In the spiritual world I was being chased by a lion, I ran back into my house, it's paw got caught in the garage door. In the real world I was expelled from school a few years back, the school mascot was a lion, and at that school I'd been rejected more times than I wish to remember
Dreams involving being chased often symbolize feelings of anxiety, fear, or unresolved issues. In your case, the lion is a powerful symbol that can represent authority, courage, or aggression, particularly since it is associated with your past experiences at school where the mascot was a lion. The fact that you were chased suggests that there might be emotions or past traumas related to your school experience that you have not fully addressed.
The lion in your dream could represent the authority figures or social hierarchies of the school environment that you felt oppressed by. Its aggressive pursuit may symbolize your fears surrounding your past, particularly the feelings of rejection and the difficulties associated with being expelled. Being chased typically reflects areas of your life where you may feel overwhelmed or pressured by unresolved issues.
When you escape into your house, it suggests a desire for safety, comfort, or a retreat into your inner world. Houses often symbolize the self and your mental state. The fact that the lion’s paw got caught in the garage door can illustrate a significant turning point. The garage can symbolize a space for storage—where you keep things that are not currently in use but can be significant aspects of your life. The lion being caught might represent your own efforts to confront and contain your fears or past experiences.
This moment suggests a desire to confront and manage what the lion perceives as a threat—the memories of rejection, the stigma of being expelled, and possibly unresolved feelings of inadequacy. It indicates that while those feelings have chased you in your waking life, they do not have the absolute power to control you.
In essence, this dream reflects both a struggle and a glimmer of hope. It calls for you to confront the feelings and memories that represent that school experience in order to move forward. There may be a need for healing and a re-evaluation of how those experiences have shaped your identity. Understanding that you can contain or manage these fears is a crucial step towards overcoming them and reclaiming your sense of self-worth and confidence.
Engaging with these feelings, perhaps through journaling or talking to someone who understands your journey, can be the next step towards resolving the lingering impacts of that chapter in your life. This dream serves as both a warning and an opportunity for redemption, encouraging personal growth and emotional healing.