Dreams of being bitten generally come in two forms. Either the dreamer is biting someone (or something) or someone (or something) is biting the dreamer - usually the latter. Bites in dreams are usually not positive symbols. Dreams bites are usually expressions of fear or aggression. They may even be symbolic of addiction. Read on for more information about biting in dreams.

You Are Biting

When children are young, they often go through a phase of biting. Often the biting is symptomatic of anger that they lack the ability to express.

In dreams, if you are biting someone or something, the biting may be similar to the bite of children. Dream biting may be an unconscious expression of anger or resentment that is difficult to express. The difficulty in expressing the anger may come from a feeling of powerlessness. For example, biting a supervisor in a dream may point to feelings of anger at the supervisor herself, or may represent general feelings of anger about the job - feelings that can't be expressed for fear of losing the job.

Fear is another reason for biting. Many animal bites occur when an animal feels threatened or cornered and attacks out of fear. Therefore, biting in a dream may symbolize similar fearful feelings.

Protection or territoriality is something else that is expressed when biting another. Is there something in your life that you feel is under attack; something you feel is in need of protection?

A good clue to what the dream biting symbolizes is to look at who you are biting in the dream. Is it a lover or partner? A family member? A co-worker? Examining who you are biting is a first step to understanding what the dream means.

You Are Bitten

Being bitten in a dream carries almost the same connotation as biting someone in a dream - only in reverse. If someone is biting you, the dream may be an expression of hostility that you are intuitively picking up on. Is there someone around you who may be threatened by you, jealous of you, or angry at you? As in the dreams of you biting someone else, looking at who is biting you is a big clue in understanding what the dream is trying to communicate.

Often, we speak of insects as "biting" us. Insects are often pesky creatures. Who hasn't endured an afternoon picnic being interrupted by gnats, flies, or even mosquitoes? Being bitten by someone can indicate that the person biting you is something of a pest. The person may also symbolize something else - a nagging problem that you are refusing to look at or confront.

Is an animal biting you? In dreamspeak animals are often stand-ins for aspects or oneself, particularly aspects of oneself that are emotional or instinctual. To interpret a dream of an animal bite, it is important to first ascertain the qualities you associate with the biting animal. Snakes are common animals that bite in dreams. A snake bite may indicate a person who is a "snake in the grass" or, it may actually indicate overcome a situation, with the bite acting as an injection of wisdom rather than venom. (For more information about snakes in dreams, see this article: Snakes in a Dream!

Dogs are another common dream biter. Some people are phobic of dogs, and dreams of being dog bit can symbolize that phobia or some other irrational fear. Sometimes a fear of dogs develops from an encounter where one was bitten. The dream may be saying that a waking life situation is similar to the time when one was bit, pulling from past images to convey information about the present. Alternatively, if you normally think of dogs as loyal, faithful companions, the dream may be warning of misplaced trust or treachery coming from someone you consider a close friend. More information about dogs as dream symbols can be found here: Dog, Dogs - Dream Symbols

Vampiric creatures also show up in biting dreams. Vampires may symbolize a person, relationship, or situation that is draining one of vital energy or some form of parasitic relationship. Vampire dreams are discussed in detail here: Vampire, Vampires - Dream Symbols

An unusual dream is that of a snake biting its own tail. This symbol is known as the ouroborous, a powerful alchemical symbol. One of the more famous of recorded dreams involved the ouroborous and can be read about here: Freidrich Kekule and the Benzene Ring

As always, sleep well and dream out loud!

*~Aisling Ireland~* is an ordained Spiritual Counselor providing dream interpretation and Tarot readings. To make an appointment check out her website at: web.mac.com/aisling.ireland