Dreams about the Pope Can Have a Variety of Symbolic Meanings, Says Dream Analyst, David Rivinus

Well-known public figures who appear in dreams can symbolize many things, says dream analyst, David Rivinus. Political personalities, religious figures and movie stars are among those who can leave a notable impact on a dreamer when they appear in a dream. But the symbolic meaning of these prominent people can vary widely.

According to Rivinus, the impression they leave and the symbolism they imply all depends on the dreamer’s attitude. “Suppose you have a dream about the pope,” he says. “He is largely viewed as a sympathetic, caring public figure, so those attitudes are likely to be incorporated into the dreamer’s symbolism.” But Rivinus adds that it’s not always so simple. An important additional issue is the dreamer’s attitude toward what the pope stands for: Catholicism. “Is the dreamer devout? Did he or she go to a parochial school where the nuns and teachers were punitive? Was there a sense of belonging or betrayal?”  

Rivinus claims that all of these factors create a kind of metaphoric stew that will influence the dreamer’s symbolism. “If the dreamer is a true believer, a dream about the pope can be a dream about reverence, devotion and spiritual sincerity.” But if a different dreamer—one whose attitudes about organized religion are more conflicted—had the same dream, it could symbolize something about an oppressive authority figure whose outward shows of sympathy and caring are hypocritical. 

“The important thing to remember,” says Rivinus, “is that the dream isn’t really about the public figure who appears as a symbol.” Instead, according to him, all symbols in dreams are really representations of the dreamer’s own attitudes and conflicts. “Dreams tend to be commentaries about unresolved issues within the dreamer.” Thus, if the dreamer has a dream about an authority figure—especially a public one—and feels a degree of hypocrisy in that figure, the dream is most likely an expression of the dreamer’s own ambivalence about structure and rules. On the other hand, if the public figure is perceived as supportive, the dream may be suggesting that the dreamer use conventional structure to resolve problems.  

David Rivinus is a dream analyst with more than three decades experience. He has lectured and facilitated workshops and classes internationally. He has written the book “Always Dreaming” to document his methods and theories. For more information, visit www.teacherofdreams.com.