Dreaming of dolls in a positive way can symbolize playfulness, a need or desire to connect with your inner playful spirit, to be included in the joy and fun of others.
They can symbolize the birth or creation of something new in your life or the ways we give and receive nurturance.
They can represent family and connection.
Dreams of dolls can also be more nightmarish and show us a sense of loneliness that needs tending, dealing with someone’s childish nature or feeling used. Let’s look a little bit deeper.
We will discuss the symbolism of the doll, what Carl Jung, the father of dream analysis, terms the doll archetype… the context of the dream and the dreamer’s perspective so that you can interpret what this dream means for you uniquely.
Interpreting your dream of doll(s)
Interpreting dreams we look at the symbols within that dream as well as consider their context within the dream environment.
In addition the dreamer’s feelings within the dream and following the dream give us clues about what the dream means at this time for us.
What type of doll were you dreaming about? A baby doll, a porcelain doll, an action figure or Barbie doll?
How did it make you feel within the dream? Was the doll kind or scary? Was it whole and intact or falling apart, ragged or gnarly?
Maybe you noticed that the doll was animated or very still. Someone may have been playing with the doll or neglecting it. Think about these details and how they made you feel in the dream.
Happy, sad, afraid or confused… maybe some other emotion.
Childhood and creative power
Dolls can represent childhood. Within the dream if you see yourself or someone playing with the doll this could mean that you are participating in, needing or wanting to enjoy life more and learn how to play again like a child.
Maybe you need to find a creative outlet like a sport or hobby.
Perhaps there’s something you need to birth into the world?
A creative idea or a new connection you know you’ve wanted to make.
In a negative context where the dreamer feels resistance to the doll then you might ask yourself if something you are creating is real or imagined… or if you are being honest about how nurturing you are of your goals, your desires of others or toward yourself.
Perhaps it is showing you that something from your childhood needs to be healed, like a relationship or a time when your feelings were hurt or your needs went unmet.
Dolls can represent playing pretend. This dream could be showing you that you are using play to distract yourself from something more serious that needs your attention. It could be about lying to others or being lied to.
If you are dressing up the doll and having fun with it you may need to head out for a night on the town.
Dressing up a doll could also symbolize making something seem more positive than it is.
Sometimes a barbie doll is associated with this this particular theme of dressing up.
If someone was playing with the doll in your dream how did that feel, positive or negative?
If we are sharing in the play with another person this could be telling us we need to seek out partnership within a relationship or a project.
If the playmate is not having fun, perhaps it’s time to go your separate ways with someone who is bringing you discomfort in life and preventing you from enjoying life or having a good time.
When we play with dolls in real life we are pretending to take care of and nurture the life of that baby.
Are you or someone you know taking care of or nurturing someone, something or a project in your life?
If the dream of playing with the doll felt bleak maybe someone is just pretending to care for something or someone else.
If someone else was playing with the doll in your dream think about how you felt.
Were you passively watching or jealous? Possibly you are feeling used by someone in your waking life.
Did you want to join in?
Maybe you want to make new friends or be included in something.
If dolls appear in your dream it can symbolize the need to parent yourself. Parenting is all about trying to figure out what to do with or for the baby.
Maybe you need to assess your priorities, guide yourself in a new direction or get some support in monitoring your progress, like an accountability partner.
The appearance of a doll or dolls in your dream could represent childish attitudes and behaviors in yourself and others. Perhaps this dream is pointing to a need to look within and ask yourself “Am I blaming others for being childish but don’t see this behavior in myself?”
Details and setting of the doll(s)
Dreaming of a dollhouse could represent your need to be established and settle down. Whether it is in you home, social, work or family life ask yourself if you’re feeling settled and what you need to change if you don’t. What new foundations can you establish?
If the doll or dolls were coming to life within your dream and this felt pleasant or peaceful then it may be revealing that your visions, dreams and goals for your life are coming to fruition and that your manifestations are animated with creative energy. If the doll is walking or moving it could mean you’re walking or moving toward the visions you have for your life.
A passive or inactive or alone doll could mean you need to wake up in life. Maybe it is time to ask yourself if you are just playing pretend or taking action. Sometimes an action figure will make itself known in this instance.
If the doll is glass or porcelain you may be guided to be more gentle with yourself. Also if the doll is glass or is damaged you could have a harsh attitude toward yourself or others as overly sensitive, fragile or broken.
Negative feelings in the dream
Dreaming of a dollhouse could represent your need to be established and settle down. Whether it is in you home, social, work or family life ask yourself if you’re feeling settled and what you need to change if you don’t. What new foundations can you establish?
If this dream was a nightmare about dolls coming to life in a scary or unpleasant way then maybe you have a fear of your manifestations and creations hurting other people in some way. Maybe as you climb the ladder you feel bad leaving others behind.
Perhaps the fear of dolls coming to life conveys to you a fear that you have about your goals and dreams coming to life. Sometimes we have fears of success we didn’t know about, and only our dreams can reveal that to us.
The unwanted presence of a doll in a dream can mean you are exhibiting a denial of your true nature. You can look within for true feelings you don’t want to admit or a need or desire you have that you refuse to commit to. Maybe you are afraid to be connected to something that you might eventually grow out of.
If the doll is growing this could mean you feel like something is maturing too quickly, you’re afraid you can’t keep up or you don’t have everything you need to succeed at the next level. On a positive note this could denote your own emotional maturity, growth and expansion.
If you have lost a doll in your dream quite possibly you feel like your goals and dreams are unavailable or inaccessible to you. On the other hand this may be showing you that your creative passions, your aliveness or playful nature are out of grasp.
If the doll is particularly violent or aggressive toward others maybe you are realizing the impact of your childish behaviors on those around you. Perhaps it symbolizes a fear you have of your own playfulness, that if you enjoy yourself you will lose respect from others.
If this violence is directed toward you maybe you are not honoring your own need for play. Are you enlivening the child within? Might you be fearful of being curious or accessing your sense of wonderment?
A violent doll could also be a warning that you fear your emotions over-taking you and that what you feel is petty or should be kept to yourself for fear of hurting others. It’s time to stop minimizing the level of care you need in order to feel through your emotions.
Conclusion
Dreaming of a dollhouse could represent your need to be established and settle down. Whether it is in you home, social, work or family life ask yourself if you’re feeling settled and what you need to change if you don’t. What new foundations can you establish?
In conclusion, think about analyzing the dream you had of dolls from the perspective of you. If the doll in the dream and your feelings toward it represent you you can see that you either feel positively or negatively about yourself.
Think about how your dreams and goals are coming to life, and how to be more playful and curious like a child. What manifestations of yours need some loving attentive care?
Look into how you can take care of yourself and nurture your creative spirit in new ways. Think about how you felt toward the doll and ask yourself if this is the way you want to feel about yourself. If not, then what can you do about it? Maybe the dream is showing you.
