What It Means When You Dream About Being In Power

Dreamland can be a strange place, so it's no wonder many of us have woken up speechless. Surreal dreams can occur because of new events happening in your life, a change in your schedule, a job promotion, a meet-cute, or arguments with a loved one. Why? It's all about your brain trying to process your life's ups and downs. As psychiatrist Alex Dimitriu, MD explained to Insider, "There is evidence that dreams are the mind's form of self-therapy." He continued, "We form memories, process experiences, as well as feelings when we sleep." So, the dream about having a conversation with a cow who was also somehow your real-life dog may be weird, but is just a way your mind is trying to make sense of your day-to-day.

Weirder-than-fiction dreams usually occur while in REM, which sleep physician Stephanie Stahl, MD told Insider is the kind of sleep that is "bizarre, vivid, or whimsical" and "tied to emotions." As per Very Well Health, REM shows an uptick in brain activity, creating "vivid" dreams. While there is a scientific component to your dreams, and they can be linked to an increase in anxiety, some psychoanalysts use vivid dreams as a tool to understand the self. If you want to play Sigmund Freud for a day and delve into ego analysis, dreams are a great place to start (via Simply Psychology). If you've had a power-minded dream recently, here's what that symbolizes about you and what it possibly means for your future.

If you dreamed about being a fairytale princess à la Cinderella taking off to a ball in a pumpkin-turned-carriage, you might have loved your dream and wished you kept that sparkly dress! While a dream about being a monarch may just mean you've been marathon-watching "The Crown" too much, these kinds of nighttime narratives can have a multitude of meanings.

As Bustle explains it, dreaming about being royalty is inherently about power. While you might think that dreaming about being Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, or Queen Elizabeth means you are self-confident and see yourself as influential, that's not always the case. In fact, these dreams can be positively-ironic. Psychologist Dr. William Braun explained to Harper's Bazaar that "on the surface, dreaming of being in a position of power seems to be grandiose." Still, "most people who dream of being in a position of power are in fact not in a position of power." Ouch. So while the Windsors aren't likely to dream of power, us common folk think about it more often — meaning the theme is likely to show up in slumber. As per Dr. Braun, these dreams convert "the unpowerful dreamer, in the dream world, into the opposite." As a "compensatory" defense mechanism, we "cover up" powerlessness in our real lives this way.

If you do feel powerful in your daily life, not all is lost: Aunty Flo explains a royal dream can also mean you are in control, but simply feel watched, criticized, or caged by others.

On the flip side, you might have dreamed you were the president of a nation or any kind of charismatic politician dominating the debate stage. While royals are arguably more magical, what with their intricate embroidery and jeweled crowns, the vast majority of monarchs today hold no real power. According to Vanity Fair, Queen Elizabeth can't even vote in the UK elections. While we'll always love the royals for reminding the world of another time, it's no secret politicians hold much more real power in 2021.

If you dreamed you were president, you are a natural-born mover and shaker. As Dream Christ explains it, this dream means you feel powerful in your daily life and depended upon by co-workers, employees, friends, or family. Plus, you might be working on an arduous task that's finally coming to fruition. This dream is a positive omen when it comes to your ambitions. 

However, Dream Bible maintains that dreaming of being president can also mean you are a bit of a control freak, and might be too dominating. Think about your interpersonal relationships: Has your partner felt overly-criticized by you lately? Has an employee felt micromanaged? Or, has a friend felt overshadowed or treaded upon? This dream might symbolize your need for power over others, and could be a sign to tone it down a notch. Female First echoes this, saying that dreaming of being a politician often signifies a scheming streak in real life.

Let's say you had witchy abilities in your dreams: Maybe you had the power of invisibility, finding out secrets in a dark library like "Harry Potter," or the ability to fly. Whether you made money appear out of thin air (yes, please!) or magically attracted your crush with a potion, dreams about magic say a lot about your relationship to power in real life.

Dreamy Obsession explains that dreaming you have magic powers means you crave control, and would like to dominate your surroundings. Think about recent experiences: Have you felt the world spinning with no way to get it to pause? Is your relationship falling through the cracks, or do you feel like that job promotion is only getting more unreachable? Dreaming about having otherworldly powers is a fantasy in response to feeling inadequate or impotent in your day-to-day.

Apart from real-life symbolism that might motivate you to make a change in your career or relationship, dreaming about doing magic is related to having curiosity and a penchant for discoveries (via Dream Christ). In fact, this dream might even be a positive omen, signifying that you will reach your goals soon or finally accomplish that seemingly-impossible task you set your mind to. Dreamsopedia agrees, stating that this kind of dream means you have unbeatable ambition and a steely work ethic that will get you far — your future looks bright.

