Skinny,
The scenario you mentioned in your reply would fit one aspect of the dream, a more recent event that created an emotional conflict {although relatively minor, any conflict is capable of being the topic in a dream}. But with every dream there is at least two meanings/applications {standard Jungian dream theory which I have found to be correct}. I believe there is the deeper issue in this dream, one I addressed but in a different context.

Contemplate this possibility. Instead of your parents wanting you to leave the roost because of conflicts I mentioned it was you who was ready to leave and begin your own life. The 'unconscious' guilt {black rat} would be your psyche knowing it was time for you to become 'fully grown man'. That time was 'getting closer' to you when you awoke from the dream. There is a fear in having to be own your own {being terrified}, either because of the responsibilities or because not wanting to leave your family {a good relationship with them, they may not have wanted you to leave}. This leaving has been nipping at you for some time but, until now, not really something you wanted to do or could do {leave the family home}. The rocks you were throwing may symbolize 'be contemplating some changes in your life that will lay the groundwork for your own foundation'. But to leave would cause emotional conflicts for your parents {I'm throwing are hitting them too}. It was the last statement in paragraphs that led me to believe there was a conflict with your parents. But instead of a conflict with them there was a conflict concerning them.

I can see from what you posted in your reply that in some form the above would probably fit with your real waking life situation. This scenario would have been in the past, when you were living at home. Look back that period of time and determine if in fact there were such feelings.

Another possibility, one that would be related to the above, would be you as a parent having to experience {or worry} about one of your children leaving the roost. "Suddenly it turns into a fully grown man" could fit with that. The rat would be guilt feelings you possess. The black cat would represent unconscious anima or feminine aspects {your emotional self} hidden within the guilt feelings.

Consider all the possibilities I have mentioned and see which fits. I believe you will see something that does. Seldom does an interpretation miss the mark completely even though I know so little about the dreamer {age and gender is all i work with from the original posted dream}. If there are other applications those are usually discovered after continued dialog with the dreamer {as in your case}. Having interpreted 3000+ dreams using Jungian psyche, with the benefit of being able to receive a response to my interpretations, I know Jungian dream theory is correct. it is a matter of sorting through the possibilities to get to the actual intent of the dream. More often than not my original interpretation fits close enough for the dreamer to recognize where it fits in their waking life {dreams are about the dreamer's emotional life}. If I had a couch like Freud {who got most of the dream' intent wrong} I feel sure I could interpret any dream since I would know enough about the dreamer's life to fit the dream and the waking situation. Dreams are much like a puzzle needing to be put together correctly to get a picture of what is going on in the dreamer's life {or had occurred and is now affecting their life}. In the end only the dreamer knows for sure but for someone with experience {and using Jungian psyche} interpreting dreams gives a snapshot of what the dreamer's life is about. Dreams are no longer the great mystery they once were and we can give Jung much of the credit for that {the new sciences have pretty much supported his theories even though he died in 1962}. You could say Jung is the 'Einstein' of the psyche.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 63 Space Coast, Fla.

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