Dream Symbols

Stairs and Staircases Dream Meaning

dream about stairs
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If you’ve ever had a dream about stairs or saw a staircase in your dreams, this post will help you understand the meaning of stairs in dreams.

In life, we take all kinds of steps, from literal steps of walking around each and every day to metaphorical steps, such as graduating from school or working to reach a goal. Understanding what stairs mean in dreams all comes down to thinking about what steps you might be taking in your current life.

dream about stairs meaning

What It Means to Dream About Stairs

Dreaming about stairs can mean many different things, and we find that most dreams about steps and staircases typically involve of these central themes.

Reaching Goals

reaching goals

Most dreams about stairs come from wanting to reach a goal, whether it is a professional goal in your career or a personal goal you want to achieve.

In many cases, when stairs appear in dreams they are representative of the steps you need to take in order to achieve something.

Stairs can also symbolize the progress you are making in reaching a goal. Do you feel like you’ve had a lot of setbacks? Then it’s most likely you dreamed of it was hard to get to the top of the stairs, or you may have even dreamt of falling down them.

Your Career

We often dream stairs are involved whenever we want to advance our career. Think about stairs in your dreams as the steps you need to take, whether it’s training for a new job or taking on more responsibilities at work.

Ask yourself whether you are happy with your current career. Do you feel like you are making good progress or do you feel like you’re stuck in a rut? Are you thinking of an exciting new career change, like starting a business? If starting a new business, chances are you had this dream because there are a lot of steps to navigate to get your business off the ground.

Your Place in Society

mansion staircase

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Moving on up”? This phrase means gaining higher social class and so not surprisingly stairs can sometimes symbolize your position in society.

In a dream, stairs can represent people who either support you or hold more power and status than you do. You may feel like you’re stuck at the bottom, or you might feel like you are moving up the ranks and just might get to a place in life where you have more power or prestige.

If you are stuck in an unfulfilling job, stairs can symbolize your struggles to move on up to a better position. It can be symbolic of trying to move up your career ladder

Stairs are also representative of the people you feel have more power and authority than you. You may be questioning someone else’s authority, or you may even be questioning your own authority on a subject or in a situation.

Spiritual Needs

mountain stairs

We also sometimes dream of stairs when we have spiritual desires that are not being fulfilled. You may be seeking higher wisdom or guidance. If you feel like you are stuck at the bottom of the stairs, it can be symbolic of your lack of spirituality.

Stairs can represent enlightenment and moving beyond existing boundaries or limitations. You may have a desire to explore parts of yourself that have never been explored before, which can lead to spiritual growth.

In this case, the staircase you see in your dreams is a symbol of your desire to grow spiritually. If you feel like you’ve been given stairs as a test, then it’s most likely that you are experiencing some sort of spiritual test and need to think about what might be preventing you from maturing or growing.

Now that we’ve covered the three main central themes we usually see in dreams about stairs, let’s move onto some common stairs and staircase dreams and explore what each of them means in more detail.

Common Dreams About Stairs Interpreted

metal staircase

When do a stairs dream interpretation, it is important that we consider what kind of stairs we see – where they are, what they are made of, and what we do about the stairs in our dreams.

It’s important to consider the details you see in the dream. A grand spiral staircase taking you to a magnificent balcony is a lot different than a cobweb-ridden staircase descending into a basement.

Below are some common examples of how we might see different types of stairs in our dreams and what it means.

Dreaming of Wooden Stairs

wooden staircase

Wooden stairs in a dream often mean that we are looking for a practical solution to our problems. We may be longing for a more traditional approach in our lives, or you may be thinking about your past.


Stairs Made of Metal

To see stairs made of metals such as iron or steel means you are seeking strength in your life. You may be going through a difficult situation and feel like you could use some extra support.

To see stairs made of gold or silver can mean that you are thinking about your financial goals and how you might achieve them.


Concrete Stairs or Stairs Made From Stone

stone stairs

To see concrete stairs or stairs made from stones means that you are looking for a sense of stability in your life. Often times this signifies that we need to make a decision and we want to be certain it is the best choice for our needs.


