Fred,
First let me say it would be best if you read my page 'A Simple Guide to Dreams so you will have an understanding how dreams function.

As for your dream. Being in a post apocalyptic world would suggest there was some type of 'destructive' experiences in your life prior to the time of the dream. Being in WalMart with your fiancee may have personal associations {who doesn't shop there} but symbolically it might represent 'shopping' for something to 'go' with your 'anima' {engaging your feminine aspects}. The guy you knocked out can again have personal associations {a confrontational attitude if not a literal experience/other than literally in WalMart} but likely the guy is you. You may have feelings you wish yo 'eliminate' {knocking out of you}. This could be pointing to the 'destructive' experiences earlier in life. Having no technique could represent having 'no foundations' for proper training {parental training you as a child}. The old lady in the woods could be addressing feminine aspects but could be about your mother. The woods would represent 'life', specifically your unconscious life {having to do with feminine aspects/relationships}. Being in WalMart when things get their worst could be about survival as an adult and all these past 'apocalyptic' experiences from early life. The dark outside would not realizing the 'forces' of these unconscious aspects to do with your early life {woods}. The orange color is one of confusion or being in your subconscious {waiting to become conscious}. Your life has been laid out according to the forces of your childhood {experiences/influences in childhood are the foundations of who you become as an adult}. The huge wall on your right is a barrier in your conscious life {right is conscious/left unconscious}. The war is within you, emotional conflicts on the 'other side' of your conscious mind {your unconscious}, and the aggressive nature they present in controlling your actions as an adult {gunshots}. Handing hands with the 'feminine' {fiancee} is accepting these sensitive emotions and the wall to the left with seats is consciously try to understand [the top is your mind} these unconscious forces so you can embrace your true self {the feminine aspect would represent your true emotions}.

In summary the dream is about those early life experiences and how they have affected you in later life {post apocalyptic world}. Few people understand the strong influences of early life experiences on later life. You become what you learn from infancy and early childhood. A terrible early life will likely cause you to have a life full of inner conflicts if not outer. Your aggressive attitude and personality is in response to that early life. You will continue to have these dreams as long as you do not acknowledge the reasons for them and find ways to resolve them. That will likely require professional therapy. The feminine side of you {we all have both a feminine and masculine side} is wanting to resolve the conflicts. Your manly disposition is probably telling you otherwise, it is not 'manly' to receive therapy.

As for not having dreams at all and having lucid dreams. We all dream every night, several times a night. We just don't remember them. All of a sudden having lucid dreams {not many people have lucid dreams are remember having them} is probably due to the severity of the emotional conflicts in your unconscious. You are 'acting out' your aggression in your dreams. Things will get worse as long as these unconscious conflicts remain unresolved. Your dreams may also become worse.

Hope this helps. You may not find my analysis agreeable due to your 'nature' but this is a psychological view. As for manly experiences, I am a veteran, a retired self employed fence contractor who has worked with his hands for 35 years. I had unconscious forces controlling my life {three failed marriages} and it was not until I learned what the reasons for my inner conflicts was I able to change it. Like you it was from early life experiences, an unstable childhood. Nothing better than personal experience to learn a lesson.

Jerry

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

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