If an oppressed person sees weakness in his eyes in a dream, it means that someone will help him overcome his adversities. If a traveller sees that dream, it means that he will DICTIONARY OF DREAMS 149 never return to his homeland.

    If one sees that his eyes belong to an unknown person in a dream, it means that he will become blind. If he recognizes that person in the dream, it means that he will be married to his daughter. If one’s eyes fall into his lap in a dream, it means the death of his brother or son.

    The eyes of a human being in a dream also represent his beloved, his son or his faith. Any defect in them in the dream may reflect in such people. Having one hundred eyes in a dream means money.

    The eyes of a ruler represent his spies. Eyes in a dream also represent a controller, a man or a spring. Treating one’s eyes with medicinal ointment in a dream means correcting one’s religious life or begetting a son who will become the jewel light of his father’s eyes or if one’s brother is exiled or deported from his homeland, it means that he will solicit him and entrust him with duties toward his family.

    If one sees his sight better than what people think in the dream, it means that his inner character is better than what people think, or if he sees his sight weakened though people do not know about it in the dream, it means that he keeps his faith to himself. If one’s eyes become white in a dream, they represent sorrow, or loss of a beloved. If one sees his eyes white, and if the white veil is lifted in the dream, it means that he will be reunited with his beloved and his distress will be dispelled.

    The right eye in a dream represents one’s son and the left eye represents one’s daughter. If a father sees one of his eyes being transposed to mix with the other eye in a dream, and if he has a son and a daughter, he should separate their bedrooms. Eating someone’s eye in a dream means steeling his money.

    Seeing one’s eyes without eyelashes in a dream means defying God’s laws. If one unplugs his eyelashes in a dream, it means that he will expose himself to his enemy. Seeing beautiful eyes in a dream could denote, sorcery, black magic, life or death.

    Eyes in a dream also represent one’s family, relatives, children or workers. Eyes in a dream also signify mourning someone or they could denote a sickness. Smearing one’s eyes in a dream means calamities, sufferings and punishment for one’s sins.

    To guard one’s eyes from looking at what is unlawful in a dream means heeding God’s commands.

• drapes
  • Drapes:

    (Cover; Happiness; Fears; Veil) In a dream, drapes means veiling one’s private life. Drapes in a dream also represent a confidant or a trustworthy friend or a wife who covers the pitfalls of her husband, protects his business and guards him from looking at other women. If a man of knowledge sees such a dream, then drapes represent his integrity, his honorable wife and children.

    Unidentified drapes in a dream represent worries or distress. If the drapes are hanging over one’s front door in the dream, it means that such difficulties will come from the world. Old drapes in a dream represent adversities which will not last.

    Torn drapes in a dream mean happiness and joy. If they are torn vertically in the dream, they represent a quick joy. If they are torn horizontally in the dream, they mean slander against one’s family.

    Black drapes in a dream mean worries because of money, a child, or the authorities. White or green drapes mean good results. Drapes hanging over the door of a mosque in a dream represent spiritual problems or religious failure.

    Seeing drapes out of their place in a dream mean adversities, and seeing them hanging over one’s windows has no interpretation. In a dream, seeing drapes hanging over a strange environment means fears which will culminate in satisfaction. Drapes adorned with gold means hallu¬ cination or dispelling one’s worries.

    If an unmarried person sees drapes in his dream, it means that he will get married and protect his chastity, or it could mean a business that will shelter him from poverty. If a fugitive or a scared person sees himself covered with drapes in a dream, it means a shelter from what scares him. Falling through a hole while hanging to a drape in a dream means taking a long, frustrating, toiling and a distant journey.

    The bigger the drapes are in a dream, the more difficult is one’s adversity.

  • Canopy 1:

    (A canopy with drapes covering one’s bed; Mosquito net; Transparent hood) In a dream, the canopy that drapes over one’s bed represents a good woman or a well mannered man. In a dream, a canopy also may represent one’s wife, or it could mean affliction, grief, distress or darkness.

