Chest in a dream: meaning in Ibn Sirin, al-Nabulsi and Ibn Shahin

81 passages from 5 sources, quoted as written, every one linked to its page.

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Its broadness in a dream, and its goodness, is an indication for the unbeliever of his embracing Islam, and for the sinner it is repentance and an opening up to obedience, and it indicates the easing of what is difficult.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 211

(And whoever sees) his beloved in his chest in a dream, it indicates his complaining about him.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 211

And if he was ill because of him, it indicates his recovery from what he complains of.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 211

And perhaps the goodness of the chest indicates preferring others over oneself.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 211

And perhaps building up the chest indicates spending.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 211

And perhaps the chest indicates what he conceals in it of knowledge, or wealth, or guidance, or misguidance.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 211

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

As for the chest, it is interpreted in several aspects: religious law, religion, and other things.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 56

(Ibn Sirin said): Whoever sees that his chest is expanded, then it indicates an increase in his religion and his piety, because of His saying, exalted be He: "Is one whose chest Allah has expanded for Islam..."

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 56

(And whoever sees) a narrowness or smallness in his chest, then it indicates a diminution of his religion, because of His saying, exalted be He: "He makes his chest tight and constricted."

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 56

(And whoever sees) that someone pressed upon his chest, then it is a diminution in his religion.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 56

(And whoever sees) that his chest is hot, then he will see a benefit from his people.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 56

(And whoever sees) that on his chest is something that would be objectionable in waking life, then it is not praiseworthy; and if he sees what is praiseworthy, then it is praiseworthy.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 56

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

Narrowness of the chest is misguidance. If a dhimmi sees that his chest is narrow, he will suffer a loss in his wealth.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 164–167

As for the chest and its broadness, it indicates knowledge, forbearance, soundness of condition, and expansiveness of heart and chest; and its narrowness indicates the opposite of that.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 787–790

It is said that the breadth of a person's chest is his generosity, and its narrowness is his miserliness.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 164–167

And perhaps his chest indicates his box, his case, and his purse, and everything in which the best of his goods and the most precious of his wealth is stored, because the heart is in it, and the heart is the place of every secret and resolve.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 787–790

Abundant hair on the chest is a debt that burdens him. If he sees as though his chest has turned to stone, then he will be hard-hearted.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 164–167

And it is said that narrowness of the chest indicates miserliness, and its broadness indicates generosity.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 787–790

Freud and Jung, a separate view

The chest or box is here a female symbol, that is, the mother’s womb.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

The wicked Typhon entices Osiris craftily into a box or chest; this distortion of the true state of affairs is transparent. The “original sin” caused men to wish to go back into the mother again, that is, the incestuous desire for the mother, condemned by law, is the ruse supposedly invented by Typhon.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

The chest, basket or little basket, with its precious contents, was thought of as floating on the water; a remarkable inversion of the natural fact that the child floats in the amniotic fluid and that this is in the uterus.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

The fact is, the ruse is very significant. Man tries to sneak into rebirth through subterfuge in order to become a child again.

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

Kinds and conditions of Chest

chest (box)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In dreams it is a woman or a beautiful slave girl.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 215

The chest indicates the man's house, or his wife, or his shop.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 215

chest (ark, coffin)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In a dream, a great kingdom (sovereignty).

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 48

If he sees that he is in a chest, he will attain authority.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 48

chest (trunk/bench)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

Seeing it in a dream indicates the wife, the riding beast, and office (rank).

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 48

If it was of wood, that which it indicates is eminent; and if it was of palm-stalks, it is lowly.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 48

breast (chest)

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

TO have the Breast whole is good,

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The first Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

as also to have it Hayrie, is a signe of gaine to Men, but to Women it foretels Widdowhood:

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The first Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

chest-strap (labab)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In a dream, it indicates that by which the chest is mended, whether medicine or clothing.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 302

And the chest-strap is the securing of an affair.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 302

storerooms and chests

Artemidorus of Daldis, Oneirocritica (1644 English translation)

the garners, butteries, coffers and cabinets, signifie the wife.

Oneirocritica (1644 English translation), The first Booke of Artimedorus His Exposition of Dreames.

ship's chest/cabin

Ibn Shahin al-Zahiri, al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat

As for the ship's chest, it is interpreted as the man's crown and his splendour; so whatever he sees in it of adornment or blemish is interpreted as pertaining to the owner of the ship.

al-Isharat fi Ilm al-Ibarat, p. 128

chest or ark

Freud and Jung, a separate view

They are enclosed in a chest or an ark for the “night journey on the sea” (Frobenius), often together with a woman (again an inversion of the actual situation, but in support of the motive of continuous cohabitation, which we have met above).

Carl Jung, Psychology of the Unconscious (1916) / Collected Papers (1917), Psychology of the Unconscious, ch. V Symbolism of the Mother and of Rebirth

chest pain

attributed to Ibn Sirin, Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam

As for the chest: whoever sees that his chest is in pain, then he will spend wealth extravagantly, not in obedience to Allah, and he has been punished for it.

Muntakhab al-Kalam fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, pp. 208–211

khurustan (fixed household chest/cupboard)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

It is that which is in the house and is not moved from it; in a dream it signifies a well-guarded, protected woman.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 99

small chest (safat)

Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam

In a dream it is a woman who keeps people's secrets.

Ta'tir al-Anam fi Ta'bir al-Manam, p. 183

43 more passages on this symbol are in the database and used by the interpreter.