A few nights ago, I had a very strange dream. In the dream, there was a very tall animal—a giraffe. It was standing in a quiet forest, slowly eating the leaves at the top of the trees, its mouth moving up and down, looking very relaxed. I wasn’t afraid, nor did I find it strange. I just stood not far away watching it. There was no sound in the dream, nor was there any plot, but when I woke up, I felt like there was something I didn’t understand.
I lay in bed and thought, “What is this dream trying to tell me?”
I had never dreamed of a giraffe before, so it must have appeared for a reason. I decided not to rush to search “Is it good to dream of a giraffe” online, but to think about it first and see if I could find any clues.
Write down the dream in as much detail as possible
I took out the small notebook I always carry with me—the kind with a cover that’s almost falling off and coffee stains on the corners. I began to write down all the details I could remember, one by one:
- The giraffe was very tall, a little taller than the trees;
- It ate the leaves very slowly, as if it wasn’t in a hurry;
- The leaves were green, and the sunlight shining on them was a little bright;
- I stood on the ground and looked up at it;
- I wasn’t afraid, but felt a sense of calm and even comfort.
I didn’t add any explanations, just wrote down the images from my dream as if I were taking pictures. I knew that if I started thinking about what it meant, I would easily be led astray by other people’s opinions. I wanted to listen to my own heart first.
I also looked it up online, but found that many of the interpretations were similar
To be honest, I couldn’t help but search “what does dreaming about a giraffe mean” online. A bunch of articles popped up, saying all sorts of things:
- Some said, “Giraffes are tall, which means you need to look far ahead.”
- Some said, “They eat slowly, which means you need to slow down.”
- Others said, “It’s good luck, especially for pregnant women and businesspeople.”
These explanations sound reasonable, but something doesn’t feel quite right. They sound too much like “standard answers,” like template sentences copied and pasted, such as “symbolizes a broad perspective” or “foretells smooth progress.” Anyone can say these things, but no one who hears them will necessarily be able to apply them to their own situation.
I wondered: Do these explanations really help people understand their dreams, or do they just make people think, “Oh, I see,” and then forget about it?
Ask yourself a few simple questions
Later, I changed my approach. I stopped looking at web pages and went back to my notebook to ask myself some very direct questions:
- Has anything happened recently that makes me feel “unclear”?
For example, is my work a mess and I don’t know which direction to go in?
—Actually, yes.Last month, there was a problem with a project, and I kept getting caught up in the details, thinking about it more and more, and couldn’t see the big picture at all. - Have I been too busy lately, without even time to catch my breath?
Giraffes eat so slowly, they’re not in a hurry, so why am I?
— That’s right, I rush to work every day, cook, reply to messages, and even have to time myself to sit down and drink a glass of water. - That giraffe looks big, but it’s not scary. It’s actually very calm. Who does it remind me of? Or which part of myself does it remind me of?
— It reminds me of myself. I’m not an extrovert, and I don’t like noise, but I have my own pace. Lately, though, I’ve been trying to please others, pushing myself to go faster and faster.
At first, these questions made me feel uncomfortable, as if I were being forced to write an essay. But as I wrote, I realized that the images in my dreams were gradually matching up with my real life.
I finally understood: that giraffe might be another part of me
After several days of reflection and writing, I slowly began to understand. I don’t think the giraffe was some kind of mysterious omen or a hint from God. It was more like a projection of a part of my inner self.
It was telling me three things:
1. Don’t just stare at your feet, look up and see the sky
Lately, I’ve been too focused on small problems, like where I made a mistake in a report or how to reply to a message. But I forgot to ask myself: Is what I’m doing really worth it? Am I heading in the right direction?
Giraffes stand tall and see far. They don’t care if the grass on the ground is trampled. They care about where the new leaves on the treetops are. I should learn from them and occasionally stop to look at the bigger picture.
2. It’s okay to slow down, as long as you’re eating what you really want to eat
That giraffe eats leaves so calmly, without any panic. But what about me? Eating is like fighting a war, walking is like sprinting, and even resting makes me feel guilty.
But in my dream, it seemed to say, “You can take your time. You don’t have to run all the time, you just need to know what you want.”
3. Quiet people also have power. Don’t think you’re unimportant just because you’re not loud.
Giraffes aren’t lions. They don’t roar, but they still live well. Their power doesn’t come from their voices, but from their height, their rhythm, and their patience.
I’m the same. I’m not good at competing or showing off, but that doesn’t mean I have no value. Sometimes, being quiet is a power in itself.
Listen to other people’s explanations, but don’t copy them
Of course, I also read the interpretations of “different people dreaming about giraffes.” For example:
- Students who dream about them should be careful on exams.
- Pregnant women who dream about them will have healthy babies.
- Businesspeople who dream about them should not take risks.
These interpretations are not entirely without merit, but they are too “general.”
It’s like a weather forecast saying “it may rain today.” It’s useful to hear, but whether you should bring an umbrella or not depends on how you feel when you leave the house.
Everyone’s dreams are unique, just like everyone’s worries are different. The “symbolic meaning” that others give may not apply to you at all. So, instead of memorizing a bunch of interpretations, try to analyze the images in your dreams yourself.
How to interpret your own dreams? Try these three steps
If you’ve had strange dreams and want to understand what they mean, I can share my little method with you:
Step 1: Write it down immediately
As soon as you wake up, write down the images you can remember. Don’t add any comments, just write the facts. For example: “A giraffe was eating leaves,” “It was very tall,” “I was watching quietly.”.
Step 2: Ask yourself a few questions
For example
- How did this dream make me feel? (Reassured? Nervous? Curious?)
- Have you had similar feelings or experiences in your life recently?
- Do the animals/characters/scenes in the dream resemble anyone you know? Or do they resemble a part of yourself?
Step 3: Connect it to reality
Connect the elements of the dream to your real life.You don’t have to find the “right answer.” As long as it helps you understand yourself better, it’s useful.
Dreams are not codes, but whispers from your heart
Finally, I want to say that dreams are not math problems that require a correct answer. They are more like letters you write to yourself, using the language of images and feelings.
That giraffe might just be my subconscious reminding me: you’re too tired, you need to rest; you’re too low, you need to look up; you’re too rushed, you need to find your own rhythm.
I’m not sure if this interpretation is “right,” but it’s mine. Compared to the generic explanations online, I’d rather believe this story that grew from my own heart.
So next time you have a dream, don’t rush to look it up in a dream dictionary.
Try taking a notebook, sitting down, and having a chat with yourself.
You might just hear some voices you’ve never heard before.
After all, the person who understands you best is always yourself.