  • Attire:
• folklore
  • Story:

    In a dream, a storyteller may represent the Imam of a mosque, or the Khat'ib who delivers the Friday sermon. A storyteller in a dream also may represent one’s livelihood, or intestinal and bowel problems, or he could represent travels. If the stories are new, then they mean disturbances in one’s life.

    If they are stories of chivalry, then they represent a war. A pleasant story one tells to a king, or to man of authority in a dream represents wealth, or great profits which are distributed equitably. As for a merchant, hearing a pleasant story in a dream represents easy and quick profits from his business, and for a craftsman, it represents a sizeable contract, or an important new account.

  • Humorist:

    (Comedian; Storyteller) In a dream, a humorist represents frivolity, prankishness, satire, falsehood, deceit, or sarcasm.

  • Black magic:

    (Conjuring; Jugglery; Tricks) In a dream, magic arts mean deceit, pride, artificiality and temptations. To learn about sorcery, or black magic, or about similar arts in a dream means innovation and heedlessness. (Also Ma¬ gician; Sorcery; Spit out)

• legend
  • Luminary:

    (Acknowledgment; Announcement; Distinction; Luminary; Recognition; Renowned; Title) Fame in a dream represents a wedding that will be publicly announced, or it could mean rising in rank. If one earns a title of recognition, or if he becomes renowned, or if he is awarded a great prize for his work in a dream, it means that he will learn that his wife has given birth to a beautiful son. Such a son will follow his father’s footsteps, learn his trade or work at spreading his knowledge or tradition, or he may govern and lead his people after him.

  • Title:

    (Acknowledgment; Announcement; Distinction; Luminary; Recognition; Renowned; Title) Fame in a dream represents a wedding that will be publicly announced, or it could mean rising in rank. If one earns a title of recognition, or if he becomes renowned, or if he is awarded a great prize for his work in a dream, it means that he will learn that his wife has given birth to a beautiful son. Such a son will follow his father’s footsteps, learn his trade or work at spreading his knowledge or tradition, or he may govern and lead his people after him.

  • Acknowledgment:

    (Acknowledgment; Announcement; Distinction; Luminary; Recognition; Renowned; Title) Fame in a dream represents a wedding that will be publicly announced, or it could mean rising in rank. If one earns a title of recognition, or if he becomes renowned, or if he is awarded a great prize for his work in a dream, it means that he will learn that his wife has given birth to a beautiful son. Such a son will follow his father’s footsteps, learn his trade or work at spreading his knowledge or tradition, or he may govern and lead his people after him.

• curtains
  • Philander:

    (Flirting; Love poems; Philander) Courting a woman or singing love songs to her or displaying amorous behavior for her in public in a dream represents someone who divulges people’s secrets.

  • Armistice:

    (Armistice; Cease fire; Cessation) Negotiating a truce, or witnessing one between two armies in a dream means cessation of fear, relaxing, recovering of a sick person from his illness, caring for the wounded, extending the chances of one’s survival, profits, business, marriage, rebuilding, doing good, or perform¬ ing one’s prayers. 4DU id's oniiiin.ii's o

  • Cease fire:

    (Armistice; Cease fire; Cessation) Negotiating a truce, or witnessing one between two armies in a dream means cessation of fear, relaxing, recovering of a sick person from his illness, caring for the wounded, extending the chances of one’s survival, profits, business, marriage, rebuilding, doing good, or perform¬ ing one’s prayers. 4DU id's oniiiin.ii's o

• mythology
  • Geomancy:

    (Geomancy) Seeing a fortuneteller who practices divination by in¬ terpreting random figures that are formed when a handful of earth is thrown on the ground or one who interprets randomly drawn lines on sand represents a fraudulent and a cunning person, a thief, or such a dream could represent profits from importing goods.

