A while back I wrote about a dream in which my dream ego was determined to kill some weeds. I couldn’t tell if this was a good thing or not. It was the words killer and poison that got to me. I was used to thinking of killing as wrong, so how should I decode this perplexing message? This is an important question that needs to be asked. You can’t just go around willy-nilly believing everything your ego wants to believe about your dreams. Most egos are deluded; some dangerously so. So here are some things to consider when working with your dreams.
First, look at the symbols. Everything in a dream has meaning for you: objects, words, people, colors, sounds, animals, trees,shapes, the setting, weather, who’s driving the car, who’s walking. Even the absence of something you would expect to be present means something.
Symbols have three levels of meaning: archetypal (the universal meaning expressed in myths and fairy tales throughout the world); cultural (the meanings your family and society assign to them); and personal (your own likes, dislikes, and personal history). Consult a good symbol book for archetypal meanings. Look for cultural clues in the films, books, plays, art, television shows and music you grew up with. I understood the meaning of the weeds when I realized my culture sees weeds as undesirable and I usually do too. They must have represented something about myself I didn’t like.
People and animals show you aspects of yourself. How or when are you like that admired teacher or controlling relative? What part of you is a wounded puppy, soaring eagle, Nazi guard, wise elder, vampire, priest, intense perfectionist, helpful taxi driver, seducer/seductress, artist, singer, lonely child?
Emotions in dreams are very important clues to your unconscious emotions. What is your dream ego feeling? Is it hurt, angry, happy, worried, embarrassed, self-pitying? What event in your dream instigated this feeling? When was the last time you felt like this in waking life?
Dream events are usually metaphors about the way you’re living. Running from something suggests you’re trying to escape an aspect of yourself. A fear? A disowned quality? If your car runs out of gas or you’re frantically trying to find food for your guests, in what ways are you depleting your energy? If you’re trying to find a clean bathroom to use in private, what inner feelings are you trying to find an appropriate outlet for? If you’re mortified to discover yourself naked in public, when in waking life did you recently expose the “naked” truth about yourself? If you’re enjoying levitating or flying, what’s making you feel so wonderful, light and “high?”
Finally, consider what’s been happening in your life and look for connections with the dream’s feelings and imagery. Then wait for an internal “Aha!” It may not come, but if it does, you know you’ve hit pay dirt, regardless of what your ego or anyone else thinks. You may not always be able to trust your ego, but you can trust the wisdom of Sophia. She speaks to us still, across the ages, from out of the depths. Hear her timeless words from the Wisdom book of Ecclesiastes:
“To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven; A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal.”
0 Responses
I so enjoy reading your blog. It inspires me and makes me think
thank you for your wise words.
Dearest Joan,
I’m so glad you find inspiration in my words. I really love hearing from you. You’ve always been such an affirming voice for me.
Much love,
Jeanie
jeanie, this post is a true treasure house of jewel-information! it’s so wonderful to have your stereophonic voice singing right-brain left-brain harmonies in my ears…..all the very best, william
William,
I always look forward to your responses, not just because they’re so thoughtful and deeply wise, but because you are an extraordinary writer. Reading your comments is like reading good poetry; they always evoke an emotional response. This one makes me smile with pleasure. I love the idea of having a stereophonic voice!! Thank you for your gift of beautiful words.
Many blessings,
Jeanie
Dear Jeanie, I have been following your blog for a while now, and always found a beautiful face of truth smiling through your words. Awakening is a process that wisdow must support, gradually we all return to the dream of one. I thank you for your insights and timeless wisdom and more important, your love and compassionate heart. Many blessing Serena
Dear Serena,
What a beautiful name you have! Thank you so much for writing, and for your very kind and welcome words. I cannot adequately express how much joy I find in connecting with like-minded souls through this blog. I especially enjoyed your phrase, “…gradually we all return to the dream of one.” What an affirming thought. I do hope you will continue to write and share your insights about the topics I discuss here. And I see you have a blog at http://www.serenadevi.wordpress.com. I look forward to visiting it and learning from the wisdom, love, and compassion that shine so clearly in your comment to me.
Many blessings to you too,
Jeanie
Dear Jeanie,
Truly, symbols have many different levels of meaning, and you are a skilled guide on how to look at some of the more important ways to turn the symbol around for a further look into its meaning! A good way to access other levels that I’ve found is to paint the dream from various symbol’s perspectives or create a poem, or play Devil’s Advocate to side-step Ego’s desire to jump to a quick interpretation. Another thing I like to do is take all the symbols in the dream and journal something like, “So, the bridge part of me…or the window part of me…or the sidewalk part of me…would like to do so and so it would seem from looking at this dream…” Taking the perspective of the inanimate really draws me out of my ego and helps me to see what Metaphor wants me to see.
One more thing…I am smiling at the synchronicity that happened to me earlier this week and the ending quote to your post from Ecclesiastes (I did not read your post until today). I’ve been rather blue this week…coming up on the anniversary of Harold’s death…and was wondering why he had to die so young when the CD I was listening to came to the song “For Everything There is a Season” and turned my thoughts to a higher perspective, allowing me to be a peace with what “is” without needing to change a thing.
Have a blessed week-end ~
Jenna
Dear Jenna,
Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions about how to work with symbols. They’re excellent ways to “side-step Ego’s desire to jump to a quick interpretation” as you so aptly express it. Others involve using your body to act out events or emotions in the dream, or become the symbol, or conduct a personal ritual using a waking-life image of the symbol, etc. The body is an excellent conduit into the unconscious dream world.
These synchronicities are marvelous, aren’t they? On-going proof of how much the Beloved loves you.
I so appreciate your many wise contributions to this blog.
Much love, Jeanie
PS ~ Actually, the song is called “Turn, Turn, Turn” by the Byrds…I was listening to a compilation CD titled “Flower Power.”