Stairs Made of Glass

To see glass stairs in your dreams means you are trying to find the truth about a situation. You need to find the truth in order to move forward.

It can also mean that you are treading through a fragile situation. Do you currently feel like you are walking on eggshells around someone? You may be unsure of how to proceed and move forward without causing someone to be upset.

What it Means to Dream About Glass


Spiral Staircases

spiral staircase

Dreaming about a spiral staircase can mean that you feel overwhelmed and that life is complex. You may feel like your life is spiraling out of control.

Seeing a spiral staircase in a dream can also mean you may feel like you are repeating a past behavior or pattern. You may feel like you are going through a cycle that seems to repeat itself over and over again.


Dreams About Stairs in a House:

entryway stairs

We’ve talked about how a house in dreams can be a symbol for yourself, and so it’s not uncommon for dreams about a staircase in a house to be a symbol for some type of personal growth or transformation you are currently going through.

Think carefully about where the staircase is located in the house. If it is in the kitchen, then these stairs probably relate to your work or career in some way.

If the stairs go to a basement, it can be a symbol for needing to go deep into your subconscious to find answers to a problem you are facing. Stairs ascending into an attic can mean that you are looking for a higher purpose in life.


Stairs That Lead to a Door

stairs into doorway

To see stairs in your dream that lead to a door means you are thinking about changes that are happening in your life. You are looking for new opportunities and want to start something new.

See what it means to dream about doors.


Dreaming About Stairs in an Office

Office stairs almost always pertain to your current goals in your career. Stairs in an office can represent where you feel like you currently stand on the corporate ladder.

For more clarity of what it means to dream about an office, see our post on dreaming about workplaces and jobs.


Dream About Tower Stairs

tower stairs

If you have a dream about stairs that go up a tower, it can mean that you feel as if someone or something has great power or control over you – they are towering over you in life and you wish to overcome this.

Sometimes the tower represents a goal we want to achieve. The stairs represent your desire to regain control in life and reach the peak of your goals.

Dream of Going Down Stairs

To dream about going down stairs may mean that you feel hopeless about a situation or that things aren’t going as planned. You may be experiencing some kind of setback or disappointment in your life. If

You may feel like there is an obstacle in the way that is preventing you from success. It may also be a symbol of the fear of failing that people sometimes experience when chasing after one’s dreams or goals.


outdoor stairs

Dream of Going Up Stairs

If you dream about going up stairs, it means you have a positive outlook for the future ahead. You may be thinking of actions you can take to make your goals a reality.

You may also feel as if things are “looking up” for you in life. You might feel like you are finally making progress and you have overcome a great challenge or obstacle.


Changing Directions on the Stairs

If you have a dream where you start going up the stairs, and then start going down them, and then maybe even going back up them again, it’s quite likely you are having problems making a decision.

You may be weighing the pros and cons of a situation and are not sure how to proceed.


Dream of Sitting in Stairs

To dream of sitting on stairs means you feel stuck in which direction to take in your life. You may be afraid of making mistakes or repeating the past. You may need some extra motivation in order to reach your goals.


Falling Down the Stairs

sideview of stairs

To dream of falling down the stairs means that you are feeling overwhelmed by a situation in your life. You might feel that things have gotten out of control and you have lost all control over the situation.

Perhaps there is something going on in your life that you don’t want to happen, but if it goes unnoticed and is not dealt with it could cause major problems down the road.

Dreaming of someone else falling down the stairs can mean you are afraid of losing a connection with this person. You may feel like you’ve caused them harm in some way or you are responsible for the person not being successful.

See what falling means in dreams here.


Fire Escape

fire escape

Dreaming of a fire escape can mean that you might feel like you are currently trapped in your life and are looking for a way out. You may feel like you don’t have a lot of options to choose from.

Fire escapes tend to be a bit rickety, so it can also mean that you are unsure of your next steps in life. You may feel like you really don’t have a lot of choices in what you could do to improve your situation.


