I had a nightmare that I was in an apartment complex that was around my house as a child and around my current house (as I live in the same city). I was in the parking lot at the complex (where 2 unsolved murders and 1 suicide, each teenagers, has taken place). In my dream 3 teenage boys took me and put me in a horse and carriage which led us to the woods by a creek where they attempted to rape me. I somehow got free and ran into a co-worker of mine who then assisted me to get to safety. I woke up at that point and was shaken by how real the dream felt.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 30, United States, Ohio

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? No

Anonymous,
The beginning of a dream sets the stage for what emotional issues there are in life that are in conflict and need resolution. Your dream points first to early childhood experiences. Those emotional experiences/influences from your childhood/early life still have control {albeit unconscious} over your life {around my house as a child and around my current house}. You have developed a psychological complex. The parking lot suggests these emotional experiences/influences have affected your personal growth {you are parked in this 'emotional complex' state and going no where}. The unsolved murders represent unconscious aspects about yourself you have yet to resolve {specific emotional issues}. The suicide could {and you would know this} point to thoughts of suicide. If not that then look to the symbolic meaning of being unable to cope with life. The horse could represent strong physical energies you are shielding yourself from {carriage}. If not an actual experience then the attempted rape would be symbolic of being 'violated' in some way emotionally. Something was forced upon you {emotionally and perhaps physically}. Although the three boys could point to actual experiences it is more likely they represent animus aspects within your psyche and may indicate an underdeveloped masculine traits {teenage boys} you possess as an adult. Negative experiences with males in early life can lead to underdeveloped masculine traits. The number of boys {3} may point to the number of animus qualities within your psyche {example-a lack of vital masculine characteristics, a mistrust of men, actual negative experiences with males}.

The second attempt in the woods may point to other similar experiences later in life {as a teenager}. But the woods by the creek may symbolize the emotional energies having to do with personal growth {woods} have been affected. One or both may apply.

The co-worker who assists you would likely represent a positive aspect of your psyche that has allowed you to continue on despite the emotional trauma from early life {human nature has a resilience despite the negative experiences in life}. Consciously you may have felt you had put the early life emotional experiences behind you due to this resilience {getting free} but in truth you have merely shielded yourself as an adult from the harmful thoughts and have pushed then into the unconscious {the carriage you were put in}. This has allowed you to move ahead in life consciously, not letting past emotional experiences pull you completely down.

Summary
Any dream that begins with such language as 'around my house as a child' points to early life experiences/influences {the environment you grow up in is the greatest determiner of personality and who you become in later life}. My experience is this is a 'norm' in dreams. The complex in the apartment building {the apartment is your whole self} is one vital aspect of strong emotional energies. The complex would be a 'core pattern' of emotions that unconsciously affects you and likely has at the least partial control/influence in your waking life as an adult. These early life experiences have affected your growth as a 'whole' person, affecting your ability to live a happy, harmonious life. The language in your dream may suggest these experiences extend into your teenage years {second attempt} and probably negatively affected animus aspects even further {possibly pointing to relationships with men in general}. The attempted rape could represent actual experiences {literal experiences are difficult to interpret} but if not then it would be symbolic. Either way you were left with feelings of being 'violated' which could point to aspects of trust {in men?}.

As for the co-worker who helped lead you to safety. This could be actual person {as an adult} who has assisted you in getting your life together. Even if that is true it also likely represents the your own strong human nature of getting on with life despite the negative experiences from early life. Abuse in early, physical and/or psychological, always affects who we become as adults but we are able to live life with these influences, consciously pushing them out of the way {but unconsciously pushing them out of conscious sight/thinking}. You may think you have overcome their influences but in reality they are unconsciously controlling how you life your life.

Look at your childhood and see what experiences there are that fit with the pattern I have laid out. Then see if the rest of my analysis fits {not all may but a great deal should}. This is what the dream is trying to communicate to you in an attempt to help your resolve the issues {you can't resolve them if you continue to shield yourself from them}. That is what dreams do, a mechanism provided by nature to help you come to psychological wholeness {just as the immune system protects you against physical disease and illness}. Let me know what you find in your 'self' examination and a follow up response may provide further clues to these complexes.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 64 Cocoa, Fl

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes