Apples could be taken as the most symbolic fruit ever. Apple has a powerful symbolism in various cultures and this fruit is often an important element of folk and fairytales.
What makes apples so mysteriously appealing? What dreams about apples could tell us?
Before we move onto the symbolism of apples and dream meanings related to this delicious fruit, let us say a couple of words about dreams.
What are dreams and why do we dream? To be true, no one knows for certain, although there have been many attempts to define dreams, especially with the latest advancements in the field of science.
Dreams are claimed to be random brain impulses, suppressed desires, and prophecies.
In old times, dreams have often been taken as a prophetic medium, a way for people to communicate with higher powers.
Some kings and priests have been said to have had prophetic dreams.
There are many such stories throughout civilization history.
Perhaps there is some truth in it, for dreams often leave us perplexed, we dream about things and places we have never seen and yet they feel close.
Dreams are, maybe, our journey through the realm where space and time do not matter at all.
To turn to a more scientific approach, dreams have often been associated with our psyche.
They possibly represent our suppressed desires, thoughts, and emotions.
It is very likely dreams serve us as a channel to process the unprocessed emotions, thoughts we have not dealt with effectively in our waking time, and desires we deliberately or subconsciously reject and suppress.
Dreams reflect our waking life and experiences. Over only a day, we gather so much information, impossible for our brains to process.
Our brain processes us during our sleep. Sometimes it is easy to connect dreams with your actual experiences.
Dreams are full of symbols. One of the universal symbols that occurs in dreams are apples.
Apples appear in all kinds of dreams, so interpretations vary greatly, depending on how we see an apple in a dream.
To understand the meaning behind an apple dream, we have to learn more about apple symbolism, its place in religion, mythology, and beliefs in general.
Apple Symbolism
Since ancient times, the apple has been one of the most popular symbols in many cultures.
It is associated with health, prosperity, and longevity. All this makes it inevitably connected with the concept of love, wisdom, and harmony.
Apples usually appear as a mystical or forbidden fruit. Many stories, legends, poems, and fairytales are dedicated to this worldwide known fruit and we are all familiar with at least some of them.
The symbolism of apples is generally positive, although stories about apples are very different.
In general, we usually associated apples with the aforementioned ideas. Apples are taken as a symbol of love, health, and prosperity.
There are many stories in which an apple plays a crucial role. Apples are found in the Bible, in Greek mythology, and in Norse and Celtic mythology, for instance.
Biblical Meaning of Apples
The most widely known apple mentioned in the Bible is the one in the story of Adam and Eve and the fall from heaven.
It is not certain if the fruit Adam and Eve ate was an apple or another fruit; there have been various suggestions on what type of fruit was the forbidden one.
However, we usually relate to it as an apple.
The biblical story in the Book of Genesis says God explicitly ordered Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, while everything else in the Garden of Eden was free for them to take.
As you probably know, it happened that on one day Eve encountered a serpent, which tempted her to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree and Eve listened to the serpent.
She ate the delicious fruit and offered it to Adam, who accepted it.
The couple broke the oath to God and were expelled from Eden, as a punishment.
The story is in itself complex and it has been a subject of many theological and philosophical debates. What was the fruit? What did it symbolize and contain?
The biblical apple could be understood as a symbol of forbidden knowledge and higher wisdom, one that is not meant for humans to reach.
It is the symbol of immortality. We could associate it with divine secrets and divine wisdom. Adam and Eve were expelled to Earth.
All humankind carries the sin of the first parents and strives to get back to heaven, through good deeds, and through purification of sin.
The story of the apple of Eden is probably the most mysterious one, regardless of how popular and widely known it is.
Apples are mentioned in other places in the Bible. For example, in the Song of Songs, an apple symbolizes fertility, the taste, and the scent of the word of God.
It represents something special, unique, beautiful, and precious.
The verse has that what an apple was in the woods, a beloved (man) was amongst the men, for instance. Apple is thus associated with love and passion, as well.
In Christianity, an apple is often featured in depictions of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, as a symbol of redemption, rebirth, and a new man.
