Analyzing Dreams and Uncovering the Subconscious Mind : Analyzing Dreams and Uncovering the Subconsc

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi Shoshin, I am going to make two comments on this post. The first one is please don't worry about the content of your dreams here.

Second, this is a group that one joins only if it interests them. If some one doesn't like dreams and the content then they probably shouldn't be in here. I realize that dreams scare a lot of people and I was glad that I could start this group so I didn't trigger others out in open forum.

I don't see anything disturbing in this dream at all. If anyone wants to see disturbing they should read a few of my dreams LOL.

Trauma dreams are very scary to people but I'm used to it and it doesn't bother me unless I think the person is in a bad emotional state. However, dream images themselves don't bother me one bit.

I will read your dream in a separate post.

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi Shoshin,

Thanks for the background information it helps to know what was going on in the past 24-48 hours of a dream because that is usually what the nature of the dream will be about. Not in all cases but in most.

First I want to point out that animal dreams are very interesting and they always represent the dreamer (you) I like that you are a bull in this dream. It shows how strong you are and most likely stubborn LOL

Houses represent our psyche. So if you’re feeling like a guest, then you’re not feeling at home with yourself and a bit of uneasiness. (Most likely from the incident you described at work)

This family is a representation of your personality. So you are wealthy with many gifts. Not necessarily monetary but more on a level of resourcefulness and creativity. However, these gifts are on a subconscious level (second story of home) but they are about to come into consciousness due to walking onto the balcony (this is a glimpse of what you are capable of if you pay attention to yourself and how important you are). This scene of the night is an excellent point in showing how much you have to offer. Stars represent hope and dreams, flowers represent beauty and growth, and warm air is the ability to create comfort for yourself.

IMO The bull ring would represent (your space) it’s where you do your work or enjoy entertainment so maybe you feel alone at the moment, but very capable to take care of yourself.

Generally speaking black would represent your shadow so this bull aspect of your personality may be unknown to you? You will have to figure this out because I know that some bulls can be black.

Whenever I see the word “South” I can almost assure you it is a pun on words (See Morgan’s dream below) “Things go South” is an idiom, and that is why the tight feeling is coming into your stomach, which is where our emotions usually reside most.

The car of drunken teenagers could be a representation of how you might have acted when you were a teen? Also, it could represent the irresponsibility of the girl who tried to commit suicide causing you stress.

Gasoline in a bottle is anger bottled up. Maybe you felt like exploding over what happened or just in general. This anger was tossed into your space for you to deal with and “It’s a bunch of bull” as you might have felt at the time.

The bull being on fire could represent you being in a hot situation and you had to think quickly to put the flames out so you could deal with the circumstances properly.

Facing the bull and the fear within you is definitely a characteristic of A bull. They “Stand their ground” and are not afraid of challenges.

The fire starting on the sand seems to speak of dry emotions where there is not a lot of moisture and crying. Most of the emotional baggage comes out in anger or is internalized.

The part where the bull is going to charge you and misses would indicate you took care of your anger and dealt with the situation. You have compassion for yourself and for other humans. Hands represent how we reach out to others and you reached out and rid yourself of the harm and anger by swatting at the fire until it was gone.

IMO from start to finish this dream speaks of your personality. I could be wrong and you can correct me. But you are a very strong individual, with excellent qualities (that you don’t see in yourself) *black bull* You might want to google what your "shadow" is if you don't know. It's a term that Carl Jung uses for our repressed personality traits or instincts

You’re able to handle difficult ‘outside’ situations and deal with your own inner struggles. This is a great dream and a wonderful insight to who you are.

 

[Shoshin]

Wow, that is very thought provoking. Thanks for your thoughtfulness and attention to detail. I have a lot to reflect on, thanks to your post. While I am skeptical of the notion of archetypes in the Jungian sense, I can see how the pieces fit together to a large extent with my personality and experience. Your analysis is insightful. I do consider myself good at handling situations and taking care of others, especially in emergencies, but I am reluctant to recognize strengths and other positive attributes in myself. I will be rereading your post several times. Again, thanks so much for the interpretation.

 

[spiritofnow]

Okay, when I finally got to sleep this morning I had this dream. The details are a bit scratchy so bare with me.

I will follow Shoshins lead and fill in some background info.
I had a difficult day yesterday. I outed a strong visual memory that always seems to be hanging around in my conscious reality. Hence, my bad night!

The dream

People were running through the streets and fleeing something? Everyone was looking for a place to stay, a safe haven.

The streets were distinctly different from those in my waking life, it was as though it was a community that lived within a boundary wall. Rather like a castle and its protective walls. I could not see the castle it just felt like this kind of environment.

I can remember being inside one house but not feeling safe there! Eventually, I was in this large house. I knew that none of the houses that were here belonged to me. I just had to find one that was right for me.
The house had a very long straight narrow pathway before you reached the entrance door. Once in the house it was as if there was a small city within it. There were famous people there. I remember having a conversation with Johnny Depp ( how lucky am I :-)).

Anyway, it seems that I was here to protect the house/city and all of its inhabitants. I was telling everyone to turn off the lights in the house otherwise those outside would try to come in. I was frantically running around and turning off every light. I felt responsoble for all those within the house.

