I was living at a location (unknown to me) near water and a close friend’s son, his wife and baby daughter came to visit. We warmly greeted each other. The young man said they came to visit so that I could see their daughter and we could have some fun in the water. There was a small kayak-like boat which the three of us were to sue to get to the island about a quarter mile out.

It dawned on me there was not room for the baby and the son said no problem, Mom will keep her. I was unaware are that my friends wife (mother of the son) was with them and I never saw her. We left the house, went out to the beach and the three of us entered the small kayak like boat and I am not certain how we managed to get on the small space but we did. The trip out to the island was peaceful and calm. We arrived on the island and sunned and rested for what seemed like a very long time, the sun felt really great on my body. I am not a sun worshipper or beach person.

We returned and the son asked if I would keep the daughter so he and his wife could go back and be alone for intimacy and I readily agreed. They left and the baby was still asleep and there was no one in the house. She was well fed and well kept so someone had been looking after her. The baby woke up and was a little tentative when I was the face she saw never having seen me before earlier that day for a short period of time. She cuddled upon waking and as she fully awakened she warmed up to me.

I woke up shortly after that…

The following dream occurred later the same night;

I coordinated a run and located water at two places. The run started at a park and then ran through a department within a department store, through the aisle, around customers and back out the door. Everyone was observing us but no one said anything. We (not certain how many people but there was one unknown male staying with me). We ran further through a park and then to a church where a female joined us. We ran into the church and around the communion table and a preacher in the place asked the woman if she was ready to honor the guest minister and she kept going with us back to the outside. I then realized she had on a ministerial robe. We ran back outside and sat on a bench. She sat on one side and the man on the other. She was rubbing her finger again the sides of my face close to my eyes and, while it was irritating to me, I did not say anything to her. She then got up and ran into the church. The guy and I continued our run to the next water/aid stop and could not locate the water. We looked for a bit and kept running as there were other runners look where the female preacher had gone and we said only that she had gone into the church as we were leaving.

The church was closing up so we got some water and kept running. It was a lovely day and we ended up back at the park and I realized I knew that guy I had been running with and we began to talk and reacquaint with each other. He had gained a little weight and said he was glad to be back with me. I woke up.

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Lawrence,
I will 'tackle' your dreams either later today or in the morning. The social dragons are mightily hungry this Monday morning and to properly feed them I must put on my 'social duty' hat and become one of the 'flock'. A lesser role in life but one I must still face for awhile longer.

Jerry

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Lawrence,
I apologize but I will need to put your dream off another day. Spring has sprung early this year work wise and my days begin early. A rainy day tomorrow is forecast so hopefully I will be able to spend the approperiate time with your dreams. I don't wish to give anything less than my best.

Jerry

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Morning Jerry, I understand the demands on a good man and person, great picture by the way! We are definitely holding our own!

Look forward to your interpretation. It is also good to be slowly and deliberately re-visiting The Power of Myth.

Blessings,
Lawrence

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Lawrence,
This first dream seems to be addressing aspects about yourself that are developing in the unconscious {baby} but has yet to develop fully in your conscious life {island would be a symbol of the conscious ego's relationship to the unconscious....Eric Ackroyd}. The reason being, at least partially, because there is not enough room for it in your waking life {not room for the baby}. This is a feminine aspect {baby daughter}. The baby's father, close friend of your son, may have qualities you identify with but could also represent rejected ego/personality aspects {perhaps having to do with the little room you have for it in your life at the moment}. The '3' in the boat may be one less than wholeness {which would be the fourth member, the feminine daughter}. The description of the kayak type boat also indicates not a lot of room for this aspect. And the quarter mile distance {1/4th} may be saying something about wholeness. Not knowing about the mother may note not yet realizing the wisdom of a fully developed feminine psyche {or an important aspect within}. It may also indicate this aspect has been a part of your psyche but since there is little room at this stage in your life it needs revitalization, new birth.

The trip, your waking ego life in the present time, has little space for this aspect. The resting part may be one reason you have yet to utilize this developing/developed aspect. It has been 'rejected', or perhaps more apply put off, because of a need to rest from life {ego life through all its stages}. The sun provides energy for life and this is something the body requires, at this stage in your life.

But you intuitively know there is a need to return and get to know this vital feminine aspect, letting the intimacy in life not only being something physical but also something metaphysical. You have yet fully awoke to this need, or better put reawakened. But as something that is inherently within you, the rest and revitalization for the body has made this inner aspect stronger also. It has not been lost, it has merely been 'incubating'. When you do resurrect this vital inner part of yourself you will be a little 'tentative' about this aspect. You will need to warm up to bringing this aspect back into your life.
End of interpretation.

Although there may be waking life experiences the dream is addressing my sense is the dream is focused on those vital inner aspects that you have taken a 'vacation' from in order to restore the body's life force. Having worked all your life this stage of life may require not only a vacation from 'social duty' but also from the exploration of the inner self. A need to give time for yourself.
Note: I can identify with these emotions. With all of the demands of social duty I at times experienced a need to 'do nothing', including taking time away from my dream work. I believe it is a part of the journey, to become cognizant of the most vital aspects through all aspecst and experiences in life, to find ways to balance all my responsibilities with my creative self as well as with 'taking care of the temple' {time for just being}. Is that not the quest for wholeness we are seeking, a true balance of all aspects?

