My dream started somewhere on the banks in a forest. It was dark because of the many trees but I was not fearful. I realised I as in the 18th or 19th century as I was wearing a maid’s dress with a lot of layers and décolleté. I remember looking down at my dress and thinking “I’m in the 18th or 19th century” and that my dress was slightly worn out and dirty. Suddenly they were selling black people as slaves (like they use to do in Africa at the coast but I was still in the forest) and they had to go straight in the boat/gondola after being sold. I am black myself and I remember that I looked at the whole scene and thought “Don’t worry about it, I have nothing to do with it.” I was not scared or taking back by it. I actually did not really care about what was going on as if it did not apply to me, but did know that I needed to escape.

I got in a gondola in order to escape and than I suddenly remembered that I had to save the babies. I went and got them from somewhere (don’t know where but I suddenly had them) and held all five babies on their hand in one of my hands. I remembered looking at them and thought that it was too dangerous to hold them like that so they changed into dolls. Don’t know if it’s relevant but I held three white and two black babies/dolls in my hand and they were naked. I saw them more as objects than babies. Got in the gondola again which already had other people in it who I did not know. I think they were waiting for me when I went to get the babies.

I was actually the gondolier from the beginning. Maybe that’s why they were waiting for me. We got half way and I realised that there was another gondola with people trying to escape. Don’t know who was in that gondola but they sank. I remember that I felt it my duty to rescue them and I dived in the water without thinking. (In waking live I do want to help everybody) Suddenly I was sitting at the bottom of the lake and the water was black like black ink but not dirty. I remembered thinking, the water is black, there’s no point looking for them and suddenly is was in the gondola again but this time on a river.

Both the lake and the river were calm but the surroundings were dark because of the high and the density of the trees. I managed to escape with everybody and we got to the other side of the bank I think. I did not feel like a hero but more felt like I had accomplished something and felt satisfied. The last thing I remember is that I looked up and saw the sky through high trees with a lot of green leaves on the branches. I could see 50% sky and 50% green leaves.

In overall I was quite happy and content in the dream despite the darkness and dark surroundings. Something is telling me that looking up and the green leaves are an important message as that is the last thing I remember before I woke up. I can sort of figure out most of the dream but I’m very curious to what the changing of the babies into dolls means, the white and black babies and the calm but black water. I still like to get the whole dream explained to see if I got the other bits right as it is a very detailed dream and a lot happened.

Thx

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37; UK

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? No

Elle,
Let me tackle this dream later today when I will have more time. But if you could provide your thoughts to the dream it would be helpful in understanding the dream message.

I am curious about the language 18th or 19th century. Sometimes such language can be looked at as directing you to revisit your past and see what was there. The 18th/19th may be about the ages of 18 or 19. Were there any notable 'dark' experiences in your life during that period of time? You may have to give some real thought to it since it may be covered with 'layers' fabric {unconscious layers that have to be penetrated}. Such experiences may need to 'escape' the deep unconscious realm so to be viewed by the conscious mind.

Jerry

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

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Male

Hi Jerry,

Thx for looking at my dream. Like you I’m curious why I dreamt I was in the 18th or 19th century. As far as I can remember, I did not have notable ‘dark’ experiences around that age. I’ve had a happy life up till about 1½ ago when I got unemployed. I was working in investment banking here in London. Tried to find a job for a while, gave up for about a year and recently started looking again as I know what I want to do. I discovered that I did not like what I working in accountancy but want to have a job where I can use my interpersonal skills. I still want to work in investment banking though so I’ve been looking at internships as I need to start from the bottom again.
But I’m also curious why I dreamt about slavery. I have not really read anything about slavery apart from history at school and what my mum told me which was when I was young. But I remember that in July (looked it up) I read the headlines “Barack Obama's emotional visit to the 'slaves door of no return'” which is in Ghana. So I must have had it from that headline as I can’t even remember reading the article. Also the article refers to the 17th century and the dress I was wearing was from a maid who works in a pub. A similar dress that Cameron Diaz is wearing in “Gangs of New York”. The dress is light coloured by the way, but slightly worn out and slightly dirty.

My thoughts so far on the dream are:
My thoughts about the slavery: (“Don’t worry about it, I have nothing to do with it.”) might be the job that I was doing but did not like. No I have decided that I want to do something else
Going in the gondola with other people I don’t know: I actually could not see there faces, it was just black. Might mean my new job opportunity with the people I’m going to work with. Can’t see there faces as I don’t know them yet, or it might show/confirm that I want to work with people.
The babies/dolls: is/are something(s) that I hold really dear but I don’t know what exactly. Maybe my discovery about the job that I want to do. There was no way I would have left them behind. I had to go and get them. They were part of me or they belonged to me.
The gondola itself and being the gondolier: the gondola is my life and I’m directing it / am in control of it.
Escaping: I escaped my old job / dark period of my life
Green leaves and looking up to the sky: New life and there is hope / I have hope

I’m curious about why the other boat sank and what it represents.
Does sitting on the bottom of the lake means anything? I saw myself sitting on the bottom of the lake while deciding that there was no point saving the other people. I did not feel guilty for not saving them.
What the black ink means. The lake and river were both black ink. When at the bottom of the lake it was a bit diluted and I remember holding some of the water in my hand looking at it and realising that it was too dark to find the other people.
I can’t remember seeing any animals. Does that mean anything.
The dark surroundings did not bother me. Does that mean anything? Like I’m indifferent about something that I should care about.

