Do you need to be strict with yourself? If so then a father dream represents your acceptance of this - you need a father or father figure to remind you of this.

FATHERS IN DREAMS: Understanding dreams is not so difficult. In practice dream symbols translate into certain words within the English language. For instance a "father" dream may simply translate into a word like "sensible" and the dream capture a thought like "he needs to learn some responsibility. He really did not act in a sensible way yesterday". The persons father simply appears in the dream because his father would be the sort of person who would say something exactly like that. So far from seeming bizarre and irrelevant the dream pinpoints a key thought on the dreamers mind. You just have to learn how the symbolism works.

KEYWORDS LINKED TO FATHER DREAMS
In practice father dreams have several symbolic meanings. Here is the full list.
- "sensible" (Fathers are sensible and will always do the right thing. So fathers appear in dream when we need to be sensible or we have tried to be sensible)
- "getting out of hand" (Fathers will put a stop to something which is getting out of hand. So if an issue is spiralling out of control then a father dream may be your minds way of saying "things are getting out of control". Either way you can imagine what your father would say on the issue "this is getting out of hand" and "you have to sort this out")
- "thoughts about father" (Have you been thinking about your father or someone else's father? If the answer is yes then he is probably just a symbol of himself and the dream will be about your latest thoughts about him or some issue he is connected to. Think of any issue your father maybe linked to. Have you had an argument with your father? Have you been missing him? Is this an anniversary of his death? Have you been having an especially good relationship with him or especially bad? Have you been trying to talk to him?)
- "a role model" (Is there a man who is a father figure to you? Someone who has been guiding and encouraging you? Such an inspirational figure may appear as your father because he is acting like your father would. The dream just recognises the importance of this father figure and his ability to inspire you)
- "being practical and realistic" (Do you need to be more practical and realistic in some way? Have you been too ideological and ambitious? Perhaps you need to set more realistic goals)
- "respect" (Fathers teach us respect for authority and people. Did you need to have more respect for someone yesterday?)
- "what would your father say if he was here now" (Think of this phrase "what would your father say if he was hear now?" If something comes to mind and you can almost imagine him saying something then the dream is probably linked to those thoughts. Perhaps you are feeling very guilty? Or maybe very proud of yourself? Or maybe you wished for his guidance right now)
- "accepting something is over" (Fathers are very realistic and practical and so they may appear on the scene when you need to accept something. Do you need to accept that a relationship is over? Do you need to accept that you have failed and start making some more realistic plans?)
The dreaming mind uses dream symbols in the way the waking mind uses words. In practice dream symbols will translate into certain phrase or words. A father dream could translate into the word "sensible". But obviously there are many contexts in which the word "sensible" can be used so to understand a dream try to see how you might use that word (sensible) to describe current feelings. If you were thinking yesterday how you need to be more 'sensible' in order to set a good example for your workforce then the two could easily be related. Look for other clues with other symbols.

- "the harsh reality of the world" (As we have said fathers can be linked to the need to be practical and realistic and the need to accept failure. A similar scenario is simply when you need to accept the harsh reality of the world.)
- "doing the right thing" (Did you have to do the right thing yesterday? Are you feeling guilty or worried because you did not do the right thing yesterday?)
- "stand up for yourself" (If you have just been bullied then you can almost hear your father telling you that you need to stand up for yourself. Dreams often link to the little conversations in your own mind. So if the theme of "standing up for yourself" has featured in your thoughts then this dream may link to this issue. The dream may represent that exact thought process you just have to know how the symbolism works)
- "sorting something out" (Fathers may appear in a dream when you need to sort something out. They are renowned for getting things done. A father will solve a problem and work out the best possible outcome.)
- "being told what to do" (we associate certain things with people. When many teenagers think of their fathers they think of him telling them what they have to do. So a father could represent the need to follow orders)