Ken W.,
One thing that is fairy obvious from your dreams, and a norm for all dreams, is the reflection of life experiences/issues/conflicts. What is to be determined if is primarily current waking life experiences/issues/conflicts the dream is trying to address or the deeper issues relate to earlier life influences/experiences {dreams do both on some level}. Although an older person's dreams tend to reflect and address earlier life issues and/or foundations of emotional conflicts, your dreams seem to be focused on current emotional stresses. That may be due to the fact you are once again in that position of responsibility, family obligations that are part of young adulthood and not usual during those years of retirement {although there are more and more people who are in this situation}. And of course when such obligations become a source of great stress it takes away from the 'other self', the creative being residing within.

I can emphasis with your position since I am often lamenting about my own situation where 'obligations' to the social dragon are a source of stress.

I appreciate your comments on current life circumstances since due to your age I would normally look for the 'reflection' aspects of your past. At first glance I had a problem reconciling that position. But with the knowledge of current life stress I can see where the dreams are probably 'going'.

First Dream
In dreams the only times a 'image' should be taken as a literal person is when they are a primary relationship or hold special emotional attention in the dreamer's psyche. So your son and grandson would be 'literal' persons in the dream because of the emotional attachment they hold in your life. Of course the dream is about you and your emotions and your son/grandson would be involved in that.

So with this in mind your son attending a workshop would likely represent a 'workshop' position in your mind. He is staying in an 'apartment' within your psyche, one aspect of your total psyche {dormitory}. In your life, the vehicle, your grandson is now an important part of. No being able to find your son's room may be addressing being at that age where there should not remain the obligations you find yourself at your age. Or because there are may be feelings there is not 'room' for all of this in your life. The two guys and gals hijacking your car, you, probably have to do with maternal grandparents or other close relationships that are a 'hassle' in your life. There are likely deeper level associations with all of the images/symbols in the dream but the primary focus would be on current life situations.

Second Dream
Universities are learning places of 'higher education'. Also there is the connection to the 'university hospital'. You are experienced in life but these are 'higher' experiences at an age where life should be different. Shoes are the foundations of your life and the car is you. Those life long foundations you built have been 'lost'. Cellphones are tools of communications and it is likely you feel you have lost communication on many levels, to include the inner voice to your greater self. Because you do not have anyone you can trust that is reliable you lack those resources. This could fit with the inner resources also. The long walk to your grandson's school probably has to do with the emotional toll of his long journey to good health. The large woman, if not related to an actual waking experience, could be the lost communication to the inner self. It has been placed in a crude position, one that does not fit with where it should be.

Third Dream
I sense, beyond the obvious 'disconnection' with your female friend, the dream starts out address in the disconnection with the very important and long relationship with your feminine psyche. You feel a real disconnect to the point you have lost all contact with that vital inner feminine. These 'parts' of the house, again you, can not be found {both levels of your 'feminine' relationships}. The higher aspects, the intellectual/art friends, are an aspect within themselves and as Joseph Campbell would lament, 'you have to put those social obligations away to realize the deeper sense of the muse/higher Self'. The inner aspects are a world within itself, another part of you divorced from the world of social obligation. There are feelings of a lack of success in accessing this vital part of you at this time in your life {and on another level with your long relationship with your female friend}. This is not the house you built over the past 69 years {both inner and outer}. The 'original self' is where you have invested the time and effort to build/realize. The 'room within' you seek can not be accessed, to the point you feel you have lost all familiarity with it. You are on the outside looking in {whereas you should be 'inside' working with the Self trying to make the outside whole}. Outside you are in 'swampy' conditions which affect your foundations {wet shoes}.

There is good news in all this gloom and doom. The last part of your dream, a most important part, tells you there is still access to this inner self. You merely need to live life as if is given to you {controlling what you can and accepting what you can't control} and with courage and staying the path {your hero journey} you will be able once again locate that inner self. This last part also reflects the positive aspect with your grandson, to "see all his progress". And a reflection that you and your son are working well together. These positive outer experiences will help make way to accessing that inner self once again.

A lot going on in your life where the stresses are building but with positive aspects. What can you do other than provide for your son and grandson. Taking life as it comes at you, controlling all that you can control. In times like these I think of the call of the hero journey and what the hero's role is. 'Sacrificing for the other, this is what the hero does.

When it comes to the hero/heroine I think of the sacrifices of my mother in raising four children. In a smaller way I think of the obligations I have taken on managing the family business so my son can better build a life for his family. You are doing the same with your son and grandson. It is not the preferable thing in life but it is what you must do, want to do. I believe we both wish to realize and live that 'greater' life, to do with the inner qualities, the muse, the bliss. But if we don't reach those high standards? I believe the effort pays off in another 'life' after transition from this life. Something like that in Buddhist mythology of reincarnation {I don't dwell on such possibilities since in this life we can not ever know what they will be}. I do believe life is an adventure for the soul with the soul being that energy that gives us life. It is not the destination that matters but the experience. The best we can do in this life is to discover 'those things that make us feel alive". The 'greater' self seeks fulfillment through creativity and spirit. The human self seeks fulfillment in the love of family and relationships. Both are vessels in the hero journey.
Stay strong my friend, stay the path.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 61 Murfreesboro, Tn.

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Thank you Jerry. I have worked these dreams several time and reached similar - but not as detailed - conclusions. Your insights are precious. My son and grandson are on their way to my house to collect me for a day of shooting his rifle, playing together in the desert near by ... so I gotta get ready. I will spend more time with your thoughts on my current dreams and go have some family fun today.

blessings,

ken

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Ken,
Family. That too is the driving force in my life when having to face the 'dragon'. It is great to hear things are going well with your son and grandson. I have found such positive social experiences let me open up to my creative self. I find that is perhaps the greatest dragon that has to be confronted. Experiencing the creative self while having to confront the social dragon. In fact it is what I am doing at this every moment. Interpreting dreams while knowing I have social obligations to be fulfilled. Some days it is not easy because there is so much demand by the dragon. The hero journey is about styaing the path and that path is spiritual and creative. Being spiritual in all aspects of life, being creativ as the 'ASPECT' of life.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 61 Murfreesboro, Tn.

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