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Bee Dreams | Meaning of Bees in Dreams and Bee Symbolism

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bees in dreams

Interpreting the Meaning and Symbolism of Bees in Dreams

bee dreams

Bees in a dream are generally a positive sign, but look at the context of the dream before making conclusions. Obviously, being stung by a bee or attacked by a swarm is not a positive sign unless it is, at heart, a message that something about yourself or the circumstances of your life needs to change. In which case it is a sort of mixed blessing.

Bees are communal, self-sacrificing, diligent, and orderly. Any of these ideas can be expressed in dreams featuring bees.

Bees in dreams: what connects you

Dreams about bees can symbolize the relationship between you and the community or neighborhood in which you live, or the circle of people with whom you associate. For example, a school or work community can be symbolized by a group of bees.

Bees connect together a neighborhood or plot of land because they regularly visit every place with nectar to offer, and that idea can connect with anything that creates a sense of cohesion.

In that sense, if you think of the psyche as a collective, the bees are the beliefs, values, feelings, thoughts, and processes that connect everything together.

Bees can symbolize your connection with nature, your inner nature, and the rhythms and cycles of life.

Bee dreams: part of the hive

To dream about busy bees can symbolize hard work and being busy, as in the phrase “busy as a bee.” It can symbolize a family or community in harmony. You are part of a hive.

A bee hive can symbolize group thinking, as in the term “hive mind.”

beehive dream

Another possibility is a hive symbolizes building something as a part of a community. The product of the labor can be material, but also consider less tangible possibilities such as building a sense of togetherness or cooperation. Good relationships are built through cooperation, trust, and responsiveness to the needs of others, all of which are exhibited by bees working together.

Bee symbolism: fear and annoyance

If you fear bees they can easily be used in dreams to symbolize a fear. Your reaction is key. Reacting with fear is a big clue that some sort of fear is behind the symbolism.

Bees can symbolize an annoyance that won’t go away, something that pesters. This use of the symbolism is likely to be accompanied by the action of swatting or stronger actions to rid yourself of bees. For example, grabbing a shotgun to get rid of an annoying bee in your house can symbolize a strong desire to be rid of a house guest who drops by and won’t leave. You are ready to take drastic action.

author and dream interpreter J.M. DeBord

Author J.M. DeBord. Click to learn more.

Running from or avoiding bees can symbolize avoiding a responsibility or pain. Avoiding a colony or swarm can symbolize avoiding a group of people or a collection of related thoughts.

Dreams about angry bees and buzzing

An angry swarm of bees can symbolize symbolize disagreement with, or within, a community, or a distaste for teamwork.

Angry bees can symbolize that you said or did something—or neglected to do something—that angered a group of people. For example, you post something on Facebook that draws a lot of “stinging” comments.

It’s also a picture that says one word: “trouble!”

A swarm of bees is something you want to avoid, such as a bad disagreement among friends or a perilous situation. The buzz and anger of angry people or your own thoughts are readily comparable to an angry swarm.

A swarm of stinging bees can symbolize a swarm of stinging thoughts in your head, or confusion, or pain—especially nerve pain.

Dreams can use the buzzing sound of bees as a word play for buzz meaning “excitement,” “euphoria” (including euphoria induced by intoxicants), or “intense interest.”

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dream interpretation dictionary

This post is excerpted from my all-in-one dream interpretation book. Everything you need to know to get started understanding your dreams.

Ouch! Dream about bee sting

To be stung by a bee can symbolize a stinging remark. Feelings such as regret and guilt can sting. It can symbolize the ways you say things to yourself that hurt.

Think more expansively and it can mean a situation you are in is painful in some way.

A bee sting in a dream can be a reminder that you are overlooking something important. Something is trying to get your attention.

Symbolism of honey and bees

Because bees make honey, they can be associated with wealth and sweetness. Honey symbolizes the product of your labor or good intentions. It can symbolize a reward or indulgence, especially the intimate and sexual varieties of indulgence.

Honey in a dream can relate to the digestive process, including the digestion of thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Bees digest nectar to produce honey. You digest your experiences in life to improve yourself. When you dream, especially REM-stage dreaming, your mind digests the experiences of your day so you can learn and grow.

Bees and sexual metaphors

Bees landing on flowers, extracting nectar and depositing pollen, can symbolize something related to fertilization. Perhaps you are laying the groundwork for a future endeavor or personal growth. Or take the idea further and it can symbolize conception, the fertilization of the female egg with the male sperm.

sexual overtone bee dreamThe image of a bee on a succulent flower is charged with sexual references. The flower is associated with the vaginal area, and a bee extracting nectar and leaving pollen is a heck of a metaphor!

Bees and your personal associations

Your dreams can use your personal associations and experiences with bees to create symbolism. To learn more about how that works, see this post:

Next Level Dream Symbolism: Attacked by Raccoon

As Dr. Frasier Crane says, I'm listening. Leave a comment.

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