I'm a senior about to graduate from a school far away from home. I'm in a large, empty upstairs room. Framed pictures hang on the walls. Each senior was supposed to embroider the shape of his or her own home state and then add something personal to the picture. I didn't make a picture. It seemed pointless to me. A woman I know in waking life (someone from church) made an elaborate picture of a rock outcropping with an eagle perched on the top.
My mother arrives and is disappointed that I did not embroider my picture. She tries to get me to hurry and make it at the last minute. I start on the black outline of my home state (SC) but I can't get it done in time. Also, my mother wants to see what I am going to wear for graduation. The others have nice outfits. I have to find something to wear. I find a slate blue cotton overblouse with a matching skirt. Very plain. It's not nearly dressy enough.
My mother insists that we get on a small roller coaster. I can hear children screaming on the roller coaster. I worry that it will be scary. I don't like roller coasters, and I know my mother won't either. I decide that I must relax. The roller coaster won't be as bad that way. We get in one of the cars, and the roller coaster starts moving backwards. I don't mind it. It's even enjoyable. This surprises me.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 55 PA

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Harriet,
I will take a better look at your dream either later today or in the morning. A question. What was the relationship like with your mother as a teen? This may be mostly metaphorical language in the dream but may also be addressing issues from your teen years and may have to do with personality traits in the present.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 59 Murfreesboro, Tn

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Hi Jerry,

In answer to your question-- I had a very good relationship with my mother as a teenager. However, until I was 12, I was in a constant battle with her. I spent a lot of time with my mother recently, and I think that may have something to do with the appearance of this dream. Harriett

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Harriet,
Thanks for that added info. It may have a bearing on the dream. I will look at that and other possibilities when I examine the dream further. I have an early start time this morning {social dragon, a thing called work}.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 59 Murfreesboro, Tn

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Harriet,
The unresolved issue at age 12, that has been a subject of thought or discussion in recent days? I sense the dream is revisiting aspects of your relationship with her {your mother}. Very likely part of that being the experiences at age 12. Has that been on your mind? The clothes to be worn {in your dream} may be addressing persona, ego, it may have affected your personality in a profound way more than realized. Especially if it remains unresolved.

Joseph Campbell spoke of such experienecs as having 'numonious' energy, emotional energy so charged that it influences the psyche and is unconsciously if not consciously remembered.
And sometimes influences the psyche, who we become, personality traits, unconscious triggers to behavior patterns

While with your mother, was there conflict on your part to bring up for discussion with her those past experiences? Perhaps you wanted to but refrained to do so for some reason {perhaps to avoid further conflict while with your mother}. Was it that she too did not like/want to recollect/discuss any past emotional conflicts {roller coasters}? Just letting it go {relaxing} may/have been be the best move.

Let me know your thoughts to the above. This dream following closely on the visit with your mother is a very good possibility of being its subject matter. Depending on the context within a dream close relationships very often speak to actual experiences with that person.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 59 Murfreesboro, Tn

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Jerry,

I think you are right about my mother's visit and its relationship with this dream. The big issue between us, at least in my mind, was that I did not look and behave as a girl was supposed to. I grew up in the days when girls had to wear dresses and stay clean. I think that my mother was acting as the guardian of society by insisting that I adhere to its expectations. She sometimes says she regrets this. And yes, this is an issue that almost always comes up when we're together. I've always been in rebellion against the standards set for women's appearance (which are even higher in the South where my mother lives). For instance, a man looks distinguished if he's going gray, but a woman is letting herself go if she doesn't cover the gray! A woman is expected to cover her real face with makeup, but a man's face is just fine as it is. And so I think you're right that this dream does address issues of persona and ego. As in waking life, in the dream my clothes are not dressy enough. I haven't done what I was expected to do to fit in with the others, yet I'm still graduating, so I must have done what was required. I think you made a good point about the roller coaster. On a roller coaster, you have to surrender control and allow yourself to be taken wherever the roller coaster is going. And in addition, on this roller coaster, we were going backwards. I couldn't see where I was headed.

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Harriet,
If it fits, well that is best way to verify if a dreams has been interpreted properly. And if it feels right, that too is a good indication you have solved the puzzle.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 59 Murfreesboro, Tn

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