  • Black magic:

    (Conjuring; Jugglery; Tricks) In a dream, magic arts mean deceit, pride, artificiality and temptations. To learn about sorcery, or black magic, or about similar arts in a dream means innovation and heedlessness. (Also Ma¬ gician; Sorcery; Spit out)

  • Story:

    In a dream, a storyteller may represent the Imam of a mosque, or the Khat'ib who delivers the Friday sermon. A storyteller in a dream also may represent one’s livelihood, or intestinal and bowel problems, or he could represent travels. If the stories are new, then they mean disturbances in one’s life.

    If they are stories of chivalry, then they represent a war. A pleasant story one tells to a king, or to man of authority in a dream represents wealth, or great profits which are distributed equitably. As for a merchant, hearing a pleasant story in a dream represents easy and quick profits from his business, and for a craftsman, it represents a sizeable contract, or an important new account.

Navigating the Dreamscape: Practical Guidance

• Reflect on Your Feelings

  When you wake from a dream featuring curtains, take a moment to jot down the emotions you felt during the dream. Did you feel curious, anxious, or serene? Your feelings can provide clues to the meaning of your dream.

  For instance, feeling anxious while seeing closed curtains might suggest underlying fears or something you wish to uncover. In contrast, if the curtains are drawn back and you feel at peace, this may indicate a readiness to reveal parts of yourself or embrace change. Keeping a dream journal can help you track these recurring motifs in your dreams and how they align with your waking life.

• Consider Life Events

  Analyze any current life situations that could correspond with themes of concealment or revelation. Are there aspects of your life you feel are 'behind curtains,' such as personal goals, fears, or relationships? Understanding what these curtains imply regarding your real life may give you valuable insights.

  If you’re facing a significant decision, the curtains could symbolize the awaiting clarity or the unveiling of new opportunities. Engage with trusted friends or family to discuss these feelings and gain their perspectives, enriching your journey toward understanding.

• Explore Mythological References

  Delve into myths where curtains or veils play a significant role. In different cultures, curtains may symbolize the division between life and death, the seen and unseen, or the sacred and the mundane. Engaging with these stories can provide a broader context for your dream.

  Reading stories from diverse mythologies can spark inspiration and help you discover how age-old narratives echo in your own experiences. Reflecting on these connections can deepen your understanding of your dreams. Additionally, consider visiting art exhibits or performances where curtains are prominent; such experiences can enrich your appreciation of the 'curtain' as a metaphor in both art and life.

FAQs

• What does it mean to dream of closed curtains?

  Dreaming of closed curtains can suggest feelings of concealment or uncertainty in your life. It may signify that there are unresolved issues you need to confront or aspects of yourself you are keeping hidden. Such dreams encourage self-exploration and may be a call to seek clarity and understanding about your situation.

• Are curtains in dreams often related to secrets?

  Yes, curtains frequently symbolize secrets or hidden truths. In dreams, they might indicate that something is being kept from you, either by others or even by yourself. This could urge you to investigate deeper into your feelings or your surroundings to uncover these hidden aspects.

• What does it mean if curtains are drawn back in my dream?

  When curtains are drawn back in your dream, it can symbolize revelations, openness, or new beginnings. It suggests a readiness to face the truth and embrace change. This dream points towards your willingness to accept new insights or perspectives in your waking life.

• Can dreaming of curtains reflect emotional struggles?

  Indeed, curtains in dreams can act as metaphors for emotional barriers. If you find yourself struggling to draw back the curtains in your dream, it may signify a reluctance to face certain feelings. This symbolizes both vulnerability and the challenge of confronting emotions you may prefer to keep hidden.

• How do cultural interpretations of curtains in dreams vary?

  Cultural interpretations can vary significantly. In some traditions, curtains symbolize protection or sacred spaces, representing boundaries that need to be respected. In contrast, other cultures may view them as barriers that prevent personal growth. Understanding these differences can enrich your perspective on what your dream might signify.

References