Hi Jerry,
Thank you for your warm welcome and the thought and time you have put into the interpretation of my dreams. Much of what you have said rings very true, and has given me a lot to think about.

A little more background on myself might be useful– brought up in the West but from a traditional Muslim family, always the rebel from a young age, rejected traditional religion in my teens, yet ended up marrying (twice!) Muslim men who, although very westernized or “liberal minded” and not religious like my family, they were old school patriarchal type marriages. One son and one daughter. My son was a very tough pregnancy and I was only 19.

Ideologically I am a sufi and live a life dedicated to my passions and have broken many rules! I have started studying Jung recently (which led me to your website) and interestingly dream interpretation is a key element of Sufism and very much based on the concepts I find in my study of Jung! The concept that the “psyche is to be transformed when on a spiritual journey” is very consistent with my beliefs and thank you for clarifying that for me! I appreciate your comments and quotes that helped me make sense of it in my own head ☺

First thought. “Separation from outer accepted principles’ has led to a rich and fulfilling inner journey and I have found much peace and fulfillment, but the “outer” is difficult for me to integrate in my life at this point. Two reasons – I find my outer society at complete odds with my belief systems and feel judged, and even though I really appreciate those who are accepting, its sometimes hard for me to connect. And yet there is a cultural affinity hence Sufism I suppose. Could you elaborate on your comment “to apply these influences metaphorically instead of physically”? Orthodoxy scares and repels me!

Also, on the electricity surge in dream 2. Could this be a cultural symbol, as in Karachi there is massive electricity problem with load shedding and frequent fluctuation and surges? Would this affect the meaning?

The second thought that came up was about your comments on the evolving nature of male aspects and how these may “no longer be of help”. In my outer world I have had a colorful history of relationships to say the least. I am not sure how this mirrors my inner aspects, and how to identify/integrate the masculine aspects that would be of help..(is this something that would further my journey?).

I don’t know if I’ve asked too many questions but am so fascinated to discover this avenue for further growth. I really would appreciate further guidance!

Lulu (means “pearl” in Arabic :))

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 45-london/karachi (commuter)

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Lulu,
We can see why your dream had images of patriarchal influence and also the images of the 'social dragon'. Even though you were brought up in the West escaping the dominance of patriarchy is difficult since all three great Western religions share the concept of masculine dominance. Very difficult on the 'feminine species' and the feminine psyche. But thanks to your strong will you are becoming your own master, not with the outer world but more importantly the inner. What flows from the inner self is reflected on the outer when the soul is given the power to rule.

Not many 'Westerners' are familiar with the Sufi religion. Much like the Christian mystical concepts of Gnosticism and Kabbalah of Judaism, Sufism has a focus on the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. But there remains that patriarchal rule even though the approach is on the inner self. Your religion with its focus on the inner self probably has a lot to do with your disengagement from the religious and social norms expected of women in the West. Just thinking different is breaking the golden rule of patriarchy.

Note: It has always been
difficult for me to the opposite 'personalities of Jesus and God in the Christian myth. Whereas God, in all Western religions, is a masculine figure prone to temper tantrums, vengeance and old fashion punishment, Jesus is the direct opposite, living from the feminine psyche of love, compassion, giving of himself without boundaries. Gnosticism helped me reconcile these differences. I now WWJD and do not worry myself about God. And for reference WWJD is the equivalent of WWBD, what would the Buddha do. When on lives a life as Jesus would live life, WWJD, they have achieved Buddha consciousness, that higher level of consciousness that is centered in the feminine psyche.