Broken Stairs

If you dream about stairs and then notice that the stairs have changed, or if they are broken or destroyed, it can be symbolic of an aspect of yourself that has been lost.

You may feel like a current challenge in your life is impossible to overcome or you may be worried you won’t be able to follow through with something in your life.


Staircases in Mountains

hillside stairs

A common dream many people have is to see stairs that climb alongside a hill or go into the side of a mountain. The mountain may be a symbol for an obstacle you are facing, but more likely it is a symbol for your need to gain higher wisdom in life.

You may be seeking enlightenment or spiritual growth. You may be experiencing some sort of spiritual test or trying to find your way in life. This dream can also be a metaphor for the need to go deep into your mind.

See the dream meaning of mountains for more insight into what this dream means for you.


Dreaming of Stairs in a Forest

forest stairs

Dreaming of stairs that appear in a forest, whether they are made of stone or dirt, often symbolizes a need for a better connection with your physical world.

Perhaps you are neglecting your health or feeling disconnected from reality. You might be feeling like you are too caught up in the drama of everyday life and need a break from the chaos.

What it Means to Dream About Trees


Dreaming About Stairs in Water

stairs in the ocean

If you dream about underwater stairs or stairs that emerge from a body of water such as a river or ocean, it can mean that you are feeling overwhelmed with emotion.

You may feel like you need to rise above a challenge in your life, or you may feel as if you are in a hopeless situation. Learn what it means to dream about water here.


Dreaming of Swimming Pool Stairs

To see swimming pool stairs in your dream can mean that you are thinking about making some big changes in your life. You may feel like your current actions in your life are not a true reflection of what you really want or need.

See Meaning of Swimming Pools Here.


Surreal Staircases

surreal staircase

Surreal staircases are ones that really make no logical sense. Perhaps you have stairs going up to the ceiling or stairs that spiral in all kinds of strange directions.

These types of staircases in dreams often symbolize the confusion we currently feel in life. You may feel like you don’t know how to take the next step. You could be unsure of how to move forward in life.

Staircases that seem to be surreal tend to come up a lot in dreams if you recently went through a major life change, such as losing a job, ending a relationship with a partner, or someone close to you has passed away.


Stairs to Nowhere

To dream about stairs that just go on forever in your dream is a metaphor for feelings or obstacles that have no end.

These stairs may symbolize a situation in life where you feel like things are going nowhere. You might feel like you’re taking one step forward and two steps back or just simply spinning your wheels with no real progress being made.

You might feel like you are never going to reach the final goal of something and it may seem impossible.


Dreaming About Double Staircases

double staircase

If you see double staircases in your dream, it is a symbol of choices you have to make. You may be comparing two different options and are not sure which one makes the most sense for you at this point in your life.

It can also mean that you are feeling stuck about something in your life – you may feel like you could go in many different directions and you don’t know which way you should go next.


Dreaming About Driving on Stairs

driving on stairs

If you dream you ride a bicycle down the stairs or you are driving a car or truck down the stairs, it means that you are willing to take risks to get what you want. You might be thinking of doing something unconventional, or you may not be paying attention to potential problems you may face in reaching your goals.

It can also mean that you currently feel out of control in your life. You may feel like things are moving too quickly or that you are making decisions that may not be in your best interest.

See more on what driving means in dreams.


Dreaming About an Escalator

escalator

An escalator can symbolize going through the ups and downs of life. You might be trying to move forward, but you still feel like you are moving back in time.

An escalator can also represent how easy or difficult something in your life might be. You may be looking for a shortcut to solve a problem in your life, but as we all know we usually still need to take the necessary steps to reach our goals – very rarely are things just handed to us!


There are many ways stairs can appear in our dreams, but the important thing is for us to think about what they symbolize for you and how it might relate to your current life. Here are some questions to ask:

  • What are my current goals? How do I feel about my progress in reaching these goals?
  • What changes have recently happened in my life? How do I feel about these changes?
  • Do I feel like I am where I belong in life, or do I feel like I need to make some changes?
  • Do I need to look for higher wisdom to get through a current situation in my life?
  • What were the stairs in my dream made of? Where were the stairs located in the dream?

Answering these questions can help you gain additional context into what your dream means.


Did you have a dream about a staircase? Share your dreams about stairs in the comments section below!

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5 Comments

  1. I had a dream last night that I was going somewhere with a few people but they were ahead of me. We were going to play golf or something of that nature. As I was behind them, I had to go through a pool indoors, and there were stairs made of aluminum or something.
    At the top or middle there was a propeller (like a boat), but it didn’t do me any harm. I went down the stairs and it led to another indoor area where I saw a woman on an escalator. That’s all I remembered. The pool was clear. I had no fear in the dream.

  2. I had a dream where I was sent to clean a three storey house. It was daytime and the house’s hallway, where the stairs were located, was dark and didn’t have much light. I
    There were two sets of stairs. One staircase went to the second floor and the other went to the third floor. The client asked me to clean the top floor so I had to take the stairs to the top floor. The stairs were wooden and I walked up the stairs. However, it started getting lighter as I made my way up. That’s all I remember.

  3. I sometimes dream that I’m in a weird, alternate reality-like attic-ish room full of many, many staircases, some leading up, others leading down, and each staircase that I traverse leads to a room with still more staircases, some leading up, others leading down, and I cannot figure out how to get anywhere, I just blindly pick a path, going wherever it leads. In some of these dreams, I’m in a giant house-like setting, but in others, I’m in a giant hotel-like setting, and in some of those dreams, the higher up floors are lit by sunlight, the middle floors by ceiling light, and the lower down I traverse, the darker the rooms get, and the higher up floors are like a hotel, pretty and decorated with rugs, etc. but the lowest floors are concrete, and there are stone walls, almost like a dungeon, except there are no cages, cells, chains, etc. that would resemble a dungeon besides the darkness, the concrete floor5s and stairs, and the stone walls, making the place a little bit on the scary side. In some of these dreams, some of the staircases lead outside, but there is a catwalk-like section of ground leading up to further staircases, some up, others down, but the first one that I reach is USUALLY up. In some of these dreams, the staircases are actually at the mall, and mall staircases are more likely, as are hotel staircases, to have paths that lead to outdoor catwalk-like balconies and then, after going left or right, a door beside me, go inside, then another staircase, most often leading up. The dreams vary in creepiness. I wonder what these dreams mean?

  4. I sometimes dream that I’m in a weird, alternate reality-like attic-ish room full of many, many staircases, some leading up, others leading down, and each staircase that I traverse leads to a room with still more staircases, some leading up, others leading down, and I cannot figure out how to get anywhere, I just blindly pick a path, going wherever it leads. In some of these dreams, I’m in a giant house-like setting, but in others, I’m in a giant hotel-like setting, and in some of those dreams, the higher up floors are lit by sunlight, the middle floors by ceiling light, and the lower down I traverse, the darker the rooms get, and the higher up floors are like a hotel, pretty and decorated with rugs, etc. but the lowest floors are concrete, and there are stone walls, almost like a dungeon, except there are no cages, cells, chains, etc. that would resemble a dungeon besides the darkness, the concrete floor5s and stairs, and the stone walls, making the place a little bit on the scary side. In some of these dreams, some of the staircases lead outside, but there is a catwalk-like section of ground leading up to further staircases, some up, others down, but the first one that I reach is USUALLY up. In some of these dreams, the staircases are actually at the mall, and mall staircases are more likely, as are hotel staircases, to have paths that lead to outdoor catwalk-like balconies and then, after going left or right, a door beside me, go inside, then another staircase, most often leading up. The dreams vary in creepiness. I wonder what these dreams mean?

  5. My dream was climbing wooden barn stairs that were completely under slushy frozen water. I had to hold my breath to reach the top of the stairs at the top breaking thru the surface was thick frozen water. Then I left the barn through the door.

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