I typically don't have very vivid dreams. In fact, I hardly remember most of them. But last night was different. I've looked around the internet at possible ideas/meanings/themes and I'm still a bit confused and would love some input.

the dream:
I remember being in a subway tunnel with a bunch of people. We were all sitting on the platform, I assume we were waiting for the train. There were stores lining the platform and most of them were closed. In fact only one store was open. An Indian guy ran it (not native american). I went into the store to buy a pack of cigarettes only to realize I don't smoke anymore. The I went to sit in the tunnel. The tunnel started to flood. But not the whole tunnel, just the opening where the tracks were. It was like a river. At first it was nothing, but then I noticed dead bodies floating in the river and getting caught on debris. For some reason, I kept referring to them as Ethiopians. Then an old man, I think he was a professor, he told me that the storm was coming and there was a chance the whole tunnel would be flooded. But he said it super nonchalantly. I was starting to go into panic mode and I asked him what I should do if it starts to flood and he told me to crouch down and try to hold onto a pillar. but there were people already around the pillar. i thought it would be best if we went into the indian guy's store. But the store was already closed. I decided to go in anyway. No one was in there, so I decided to help myself to candy. And the candy was so good, so i took more of it. It was Starburst. I went out to the platform and offered it to people and my pockets were bulging with candy. And then we waited for the flood. The dream then jumped to me visiting my old college town. I was with a group of people from the tunnel and I still had the candy in my pockets and I told them, "dont worry, I know my way around here"

And that's all I remember.
The things that stand out the most are:
-the flood: the water was dirty adn it happened so fast. I remember waiting for the big flood, the one that would flood the whole tunnel, but it never came. But the waiting. I remember waiting.
-the dead Ethiopians: they were super skinny and skeleton like, but they had the darkest skin. You couldn't see their faces, only parts of them bumping along the sides and getting stuck in the debris
-the tunnel itself was subway like and it had that cold tile feeling to it.
-stealing the candy. i knew it was wrong to steal the candy but i didnt care. not only did i steal it, but i stole tons of it and gorged on it.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 27 Atlanta

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

Winnie,

The dream seems to be addressing a great 'flood of emotions' within your life. The subway is a symbol for 'going to the depths of the psyche', your psychology, where unresolved emotional issues are kept, awaiting your conscious attention. The tunnel is pathway to the conscious self leading to a conscious attention and understanding so you can begin to resolve the emotional issues. Because they are 'within the depths' it may be your have repressed, ignored or forgotten the disturbing experiences that brought about the emotional conflict to begin with. Your dream does point to an 'oncoming' storm which suggests there is a good chance of a 'flood of emotions'. Look at your life, present and past and determine what those emotional aspects might be. I would think they are already an issue in your life since the dream is so strongly 'emotional' in its language. The closed stores may suggest you are repressing certain emotional aspects {because of the pain and conflict associated with the experiences}. The 'dead bodies' would represent dead aspects within yourself, dead in that you no longer are able to function as you should because of these emotional issues. The 'Ethiopians' would also be unconscious aspects {dark skinned or black which is a symbol for the unconscious}.

The old man would be a wisdom aspect, a masculine aspect which may suggest an aspect you need to utilize to understand and confront these emotional conflicts {masculine aspects such as courage and discipline}. But he could also, as being a masculine aspect, represent 'holding onto' certain 'pillars' that let you withstand the emotional impact, ignoring what needs to be confronted. You are trying to escape these emotions.

Then there is the candy. This could be the 'pillars of strenght' I mentioned above. It may represent a 'substitute' in your waking life that you use to replace or 'cover-up' the conflicting emotions. This could be real candy such as 'sweets', chocolate, sugary food. Or it could be a metaphor for something you indulge in that substitutes the pain of the emotional conflicts. And the 'candy' could also be a part of the emotional conflicts, adding to the original painful experiences because you lack the 'courage and discipline' to stop the indulgence. Even so, there would be deeper issues that cause the need for such a substitution. That may be what the dream is really addressing, those deeper issues.

What deep emotional conflicts are there in your life? I would think you are aware to some extent to what they are but may be repressing parts of the original experiences because they are so painful. And it could be they do cause you to seek out substitutes to help alleviate the pain. But that may only add to the conflicts. These are deep issues and if not resolved could cause a 'flood of emotions' that could be debilitating.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 60 Murfreesboro, Tn

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes