Hi All,
A dream from 3/23 with an example of how examining personal (waking) and Psyche (unconscious) connections to characters in a dream can facilitate dream interpretation. Looking at waking aspects/traits and inner connections to the characters before interpretation helps in deciphering the unconscious communication as it becomes more fluid. The framework or theme was easier to identify after analyzing the characters. The interpretations, personal related to waking life and deeper meaning relative to inner Self, follow the dream.

Waking life connections:
1. Charles, Allison, Tommy, Amy, Paul, others: co –workers at different locations (see below for details on each character)
2. John W.: childhood best friend, was small & thin for his age, history buff, attorney

A line of people from school- Charles, Allison, Tommy, Amy, others, file past, hugging, wishing each other well & farewell, congratulating & supporting me. Paul grabs me and exuberantly plants a wet kiss on my lips as he hugs me, laugh as I wipe off my face. Turn to leave, walk up a ramp at the airport. Walk outside, of what is now a hotel. Walk to the curb of the nearest parking spaces, just outside the door. I know to look under the leaves of the plants there for money that others have dropped as they exit & enter their cars. These spaces are closest to the door so used more often. Moving leaves aside, I see many silver coins. As I collect a few quarters I’m surprised to see a dollar coin, collect it, then see more, then an odd gold coin, look at it, know it is more valuable than the others, pick it up. I have enough, I stop.

Walking from the rear of a pub to bathroom I see a small, frail John W. in the corner, sitting in a chair, singing. He’s performing in the pub. I didn’t know John was a musician, his hand strumming the acoustic guitar strings is malformed. Know his physical suffering is the source of his musical gift, art. I look beyond around the corner, see the ‘normal’ John sitting at a table. I turn, walk to the bathroom. I enter, the room is a triangle, hear two women talking. Some confusion as to who’s going into which stall, good natured interchange. Ask if the stall directly ahead is open, they say yes, they’re going to the other two. I stand above the toilet urinating and expelling feces as I listen to the women talk. I wonder if they will think me odd for standing rather than sitting. I feel clean & refreshed when finished.


Personal interpretation: Leaving the team for the new position. Will miss working with them, being a part of the team. Dualism as absences from the Forum & Self work on hold due to current work schedule. Paul character denotes I’ve found a ‘home’ work wise that I enjoy and fosters growth of my lesser extrovert aspect. Departure from the team to a position with greater responsibility requiring skills outside of my current experience. Integration of these traits contributes to both personal and professional growth. This moment in the Journey is a time to pause and integrate these skills and positive traits. Art born of suffering is symbolic of work ‘trials’ of the past few years required in order to prevail in this upcoming stage of work. Now a time to release these trials from the Self to move into this stage. Facing and standing up to the challenges eliminates/cleanses toward positive change. A fresh perspective that the challenges were necessary for learning and growth in support of the new position. As I look back, in waking life, the movement was in play long before I consciously recognized it. The people were positioned, the challenges in place, the helping hands, the collective was there moving me along. Without conscious knowledge I took the ‘right’ directions at the given junctures that propelled me toward this position.

Deeper meaning in relation to inner Self: Each person represents aspects/traits embraced by the inner Self for personal growth toward wholeness, Individuation. The single trait they share is working to resolve societal issues for the betterment of the individual leading to the raising of society as a whole. In relation to Self work the Psyche understands this as working to resolve the individual aspects leads to the rasing of consciousness, they Psyche as a whole and balanced. The Psyche recognizes in these people:
 Charles: connection to cultural & familial ancestry; humbleness
 Amy: idealism; capacity for personal connectivity
 Tommy: perspective of the whole in microcosm, applying intellect, capability to differentiate the serious from inconsequential
 Paul: enthusiasm, overcoming great personal obstacles while retaining an innately positive nature

That working to release and cleanse this inner aspect, that preceives suffering as a prerequisite for living my Bliss, my art, facilitates balancing the inner Self.
 John: that inner aspect that views suffering as a prerequisite for living my Bliss

The triangle indicates to move another small step toward balance of the body, mind and soul in Individuation.

All comments, feedback and questions welcome.

Kind regards,
Kathy

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 43 Central OH

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

Kathy,
Great lesson. The details you provide in breaking down your dreams are a great help for those who wish to understand dreams. The many different ways any particular symbol may represent so many aspects can be very confusing. And unless there is dedicated involvement in the studies of Jung, Campbell and other guru souls who have shared their knowledge, and an ability to focus on their message, the much less likely will there be that intuitive connection with the 'hero' motif {the true Self} or a real ability to interpret the deeper aspects of dreams. Sharing your personal insights, not only to your dreams but also your life, provides those interested in dreams and the psyche an opportunity to gain understanding in a much shorter time if they had to have a personal experience of their own. I think what you, we, do here at the Forum is called teaching. Of course the hero/heroine knows it best as sharing the boons that come with 'heeding the call'.We thank you for sharing, we know it is from the soul, so others can gain insights to their own journey.

This sharing in my thinking is why Jung believed that anyone who works with their dreams and their psyche, will discover that true Self, the spiritual self. He was a scientist, yet left room for the mystery. Participating in that mystery is food for the soul.

Gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 55 Murfreesboro, Tn.

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