Apples in Mythology
Apples are present in various mythologies, as well. Ancient Greek mythology tells us the story of the garden of Hesperides, where the golden apples grew and they were a divine fruit.
According to the myth, a branch with golden apples was a gift from Gaia to Zeus and Hera.
Admiring the beautiful fruit, Hera ordered the branch to be planted in her orchard, guarded and tended by Hesperides.
However, they would also pick apples for themselves, which was not what Hera had in mind.
The goddess placed a many-headed dragon Ladon in the garden, to safeguard the apple tree.
According to the story of the Trojan war, the goddess of discordance took an apple from the Garden of Hesperides and it led to the war.
Eris was mad that she was not meant to be present at the wedding celebration of Peleus and Thetis and so she took revenge.
She inscribed the word meaning ‘the most beautiful’ on the golden apple and threw it to the party.
Goddesses Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera claimed the title of ‘the most beautiful’ was their.
It was Paris of Troy who had to decide to whom the title belongs. Seduced by the beauty of Helen, who was presented to him by Aphrodite, he gave the apple to the goddess of love.
Because of love, beauty, and a golden apple, the Trojan war began, the legend says.
It should be noted that it is not certain whether the fruit from the Garden of Hesperides was an apple, but it is how it is most commonly perceived and adopted.
Apples are associated with eternal youth in Norse mythology.
The goddess of youth in Norse mythology keeps a wooden boy filled with divine apples, the fruit of youth. When Norse gods start to grow old, they eat her apples.
The fruit makes them young again and these cycles are meant to take place until the end of days as we know them, Ragnarok. There are other mentions of apples in Norse mythology, as well.
In Celtic mythology and folklore, apples are highly praised as a symbol of abundance and immortality. There are many customs and rituals featuring apples.
There are numerous other beliefs, sayings, and traditions about apples, all over the world. The list would be endless.
However, all these stories have something in common, when it comes to apple symbolism.
Apples symbolize youth, health, vitality, longevity, abundance, prosperity, fertility, love, passion, desire, temptation, wisdom, divine knowledge, immortality, and much more.
These are the keywords that would help us interpret our apple dreams.
Dreams About Apples – General Info
Dreams about apples could mean many things. It depends on what state the apple in your dream is, how you see it or use it in your dream, and much more.
Dreams about apples have to do with emotions, desires, and knowledge.
As an apple is a symbol of something that is precious but forbidden, an apple in dreams may suggest you are going to be tempted by something in your life or that you are being tempted.
The apple in your dream may symbolize something you desire and crave, especially when it comes to romantic and carnal desires.
As we have seen, apples symbolize wisdom and knowledge. Dreams about apples could represent the gaining of knowledge, the path of learning, literally, the fruit of knowledge, with its delicious, enriching taste.
In addition, an apple may be a sign of a spiritual journey, spiritual enlightenment, and growth.
Apples are also a symbol of abundance and fertility, so dreams about this lovely fruit may speak about family, childbirth, and harmonious relationships.
In addition, apples symbolize youthfulness, vitality, strength, and health.
When occurring in dreams, they could be a sign of good health or the opposite, depending on what state the apple you dream about was.
Dreams about a red apple
Red apples have a bit notorious reputation if you think about it.
Beautiful, deliciously sweet, red apples are often seen as a symbol of temptation and deception. Red apples in dreams symbolize temptation, passion, and burning desire.
If you see a red apple in your dream, it could be associated with something or, rather, someone you desire. It symbolizes love and passion.
A red apple may represent unfulfilled romantic dreams and passionate cravings.
There could be someone you are madly in love with, someone you burn for in desire. You crave that person, but you do not have a relationship with them or they were too far at the moment.
Red apples could also be a symbol of unconditional love. If you were in a relationship, a red apple in a dream is a good sign, a confirmation of love.
Dreams about a green apple
Green apples in dreams are associated with vitality, youth, and health. A green apple represents something refreshing and new in your life.
It is a sign of longevity, good health, and rebirth, in a way. If you dream about seeing it, it is a very good sign.
It means something new will happen in your life, something that will rejuvenate you, make you start over, and prosper in the future.
A green apple in a dream could indicate a new opportunity in life, one which you should probably accept.