I dream a lot and most of the time I can figure them out without too much trouble. Things that happened during the day or need to happen the next day, or something that bothers me. But they’ve always been short dreams and I’ve never had recurring dreams. But I know that this dream has an important message and means a lot as it is so detailed and I remember most of it quite vividly even after 3 nights.

Thx

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37; UK

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? No

Elle,
The opening of the dream probably says a lot about what the dream is focusing on. Or at least a major part of the dream. The banks of the forest, a 18the or 19th century setting, that may suggest a transitional phase of your life. In your waking life you are going through such a phase {working in accountancy but want to have a job where I can use my interpersonal skills.}. To do that can be a fearful thing but self confidence over rides that negative aspect. Dreams often address personality traits as well as other representation. The layers of dress could be speaking to the layers of emotions associated with the transition. Even if you have not yet changed jobs the unconscious desire, and the eventual future transition {which I expect would be soon} would be a generator of such a dream about transition.

The slavery could very well be your feelings about working in accountancy and wanting to change. How many people feel they are a 'slave' to their job. Being both black and white probably represent opposites, opposite emotions involving some aspect of your life {in transition}.

Unknown people often represent unknown qualities or aspects about ourselves. They are you in some general if not specific form.
"I was actually the gondolier from the beginning". Again the characters in the dream are parts of you. As the gondolier you have control of the vessel {also you}. The other gondola sank. Perhaps that is the fear the choices you make may 'sink', fear of change. You must rescue yourself from that negative attitude {and also a personality trait-why are you that type person? There are reasons for it}.

The bottom of the lake and the black water are probably directed at deeper self issues, such as your personality type. Dreams often address more than one aspect of the dreamer. That is because often the deeper issues have an affect of decisions/actions in the present day. Letting go of old habits, perhaps these are the people who sank in the other gondola and you see no point in looking for them. You must move on.

If this is a transition thing the dream seems to be saying you are staying calm through the whole ordeal {calm waters-calm emotions}. And in the dream there is an escape. Perhaps this is overcoming some type of barrier, emotional barrier. You are halfway to your destination. The sky could be that destination or even represent the limitless possibilities by being free and no longer a 'slave'.

But what are you really a slave of. Is it the accountancy job, that surely has some relationship. But are there deeper issues ALSO at play. If it is a transition there is usually an affect on all aspects of your life, current experiences having to do with changing jobs/careers as well as deeper personal issues having to do with personality. Again, why are you that type person who needs to help people? Could the dream be addressing that aspect also?

As for the babies/dolls. New things in life are babies. Often new birth is symbolic of new things in the dreamer's life. If it turns into a doll then the new thing is something you can 'playfully' experience. The reality of the new changes you wish for may be harder than you would like but if they become that thing you love playing with, it is not a job but 'bliss'. Wouldn't we all love a 'blissful' job where we enjoyed it for more than just the money?

One last thought. You are at the beginning of a true transitional stage of life. At 37 you are in the beginning years of a mid life transition. The dream could be speaking to the job change in your current waking life as well as this transitional stage of life. The deeper issues of the psyche, personality issues/traits abide in the abyss of the dark unconscious and at mid-life those issues begin to surface, if they have not already {if traumatic enough experiences they may come up and be a force earlier in life}.

Jerry

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

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Male

Jerry,

The other people were all men even though they had no faces. Both in my gondola and the one that sank. Does that mean anything? The masculine in me whatever that may be?

The other gondola sank. That is indeed my fear, not for the choices I make but for falling and rejection. I applied for a few intern/graduate ships but I want both the Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan ones that I applied for and it’s very hard to get in there. It’s even harder after the recession and I did not go to Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or Yale Uni and my age etc. But for some reason I’m confident I’m gonna get both. They are consecutive so that’s why I’m going for both. But the thing I’m afraid for is the numerical and verbal test that I might have to do. I’m not good at timed tests and am afraid that I’m gonna fail as the night before I practiced some online test and my scores were all in the bottom 30%.

The deeper issues at the bottom of the lake might have to do with my boyfriend. He has money and job problems at the moment and I don’t have the mental strength to be there for him as I need to put all my energy in getting the job that I want to do. It might be that he was in the boat that sank although I could not see the faces of the people in either boat. We’re taking time out for ourselves to solve our problems and must admit that I’m very focused on myself at the mo.

I’m indeed calm at the moment and confident as well that I’m doing the right thing but I have to think about it if I’m a slave to something else besides the test.

The reality of the new changes you wish for may be harder than you would like but if they become that thing you love playing with, it is not a job but 'bliss'. You’re spot on with this one. I wish I could just knock on the door and Goldman Sachs would let me in just like that. Goldman Sachs is renowned for holding multiple interviews, average of 6, read that some people had 10. But I know I it will be worth it and I will be doing the job that I am destined to do. Only need to get through the whole process.

Have to think about the mid-life transition as I’ve been too busy thinking about the job change.

Thx a million for your help, greatly appreciated.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37; UK

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? No