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KABBALAH

The mysteries of the Kabbalah operate on a different level from the normal everyday reality that we take for granted. It’s multileveled and multilayered, ancient, impeccably fascinating, and the structures inherent within it lend themselves to the dream world. If you’re very lucky, you may find that your dream gives you a wordless, instinctive understanding of the arcane occult beauty of the Kabbalah. Otherwise, this dream is telling you that there are mysteries in your own life that you might want to explore.

KARAOKE

For some people, the thought of taking part in a karaoke session is as horrifying as taking your clothes off in public. Others, meanwhile, can’t wait to grab hold of the microphone. In your waking life you could be either, but whichever you are will have no bearing on your dream. To dream that you’re taking part in karaoke is a reminder that you need to take to the stage, metaphorically speaking, in your waking life. You’ve been part of the audience for too long, so have courage!

KENNEL

A kennel is obviously a doghouse. So if you’re the one in a kennel, then you feel that you’re in disgrace for some reason. It could also indicate that perhaps you’re feeling a little overcrowded in your own house.

 

KETTLE (See Teapot)

KEY

A key can unlock all sorts of things in addition to locks. We talk of the key to a heart, for example. A key is also a sort of an answer, an essential tool for getting to the next part of an equation. Keys also represent responsibility (house key, car key, office key, etc.). The bigger the bunch of keys, the more burdensome they are, implying authority, ownership of property, and all the advantages and disadvantages that these materialistic trappings bring. So if you dream about a big bunch of keys, it could mean that you have responsibilities that are making you nervous in your waking life. If you dream that you’ve lost your keys, then this indicates a similar feeling of a loss of status in your real life. The key also has obvious sexual connotations, so examine the context of the key or keys in your dream to see which one applies.

KEYHOLE

Though it seems like a simple place, a keyhole is a magical, luminal area, a place between two worlds, a little no-mans’ land through which we can access secrets. If you’re looking through a keyhole in your dream, you could have stumbled upon a secret in your waking life, or you could be curious about what’s coming next in your life and trying to find ways to deduce what these things might be.

KICKING

If you’re being kicked in your dream—particularly if you’re being kicked in the head—it’s possible that your subconscious mind is trying to tell you something important. If you’re being kicked in the chest (near the heart), then you need to get in touch with your emotions. If you are kicking someone else, then you’re trying to find a way to grab that person’s attention in real life.

KIDNAP

Are you kidnapping someone in your dream? This could indicate that your methods of persuasion are not very good in your waking life. It could also denote your frustration at not being able to express yourself properly. If you’re the one being kidnapped, however, then it’s possible that you feel oppressed, frustrated, and helpless by certain events in your life at this time.

KILL (See Murder)

KILT

Clothes, in dreams, show our status, or at least the way in which we would like to appear to others. If you’re a man and you’re wearing a kilt in a dream, then you feel a strong allegiance to the “tribe” of men that are a part of your life.

KING

If you dream of a king that isn’t you, then this king could represent your boss, your father, or a similar patriarchal figure for whom you have respect. After all, a king is a figure of supreme authority. If you are being crowned as a king—whatever your sex—you might feel daunted by certain responsibilities in your waking life. Alternately, you might feel that your time in the sun has arrived. Your emotional reaction to the dream will help you determine which one applies to you.

KISSING

If you’re about to kiss someone in a dream, but wake up before the moment of connection, then you’re not alone. This is a very popular dream, and it indicates frustration at not being able to attain what you desire in real life. It’s not unlikely that you’re yearning for some physical action, but there is something stopping you from achieving it. Don’t be shy! If, however, you dream that you are actually kissing someone that you really like, this is your dream effectively fulfilling a wish for you. If you find that you’re kissing something or someone whom you find repugnant, how do you feel? Disgust might be your natural reaction that would mirror your real feelings, but if you find you’re enjoying yourself, then an unexpected event will soon happen in your life.

KITE

If you’re flying a kite in clear, breezy conditions in your dreams, then this is good. It shows that your ideas, like the kite, are “taking off,” and yet you remain grounded and focused. If the sky is gray or cloudy, and the kite is racing turbulently up above you, then you might be overwhelmed with responsibilities that you’re still trying to hang onto. If you’re struggling to get the kite off the ground, then this applies to a situation in your real life—be it a relationship or your career. If you’re a man, this could also be a sign of sexual difficulties.

KNEELING

A gesture of submission and humility. If it’s you that is kneeling in the dream, this could be an indication that you’re in a position of submission in your life. If someone is kneeling before you, well done. Use your power wisely and kindly.

KNIFE

A knife might be a weapon, but it’s also a symbol. Like the sword, it symbolizes the clean, swift sharpness of an ending and of a new beginning. If the blade of the knife is rusted or corroded, however, that ending might be a bit messy. If you are handling a knife in the dream, then you need to be aware of both the state of the knife and the context. If you are trying to hurt someone with the knife, it could be that you are angry and frustrated with a person or a situation in your waking life.

KNIGHT

Is this a white knight that appears in your dreams, ready to sweep you away in his arms? Dream on, since this will never happen in real life. For starters, most knights have their faces covered so you won’t be able to check the goods. Secondly, this is wishful thinking in the extreme, a dream of escapism and reflects a desire for you to be “rescued.” If it’s a black knight in your dream, then you have an unknown enemy.

KNOTS

Generally speaking, knots symbolize problems, mix-ups, and entanglements in your life. But your dream may be of the beautifully constructed sailors’ knots that are not only useful, but also works of art. If so, then you might be craving similar artistic and practical perfection in your own life.

FAMOUS FREAKY DREAMERS

KEKULE, THE SLEEPING SCIENTIST

Sometimes we’re fortunate enough to have a dream happen exactly when we need it to. But Frederick August Kekule von Stradonitz, a Belgian scientist, was lucky enough to have this happen twice during his lifetime. Both times his fortuitous dreams resulted in vital discoveries in the world of organic chemistry. Kekule’s fame was so extraordinary that he even appeared on the stamps in his home country.

One of the visions evidently came to him while he was on a bus journey, since he tells us that the dream was interrupted by the conductor announcing “Clapham Road.” After nodding off, Kekule saw atoms dancing before his eyes, revealing their structure to him very clearly. This resulted in the formulation of his theory of chemical structure.

Later, when Kekule was struggling with his notebooks, he again dozed off in front of his fire. This time, the dancing atoms showed him the information he needed to complete his research into the structure of benzene. Here’s how he described the process:

 

…I was sitting writing on my textbook, but the work did not progress; my thoughts were elsewhere. I turned my chair to the fire and dozed. Again the atoms were gamboling before my eyes. This time the smaller groups kept modestly in the background. My mental eye, rendered more acute by the repeated visions of the kind, could now distinguish larger structures of manifold conformation; long rows sometimes more closely fitted together all twining and twisting in snake-like motion. But look! What was that? One of the snakes had seized hold of its own tail, and the form whirled mockingly before my eyes. As if by a flash of lightning I awoke; and this time also I spent the rest of the night in working out the consequences of the hypothesis.

There are two aspects to Kekule’s experience that are particularly noteworthy. One, that after concentrating hard on the matter in question, he allowed his thoughts to wander, and nodded off. This gave his subconscious mind the opportunity it needed to offer up a solution. Secondly, like many dreams, the image of the twisting snake revealed, if obliquely, the very structure he’d been investigating. That’s why it’s crucial to look for the hidden messages of your dreams.