Glass and Broken Glass Dream Symbol Meaning
Glass in our dreams can manifest in a number of different ways. Maybe you have a dream about an object made of glass or even dreamt of breaking glass or shards of broken glass. Today we’ll share some common themes and meanings for glass as a dream symbol.
Glass Symbolism: What It Means to Dream About Glass
Most of the time, when glass appears in our dreams, it is a symbol for one of these main central themes. While the details and experience are different for everyone, often times one of these main possible dream interpretations will fit pretty closely.
Possible Meanings for Glass in Dreams:
- Transparency
- Trust and Honesty
- Clarity and Understanding
- Change and Transformation
- Handle With Care: Use Caution
Glass in most cases is transparent and see-through. For this reason, we often see underlying themes related to honesty and clarity on feelings, relationships, and even in business dealings.
If you have a dream where you cannot see the contents inside of a glass jar or box, it can often mean you are not seeing the truth. This can come in the obvious form of someone you know in real daily life who is lying to you, but it can also manifest in more abstract ways.
Dreaming of very tall buildings full of glass windows can also sometimes mean that you feel limited or you are trying to determine which opportunities are a good fit for you. See dreaming of buildings and architecture for more details.
Glass as a Symbol for Change & Transformation
There are many reasons why we associate glass as a symbol for change and transformation. Glass itself goes through a lot of change and transformation in the process of becoming glass. Glass starts out as sand. Only when it is heated to very extreme temperatures does it become glass.
Glass blowers, frequently manipulate the shape of glass into vases and decorative items by heating rods of glass over a fire. This allows for them to be able to easily change the shape and appearance of the object.
Another way glass can transform is when it breaks. Broken glass is a symbol that often shows up in dreams. When glass breaks, there are very few ways to truly repair it and put it back as it once was.
What it Means to Dream of Broken Glass
Broken glass in a dream can have either positive or negative connotations, and it often depends on the experiences of the dreamer.
For example, in Jewish marriage ceremonies, broken glass has a positive meaning. It is not uncommon at the end of the ceremony for a couple to stomp on a bag of glass and break it. This tradition is a symbol for how once married they are transformed and forever changed to become a couple in unity.
Other instances where broken glass is something positive is if you are making final and positive changes in your life. For example, maybe you are in recovery overcoming addition to alcohol or other substances. In these cases, it can mean that you are moving forward to becoming a stronger and healthier person.
While these are very uplifting examples of glass breaking in dreams, broken glass does not always mean something positive.
For many people broken glass can also mean broken trust or lost faith. Trust is one of the most difficult things to repair once broken. When one loses trust in a person or situation, these associated emotions and feelings can be quite literally shattering.
Breaking Glass Frantically in your dream can sometimes mean that you are feeling trapped or even unable to control a situation. If you experience a dream where you must break glass in order to escape or survive a situation, this can sometimes mean you have a sense of urgency to make changes.
Have you ever noticed those fire alarm boxes on the walls in public buildings? They often read: If in emergency, break glass. Our emotions and spiritual development can sometimes be much like this! These types of dreams often mean that a sudden and drastic change is necessary to find a positive outcome in something that is bothering the person.
Walking on broken glass may mean you are afraid of the honest truth or are concerned about how to proceed in a situation. This is also the title of a popular Annie Lennox song, in which it is used as a metaphor for how it feels to have your entire life crashing down after the end of a relationship.
Fragile! Be Gentle and Handle With Care
Since glass is often considered to be fragile material and must be handled with care, another common theme I see often in dream interpretation is an overall theme of needing to use care and caution.
Sometimes this will manifest in a dream as being in a room surrounded by glass objects, where one must exercise extreme caution to not cause anything to break.
If you get the feeling of needing to exercise care or caution in a dream, it can mean that you may need to proceed with some care and discretion in your life. It could also mean that you feel as if you or someone in your life is making reckless decisions.
Sometimes the invisible things which need the most care and attention when being handled are emotions. While we can’t control our emotions, nor can we send them away, there are ways to make “riding the wave” of ups and downs in life a little bit easier.
Now that we’ve explored these central themes for glass symbolism, let’s take a look at a couple of different dream examples of ways we may encounter glass and what it can mean in these specific situations.
Common Dream Examples and Their Meanings
Unable to Touch Something in Glass
Many times people share dreams with me where there is something inside a box or jar made of glass that they cannot touch or get to. In these dreams, the glass is a symbol for an invisible barrier.
These invisible barriers in dreams like this can sometimes be external or internal. If the barrier is something the person has no control over, such as the actions of another person, this dream can sometimes be a way to release and explore the feelings of frustration or sadness.
Other times, the invisible barrier can be our very own fears stopping and preventing us from reaching our goals. It may sound strange, but many people are actually quite terrified and afraid of success! Success can mean that things change, and many people do not always like change.
Occasionally, we sometimes may dream of passed on loved ones being separated from us between a wall of glass. These dreams are not quite visitation dreams, but instead are related to your process of dealing with feelings of grief.
Colored Glass or Stained Glass
While we usually associate this material to be clear and see-through, often times there are instances where the glass may have a certain tint or hue to it. Others may experience dreams of stained glass.
In these cases, it is very helpful to look up the meaning of the colors present in the dream. For example, a pink glass dish could mean healing or feelings of love and romance, whereas a green vase could mean jealousy or even finding financial clarity. Look up color meanings and symbolism here.
Dreaming About Something Made of Glass
The different types of objects we may experience in a dream can certainly vary a LOT but often times understanding a little bit about how the main central symbol themes relate to a particular object can help you find the best dream interpretation for you.
Dreaming of a glass table can mean that you are quite literally “putting it all out on the table”. You may be thinking about ways to clearly make your point or how to be transparent in your dealings in business or even with family members and in your relationships.
A Glass Lake can sometimes mean that you are trying to find clarity on your emotions. Bodies of water are often symbols for emotions and feelings. You may be either feeling separated from your feelings, or you may be trying to better understand something about your situation.
Glass House: Often times in a dream, a house is a symbol for ourselves. You may be feeling that others are judging you or that you are completely transparent on who you are. “What you see is what you get” is a very literal statement for you. There is also the expression, “people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”
Vases Made of Glass: A vase or other type of vessel can sometimes mean that you are looking for ways to care or preserve something in your life. For example, you may be trying to find clarity on what to do for your children or an older adult you are caring for. You may be seeking some way to preserve a situation with truth and grace.
Glass Doorknobs: Crystal glass doorknobs are an interesting symbol, because it often means you are finding clarity about an opportunity that is presented to you. This symbol frequently appears for people who are exploring their own spiritual calling or even are considering career changes.
Glass Pebbles: Often times glass pebbles and stones are used in various decorative settings. They are most commonly used in floral arrangements and crafts. These in a dream could signify paying attention to very small details to find clarity in a situation in your life.
Glass Box: A box of glass or a box made from glass can mean that you are looking for ways to understand a situation. You may be trying to find clarity on how to handle something that is challenging in your life. Often times, a glass box can mean that you feel as if there is something limiting you in some way. Thinking out of the box might be part of the message here!
How to Understand What Your Dream About Glass Means
In order to best understand your dream about glass and what it may mean, it’s important to think about ALL elements of the dream and of course explore your own feelings and emotions.
After you write as much about the dream as you can remember in your dream journal, here are some questions you may want to explore.
Ask Yourself These Questions
- Am I being honest with myself?
- Am I being honest with others?
- Do I feel as if someone in my life may be hiding something from me?
- Do I have clarity on a situation, or do I need to find clarity?
- Are there any changes I should be making in my life?
- Am I experiencing any recent changes that are causing anxiety, fear, or sadness?
Did you have a dream about glass that you would like to share? What symbol meanings for glass or broken glass resonate the most for you? Share your dream experiences in the comments section below!