I digress. As to your question “to apply these influences metaphorically instead of physically”? My frequent response to that question is Jesus on the cross, his death and resurrection. When this is taken literally there is much confusion as whether such a thing could happen/did happen. But metaphorically when applied to the individual life it has meaning. It is what must happen to the person in their spiritual life, death to the ego centered/material worth life and a resurrection to a life that is centered on the spiritual. This concept can be applied in many aspects of the life. At mid-life there is a 'death and resurrection' of sorts. You leave a world of looking forward; family, career, thinking about what tomorrow will bring. You enter that stage of mid-life where the focus is on the past, reflection, contemplating what could have been/ what should have been {this is why I request the age of the dreamer because such knowledge let's me know the focus of the dreamer due to the stage of life they are at}.

As for the cultural influence of the 'electrical surge' in your second dream that may reflect massive electricity problem in Karachi. Yes, every dream has a focus on two aspects of the life, the inner and the outer. The dream uses the same symbols to address the 'conflicts' in the dreamer's life. Having to deal with such outages presents an emotional conflict and whether the conflict is from the outer world or the inner the dream is trying to help the dreamer resolve the emotional 'surge' that is in conflict. The primary task is to discern which is most of a conflict. {we in the US go bananas when we lose power just for a few hours. Talk about being spoiled}.

As to your 'colorful history of relationships', that is something that most likely has its foundations in childhood. {like you I also had a 'colorful history in relationships', to say the least, and the foundations for what was a non-relationship with a father who was never there. I have been married three times to three wonderful women yet could not fill the void, I ran away when the going got tough. That has been remedied through my own 'Individuation'}. There is a tendency to look for 'replacements' in later life for what was not provided in childhood. Looking for love in all the wrong places is a common theme for such foundations. Jungian psychology can provide a path to understanding the reasons for who we are and the actions we take in later life. Dreams are one tool for doing this. Being a stronger person in your endeavor to find your true spiritual self, that would require a stronger masculine self, especially in a world where the masculine is the unquestioned authority.

You stated in your response the Sufi religion uses dreams as a part of its spiritual concepts. This will help you understand Jungian psyche {which you noted as something you have already begun to study}. Dreams are fascinating and with Jung providing a road map to understanding the language of dreams, symbol and metaphor, we can understand what the dream is trying to convey to the dreamer as well what is within the unconscious. The dream is a direct link to the unconscious and no matter how 'deep' the contents they will be revealed at some time in the dreamer's life. Mid-life is often when these contents begin to 'resurface'.

Let's not forget the message in your second dream. The flower has 'tiny' blossoms. That is followed by the statement 'about being reluctant'. Finding ways to overcome that reluctance, in the inner self as well as the outer world, is the path you must take. This is the heroine deed you must perform to find wholeness. The flower is delicate and you must appreciate who you are, your strengths and your weaknesses. Learning to live with the society but with the intent to live the spiritual life that fits who you are, that is the task, the dragon, that has to be overcome. I think you are up to the task.

Jerry

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

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Jerry,
Thank you. i look forward to learning more and the next interesting discussion with you.
Lulu

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 45-london/karachi (commuter)

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Lulu,
I too look forward to future discussions. Your spiritual path is something different from the norm I experience at the Dream Forum, as well as in life in general. I am very familiar with the 'mystical' religions since it was a subject Joseph Campbell often mentioned in his books and lectures. I like to tell people I knew of Islam before Islam became so 'popular' {and controversial}. The same hold true for Sufism. Not that I am an expert, far from it. But to understand the other possibilities, that is enlightenment in my assessment. Most people are either afraid to or unable to delve into the mystical aspects of religion since they are antithetical to religious dogma/doctrine. Like you I have move past even the mystical doctrines, having discovered what I am looking for is within my own psyche. Who needs a preacher/priest/rabbi/imam when there is a recognition that 'God is within' and needs only to be 'let out'. Not me!

Note: Notice I didn't include 'shamans' in my list. A true shaman is teacher who seeks nothing more but for the student/patient to discover and understand their own 'inner' shaman. A guru can or can not be shaman. Many gurus are shams {the Beatles eventually recognized this as fact}. A true shaman is merely a teacher with no interest in personal gain.

Jerry

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

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

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