The red color in dreams can be both reassuring and frightening. It can symbolize a wide range of things, from anger to passion, love to hatred, danger, and transformation. Like other dreams, it is important to note the devil is in the details.
What we associate with the color red has more to do with our surroundings and the day-to-day activities that shape our perception of that color. Red may remind you of Valentine’s day love or the sweetness and innocence we associate with strawberries.
However, red in dreams can also symbolize a warning, like the red we use in our street lights to prevent accidents. As seen in many ancient religious ceremonies, red is also a symbol of cleansing.
All in all, the meaning of red in your dreams comes down to context. This is why it is important to have a dream journal.
Jot down every little detail to help you get the perspective and context of what your unconscious mind is trying to communicate. Once that is done, you can proceed below to look at the psychological, spiritual, biblical, and metaphysical implications of your red color dream.
Dreams About the Color Red: Symbolism & Psychology
Symbolism in the dream will vary depending on the individual and the context of the dream. Details of the dream and the emotions that they invoke need to be at the forefront of your mind when trying to understand its meaning.
Do not worry; it can be hard to interpret your own dreams at first, especially when they are complicated with many plots and twists and unexplainable events.
However, the more you dive into them and try to introspect, the better you will get at identifying the common themes and patterns that make up your dreams.
We are here to help you get better insight and accelerate your dream interpretation journey.
So, when it comes to red colors in dreams, there are a handful of symbolisms that you will first have to look for:
1. Love & Passion
In his book, the Interpretation of Dreams, Sigmund Freud noted that colors are symbolic in people’s dreams. Considered the father of psychological dream interpretation, most of his conclusions on the matter are used to date to interpret dreams.
According to Freud, colors could symbolize many emotional aspects, including passion, love, anger, aggression, and danger. However, he also notes in the book that a color can just be that, a color with no meaning or symbolism whatsoever.
The meaning derived from it depends on the emotions invoked in the person when they wake up. If you wake up feeling happy, joyful and cared for, then the color is a symbol of passion and love. It is also a symbol of passion and love if someone you care for comes to mind.
2. Warning & Danger
Have you ever wondered why traffic lights and many other technologies use red for danger/warning?
Red is used to warn people of danger because it is among the most visible colors in the color spectrum, and it’s the number one color that makes humans react quickly. It is a stimulating color resulting in faster blood pressure and respiration rate.
It also means danger because many people get red in their faces whenever they are angered and ready to make a threatening decision.
3. Anger/Emotional Angst
Speaking of anger, we all know what ‘seeing red’ means, right? It is when you get that natural fight-or-flight response that makes you angry and out of control with emotional angst.
The red color in a dream is also a symbol of getting angry beyond control. The dream mirrors your subconscious, trying to keep you aware of your anger or someone else’s.
4. Transformation
Did you know that red is the first primary color babies see? This happens in the very first few weeks of their birth.
Healing and rebirth are other symbols behind the red color because it is vital to many aspects of our lives. The red hot fire played a huge role in the evolution of man, helped us make food, and created many of the tools and metallic devices we use to date.
A dream of red colors can mean transformation for the better if you see a hot red fire or red color that makes you feel excited and optimistic about future changes.
5. Cycle of life
Since Sigmund Freud was a scientist at heart, he couldn’t help but note that we identify red with the color of blood. In this regard, red is also a symbol of life, or rather the cycle of life.
The symbolism is also held true with red fire. Fire used to mean death in Western culture. But throughout history, we have noticed how fire can rekindle life, open doors to industrialization, enrich mythology, cleanse the earth, and serve as a symbol of progress and success.
Red fire, or red in general, symbolizes your cycle of life, showing how you are growing, changing, and getting remolded to become a better version of yourself. You may have a dream of red fire if you are about to graduate or apply your skills to a given job.
Spiritual Meaning of Red in A Dream
The red color in dreams has five distinct meanings in spiritual aspects: Aggression, Danger, Healing, Courage, and Passion.
Aggression
Throughout history, red has been associated with the most feared parts of humanity: from war to power and wealth. We cannot forget that red is the color of the god of war, after whom the desolate planet of Mars was named after.
Danger
Red colors have always been associated with danger since the beginning. It is what we see when we think of hell and the end of the world. It is what we see when we think of evil and the devil. It is what comes to mind when imagining the worst of humanity.
The mythological and spiritual relations we have with red are why monsters drip red blood from their fangs and why we use reds to warn people of danger.
Healing
In the worst cases, the red blood was used as a religious symbol of healing, cleansing nature of hell, and sacrifice.
As fire could burn a forest and give rise to more attractive plants, we started to look at it as a sign of rebirth and the cleansing force of nature.
Related: Dreams About Period Blood Meaning
Courage
Red has always been associated with blood. As much as losing blood can spiritually make us think of death and danger, it can also remind us of martyrs and the sacrifices humans have made throughout the ages for us to be alive today.
Passion
It was recently centuries that we started to associate red with romance. European and American cultures are more prominent when it comes to associating red with passion and romance.
8 Common Examples of Red Color in Dreams
1. Dream of A Red Car
What do you think the color of your car says about you? Have you got an accurate description? What about a red car in your dream, then?
A red car is loved by those who are fun and energetic and don’t mind getting noticed as the center of attention. A red car is a symbol of a passionate and excited spirit that is free and ready to soar. The car is also a symbol of exotic taste and flashy things.
As much as the red car means passion and excitement, it can also be a symbol of anger and agitation, especially when the vehicle is out of control. Driving angrily or agitated can show the dangers of your anger and negative emotions that are taking your life in the wrong direction.
2. Dreams About Red Ants
Red ants are vicious and extremely dangerous. Seeing such tiny animals in your dreams is bound to make you afraid and quite fearful once you wake up. The red symbolizes danger, particularly dealing with life-threatening medical conditions like cancer and other terminal illnesses.
Use the red ants as a sign of impending danger and lots of problems that may be coming. The ants are a sign of aggression in your midst and can also symbolize betrayal of the highest order.
3. Dream of Red Hair
This dream is how your mind tells you that someone is trying to make a statement. The meaning of the statement depends on who has red hair.
If you are the one with the red hair, this shows you are preparing to make a statement and want attention because of it. The dream tells you that you want to be the center of attention.
If the red hair is on someone else, then the dream shows you have bad intentions of harming someone, especially if you are the one who is dying the hair red. Red hair on someone else shows you are concerned about the attention they are getting.
4. Dream Red Eyes
A dream about red eyes is a bad omen. The eyes might be completely red or blood shot; either way, the dream is a negative sign.
This is a warning of physical ailments from terminal sickness to life-threatening accidents, poor health, and other forms of physical danger.
5. Dream of Red Sky
The red sky in a dream is a telltale sign of strong unstable emotions. The sky is symbolic of the things you are going through in your life and the surroundings you find yourself locked within.
It is high time you address how you feel. Dig deeper into the effects that the people and circumstances around you have on you. It is time to address those fears.
6. Dream Red Flowers
Red flowers, like red roses in a dream, symbolize romance and flourishing relationships. They are a good omen that shows you the beauty and joy in the people you are surrounded with and the passion you feel when you are with them.
The red flowers can also be your mind trying to tell you to address your unaddressed love or passion for someone. You may be afraid to admit it to the person or yourself, but the red flowers indicate that everything will work out.
7. Dream of Red Lipstick/Red Nail Polish
In your dream, wearing red lipstick or nail polish is similar to having red hair. The dream is trying to tell you that you are attracting attention in your waking life or you are afraid to do so.
Regardless, you should listen to your emotions and learn how that attention makes you feel. Act with haste to either run from that attention or seize all of its benefits with both hands.
The dream symbolizes your desire to harm someone if you see yourself painting that person’s nails or putting red lipstick on them.
8. Someone Wearing Red in A Dream
If you are wearing red, then it shows you have a monster in you that is lurking and ready to come out. That is if you feel scared when you wake up. Otherwise, the red is a metaphor for the attention you are craving from your peers. You want them to see your victories and praise you for all you are.
On the other hand, seeing a woman wearing a red dress in a dream shows your attraction to a woman in your circles.
Also Read: What Does Dreaming of Color Green Mean?
Summing Up
The red color in dreams can mean many things, but it is usually a symbol of good fortune and riches to come. However, do not forget to jot down your emotions and specific scenarios of the dream in a dream journal the minute you wake up.
Dream journaling is one of the few techniques that can help you find patterns and meaning in your dreams to make sense of your world. Dreams convey lots of meanings and emotions, but you can rest assured that dreams about the color red are there to serve you well.