Jimmy,
Another aspect of interpreting dreams is at a later date {even months later} you may realize other associations and meanings/applications. It is beyond fascinating dreams do have so many levels because they will use the same images to address the different aspects of the emotional energies. When a dream is dissected to its most minute parts you may discover the dream revealing aspects of personality and personal attitudes. Of course the primary goal is to discover the underlying reasons for personal attitudes and traits {almost all dreams are focused on the negative attitudes that need a correction}. Once those are understood you can see why a person thinks and acts as they do. The unconscious energies are motivators to personality and personal attitudes/traits and more often than not the person is totally unaware of them. They go through life guided by energies established early in life, imprinted on the psyche and the topic of dreams until there is a resolution to the energies.

This was my experience. The lack of a father figure {especially in early years} causing me to develop an unconscious attitude to seek and find substitutes for what was not received as a child. This is a common pattern and is often the plot of mythological stories where the son goes on an adventure looking for their father {Luke Skywalker being a better known tale of this type search}. And often that search will reveal the shadow self, the developed pattern where the son has unconscious tendencies to follow the patterns of the father {Darth Vader as Luke's shadow}. It is not just by coincidence Star Wars used the familiar mythological themes, George Lucas pretty used Joseph Campbell's Monomyth to develop the characters in the movie {Lucas was a student of Campbell like myself and much of The Power of Myth was filmed at Lucas' Skywalker ranch}.

And again this was how I lived my life, up until I was 42 and discovered Jungian psyche {via Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth-Note: this link will take you to another page of the interview with Campbell}. Having married and divorced three wonderful women, I possessed an unfulfilled 'inner child' which 'prompted me to look for something outside me that could never fulfill what was needed by the inner self {I say prompt because individual experiences later in life often determine how these unconscious patterns play out}. Once I understood the energies I was able to reconcile why they did hold me hostage and eventually resolve the issues. The story of Luke Skywalker is my story, is a common story, not only in real life but also as archetypal patterns in dreams. Dreams and myth share the same archetypal energies {as well images/actions} and when there is an image of a mysterious 'shaman' or similar figure it usually comes when there is a new realization or major change in the dreamer's life. The dream pattern may even follow the patter of the mythical hero journey since the patterns as well as the personal experiences are shared. Fascinating to say the least, enlightening when realized, understood and applied to the personal life.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 65 Cocoa, Fl

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Jerry,

Thanks again for the advice and tips with regard to your process. It is clearly an intuitive method you have developed yourself but I think I am slowly starting to get it. I also love this idea of returning to dreams months later and gathering more insights. It is actually exciting By the way what are the two dream dictionaries that you use? I've seen that you use the hyper dictionary but I couldn't find the link to the other one.
Thank you also for sharing more of your story and your journey. I do love the identification of mythology and personal life. It is a great elevation for us and a groudning for myth I feel. And also I like the call for people to follow their bliss which results from this ideal realisation of our identification with the hero's journey. I like and respect that you have found and are living your myth. It is fantastic.
As for what you are saying about the shaman figure I've started working on a dream of mine from a couple of weeks ago involving gandalf the grey from the lord of the rings who seems to be my wise old man. I'll post the dream up now I'd love your help and your insight on it.

Thanks,
Jimmy

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 23 now in canada (previously travelling Australia) but from Ireland

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