All of us need a fresh start from time to time. A green apple in your dream may indicate you should change something in your life and start over.
If you feel stuck in life and dream about refreshing, crispy green apples, it is the right moment to do something.
Green apples in dreams represent clarity and sanity. They also stand for a clean mind and pure heart.
Dreams about green apples indicate stable, honest, and healthy relationships with people around you.
It is a symbol of good physical and mental health, as well.
If you have been struggling with health issues and you have dreams about green apples, it is a very good sign when it comes to your recovery.
Dreams about a rotten apple
Dreams about rotten apples are not a good sign. A rotten apple in a dream symbolizes failed plans, loss, and corruption.
It could indicate your failure or an attempt by someone else to sabotage your plans.
Rotten apples represent corrupted people, ill intentions, false friendships, and pretenders.
If you have dreams about rotten apples very often, be cautious about whom you open up to. Not everyone around you has good intentions toward you.
This especially applies if you dream about an apple that looks fine on the outside, but when you split it or try to eat it, it appears to be rotten on the inside.
It is a sign of deception and falsehood. Not all things that look good on the surface are good at their core.
The same stand for people and for the relationships we build. Now, this dream does not mean you have to be suspicious about everything and everyone but listen to your gut feeling.
In addition, such a dream could be an indicator of your own superficiality and lack of proper action, when it comes to your plans.
You do things in a rush and make them just look good to others.
However, time will likely show the truth.
The same is with your own pose and personal issues. Maybe you have some dark past and unpleasant experiences you do not want to share. That is fine.
However, it is important that you process it with yourself.
You cannot pretend forever that everything was fine with you if it wasn’t.
If you have some untreated trauma or experience to work on, the dream is definitely a sign you should do it as soon as possible.
Dreams about many apples
Dreams about seeing many apples are a good sign, if the apples were fresh and healthy, of course.
Be it apples of all varieties and colors or a tone of apples of the same shape and color, it is a sign of prosperity, harmony, abundance, and happiness in life.
Seeing many apples in a dream is an indicator of material and financial stability, growth, progress, comfort, safety, and security.
Your financial issues may be resolved or at least be taken care of for some time.
Many apples in a dream also symbolize many people around you, many connections, valuable relationships, friendships, and, especially, family bonds.
This is a dream of sharing, mutual happiness, and joy.
However, if the apples were rotten, it is definitely not a good sign.
It is a dream speaking of failure, disappointment, plans that have gone very badly, and one’s inability to see through people’s intentions.
Dreams about an apple tree
Dreams about an apple tree with fruits is an interesting and a bit complex dream, for the interpretation depends on what you do with the tree and the fruits.
If you were just looking at it, admiring it, it symbolizes your goals and plans.
Seeing an apple tree full of fruits means success is on your way, but you have to work with patience and devotion.
In this case, the apple tree represents your desired results.
If you were trying to pick apples, but you cannot reach the fruits, it means you have to be more patient.
The apples on the tree could be associated with knowledge, actual gain and results, and many more.
The actual meaning depends on what you want to reach in waking life.
If you cannot reach the fruits, it means you need to invest more time and effort in whatever you are doing at the moment.
If you pick the fruits with ease, it means your plans, work, and all invested time and effort would pay off.
You will definitely pick the fruits of your work.
You can also dream about seeing an apple tree without fruits or with dried, rotten apples on branches.
Such dreams indicate failure, bad plans, and plans that do not lead to the desired result.
If you have such a dream about an apple tree, reconsider your plans and actions.
Dreams about eating apples
Dreams about eating apples represent the fulfillment of your desires, in the first place, regardless of if it was possible in waking life or not.
The interpretation will vary depending on what kind of apple you eat.
Eating a healthy, crispy green apple is a sign of strength, vitality, and health you will regain or sustain or develop further.
It is also an indicator of a refreshing positive change in life.
Eating a red apple suggest the fulfillment of your passions and desires, especially when it comes to romance.
Eating apples in general is similar to dreams about picking apples. You will taste your success to the fullest since you have deserved it.
If apples were rotten, the dream is not very promising, it tells about having to deal with the bitter taste of your wrongdoings or bad steps.