Whether you’re a gun-lover or someone who despises guns, you could have dreams that involve shooting. But shooting dreams don’t just involve guns; you could be shooting a range of projectiles or a range of projectiles could be shot at you.
For millennia humans have viewed shooting-related dreams as significant, and because there are several variations, a lot of research has been conducted to discover why these dreams happen and what they mean.
In this article, we explore several kinds of shooting dreams and their interpretations to get a clearer idea of what brings these dreams on and what they mean in the real world. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s begin!
What Kinds of Shooting Dreams Are There?
An individual can have a wide range of shooting-related dreams. The kind of dream you have is significant, and each kind has its own specific interpretation. Below are nine kinds of shooting dreams that people experience (along with interpretations of these dreams).
1. Witnessing/Hearing Shooting
Hearing or witnessing a shooting in a dream is often seen as negative. Specifically, this can indicate unhappiness in real life, perhaps because you haven’t been able to fulfill the goals you set for yourself.
You feel deep down that you’ve been careless and only concerned with yourself when all this time you should’ve been shunning selfishness and embracing the opinions of others.
This kind of dream may also indicate that somebody close to you is about to go through some trouble, and your subconscious mind is anticipating such.
2. You’re Shooting Others
If you’re the one doing the shooting, this can indicate that you are feeling conflicted, reckless, helpless, or vengeful. You may also be anticipating confrontation or an abrupt change, and the latter you view as a negative sign.
Shooting can also indicate that you’re being driven by ambition and ego, and your number one priority is to reach the goals you set; no barrier can stand in your way. Moreover, when you have a dream where you’re behind the trigger, who’s on the other end of that rifle barrel is important:
- Shooting a Stranger: If it’s a stranger, this could be an indication that you’re afraid of the unknown and trying to eliminate what you can’t control. You’re inclined to see unknown individuals and events as a potential threat, and your negative feelings are driving this point of view.
- Shooting a Familiar Face: If you’re shooting specific people, this could be an indication that you’re having trouble with maintaining personal relationships. Perhaps there are irreconcilable differences between you and a friend and it’s now time to go your separate ways.
- Shooting a Family Member: Shooting at family members could indicate a feeling of insecurity. This could also be a sign that you have a lot of suppressed anger.
Especially if you’re dreaming about shooting relatives, you should seek help from a mental health professional, as they’ll help you avoid such violent dreams and teach you coping strategies.
3. Someone Is Shooting at You
If somebody is shooting at you, this could be a sign that there’s an immediate threat in your life, one that you haven’t figured out how to deal with just yet. Perhaps you feel helpless and this is preventing you from taking quick action.
The kind of shooting (when you’re the one being shot at) is also important. If someone is firing a warning shot, this could be a sign that there’s hidden conflict on the horizon, but it can be resolved.
If someone is shooting to kill, this means that a solution to a severe problem is needed desperately. And should you find yourself with a protective cover in a dream, and you can see bullets whizzing past, your subconscious mind may be telling you it’s time to be brave and face what’s troubling you.
4. War-Related Shooting
Of course, war-related shooting dreams are more common among veterans and those who have been in combat zones, but even if you haven’t experienced such a thing firsthand, you may experience war in dreams.
If you’re shooting at the “enemy” and you’re having no effect, this could indicate that your accuracy is weakening. And getting shot in a war dream has been associated with guardianship and protection; think of how soldiers selflessly strive to protect their comrades and innocent civilians in combat zones.
5. Mass Shooting
Dreaming of a mass shooting is certainly a nightmare, but there’s a lot of significance behind this kind of dream. You could feel that nobody is listening to you and you’re all consumed by difficult circumstances. You may also be fearful of the path you believe society is on, and this dream is your way of asserting some order.
6. Target Shooting
Shooting at targets, especially with a sniper gun, is an indication that you have goals you’re trying to reach but they’re not being reached as quickly as you’d like. If you keep missing the target, you may be feeling like you need a new start—a new chance to reach new goals.
If you’re shooting at a paper target in a shooting range, this may mean that your goals are too easy. If, on the other hand, you’re doing some clay shooting, reaching your goals may be challenging but it is possible.
7. Animal Shooting
Shooting a defenseless animal can mean that you have repressed rage along with a false sense of strength. You may also want to hurt somebody that doesn’t deserve to be hurt.
Harming an animal on a hunting trip, on the other hand, can indicate you’re striving for success. And if you have to pursue an animal before you shoot to kill, it may mean you have to make the right decision—regarding something important—or else everything else will fall apart.
8. Bow and Arrow Shooting
As was mentioned early in this article, shooting dreams don’t always involve guns—sometimes a person can dream that they’re being shot by a bow and arrow. Such dreams were certainly common back in the day (when these weapons were more common).
If you get hit with an arrow in a dream, it may mean you’re experiencing heartbreak. You shooting the arrow, on the other hand, could be a sign that your aim is true and you’re on a path to accomplishing the goals you’ve set.
What Does Dreaming Of Shooting Generally Represent?
While there are many kinds of shooting dreams, and while each kind has its own interpretations, there are some feelings and omens that shooting dreams generally represent.
1. Stay Alert
Dreaming about the shooting, like a machine gun massacre in a public place, maybe a sign that you need to stay alert. Think of a soldier in the field who must be alert at all times. And if you hear gunfire in your dream, but you can’t see it, this could mean that troubles are on the horizon and you need to be prepared.
2. You’re Suppressing Anger
Any kind of shooting dream can indicate you have a lot of suppressed anger and hatred. If suppressed anger is manifesting in this way, it’s best to see a mental health professional, as they can help you safely release that anger in a healthy way. Afterward, such dreams won’t be common.
3. There Are Good Things on the Horizon
Even though there are a lot of negatives associated with shooting dreams, these can also indicate that positive change is on the horizon. Think about a hunter who tracks the largest buck and has to wait for precisely the right moment to take a shot.
If you’re frequently meeting goals and your dream is that you’re an expert with snipers in the field, this could mean good things are just around the corner.
4. You’re either in or Going to Be in a Struggle With Someone
Dreams of shooting also tend to indicate dissatisfaction with current relationships. Think of the old days when individuals would holster a pistol or revolver and settle their issues with a duel. If you find yourself in such a situation in a dream, it may be that a conflict will arise but come to an end abruptly.
5. Where You’re Shot: Does It Matter in a Dream?
What kind of gunshot wound you receive in a dream matters. If you’re shot in the head, for example, this could mean that you’ve made the wrong decision and this is going to have a detrimental impact.
If you get shot in the back by the police, on the other hand, this could mean that you’re about to be deceived. Should you get shot in the leg or you’re hit with a stun gun, you may be feeling inhibited in life but not completely immobilized.
Being shot in the hand could indicate you’ve recently tried to defend yourself but it didn’t work.
Conclusion
In the end, the vast majority of shooting dreams are not pleasant, as they don’t involve a toy gun but a real gun and sometimes real issues too. However, that shooting dreams can also represent goal achievement should not be ignored.
So what does a shooting dream mean? In the end, it’s most likely you’re having such a dream because of repressed trauma, and if this is the case it would be best to see a mental health professional, as they’ll help you process your emotions so you can get some lasting peace of mind.