Now back to earth: Maybe you didn't dream you were a supernatural sorceress with a magic ball, a majestic queen in an intricate robe and diamond crown, or the president of the United States. You simply dreamed you were a great boss. While this dream seemingly pales in comparison to other power-driven nighttime visions, that's not necessarily the case. Dreaming about being CEO of a company is deeply revelatory.

While dreaming of having magical powers is usually a sign of feeling useless or weak in your daily life, serving as a catalyst to make much-needed adjustments, dreaming about being a boss is all about the here and now. Dream Astro Meanings explains that this dream means you are currently in control, traversing the world with unstoppable joie de vivre. Dreaming about being a company's boss or CEO means you have a hefty dose of natural-born power from within. You are a leader, even if you might have forgotten that aspect of yourself recently.

This dream means you are confident and decisive in your relationship, career, and when thinking about your future. Still, there may be some goals you haven't accomplished yet — and that might be getting you down. As per Dream Christ, this dream symbolizes a need to go up the ranks and prove your abilities, and serve as a good luck charm when it comes to your ambitions.

Another kind of powerful dream you might not have wanted to wake up from is being a mythological figure, particularly deities, gods, or goddesses like Zeus or Aphrodite. Sure, maybe your fandom for "Hercules" just went a bit too far, or your love of Greek mythology and the Odyssey is making its way into dreamland. However, this kind of dream is extremely significant and isn't as narcissistic as you may think!

According to Dream Stop, dreaming about being a goddess like Venus or Athena is connected to fertility, whether as a question that's been on your mind lately or as an omen for the future. Goddesses are notoriously alluring, cunning, and many times overtly-feminine, symbolizing fertility and abundance throughout history. Even if you're not ready to have kids, this dream may mean you've been thinking about your future more often lately or feel the weight of the aging process and your so-called "biological clock" more acutely than ever. People once prayed to goddesses for a rich harvest, so the goddess dream is a surefire symbol for thoughts on bringing life into the world.

Of course, dreaming about being a god or goddess is about power, especially that of people depending on you (via Dream Dictionary). Does your family or inner circle rely on you for everything? For this reason, dreaming about being a god can also be about anxiety, especially if you feel insurmountable pressure at the moment.

Another kind of dream that can leave you questioning everything is dreaming about overpowering your real-life partner. You might have dreamed about telling your significant other what to do, becoming the main "breadwinner," or even just dominating conversations or decision-making. Any noticeable increase in power is fair game, and says a multitude of things about both of you as a couple and your own identity.

Deep Lucid Dreaming says that dreams about power shifts in relationships are reflective of true life feelings, and might simply create a parallel with what's actually going on in your life. Holding up a mirror to you and your SO, this dream may be a sign you are basking in the spotlight too much, being selfish, or forgetting about your partner's needs. If your dream was about you pushing them down in any way, it could be just an extreme version of what's actually going on in the relationship. Open up to your significant other and start putting some of their desires first for a change.

Still, more often than not, these kinds of dreams are actually ironic, indicating you're the one who feels treaded upon. Just like the Windsors don't think or dream about being royal, having actual power usually means you won't dream about it. Do you feel satisfied with you and your partner's bond? Or, do you feel neglected or disregarded? This kind of dream will sound the alarm on power dynamics needing balance.

Today, the most important kind of power is arguably monetary. While politicians and royals have their fair share of influence, billionaires like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos have fortunes that rival whole countries (via Business Insider). If you dreamed you had enough money to buy a fleet of yachts, mansions in every corner of the world, private jets, and all the designer clothes in your current imaginary shopping cart, you had one of the most evocative power dreams.

Dreaming about being rich is common, especially if you're feeling a surge of ambition lately, or a desire to improve your economic standing. As Aunty Flo explains it, this kind of dream symbolizes wanting to be on a yacht on the Italian coast but not always having the game plan to get there. Simply dreaming about riches can actually have negative connotations for your future, since it symbolizes fantasizing about wealth without putting in the work to obtain it. As per the outlet, this dream might mean you are spending too much lately, and should focus on saving money for "rainy days." Plus, it can even serve as a negative omen for your financials, so make sure to steer clear of investments after having this kind of dream.

As per Dream Meaning, this dream can also signify a fear of losing money. If this is the case, it might be a sign to become more flexible and take more risks for a bigger reward.

As the saying goes, there is strength in numbers, so dreaming of being the "leader" of a friend group is synonymous with dreaming of social power. If you dreamed you were like Regina George from "Mean Girls," presiding over others with a mix of sinister evil and bubblegum-sweet charm all in one, you might be confused about what it means. While you may feel too old to care about popularity anymore, this kind of dream is still deeply significant.