The people outside found out we were in there. They kept coming through the pathway door that lead to the main door. I can remember holding the pathway door closed at one point to stop them gaining access to the main door. I could not look at their faces as I felt so bad that I could not help them. I knew that if I let them in our safety would be compromised. Also, everyone that was running outside were wearing suits. One person, can't remember if it was male or female, had a cream/cappuccino coloured suit on. I can remember this image vividly.

I did eventually let people in, I let as many as I physically could, just enough so that the people within the house would still be okay.

Once I had let the maximum amount of people in I secured all the doors and walked around the house/city.

There was a door that lead to the ocean. I knew I wanted to get across the ocean. However, there was not a boat. It felt like I could see across the ocean and what was on the other side. I knew that what I could see was what I wanted, but I could just not get accross.

Johnny Depp and myself tried to plan how to do it! We thought about constructing a bridge. There had been a bridge but it had collapsed and its ruins lay erect but broken above the ocean. It was sunny!

The end!

Spirit x

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi Spirit, I put my comments beneath your paragraphs in the dream.
**I’m going to take a different approach to this dream so you can see how I come to my conclusions.

People were running through the streets and fleeing something? Everyone was looking for a place to stay, a safe haven.

**The thing people are fleeing from represents you fleeing from your memory. Looking for a safe place from the memories of trauma is common.

The streets were distinctly different from those in my waking life, it was as though it was a community that lived within a boundary wall. Rather like a castle and its protective walls. I could not see the castle it just felt like this kind of environment.

**Castles tend to keep the occupants in and intruders out. You’re stuck inside your head and scared to let others in (trust issues) Also, you don’t fully trust yourself with this memory.

I can remember being inside one house but not feeling safe there! Eventually, I was in this large house. I knew that none of the houses that were here belonged to me. I just had to find one that was right for me.
The house had a very long straight narrow pathway before you reached the entrance door. Once in the house it was as if there was a small city within it. There were famous people there. I remember having a conversation with Johnny Depp ( how lucky am I :-)).

**Houses represent our psyche. If you were not feeling safe it’s because your trauma memory caused this. Not having your own house would mean that you feel uneasy within yourself. But you already stated you had a bad thought following you around and you outed it.

Anyway, it seems that I was here to protect the house/city and all of its inhabitants. I was telling everyone to turn off the lights in the house otherwise those outside would try to come in. I was frantically running around and turning off every light. I felt responsoble for all those within the house.

**You feel the need to protect yourself by keeping others and the memory at bay. (Trust issues) Turning the lights off would mean you want to stay in the dark about this memory (not face it or see it) so that is why you ran around and turn the lights off. All the people in the house are representations of your personality unless you recognize them in real life. In that case that person is a projection of SOME of your characteristics.


The people outside found out we were in there. They kept coming through the pathway door that lead to the main door. I can remember holding the pathway door closed at one point to stop them gaining access to the main door. I could not look at their faces as I felt so bad that I could not help them. I knew that if I let them in our safety would be compromised. Also, everyone that was running outside were wearing suits. One person, can't remember if it was male or female, had a cream/cappuccino colored suit on. I can remember this image vividly.

**The people outside is characteristics of you but they have your memory with them, and they (a part of you demands that you face the memory), which you did. Not wanting to look at their faces would mean you don’t want to remember because your safety would be compromised. This means that you don’t feel safe facing that memory. (Most of us don’t)
The suit/uniform could represent conformity or maybe your abuser wore similar clothing? Or you wore similar clothing when the abuse/memory took place


I did eventually let people in, I let as many as I physically could, just enough so that the people within the house would still be okay.

**You let the memory in. Only as much of it as you felt was possible.

Once I had let the maximum amount of people in I secured all the doors and walked around the house/city.

**Ahh, back to the trust issues again. You let some in, but your retreating back to ignoring it. That’s OK these things do take time.

There was a door that lead to the ocean. I knew I wanted to get across the ocean. However, there was not a boat. It felt like I could see across the ocean and what was on the other side. I knew that what I could see was what I wanted, but I could just not get accross.

**The door is a passage you can take to relieve yourself of these emotions. (Crying) Water usually represents emotions and in some cases it represents “the mother” It appears you don’t want to feel the emotions and there was no way you were going to jump into the water and let yourself feel it. You could have tried to swim across to get what it was that you wanted, but you want an easier way like a bridge or a boat. I feel you will have to take the hard way and jump straight into that water and you will make it to what it is you want on the other side. It will just take some time to get there.

Johnny Depp and myself tried to plan how to do it! We thought about constructing a bridge. There had been a bridge but it had collapsed and its ruins lay erect but broken above the ocean. It was sunny!

**The bridge is you. You feel your ruined and broken by the memory you have.

**You did let the memory in? But you didn't let yourself feel all of the emotions connected to it, so that is why it came out in the dream. Even if you did let yourself feel the emotions there still may be a chance that you would have had a dream like this anyway.

Good job in giving in and letting out the memory! The dreams will calm down after you do this enough times.

