So...this one was weird.

I had this dream that I brought a gun to school. I have no idea why I did it, but I did. So it was the last period of the day and I was happy that no one had discovered the gun yet. I walked up to my Spanish teacher with a note that was excusing my early departure from school due to an orthodontist appointment. Anyway, she saw it and said, "Aaron this is really getting on my nerves. You are ALWAYS out of my class and your grades are suffering."

I looked at her and placed the gun on her desk and said, "Look lady, I have straight A's and a 3.9 GPA. I must be doing something right."

She saw the gun and leaned back from it with a look of terror on her face. The entire class was watching now. So she, out of fear, let me leave. It was then that I realized the danger behind the gun. I didn't know what to do with it, I was afraid it was going to go off at random. So I wrapped it up in a cloth and placed it carefully in my bookbag. Then I started searching for the office. I walked into where I thought it was and found some sort of teacher's lounge. So some girl led me to the real office. (During all of this, the guy I had a massive crush on this past year walked in. He took a seat behind where I was standing so he could watch what I was doing. I mention this because I distinctly remember looking at him when he walked in the room. I was very upset with myself for acting in such a way in front of him.)

The next thing I knew, I was at the local baseball fields with my friend and I was freaking out. I had just brought a gun to school. I was going to be expelled! Well, maybe she wouldn't tell anyone because there was only a week of school left. At one point I looked at my mom and asked, "Why did you let me bring the gun to school?!"

She replied with, "I don't know. It made you happy and got you to go to school."

Finally, I woke up and looked around, realized it was a dream, and sighed a very heavy sigh of relief.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16 TN

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

Aaron,
My first thought to your dream post is your age {16}. Dreams at this stage of life more often focus on waking experiences and ego development. Those waking experiences are often influenced by current events in the waking life. The fact that there are so many actual occurrences of students bringing guns to school, the influence on the dreams of a 16 year old can is not unusual. Unless you are actually under extreme emotional distress and have thought about taking a gun to school, the influence of the 'news of the day' would be evident in your dream, but there is no real intent of 'taking a gun to school'.

On the other hand, if there is extreme emotional distress in your life and you have such dreams I would seek serious counseling before the waking mind lives out the unconscious dream.

But I don't see that in your dream. Although the gun probably symbolizes some form of 'aggression', it is most likely directed at yourself and not some other person. Since the aggression in the dream is toward a woman teacher it may indicate there is some aggression toward your own feminine psyche or self. What is it in your recent waking life that is 'getting on your nerves'? Are you 'suffering' from these experiences? Are there questions that pertain to excellence {3.9 out of 4-perfection}? Is the attempt to be perfect in some aspect of your life {other than your school grades} suffering due to some 'feminine aspect'?

Another incident in the dream that blames the feminine is about your mom. Why did she 'let' you perform the action represented by taking a gun to school. You are blaming her for your actions. What are those 'actions'?

Could it have to do with the guy you have a massive crush on? Or better yet that you have a crush on a 'guy' to begin with? That would be addressing sexual preferences, as well as sexual attraction. Guns are often symbolic of the penis. Could your aggressive nature in the dream be addressing these issues? Do you feel less than perfect because of your sexual orientation? Does the guy you have a crush on feel the same way? Perhaps the aggression toward yourself has to do with these matters. Has this been a issue of late in your waking life?

Gerard [mediate]

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 58 Murfreesboro, Tn

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

(Sorry it's taken me so long to reply)

The only thing I see has 'getting on my nerves' is that I'm not perfect. I try to be, but that's impossible. I want things that I know I can't have, and that drives me insane.

The GPA was actually factual. That is my GPA and I do have straight A's. I don't know if that means anything or not.

Yes, I do feel imperfect because of my orientation. I tell my mom all the time that it feels like a handicap. It's not fair that it's NOT a choice. If it were up to me, I'd be more normal. But it's not. So I'm forced to live in this life that has presented more problems that I really want to deal with. Especially in people.

I hope I answered everything fully...

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16 TN

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

Aaron,
Better late than never. I appreciate your response. With your response I believe we can see the dream exposes perfectly your deepest self. By understanding your dreams you can get a better understanding of yourself. That can help you deal with these problems because you become aware of what motivates you.

I will give a complete detailed response in the morning. I'll explain some of my thinking in my interpretation including the numbers.

As I will your latest posted dream. It seems to be addressing some of the same issues in this dream. If you will look at the United States as being your 'united self', and the terrorist as being the 'head' of your total emotional self, Perhaps you will see how the dream is addressing inner emotional issues as well as possible outer experiences.

The positive thing about your dreams is you are "As always in my dreams when I'm faced with evil, I tried talking to him", you are attempting to talk to that other person within. Communication is important and if you are doing so in your dreams then you can access needed information about your deepest psyche that may provide therapy in your need to accept who you are. The attempts may have been unsuccessful but the willingness to try is so very important.

Also: Are you from a small town in Tennessee? Is it peer pressure from people your age or family {or both} that you receive the most conflict? I know many gay men and women from the Unity and Universal churches in Nashville {when I last attended organized religious services}. As part of my study of the psyche I've chatted with gay and bi men on line many times in an effort to better understand their psychology, as individuals and sexual preference..

One from Unity church was a young man in his early 20s. We often had conversations about his life being a gay, the inner and outer conflicts, including his love interests. His interests were no different from mine except he was attracted to men and I to women. The emotions were the same.

He was very positive. Interesting, he had a very close female friend who he confided, as did she him. They both loved cinema. He has accepted who he is and is striving.
So there is hope.

There is a large gay community in Middle Tennessee. And Nashville at large is a tolerant place to live {as is Memphis}. Chattanooga and Knoxville or more conservative. In a couple of years you will have better choices. The community you live in can make a difference.

Gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 58 Murfreesboro, Tn

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

The town I live in was once small, but now it's massive and thriving and growing every day.
In all reality, I don't have many outer conflicts, if any. I had one or two run-ins with some people this past school year. Even then, they were seemingly minor. One of those run-ins was with that guy I mentioned in the Gun dream. He found out I liked him. Whereas he was constantly reassuring me that he would help me in life and not make anything harder for me, he had two faces. I don't know why, but I heard a few cases of him talking bad about me behind my back. At one point, I did actually confront him about it because what he said was bogus. He denied everything and ended up complimenting me and, I guess, fooling me.

But other than those teenager on teenager run-ins, nothing. I know I have a TON of homophobic people in this community, but they keep to themselves. Of course, I'm not really, completely "out." I know a few of my friends dislike gays, but they don't know who I really am. That bothered me and I almost told them right then and there, but I didn't.

So, all in all, these dreams are about coming to terms with myself?

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16 TN

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

Aaron,
A fast growing small town that is thriving. Knowing Tennessee, if you say anymore you will give your location away. I thrive on mysteries, with dreams being some of the best.

It is good to know there isn't that 'outer' conflict about your sexual preferences. It also lets us focus on those inner conflicts. Being 16 I would first and foremost look to outer influences in dreams. But considering your position I can see where the inner aspects can be more profound. The fact you have not come completely 'out' may be part of those inner conflicts. But that decision is one you must make when you feel it is best to do so. Do you have any school friends that know of your natural orientation?

To the dream and your response. here are some insights to my thoughts about the symbols. These are Jungian based. You can see how well his philosophies fit with the dream metaphors.

Dream:
I looked at her and placed the gun on her desk and said, "Look lady, I have straight A's and a 3.9 GPA.

Interpretation:
Are there questions that pertain to excellence {3.9 out of 4-perfection}? Is the attempt to be perfect in some aspect of your life {other than your school grades} suffering due to some 'feminine aspect'?

Your Response:
The only thing I see has 'getting on my nerves' is that I'm not perfect. I try to be, but that's impossible.

The gun is the aggression, the lady an anima aspect. That aspect would be your sexual orientation.
The 3.9 and the number 4 are universal symbols of wholeness and completion. They are addressing those feminine qualities {being gay} that you find hard to accept {or others would find}. Being gay makes you feel 'imperfect'.

Thus my question {as a suggestion} "Is the attempt to be perfect in some aspect of your life". This fits your basic personality, which is reflected in your dreams. Dreams often expose personality traits in an attempt to get the conscious mind to focus on unconscious contents that affect the emotional state of being.

Suggested reading:
The patterns of human behavior are in dreams symbolic metaphors in dreams. As they are also in mythology.
Joseph Campbell was an instrumental influence on George Lucas and the Star Wars Trilogy. His mythological themes are replicated throughout the movies. A great part of the Power of Myth series was filmed at Lucas' Skywalker ranch.

One thing to consider about being gay, and I find is obvious from the language you use in your posts. You probably have unique creative abilities, if not a particular creative skill {which you probably do possess} an intuitive understanding of that particular aspect of the human psyche. Women are more naturally intuitive and being gay is being closer to those feminine qualities. For me it has been a long process in developing my intuitive skills, as it would be with all heterosexual men {intuitiveness being directly opposite a man's natural inclination of being objective}. This natural trait is probably why you are here at the forum and giving time to your dreams. You naturally understand the 'Jungian' process. It naturall fits.

Again I want to focus o the positive. I believe in time you will do that also and these difficult years of accepting who you are will be less conflicted. All teens go through this process {I have a 14 year old grandson who is in the throws of changes, much as I did and as his dad also}. The only difference is you are gay and have one 'huge' aspect to consider. A tough road to travel but a lot less tougher than it would have been a couple of generations ago.
Another positive. Living in a world that is a lot less homophobic.

Question. Does your mother know of your dreams and your posts here at the Forum? Her advice is something I sense is important and perhaps her insights to what we are doing here will be helpful.

And by the way. YOU ARE NORMAL! You just happen to be gay. An African American just happens to be black. It is those around you that question your natural state of being that are not. Your inner conflicts are about those feelings of being 'not normal', something you must overcome to finally accept who you really are. Your dreams are about that true person and the conflicts {and advantages} of being that person.

Gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 58 Murfreesboro, Tn

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

Haha, Yes. Tennessee is somewhat of a close-knit state. We all know what's going on from one corner to the other.

Either you are a professional interpreter (Which I don't doubt) or you spent some time going through my dream. Either way, I thank you. I also appreciate your ending statements here. It does help.

There are quite a few friends who do know who I really am. Though, I only came out to the first one a year ago. Her and I were talking and I had a hunch that she, too, was gay. Finally, in our conversation she came out to me and I to her. We then found a nice group of people to take us in because we all shared that in common. Whereas that group disintegrated because of irresponsibility, we all know who we are. In fact, I haven't run across one friend who didn't accept me.

There is a small group of 'resistance' but they stay out of my way.

Does my mother know of my being here? Not sure. I think I mentioned it a few times. She knows my fascination with dreams and the brain. I'm considering psychology (The other being music which is my ultimate passion) because I love to be able to talk to people about their problems and see how I can help.

I also wanted to mention, my outlet to my problems is in writing. I spend my time writing lyrics to songs that I hope to someday hear. Also, I have recently picked up writing a book on what I've been through. It's nice to see my emotions laid out on paper rather than always feel them being bottled up inside me.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 16 TN

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

Aaron,
'Follow your bliss". That is Campbell's famous words that so many of us follow. If music is your passion then follow that. To make your passion your job in life, just imagine getting up every day and going to a job you love. How many people do you know that can do that?

Gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 58 Murfreesboro, Tn

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