How to Interpret a Dream Involving the Color Black

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Dreams are a way for our subconscious to speak to us. Many people believe dreams have common symbols and meanings, such as the color black. While that may be true, what is most important is figuring what that symbol means to you and your life, which starts with you getting down the details of your dream.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Getting Down the Details

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Have paper ready. Because you want to write down your dream quickly, have paper and pen ready. Keep them right beside your bed so you can grab them as soon as you wake up.^{[1]
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Write down details immediately. Before you fully wake up or go to the bathroom, start writing down the details of your dream. Dreams can slip away easily if you don't take action as soon as you wake.^{[2]
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- If you aren't a big writer, consider drawing your dream instead. That can still help you get the main ideas down, as well as work through what the dream meant to you.^{[3]
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Get the main parts down. When you're jotting down ideas, make sure to get the overall gist of the dream first. Think about what happened in the dream. Write down who you saw or talked to. Include the setting and any symbols that kept popping up. Try to get as much down about the big picture as you can.^{[4]
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- For instance, maybe your dream was connected to a certain event, like your grandfather's funeral. Maybe the whole scene was awash in black, and you talked to several of your cousins.
- Alternatively, maybe the dream involved a black ocean, and you were the only person in the dream.
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Fill in the blanks. After you get the major details, try filling in the smaller points. Stretch yourself to remember as many details as you possibly can. Think about the time of the day and the season. Note any other colors that pop up, as well. Think about the background, and try to remember if you forgot anyone who was in the dream.^{[5]
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- For instance, maybe in your ocean dream the sun was setting, and it was late summer.
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Don't forget the emotions. Emotions are a big part of interpreting your dream. They can guide how you think about your dream and what it means to you, as dreams are very personal. Note what you're feeling when you wake up.^{[6]
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- For instance, some people may find swimming alone in an ocean terrifying, while others might find it to be serene.
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Remember your dreams better. To help remember your dreams better, you can take a few steps. For instance, try not to drink alcohol the night before. Also, tell yourself you will remember your dreams right before you sleep. While that may seem silly, it can actually help you set up your brain to remember better.

Part 2

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Interpreting Your Dream With the Color Black

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Note any major symbols. In your dreams, an apple isn't always just an apple. It can mean something else. In other words, things in your dreams can be symbols for other things. Dreams are a glimpse into your subconscious mind, and your brain may use a variety of things to represent that subconscious to you. It's especially important to pay attention to things that keep showing up or that stick out for one reason or another.
- Maybe in your dream you are swimming in an ocean of black. You're alone in the water, and the sun is setting. Eventually, you reach an island that is all in color. You climb on the beach and then wake up.
- In this dream, the ocean is obviously a major symbol, as is the island. However, it's also important that the dream switched from black to color.
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Make it personal. It's tempting to try to interpret dreams on some cosmic level. It's true that some things symbolize similar things for many people. However, your dream is your dream, so what a symbol means in another person's dream may not be what it means in yours. Try to think about how that symbol has had meaning in the past or what the object represents to you, personally.^{[7]
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- As an example, take the ocean in your dream. To some people, that ocean could symbolize something trying to swallow you up, especially if you have a fear of drowning. To other people, it could mean a way to get where you're going, especially if you love the water.
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Think about what black means to you. Black can mean any number of things. It can represent emotional darkness or a diving into the subconscious.^{[8]
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Research source} It can represent a bad situation for you or something dark going on in your life.^{[9]
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- In your dream, the blackness could represent you trying to swim through your subconscious, or it could be a representation of death to an old life.
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Decide what connotation the color holds for you. For many people, black has a negative connotation, representing fears, for instance. However, that may not be the case with you. Maybe you like the color black, so it represents something different for you.^{[11]
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- If black has a positive connotation for you, for example, it could represent a pathway to something new.
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Combine the symbols and the color. Think about your dream as a whole. Think about what you were feeling and thinking upon waking. Also, think about what's been going on in your life lately. How does the blackness play into the dream as a whole?^{[12]
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- Think about all the details. Was the ocean rough or smooth?^{[13]
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  Research source} Did you find the colorful island to be a welcome relief or just a part of the journey?
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Decide what your dream means for you. Once you've thought about all the aspects of the dream, think about it applies to your life. After all, your dream is a dive into your subconscious, so what it means is going to be personal to your life.^{[14]
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- For instance, maybe this dream represents an awakening to a different path in your life. On the other hand, it could be symbolic of something that's happened recently, such as the birth of a new child. It could mean you feel like you're about to drown (emotionally speaking), and you need to take a break. Whatever it is, as long as the interpretation has meaning for you, that's all that matters.