The scythe was an ancient symbol for Harvesting gathering in. The Grim Reaper Death is always pictured as carrying a scythe. The saying ?as ye sow, so shall ye reap? can be interpreted as if we do good deeds, then that good will be returned. When we dream of reaping a reward for something we have done, we approve of our own activities. More negatively, a harmful act will return to haunt us. In former times, the whole community took part in the reaping (gathering) of the harvest. This ensured that everybody gained in some way from this activity. Nowadays, to dream of reaping suggests a way of gaining from our activities. Also consult the entries for Harvest and Scythe and also the information on Spiritual Imagery in the Introduction.
Reaping or harvesting something, such as produce or a crop, can represent:
The results of work or effort
The "effect" part of "cause and effect"
The idea of justice, or that you get what you deserve
The idea of karma, or that you get what you "put out there" in life