the last 3 nights I have a recurring theme in my dreams, (though the dreams themselves are different) each dream includes people I know from work, though we are not actually in the office, so here goes; in the first dream of the series I was with a good friend, from work, who was giving birth and when the baby was born it was a hermaphrodite; in the second dream a male associate, (he is homosexual), was in a shopping mall dressed in a long silk evening gown, with heels and evening bag; in the third dream of the series, I was at a park in a house giving a work related speech to a large group of people, my 7 year old daughter was with me, and when we were leaving I cut off a tip of my finger and put it where a penis would be on my groin in order to 'save' the penis, and my daughter had me cut off tips of my fingers to put as budding breasts for her...after a few more steps I realized that - I am not supposed to have a penis and that she is too young for breasts...

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 47yrs Houston

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

Hi Lily,

I tried to reply to your dream a while earlier but somehow accidently deleted my reply while typing. So here goes, am afraid it won't be as eloquent as the first try:

A recurring dream usually designates the psyche's urgent need to get your attention. Perhaps the dream message is repeating itself because your psyche feels that you haven't 'gotten' the message yet. Though this is a repeating 'theme' and not a repeating entire dream, I believe the above still applies. Anything you do to understand these dreams, then, is important.

Next, dream characters usually signify repressed traits within us that are negative or positive, but need to be acknowledged. Your coworkers are people who have certain traits that your dream is asking you to search for in yourself. A new baby usually means some new aspect of yourself is being born and ready to be manifested in your waking life by you. The psyche is generally psychic and can predict what that development will look like. Your psyche is showing you your potential in this area and inviting you to coparticipate in creating this hermaphrodite aspect.

An Hermaphrodite in Alchemy is the product of a sacred marriage. In some analysis of Greek mythology it is the union of the Gods with the mortals. In all cases it is a balanced creation of feminine and masculine energies, something that psychic development is striving for. You are being called to engage yourself more consciously in this process of giving birth to a newly balanced aspect of yourself. One example of a famous Hermaphrodite is the Mona Lisa. Sure she has a female name, long hair and breasts, but if you look closely, she has masculine features that are so closely blended in with her feminine, giving her a beautifully mysterious and harmonious look. That your dream themes are repeating themselves could be an indication that this theme hasn't been grasped by the conscious mind or isn't a priority. Your dream is showing you this is something in your potential and repeatedly trying to get your attention.

The homosexual colleague also may represent this theme connected to developing a new balance of masculine and feminine energies. Are you maybe living in a one sided way in terms of your masculine or feminine energies? Can you see if some masculine/feminine traits need to be given up while others added on to reach the delicate balance? A shopping mall can represnt a market place of ideas, of persona's. Your male colleague is taking on a female persona. Can this speak to what is happening to your masculine energies internally?

Women, according to Jung, have a masculine inner presence, or energy, or archetype while men have a feminine one. Males in dreams can represent your animus. If a man, this inner feminine is called the anima. The red silk evening gown with heels and evening bag is a beautiful image of femininity, but is this appropriate in a shopping mall. Look at the dream metaphorically...

This also would apply to the last dream. Its not about your daughter, but about this newly developing part of you that is asking you to cut off one part of you from here, and put it in another part of you there, where it can develop into something more. A breast is usually a feminine symbol. Perhaps you need to hand over some part of you to your femininity, to strengthen that part of you. A penis is usually a masculine symbol, in another way you are asked to develop a 'penis', initiating, fertilizing, active energy....what ever more a penis symbolizes to you. The paradox of this dream is expressed clearly in the hermaphrodite baby. He has both masculine and feminine anatomical parts. Your dream is asking to develop masculine and feminine symbolic parts, and in balance. See if any of this makes sense to you.

Two other helpful thoughts. Carl Jung formulated a good technique for working with dreams called Active Imagination. Meditate a while on the images and see what they have to tell you. Also, try to find out the differences between masculine and feminine energies...feminine...compassionate, nurturing, letting go, win-win situations, etc, Masculine; action oriented rather than being, or task rather than process orientied, rational, left-brained, etc. Whatever works for you. And look closely at how you perceive those colleagues...those traits maybe hidden in you asking to be recognized, better or worse.

In giving a speech, you are uniting all the parts of your psyche, addressing them all at once, and acknowledging all of them....points in the direction of wholeness. Try to let the symbol aspects of the dream lead you to the metaphorical realm and not the literal realm.

Am going to post this message now, since am afraid of accidently deleting it again. Your feedback and response is appreciated.
Hope this helps,
Best,
May
P.S. This is only one interpretation, there are many levels of meaning and your associations of the symbols are valuable. Also, this is what I would think if I had this dream...but it is your dream so in the end the meaning will unfold...come from you.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 35/abroad

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

Wow! that was great...thanks so much for your time and attention to details...a couple of issues come to mind from reading your intrepretation - one at work I am very unhappy about the state of affairs and feel trapped because I have not been able to get my boss to listen, (he doesn't listen to anyone and is being audited as a result) yet this audit so far has only made matters worse. I am constantly struggling internally between a state of acceptance and patience and a desire for action...have applied for other positions, though I like my work (I do give many speeches actually) but HATE the chaos that reigns at the office. On another note, this week I am having a revision to reconstructive surgery from a mastecomy I had at 44 yrs because while it looks okay in clothes -- naked it inhibits me with hy husband...I'm not sure what all this means but I will mediate on it and thank you so much for your thoughtfullness

Hi Lily,

Thank you so much for your great response, and you are always welcome. I haven't forgotten about you and I will post a follow-up to your post but need some time to reflect. So, a reply is forthcoming and good luck with your work and surgery.

Best regards,
May

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 35/abroad

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

Hi Lily,

Here also is a link from MDS (Myths, Dreams, Symbols) Site about the symbolism of the Hermaphrodite and the Self....

http://www.mythsdreamssymbols.com/Self.html

This may also have relevance to your dream and to your current waking life...

Best regards,
May

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 35/abroad

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

Oh my, oh My! WOW! This is particularly relevant in that through prayer recently I heard that I need to give up my ego - that the struggles I've been having at work have been designed to teach me to shed my ego; not by the mortals there, but by the hand of God...I'm somewhat flabbergasted, I must say with this reference from you. The first confirmation of the 'ego' thing was at church when a priest sermoned about - "to follow christ one must let go of ego, yet it is the most painful thing to do" and now this...thank you...you have tapped into something bigger than either of us...thank you again...

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 47yrs Houston

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