In this type of dream, you may find yourself rushing around the house, desperately locking all the windows and doors in an effort to keep out somebody – or something. Sometimes the dream means that you feel you don’t have enough personal space in your waking life. Somebody may be getting too close for comfort or being overly possessive and the dream is encouraging you to be more assertive in respect of your needs.

More often, though, the intruder represents an aspect of your own personality that you have repressed, consciously or otherwise. Perhaps you are secretly afraid of the consequences of revealing this side of yourself. If so, you may find it helpful to ask yourself who it is that you are protecting. Are you worried about the consequences of allowing yourself to show your real feelings? Are you reluctant to disturb the image others have of you in case they disapprove? Or are you simply unwilling to explore new possibilities, preferring to maintain the comfort of the status quo?