Pia,
I was critiquing the language from my interpretation when I saw other possibilities to parts of your dream. A few observations you may want to consider. A dream can reveal a lot but ultimately it is the dreamer who has, and have an ability, to discern what fits where.

I won't change any of my thoughts about the possibilities until I get your response.
But I do want to address the other possibilities, deeper possibilities, that may point to the causation of certain behaviors. Dreams often will do that. While the primary focus may be on other emotional issues, they will also address other issues in the deeper psyche, using symbols and motifs that fit whatever level of the emotional self that is affected the most {those emotional issues, big and small, recent and ancient, that need resolution}. If you have a tendency to choose relationships that follow a pattern, those patterns of behavior will present themselves in the dream. If there is an awareness by the dreamer to recognize the pattern{s}, they will know what they are and be able to set a course to resolve whatever is out of balance {as with Jung's 'Indivuation Process', the dream wishes to create balance}. Not only what is stressing you out in your waking life but also those unconscious 'stresses' from unresolved emotional conflicts. The conscious level and the unconscious level.
Amazing how duality is always a part of the equation.

One thing we must always remember about dreams is the 'actions' in a dream are actions related to the dreamer. In the dream the house is you {a constant 'pattern' in dreams}, and so are the 'old people', that are unhealthy. If they are unhealthy, and old, and they are you, then the dream is addressing something old and unhealthy about you. Emotionally. And sometimes physically.

But this part of the dream may be pointing to the deeper issues related to childhood and early formations of the psyche. The term old can be a focus on being 'really old', a long time ago in your life. The term beatnik, if not a recent waking life experience or another personal association, -existed before you were born {the beat years being the 50s and early 60s}.

Early life experiences, the conditions of life you were brought up, from the earliest days of your life {if not in the womb}, those imprinted experiences that possessed emotional energy will shape the early life. Then there is an evolution from there to adulthood, and what was formed 'there' has formed adulthood.

All the new studies show early imprinting on an infant/child's psyche does have affect on adult patterns of behavior. These patterns are available for study in our dreams.

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On the other hand there is he experience of the 'beat poetry'. That may indicate a conscious association, preference, experience or in interest to 'beat poetry'. Have there been an waking interest in or a recent experience with the word or time period?

And the poetry. That could be relating back to the first dream. But on an opposite level. This experience was full of gore, not poetic words that touch the soul. Cursing.
In the language of the beatnik: Anger man. Be angry! Are you hip! Was there much anger during that time with your old boyfriend. Or is there an anger toward yourself, that masculine trait {anger} being dominant or persisting force in your life.

Jerry {meditate][pray}

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

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Pia,
Perhaps we do need to go back to your adolescent years when examining the second dream. How 'old' or far back is this boyfriend in your dream? This dream may be addressing issues related to those teen years, those issues of abandonment that began when you were 15.

And there is the 'haunted' aspect within the dream. Do the experiences of abandonment involve people who are still' living' {'haunted with old.... living people'}? The one year time frame. Does that have any recognizible significance to an experience in your past?

The last statement in the second dream may be saying something about 'buried' emotions which would more likely be addressing the abandonment issues. The mistake of saying 'yes', does that fit somewhere? Could it be you are blaming yourself for something that occurred in the past. Victims often feel responsible for deeds committed toward them. Being 'left alone' often has the victim feeling it was their fault, or a belief they should have done more to prevent the experience? This is a common emotional issue that dreams address and help the dreamer try to resolve.

My experience of being 'left alone'
My father abandonment my mother and 4 children when I was 6 years old. Not only did that early life experience stunt my personal growth but it greatly influenced, albeit unconsciously, many of my actions as a young to mid-life adulthood.

This is a typical pattern the baby boomer as well as the X generations are more and more having to deal with. Most of us have issues of not getting the proper amount, or the right type, of parental love and acceptance. These emotional issues do not go away. Of course some people have more difficulty than others resolving the issues, and many never do. I dare say most people live with them all their lives, never knowing what the underlying influences are or they even exist, or are afraid or unable to confront the them.
But nature has a mechanism to bring these issues to the subconscious mind.... by presenting them in our dreams. The intent is to help resolve the issues by informing the dreamer of the conflicts and sometimes offering possible solutions to the conflicts.

We are rapidly learning just how important early life experiences influence later life and personality. I again reference my post New Study-Our personalities may be set as early as 1st grade. With more experience in working with dreams I am seeing recognizible patterns that point to early life influences as well as personality traits. It does help us understand why Jung always insisted the dreamer 'get back to the dream' when working with patients. He was able to 'decode' the language in the dream that was the dreamer's life.

Do take your time in examining what I have presented. Look 'back' at those years where abandonment began, if not before then where that led up to the experience. See what fits and then spend time on examining them deeper. The more you learn the more you will know about the true experiences and who was responsible and why. You may be able to resolve the issues through self eaxmintion { as I did using Jung's Individuation Process}

Jerry

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

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Thanks, Yes, this year I have gone deep into those places and have identified things that happened in my youth. I "ran away" over and over so I did not have to feel those hard feelings. The part when I knew I was still running away and what it was from, was where the healing began. Seeing that in fact I did act out of survivor mode and thinking it was my fault, continued to hold me back.
It is amazing that the dream is still with me. Having choices now and am seeking the truth.
I will continue to look at your response and take more time to understand

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 47 Pacifica, CA

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

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Pia,
I hope you will continue to look at the possibilities I have provided. If you have other questions, or other dreams you feel important, please post them so we can continue your progress. Self discovery is an act of reflection and when you look 'within' you see so many things the 'outer eyes' were unable to see. Everyone has a past and who we are is primarily found within those past emotional experiences that forms the psyche {all experiences in life are emotional whether they are physical or psychological}. Continue to look at those years where 'running away' were how you lived your life. You will discover so much more than you could ever realize.

You may not know that Pacifica Graduate Institute has important ties to Joseph Campbell. Campbell is my spiritual mentor {by absentia of course since he died in 1987} and was the catalyst for my learning Jungian psyche and my interest in dreams. Myths-Dreams-Symbols would not be if not for my 'chance' encounter with Joseph Campbell some 18 years ago, when I was at the mid point of my mid-life crisis {age 42}. Not only my interest in dreams and the birth and growth of Myths-Dreams-Symbols, but also my own individuation, my path to wholeness.

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