Labyrinth or Maze Dream Meaning

When we dream about a maze or a labyrinth it can give us insight into how we feel about our life’s journey, problems we are having and choices we need to make.

Most people think of labyrinths and mazes as one and the same, but this is not always true.

A maze is a puzzle that has to be solved. It can lead you down a false path only to result in a block, causing you to double back to try again. You must make choices and sometimes those choices will be wrong. This is known as multicursal, or having more than one possible route from beginning to end.

Traditionally a labyrinth has only one path. A single meandering path that leads you to the center and back out again. It has long been considered a metaphor for the long wandering journey of life. This is known as a unicursal labyrinth, which means there is only one path from beginning to center to end.

Consider these differing attributes to better understand what your dream about a maze is telling you. Was your path ever blocked or was it just long and wandering? Did you have to make choices or was every turn free of obstacles? These answers are key to determining if you encountered a labyrinth or maze in your dream, and each has a very different meaning.

What it Means to Dream About a Maze

Feeling Stuck

A maze can be difficult to solve. It is quite common in mazes for there to be many false paths that result in dead ends. If you dream you are in a maze and are having difficulty finding your way, you may feel stuck somewhere in your life.

Perhaps you are struggling with a relationship, your finances, your career or in some other area. This dream may be bringing up this frustration to your consciousness so you can address it in a healthy way. Is there an option you aren’t considering? A difficult choice you don’t want to make?

Uncertainty, Confusion

Just as mazes have dead ends, they have many paths to choose from. If you find yourself confronted with a maze (you are inside the maze or you could be doing a maze as a puzzle in the dream) you may be feeling uncertain about your path in life.

You may not know which direction to take, you may feel lost, and you likely feel frustrated about something. This symbol could reference something quite big, like how you feel about your life’s overall purpose, or it could be about something more day to day such as a choice about where to live, where to work, etc.

On a positive note, if you are able to solve the maze in your dream, this could suggest you are close to a solution or goal in your waking life.

What it Means to Dream About a Labyrinth

Rebirth, Evolution, Transition

As you walk the single path of a labyrinth, your perspective is constantly changing. You are walking a spiralic path that both changes in front of your eyes visually as well as forces you to continually change direction. This symbol has long since been associated with change, transition, evolution and rebirth.

As you walk the path you first move inward towards the center (your inner self) and then you are lead back out of the labyrinth, returning to the external world, changed in some way.

If you found yourself walking this path in your dream, you may be going through or thinking about some sort of major change. Many things in dreams can represent change, but a labyrinth dream strongly suggests that the changes are internal.

Spiritual Path, Enlightenment

Many ancient peoples, including Native Americans, Celtics, Greeks and Egyptians have considered the labyrinth a symbol of the spiritual path. As discussed above, the path first brings you inward and then back outward, which can represent many things. Some cultures believed it represented a journey of personal spiritual growth, others used it to mean the passing from this life into next.

Take into consideration what else is happening in the dream, as well as your waking life to better understand if your labyrinth dream relates to this interpretation.

If you find yourself currently working on your spiritual development, this dream could be telling you that you are on the right path. Are you yearning for more meaning in life? This could be telling you to turn within for the answers you seek.

Wholeness

The spiral of the labyrinth is like a snapshot of your entire life. It is the beginning and the end and everything in between. It represents your journey in whole.

The perspective you had in your dream is important to consider here. Did you find yourself outside a labyrinth, able to see it in its entirety?

This dream could be about your feelings about your life or yourself, or your quest for wholeness. Maybe you feel incomplete, or damaged in some way, but this dream could be telling you that you are already whole, complete, enough. You don’t need anything that you don’t already have inside yourself.

“Things outside you are projections of what’s inside you, and what’s inside you is a projection of what’s outside. So when you step into the labyrinth outside you, at the same time you’re stepping into the labyrinth inside.”

― Haruki Murakami

Common Dreams About Mazes and Labyrinths & Their Meanings

Now that we’ve covered some common themes regarding mazes and labyrinths, let’s take a look at a few dreams scenarios.

Trapped in a maze
You find yourself stuck inside a maze and you don’t know how to get out. This suggests there is some problem in your life that you don’t know how to solve. See related dream interpretation: Being Trapped in a Dream.

You find yourself in a labyrinth
You are walking along the path inside a labyrinth. Where are you in the path? Near the beginning, middle or end? This dream likely has to do with your own life’s journey.

If you are near the beginning, you could be embarking on something new and exciting. If you are near the center, you could feel a little frustrated or impatient with how things are going.

If you are nearing the end, this could indicate you have recently gone through some sort of growth, or are nearing the completion of a project. Consider how you feel inside the dream? Calm, unhurried, panicked, annoyed?

You are entering a maze
Entering a maze in a dream suggests that you have a problem or question you are working to solve. It does not necessarily have to be a bad thing though, it can even be the beginning of an exciting mystery or project. Being at the entrance of the maze suggests that you are just beginning your search and that this is not a long held issue.

You are entering a labyrinth
Entering a labyrinth is not all that different from entering a maze in that it represents a beginning, however it very much depends on how you feel in the dream. A maze is likely to bring up feelings of frustration or fear, but entering the labyrinth may feel more like the start of a pleasant stroll, or excitement to make progress. Entering this labyrinth, representative of your life’s path, or a specific journey, maybe be showing up in your dream to invite you to slow down and enjoy the wandering adventure. You could also be being invited to embark on a journey inward, towards personal or spiritual growth.

You see a maze or labyrinth from above
If you see a maze or labyrinth from above this suggests you are zoomed out and ready to consider something from all angles, as a whole. This could be about getting serious and charting out a plan of action on a problem or goal, or it could be about gaining new perspective on something you are dealing with in your waking hours.

You are completing a maze
Completing a maze in your dream is sign you are facing your fears about something, or perhaps on the verge of solving a problem. A maze is a puzzle and it takes both logic and perseverance to solve. Completing one in your dream tells you you have these qualities. This dream could also be about leaving behind a difficult period or situation.

To understand more about what your dream means, ask yourself these questions:

• How do you feel about mazes and labyrinths in everyday life?
• Do you have any personal associations with mazes or labyrinths?
• Were you inside the maze or labyrinth?
• What other symbols appeared in the dream?
• How did you feel inside the dream?
• Do you feel lost or frustrated in any area of your life?
• Was your way blocked or clear?

Did you have a dream about a maze or labyrinth? Tell us about your dream and what it means for you in the comments section below!