Second dream
Run, run, run. Is that not what life is about, especially the aspects of the social being? Add to that the spiritual/creative aspects, and the energies that requires. The ultimate desire is to 'honor' that inner minister {relationship with the spiritual/creative SELF} but the ego/personality still requires so much from you {keep going outside}. The minister is feminine {Ah! Ha!} and the robe she wears is 'covering her up'. There is a conflict with the outer self, ego self. Opposites, male vs female, outer vs inner. The demands of the inner self can be irritation to the ego self, as it should be. That vital inner feminine aspect is within the church, is the church. Meanwhile the outer life continues to' run', with the knowledge of that inner feminine.

The inner self has been closed off to some degree and that may be necessary so to reacquaint yourself with your physical body. Perhaps it has been ignored {gained a little weight}. You are attempting to balance all aspects and the realization about the body, could that be what has been neglected? New insights {baby} that you are glad to recognize {from your dreams}.

Summary
For those of us who are consciously engaged in the 'hero journey', it is all about balancing our lives with all the different aspects that make up that life. You and I are at that stage where 'getting away' from the norm is vital, not only the social requirements but also other aspects that may keep us from being the 'whole' person we wish/need to be. And while me may at times need to take a break from the exploration of the 'inner self', returning to that 'world of bliss' is something we will eventually do. It is who we truly are. I sense the first dream is focused on that aspect.
The second dream in one aspect may be more blunt. Attending to the body as the 'fourth' element of being whole, that part that may be lacking. Gained a little weight have we? The body is the temple and not keeping it fit is not keeping it whole. This may be a truth in your life or it may merely be a fear due to all the demands from life.

But the second dream may be saying something similar to the first dream about taking time to revitalize the body for the final stage of the journey ahead. There is always the social aspect with its demands. And the most vital 'inner life' that also requires time and energy {my having to put off interpreting your dreams is something I have had to work with, my desire for that co-opted by the need of the social dragon}. Taking time for self, doing nothing but basking in the sun. My thoughts are of being a little boy, sitting under a tree with no pressures in life what so ever, gazing at nothing, not thinking, just being. To return to that, the fantasies of a little boy {the earliest encounters with the inner self}, no pressures, just being. Completing the circle of life. So few achieve that. It is my goal and if I am correct in 'reading' your life it is also you.

All in all the dreams may also be an account of your life, reflecting on what was and what is. I believe that at this stage of your life, with the 'gnosis' you possess, such dreams are a part of the unconscious process. Looking back and 'seeing', looking inward and 'seeing', the insights are experiences that guide us. Experience is the greatest guide and while most have limited experience, those of us on the journey are fortunate to have greater insights to the realities. What was, what is, what can be but most importantly what should be. Another concept of the four elements of being.

With that I leave you to ponder my words as I take vital time to go to the gym. Taking care of the 'outer temple' is medicine for the whole temple.

Jerry

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Lawrence,
I used this photo partially for symbolic reasons. Holding a black cat, the unconscious feminine {plus the sentimental reasons-this is Sweets, my original cat which grew to NINE before the loss of FOUR in the past year}. And the photo shows a lot of who I am. The casual attire representing the simplicity in life I have come to live.

As for 'deliberately re-visiting The Power of Myth'. That is something I do on occasion and something I have given thought to of doing once more {along with many of the other materials Campbell has provided}. I will need to purchase them on CD since I do spend a lot of time on the road. I did that a lot {with cassettes} in the 90s, this method letting me rewind when ever I did not completely comprehend exactly what Campbell was saying. A lot of his words were 'imprinted' in my psyche and although I have forgotten the exact words I still retain the 'message'. That has been invaluable, understanding the underlying message in my education in Jungian psyche. Opening up to the intuitive senses {I consider myself an 'intuitive Jungian'}.

Jerry

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Evening Jerry,

Your thoughts and responses are on better target than my own, thank you. I can appreciate the simplicity of life and being a young boy again. I probably need a ‘break’ from life but have been fortunate to secure a position that I have desired all my life, one to wake up for the remainder of the hero’s journey! I had a couple of dreams the past few nights that I am uncomfortable putting out there but are clearly following up to these two.

Returning to that ‘world of bliss’ that Campbell articulates so well is a great time to be revisiting the Power of Myth for me. I do need to take time to reflect on the feminine side my male element is critical on the journey at this point. I will keep mindful of the lack of feminine attentiveness at this point.

I believe we are on a very similar journey and if we were to sit down together we could, in all probability, complete some of each other’s sentences. I have not been running out in the woods since a major fall in a trail race on the Appalachian Trail l November 2010. That is a part of my ‘being’ (the metaphysical realization) that is sorely missed. Trail running is a part of my wholeness. While I have taken advantage of the time to care extended for the upper body (and physical therapy for the lower body/leg) I am approaching wholeness again. Not a good mixture as I embark on the new journey which is already proving to be quite fulfilling! I will continue incubating and reflect some more on your interpretation. Thank you for the Blessing,
Lawrence

PS—If you locate where the CDs are available please let me know…

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