I had a recurring dream a few years ago in which I would have the 'latent content' of the days event which would be present at the start of each dream, then each time the dream would proceed to me talking to my father about our relationship. My father and I had just started getting to know each other after a 10 year absence. Suddenly I would see an animal eating its young but sometimes they would not be of the same species. Say a bear eating a bear cub, then in another dream the same events would happen but a Lion was eating a kitten, A wolf was eating a puppy and so on. Each dream had a mix of old and new animals and each time I was trying to save them but I was stuck in slow motion and they died before I could rescue them. One dream, the last one, I saw the death coming and I refused to let it die. It was a large dog eating a puppy. I ran and saved the puppy from the jaws of the dog. I wanted to save it to save myself and to impress or gain the love of my father. The small animal felt like an inner child or an extremely important part of me. When I saved the puppy the dreams ended. I have never had it again.

Could you give me some help with my dream analysis and could you tell me on your site who writes the blogs eg: animals/death and dying/repression/father in dreams? I wanted to write about my dream but I need to quote some of the useful items and found on this site and I don't know who's name to put?

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 26 years, Australia

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Having looked up 'animals' in the dream dictionary on this site it says:

Parents may appear in your dream in the guise of animals. It would then represent a love-hate relationship with the parent.

I think the type of animal in your dream is less important that the fact that it is an adult/grown animal and the young of that animal or another; ie a dog and a puppy.

The links you have made to your inner child cannot be underestimated. On the one hand, the adult animal is a symbol of your adult self and the influence parents have on their young. The fact that it is an animal rather than a human, points to your instinctive self and maybe the need to listen to your instincts when judging what is right and positive to yourself in relationships, especially the relationship with your father. It is natural to trust your family, but ultimately if those relationships threaten or harm us through no fault of our own, self-preservation 'kicks in' and we must and have to look after ourselves first and develop our own strength and courage in the world through the process of individuation and the 'hero' journey/motif (see information about this from the individuation link on this site)
This is an ideal for anyone following Jung's jounrey of 'self-awareness' but especially important for those who have not been able to trust some of the most important familial bonds.

The dream suggests that you are scared/frightened that your father (your actual father or your symbolic 'father figure' or animus) will 'devour' you.
You are scared of losing your own identity and being 'smothered' by your father.


The dream suggests the 'fierce' natural (animal/instinctive) love you have to protect yourself, your 'inner child' and should be congratulated and encouraged.

Dogs and puppies are especially close to humans as domestic pets and our protective history of them and them of us. A dog can also be a symbol of a friend in a dream and this is saying you are being a friend and a protector to yourself, which is a wonderful thing.

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Dear Claire,

Your response really resonated with me. I think the puppy as the inner child and me as the protector of myself was more of a core issue than the nature of the other animals. Also, the part about my father 'smothering' me was exactly how I felt at the time. He had just finished studies in becoming a phychotherapist and, at times, I felt like his lab rat. I felt like he wanted to mould and shape my behaviour. I think that the older animal was a male energy, being his energy, and when I rescuing my core or inner self from him and keeping it sacred, it was an important part of how I got through the early stages of my relationship with him without sacrificing myself to fit a view he had of me.

I really appreciate your insight into my dream, it has reminded me that I can look after myself and come through for myself even when I most feel in physical or emotional danger. It is a good feeling. Like I can succeed.

Thankyou,
Natasha.:)

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 26 years, Australia

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I'm glad it seemed relevant for you, however, remember this is only one viewpoint/analysis and it is always good to also identify the gut reaction about certain symbols in your dream and what they mean to you too.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37 UK

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