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Hi Shoshin,
I want to add a couple of comments to your comments LOL

"I do consider myself *good at handling situations and taking care of others, especially in emergencies*, but I am reluctant to recognize strengths and other positive attributes in myself"

You recognize this great quality so you do have the ability to see good things in yourself. Most trauma survivors have low self esteem and have a hard time seeing good qualities in themselves.

That is why I figured the bull was an aspect of your shadow. You don't recognize the good in you (the good qualities I pointed out) because they are on a subconscious level.

I think the dream was a great dream even if it bothered you. I see a lot of positive qualities in you through this dream.

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Wow, check this out. How to overcome being a victim and becoming a survivor. Use all resources that we have, but don't over indulge. It's all about maintaining balance in our life.
Click here

http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs13/f/2007/077/2/e/Animator_vs__Animation_by_alanbecker.swf

 

[spiritofnow]

Thank you so much Seeking Nirvana.
I was afraid to post at first in case my dream revealed that I am a bad person.

The main premis of what you outlined (TRUST), makes perfect sense to me! So much to say really! I will come back!

You are a very thoughtful and caring person.
Thank you!
Spirit x

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Your welcome spirit, I hope this helped ease your mind. There is good and bad in everyone so don't let your dreams scare you. We do not dream for the purpose to scare us and make us look bad, but to enlighten us so we can correct mistakes and not repeat mistakes.

Take care
Tammy

 

[spiritofnow]

Hey Tammy,
I hope that it is okay that I come to you again? I don't want to seem like a am monoplizing your time?

This dream is from last night. It is very different from what I usually dream. Water again though! I am not going to fill in too much detail (well, I will try my best). I feel it is significant, the dream?

On a wooden ship, like a pirate ship but not! There are friends on there with me from high school, people who I have not seen since I left. There is an uneasy feeling of competition, not sure what the competition is about just a feeling! Arrr, perhaps the feeling is over a particluar male. I think the male in question is someone from my past, not sure? I sense I know him, there is some historty between us but it has faded. This male is being overly friendly with some of my old friends from school and there are famous people here (again) they are also paying an interest in him. I feel I am just in the background.

I feel hurt and confused! Why would he behave like that in front of me?

There is a lot of moving around on the ship, moving people, moving furniture. The boat is anchored in the middle of the ocean, the water is calm and the boat is still.

People are drinking alcohol, they are getting drunk, I am not! Lots of peole leave.

There is just myself and two girls and a faceless male left on the boat. Myself and the male need to go somewhere to get something, essential supplies I believe. We have to leave the boat.

We jump into this rather large leather bucket (soft leather) and jump into the water. The leather vessel sinks and we are in the water. I feel a little afraid and panicky, but then I remember to swim. I am okay, I am swimming.

All of this fades and I am under the water and swimming above me there are four whales, a family. They swim down to where I am and we observe each other. One of the whales opens their mouth and I swim inside, I am swimming further and further away from the light, 'oh no how will I get out'! I know the whale does not want me inside of it, it does not want to eat me. The whale is letting me explore inside of him. I look up and I see a a distant light. There is a rush of water and I am lifted outside of the whale through its blow hole.

Back on the surface and swimming over to the boat. Back on the boat! Two girls, me and the guy. Competition feeling again. One of the girls wants to hurt me and get me. She is on the water in a small wooden rowing boat. She is saying hutful things to me as she gets closer to the boat that I am on. I know I have to protect myself. If I let her get the better of me I will be in trouble.

This is where I feel disturbed in the dream....
I dive into the water, a very strong dive ( I am a very strong swimmer and used to love to dive, it reminds me of this) a jump high into the air and arch my back, head down and dive depply under. She is under waiting for me. We wrestle, she is trying to drag me down deep, I know I will not have enough oxygen to go that deep and be able to re-surface.

I have to stop her! I grab a hold of her and almost throw her into a box which is embedded in the rocks (still under the water) she is struggling to break free. I am pushing her in the box, I can just see her hair floating outside of the box. I grab her out and kick as hard as I can to get us both back to the surface. I rest her on the boat, she is lifeless, like a rag doll. She is alive and I am grateful for that. I speak to her and tell her why I had to do it. I know she will leave me alone now but I feel guilty for scaring her.

I wake up suddenly at this part, bolt upright in bed!

Thats it! I hope you can make sense of it?

Thanks Tammy!

 

[TLight]

Wow Spirit,
Was that girl a part of you perhaps? Don't know much about dream analysis, but that's what came up for me.

Are you in the process of trying to kill the past and embrace it at the same time? The struggle and the water, angst and cleansing, the whale 'letting you explore' the horrors of your insides..........
Just some ideas.

 

[TLight]

Here's one, any help with it is appreciated.

Short really, not much to it, but disturbing none-the-less.

I have nipple-like growths all over the left side of my torso. Some are peeling skin, scabs, they are protruding out about an inch. Tons of the things, from my armpit to the top of my hips, some on my abdomen too.

I'm showing them to various people, people just wandering by really. I think we are out on a street. I'm asking them, what the heck are these. I'm peelin them with my fingers, the skin flaps are all over the place. They aren't like warts, more like nipples I think.

Really strange..........