Dreaming About Machines and Machinery

Dreaming about machines or machinery can symbolize how things are currently working in your life. We can see many different kinds of machines in our dreams, ranging from washing machines and dishwashers to complicated machines in factories.

Let’s explore the different ways we might dream about machines and what they mean.

What It Means to Dream About Machines

Machines are tools that we use to be more productive. Some machines save us time, other machines help us achieve uniform results.

Machinery often appears in our dreams when we are dealing with things like power, control and feeling overwhelmed. The simplest way to understand a dream about machines is to consider one word:

We dream about machinery when we are considering how to be more efficient in our lives, either personally or professionally. We may be faced with many tasks that need completing and have limited time in which to complete them.

We may also feel like we are repeating the same mistakes over and over again in our lives. We might be working to reach a goal and need a fresh approach to making that goal a reality.

Machinery can also symbolize your reliance and dependency on others. For example, a car cannot go anywhere without an engine, and without a car, it can be difficult to go to work, earn an income, and even provide for your basic needs such as food and housing.

Machines in our dream invite us to look at our life as a system, to see all parts as a whole. Things in our lives are often connected, whether we realize it or not.

A machine is one component of a system, and it helps us to think about different parts of our lives that make up the big picture. Some examples:

• Your Career
• Your Relationships
• Your Family
• Your Friendships
• Your Hobbies
• Your Passions

Seeing or using a machine in your dream often invites us to look more closely at how the parts of our lives work together and influence one another. It can also show us how well we are functioning in our day to day lives.

Examples of Dreams About Machines and Machinery

Now that we understand the underlying themes that machines represent in dreams, let’s look at some concrete examples of ways we might dream about a machine and what it may mean about our life.

Seeing machines in a factory means that we are working to be more productive in our life. You may feel like your life is very busy and you might be overwhelmed with responsibilities or steps you need to take to reach a goal. If the machines are running, it means we are actively working to improve our lives. If the machines are idle or stopped, it can mean that we need to step up and take action.

Operating a machine in a factory means that you might feel like someone or something has greater power or control over you. You might feel like you are unable to make decisions or take action because of this.

A broken machine in a dream means that we are not fully using all of our talents. We may feel like something in our life isn’t working. For example, you might be unhappy with your career or you may be struggling to communicate with someone in your relationship.

Fixing a machine in your dream means that you are making amends in your life to get back on the right track. You are making positive changes in your life.

A machine out of control means you feel like you don’t have control over what is happening in your life. You may be struggling with a big decision or feel like you have too much on your plate to handle.

To see an abandoned factory and machines in your dream means that you are not working hard enough in your life. While it is true we should “work smarter, not harder”, it’s also important we don’t neglect what needs to be done and take action.

Parts of a Machine

There are also many different working parts of a machine. Let’s look at some of these and what they can mean in our dreams.

To see the gears of a machine means that we need to take a step back and think about how things work together. We may be contemplating our role in our community or it can represent the work you need to do for a healthy and happy relationship with someone.

To see a lever means you need more leverage in a situation in your life. To leverage something means to maximize your advantage. We often say people in positions of power, such as CEOs and politicians have a lot of leverage – they have a greater weight in influencing others to do something. Levers in dreams can mean that you need to network to make connections with people who are more powerful than you. Alternatively, you may feel like your life feels out of balance.

To see a pulley means that you are putting a lot of effort into something. You need to be careful that you don’t overwork yourself as things in your life could break down if pushed too hard.

To see a wheel and axle means that you are going through the cycles in life. You may be moving from one phase of your life into the next.

To see the bottom of a machine means that you are getting back to your foundation in life. You need to remember who you were before you became so focused on other things.

To see buttons and operational controls of a machine in your dream means that you are thinking about how to gain better control in your life. You may be wishing for a “magic button” that will make everything okay. We have to remember that usually, we need to be the ones to initiate change in our lives.

To see a cylinder grinding means that you are pushing yourself too hard in a situation. To see a cylinder stopped means that you might need some extra motivation to complete a task.

Everyday Machines in Dreams

Look around your house and you might be surprised to see just how many machines you might have! We can dream about different machines in all kinds of ways, so let’s look at some common types of machines we have in our everyday life.

A computer is a machine we use to connect with friends, write, and calculate. To dream of a computer typically means you are thinking about how to communicate your thoughts and ideas more effectively.

A washing machine can be a symbol of needing to come clean in our lives. You may feel guilty about something, or you may feel like you need to let go of the past. See laundry in dreams meaning and meaning of clothes in dreams.

Dreaming about a dishwasher can mean that you are looking for ways to more effectively take care of your needs. You may be considering starting a new career or you may want to take some time and explore ways to practice self-care.

A car engine is a machine that powers you into motion. Dreaming about cars almost always represents our feelings of power and control. You may feel like your life is not going in the direction you want it to, or you may feel like someone else is trying to control you.

We use ATM Machines to easily access our money and get cash out of the bank. You may be looking for an easy way out of a situation, or you may feel like someone is using you. “I’m not an ATM machine” is something we often say when someone is borrowing too much money from us. See related dream symbol: Money.

Screws are simple machines that are used to drive force and bind things together. Dreaming about screws can mean that you are looking to connect with others or you may be trying to understand how things in your life connect with each other.

Questions for Your Dream Journal

To better understand what your dream about a machine means, it helps to answer some questions. Here are some things to write about in your dream journal:

• What did the machine look like?
• What was the purpose of the machine?
• How did the machine operate? Was everything going smoothly or was there something wrong with the machine?
• How did I feel in the dream?
• What other people were in the dream?
• Where did the dream take place?

In addition to asking these questions, you may also want to search our dream dictionary for other symbols that appeared in the dream.

Here are some related symbols to consider:

• Vehicle Dream Meaning
• Driving in Dreams
• Dreams About Airplanes
• Dreams About Workplaces and Jobs
• Dreams About a Garage
• Junk and Junkyard Dream Meaning

I hope you found this machine dream interpretation helpful and of course if you had a dream about a machine or machinery I would love to hear about it in the comments section below!