Imagine that you are asleep one night and begin to have a dream. In this dream you are visited by two of the animals listed below. One of these animals brings you good news that predicts a future life of happiness and prosperity, while the other animal brings you news that forecasts a future of poverty and misery.

Dog
Lion
Monkey
Cat
Snake

Which of the animals listed above brings you the message of happiness and prosperity?

Which of the other animals listed brings you the message of poverty and misery?

Which of these messages do you open first?

Please take a moment and answer all three of these questions before proceeding. . .

Since ancient times, animals have often been seen as messengers of the gods. In many traditional shamanic cultures, animals were sent to an individual in dreams or visions to deliver messages of encouragement or warning. Even today, many people see these animals as symbolic messengers of our subconscious mind. Regardless of how we receive these messages, we are often wise to heed their advice and warnings.

These animals and their unique symbolism is a subject that I discuss throughout my Mind Doodles course. As a result of our cultural conditioning and individual preferences, each of the animals listed above (as well as many more not found here) have been found to have direct psychological associations. This means that we automatically associate certain animals with certain personality traits. In other words, we all tend to see snakes as sneaky, monkeys as playful, dogs as loyal, etc…

In this particular exercise, you were asked to pick one animal from the list that brought you promises of “good news”, and one animal that brought you “bad news”. You were then asked to describe which animal brought you which message, and which of these two messages you opened first.

The message you chose to open first is said to represent your current outlook on romantic relationships. This means is that if you opened up the message predicting a life full of happiness and prosperity first, you have probably had better luck than most lately when it comes to dating and relationships. On the other hand, if you chose to open up the message predicting a future life of poverty and misery first, then you have probably been discouraged or disappointed recently when it comes to intimate relationships.

The animal that you have chosen from the above list to deliver the “good news” is said to represent the qualities of your ideal mate. In other words, the qualities that we typically associate with that particular animal is what you are (or should be) looking for in a potential mate.

On the other hand, the animal that you have subconsciously chosen to deliver the “bad news” is said to represent the type of person who would make your life completely miserable should you choose to have a long-term relationship with this person.

Now let’s take a closer look at these five different animals and see what kind of insight they might be able to give us:

Dog

Above all, the dog is known for its extreme loyalty and unconditional love. If you have chosen the dog to deliver your message of happiness and prosperity, you have probably been burned by a past infidelity or a complete lack of honesty in a previous relationship. You are tired of “playing the game” and you simply want someone whom you can trust and count on to be there for you when you need them most.

If you have chosen the dog as your messenger of poverty and misery, then you probably are looking for someone with a strong, independent personality who doesn’t need you to constantly praise or shower them with affection. You are looking for someone who is strong enough to stand on their own two feet and someone who does not rely solely upon you for their sense of identity and happiness.

Lion

The lion is a symbol of power and ambition. If you have chosen the lion as your messenger of happiness and prosperity, you are probably looking for a partner who is highly confident and sure of their abilities. You tend to be a competitive person by nature and you require someone with a great deal of ambition and drive in order to keep up with you. You need to find someone who isn’t afraid to put themselves out there and risk failure in order to get what they want.

If you have chosen the lion as your messenger of poverty and misery, than you realize that a true relationship is much larger than the individuals involved. You have dated far too many aggressive self-obsessed “lions” in the past and are tired of one-sided relationships where one person is forced to carry the load. You are looking for someone who is willing to share their life and all of its little decisions equally.

Monkey

The symbolic image of the monkey is known for its playfulness and fun loving nature. If you have chosen the monkey to deliver your message of happiness and prosperity, you are probably searching for someone who doesn’t take themselves or life too seriously. Someone who isn’t afraid to act spontaneously and make a “fool” out of themselves once in awhile in order to have a good time. You need someone who is willing to face life head-on instead of sitting around thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong. You hate to get bogged down by all the petty details and would much rather let life surprise you as it comes.

If you have chosen the monkey as your messenger of poverty and misery, then you are probably looking for someone who has gotten their act together and is no longer interested in playing childish mind games. You are looking for someone who is willing to get serious and be a true partner in your life. You do not like surprises or playing games where you don’t know all the rules. You value consistency and are happiest when a relationship has developed comfortable roles and routine where you know exactly what to expect from your partner.

Cat

The cat is well known for its independence and strong sense of self-reliance. If you have chosen the cat to deliver your message of happiness and prosperity, you are probably searching for someone who has already established their own identity and does not need you to define what they stand for. You need someone who doesn’t require constant attention and “hand-holding” in order to feel loved. You don’t like to be micro-managed by others and would rather see the big picture rather than get bogged down with all of the meaningless details.

If you have chosen the cat as your messenger of poverty and misery, then you are probably looking for someone who is willing to share themselves and their true feelings with you. You have had your fill of cold and emotionally unavailable people in your life. You despise having to constantly guess what’s on their mind. More than anything, however, you are looking for a companion who will provide you with a comforting shoulder to cry on and a warm open heart to share your life with.

Snake

The snake is a well-known religious symbol of deceit in the biblical Garden of Eden, however, it is also an ancient symbol of wisdom and change that is still revered in many cultures. If you have chosen the snake to deliver your message of happiness and prosperity, you are probably looking to expand your horizons both mentally and emotionally. You understand now that the way you have been thinking about yourself and your relationships hasn’t been working. More than anything, you are looking for someone who is completely different from those you have been in relationships with in the past. Just as a snake sheds its old skin as it grows, it appears that you may finally be ready to take the next step in your growth process and find true love.

If you have chosen the snake as your messenger of poverty and misery, than you probably see the snake as a symbol of deceit and false promises. You have been fooled too many times by ignoring the warning signs in the past or have been tricked by those who have simply told you what you wanted to hear. You are looking for someone who is straightforward and honest above all. Actions speak louder than words for you and the right person will have to be willing and able to prove themselves before you let your emotional guard down again.

After completing this exercise, please feel free share it with someone else you think might appreciate its simple yet powerful insight into the subconscious mind. I wish you all the best.