Dream Interpretation ›  Cow - Dream meaning and symbolism

Cow - Dream meaning and symbolism

Main symbolic meaning

The cow is a female counterpart of Bull and has many different characteristics than a Bull. You should differentiate what kind of cattle you were dreaming about. The symbolic meaning of a cow in your dream is usually accompanied by those features:

1. Milk producers / fertility - Cows, in contrast to Bulls, have the udder. This is a "magical" female organ where life-giving fluid called milk arises. Milk is the white and vital liquid, that is so important for calves (new born babies in general). Milk is a fluid full of energy and vitamins.
2. Cow's horns resemble the crescent Moon - the cow is a spectacular female principle of the universe (cosmos).
3. Cows are submissive / domesticated - in comparison to Bulls; but despite this fact cow's bodies are large and heavy, thus not easy to control and maneuver. Dreaming about a cow may simply remind you about destiny - the presence of the outer world, that's not easy to manage, direct and influence; but don’t forget that it is also the same world that allowed your existence in the first place.

Carlo Dalgas - Black and white cow standing, 1845

Cow in Dream

Cowboy

A cowboy is a literary or movie character from the Wild West. He is a typical symbol of rural american and agricultural worker – a male character opposite to white collar professionals. If you dream about a cowboy, you probably face powerful wild instincts, sincerity, straightforwardness, simple solutions (rodeo, horse riding, cattle herding).

Cow attacking you

If you dream about a cow that is kicking, chasing you or fighting with you it means that fertile and creative powers are endangering your life. Ask the simple question: Why is this otherwise calm and useful animal aggressive now? Have you provoked the cow in any way or you were only placed in front of the wild animal by accident? Your dream probably wants to express your concerns stemming from a person (cow) that is providing you the metaphorical “milk” in waking life (the livelihood in the form of money, material support or any other necessary influence). Now, you have to find out who your dreamy cow really is.

Calf

To dream about a calf or a cow giving birth means that new powerful, beneficial and nourishing tendencies are on the horizon of your life. You are witnessing the process of creation and development of productive forces. Are you helping the cow give birth by yourself? Yet better!

Dead, sick or wounded cow

To see a dead cow in your dream may signal that some beneficial and nourishing tendencies ceased to exist in your waking life. Skull and bones symbolize that it is rather a reminder of an old story (you lost some vital source months or years ago). Dreaming about sick or wounded cows or dreaming about slaughter, points to the same symbolic meaning but the situation is obviously iminent.

Cow drinking water or eating grass

The dream interpretation is easy: even the lifegiving tendency must gain energy from somewhere. It is one of the basic laws of physics. Cow drinking or eating is a symbol of eternal cycle and positive reinforcement.

Herding cows

You have the power and skill to control important vital sources in your life (people, resources …)

Facts about cows

1. Cattle include cows (female) and bulls (male)
2. Cows are useful for us thanks to meat, milk and leather
3. Life expectancy: 18 - 22 years
4. Duration of pregnancy: 283 days
5. Daily amount of sleep: female: 4 hours (adult, cow)
6. Approximate weight: male: 1,100 kg (adult, bull), female: 720 kg (adult, cow)
7. The world record for the heaviest bull was 1,740 kg (3,840 lb)
8. More on Wikipedia

Other inspiring resources about cows

Mythology and fairytales

1. Egyptian goddess Hathor: Mother of the sky; a woman with the horns and ears of a cow - the cow with solar disc between horns; heavenly mother of the Sun, symbol of fertility, wealth and rebirth and a symbol transmitting warmth into mummified bodies.
2. Hinduistic mother of all cows Kamadhenu: In India cows are considered as divine goddesses.
3. Milky way: It's not an accident that the Milky way is around our planet Earth; We are symbolically in the center of the planetary milk produced by a fertilite space cow.

Art

1. The rectangular cows of Art UK (article)
   Cows are an ever-present feature of a lot of the British countryside, and perfect subjects for artists to paint, given they get to stand around at leisure ...
2. Marc Chagall: I and the Village, 1911
   Chagall depicts a fairy tale in which a cow dreams of a milk maid and a man and wife
3. Georgia O'Keeffe: Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue, 1931
4. Damien Hirst: Mother and Child (Divided), 1993
   Cow, calf and formaldehyde solution

• The Private Life Of Cows (Farming Documentary)
  
• Cattle First (Documentary)