If you dreamed about dominating social circles, feeling particularly charismatic in conversations or being the center of attention at a booming fête, you might be craving the spotlight more than you ever thought. This especially rings true if you have always considered yourself a wallflower, and typically prefer reading a book from the comfort of your bed over going out to a club or bar. While this might be your reality, your "fantasy" life may include more interaction, and yes, likability. While popularity is seen as something most people stop caring about in adulthood, that's not necessarily the case. As career speaker Lindsey Pollak told Mic, "People want to work with those they like being around ... being relationship-focused is incredibly important to career success." So, a dream about having social power makes sense.

As per Dream Encyclopedia, dreams about popularity can also mean you're in a fruitful stage of your life, and should be taken as a good sign.

Back to the fantasy world, because as we know, dreams can get weird. If you dreamed you were an alien achieving total world domination, you might have just had the most powerful (albeit strange) dream of all. After all, what's more powerful than conquering an entire planet? Of course, as you can expect, the symbolism behind it can be just as surprising.

First off, if you dreamed you were an alien yourself, you most probably feel like an outsider in your daily life and have questions about your role in the world. As Aunty Flo explains, you often feel like a "stranger," even around people you know. This kind of solitude might worry you in real life, and is only exacerbated if you work as a manager, CEO, or any other kind of lofty senior position. People are often intimidated by you, which only makes you feel further ostracized from others. Still, dreaming of being an alien who abducts people or invades the planet means you need to be careful with developing a superiority complex. This dream symbolizes your natural-born leadership skills and impressive intelligence, but also shows you can use these skills for harm instead of good.

In regards to the future, Alo Dreams says this kind of dream might mean you will find friends that share your interests or risk conducting a space invasion soon, of course. As per Dream Christ, space invasion dreams symbolize your desire for deep changes.

Next, a different but equally poignant kind of power is that of the Pope. While extremely uncommon, dreaming about being the Pope is another way your brain can attempt to process your position in the world and desires to move up in the ranks. Forbes named Pope Francis the sixth most powerful person in the world, so while rare, this dream makes sense when thinking about your own real-life influence.

This kind of dream shows that you probably place spirituality in high regard, much more than money, fame, or social standing. Not necessarily about religion at all, dreaming of being the pope could also mean you need answers for your problems, and that you have entered a standstill in your life with no clue where to go. Aunty Flo explains that dreaming about being the Pope symbolizes you have a desire to gain clarity from above and wish to communicate more directly with your spirituality. You have grown frustrated at your lack of focus, so dreaming about being in this position is a fantasy about living life with precision and purity.

This kind of dream may also signify you have a need for more spirituality in your life, and feel unfulfilled within your core. It can also mean you feel like you lack generosity, and is a sign to put others first.

The epitome of power, at least where legalities are concerned, is being a police officer. Exemplifying authority figures, police are known to use force, reprimands, and punishment on anyone acting outside the law. For this reason, this kind of dream has definite significance when it comes to your desires, and may be linked to wishing you were more assertive in your life.

If you've received a speeding ticket before, you know a run-in with a police officer is nerve-racking at best, and it is pretty impossible to get out of penalties or citations. In short, once an infraction or crime is committed, you have little to no control over the consequences. If you dream about being a police officer yourself, you are craving pure dominance and want to feel stronger, more forceful, and commanding (via Dream Astro Meanings). You might be sick of getting inadvertently picked on or teased by friends, overlooked at work, or even scolded by family members. This kind of dream is an innocent reflection of inner anger, and a sign to look into your emotions and clear the air.

As per Dream Christ, this dream may also mean you will deal with a difficult situation soon, but might also just mean you are in need of more structure and rule-following in your life. Even more, recent events linked to excessive force by police might indicate you feel fear towards officers or the establishment.

Celebrity status is above several other kinds of power: Money can't buy it, it's about more than social connections, and being adored by fans worldwide can be a mystery to even the most experienced studio executives. Fame is subject to a roll of the dice, setting this kind of power apart. Even billionaires will fangirl over J.Lo, Britney Spears, or Justin Timberlake as they all possess untouchable, bright-as-the-sun, addicting celebrity appeal. So, what does it mean if you dream about having this priceless kind of power?

As with most power dreams, a dream about being famous means you're feeling anything but. Mystical practitioner MaKayla McRae explained to Bustle, "Becoming famous in a dream can be a sign that you're ready to step out into the world, be more confident in showcasing your authentic self, and take up the space you deserve." Have you been putting others' needs before your own? Start thinking like a Hollywood screen siren and pamper yourself, whether that means face masks and pedicures, an exercise class you really enjoy, or just sitting back and eating your favorite chocolate. This dream is a sign to invest in self-care rituals that nurture you from within, and shows you are going through "a positive change" in your perspective that "boosts your self-esteem."

Still, Aunty Flo says that this dream may mean you really crave the spotlight, and may even have too much confidence. To each their own!