Dreaming of a White Alligator

On a family outing, I was just waking, stretching, my love was sleeping next to me, and my Dad and some other family member were already up, sitting outside, discussing the day. I overheard my Dad telling the other man that I was not a very strong swimmer, so he didn't know how much I would appreciate spending the day at a cove by the ocean. As if in immediate defiance, I donned my bathing suit, came out and dove straight into the pool, which was built into a beautiful rock face. I had my eyes open at first, and I was swimming alongside a beautiful female friend, probably Tiffany. I closed my eyes and swam deep, deep. I felt strange things at the bottom but didn't open my eyes until I felt a person next to me again, my husband. He pulled me up to the surface and by the time I opened my eyes, we were deep inside a watery cave. It was dark. It was not frightening. We swam out slowly, and just to our left was a white alligator. It struck me on first instinct to be afraid, but I wasn't. It was not a threatening presence; in fact it was strange and beautiful and rare and a sight to behold. We went back to share it with our family. 

Other portions of my dream included wandering an antique shop full of strange old treasures - many of which were things my mother used to have in our home growing up. I thought "this is were they ended up." I found an old gargoyle from Paris that had belonged to my Dad, which he has been looking for for years; I was so proud to have found it for him again. I found children's books on Poincaré and Descartes with workbooks and color-pencils. I wanted them. 

Another part of my dream included working as an extra on horseback - the set dark thick leather everywhere, we were runs, and between each one, we waited and sat on our horses next to a companion. My companion for a portion of the time was my Grandmother (who would, in real life, never be riding), and very strangely, she told me looked forward to the time when I would let go of my love of riding, and no longer have it anymore. I was extremely upset, offended, sad, and I spoke my piece. I woke up and thought about my life and about what this meant.

But I decided to look up the white alligator, and here are the parts that stood out to me:

"Generally the alligator or crocodile is consistently related to the soul. Spiritually the dream represents a coming together of power and intelligence."
"Dreaming of swimming with an alligator connects us with our need for basic emotional or physical material needs."
"As with many other interpretations of reptiles this dream represents the ultimate feminine wisdom and indistinctly feelings as well as fertility."
 "Independence is important to you and this dream shows that it is time to claim this back."

"All known white alligators are male. Eastern

mythology holds the white beasts to be
symbols of extraordinary good luck."


"To dream of alligators or crocodiles may mean that there is something of great power lurking just below the surface of your unconscious mind."

"Dreaming of alligators or crocodiles may also be messages of deep spiritual initiation. They have existed, relatively unchanged, for over 200 million years, so they are connected to a very ancient, primal, energy. "