I was standing by a tree when flames erupted from the branches. I ran to save myself, but a tiger leapt out and chased me.

The ground held no refuge, so I did the only thing I could think of: I left my body and floated away.

The Holy Quality of Tiger Dreams

Whenever I dream of Tiger, I wake up feeling blessed, even if the dream was scary. There’s something about her power, her regalness, that makes me feel like I was visited by something Holy.

In many cultures, west on the Medicine Wheel is about autumn, water, and letting go. The corresponding animal? Big Cats.

Big cats, like Tiger, are ferocious in nature. They sit in utter stillness, with patience and keen observation, before pouncing on their prey. When they do, their bloody maw snarls a victory cry. Or perhaps it’s the cry of pleasure.

Unapologetically powerful, Tiger is at once fierce and gracefully feline.

Tigers remind us of the power of radical transformation. The Death of Death. The point of no return.

When Tiger comes calling, you have an opportunity to watch and learn. She’s inviting you to patiently get ready to pounce. She blesses you with courage and perseverance. But you have to be willing to trust her presence in your life. If you don’t, you’ll get burned.

Dreaming of Tiger: A Struggle with Power

When I had this dream, it was the mid-nineties, a time when I was beginning to feel the stirrings of my connection to Spirit as well as my call to shamanism. With these callings came a sense of aloneness and lostness.

On one level, my dream indicated I was having a difficult time dealing with my personal power–my purpose, my passion, my anger–and that my tendency was to run from it and ultimately go out of body as a form of escape. My dream invited me to meet with tiger face to face and learn from her. It took me years to find the courage to make that happen.

Long before I had my dream, William Blake connected Tiger to Fire. He wrote:

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Blake goes on to ask, “Did he who made the Lamb make thee?” Meaning, did the same hand create the gentle, timid lamb that created the fierce, powerful tiger?

This comparison reminds me of the times in my life when I’ve wondered about the merging of my own gentle and timid nature with my fierce power. Can both be “right”? Can both be a part of the Divine?

When Tiger appears in our dreams, she may be inviting us to notice how well we’ve integrated our power into our lives. Do we run from it? Does it make us go out of body in an attempt to deny it? Do we cuddle up with it and enjoy the warmth?

Next time you have a tiger dream, pay attention to how she shows up and notice if there is a correlation with how you are showing up with your power.

Do a waking journey with her in the imaginal realm and let her guide you deeper into union with your inner tiger.

Then see what happens.