I just had a fairly elaborate dream. It started with me on my college campus about to have lunch at a nonexistent place and I had gotten terrible service at the customer window. Some odd fact about the place was that they had a special bucket of mayonnaise that everyone went there for. I missed class because the cashier wouldn't explain anything to me and I ended up distressed and buying something I wasn't even sure that I bought. Later, there was supposed to be some kind of activity that involved many people standing in certain sections. I arrived there not knowing which section I belonged to, and after trying to find my section, I found out the class I missed was supposed to provide me with a way to identify what section I belonged in. After this I went to an auditorium-like room where I was trying to find out which classroom I was supposed to be since a particular classroom had a particular symbol that would be used. In the auditorium, I went to the bottom (the front of the auditorium) on the audience's left side. People were manipulating some kind of small structure of various objects: a horse is all I remember. I was looking in that left side for an object to use and I don't remember what I picked, but someone made a remark that was something along the lines of "Ah, but he is wearing the crown of virtue (I don't remember if virtue was the exact word)," which meant that despite what I picked, something based on that crown would resolve it. Afterward, I was going to another room, and was accompanied by an African-descent boy going the same way. The person who told me to go that way warned me to be careful of the stairs, as people have been hurt walking on it. When I arrived at the stairs and was climbing down, the stair was very bumpy, as in it seemed like the ends were hanging on ropes and it was shaking. The shape of the stairs remained the same, but it was jolting vertically. I held my hand loosely around the handle traversing down the stairs. Later, I got several symbols shown on paper: an axe, a bell, and most notably whispering of the word "evil" from a professor that I've had for my first and only two quarters in college that is currently writing a recommendation for me to an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) and in my dream, who happened to be guiding me through some part. Some general things about my dream, starting at the auditorium, light was less available and the stairs were darker, and at the bottom of the stairs were darker than at the stairs.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 18, Pomona

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? no

The first part of the dream is likely addressing questions to 'where you belong' in society as well as in life. The latter would likely be a less of focus at your age {18}, those aspects being the formative years that help make up personality and personal psyche. Where you belong in society, or more specifically or 'particular' at this stage of life, what group you belong. You are trying to 'find your way', trying to fit in, even perhaps what 'class' you belong. The symbol would be of 'class' and could be addressing actual 'income' or class/group you perceive yourself to be in {I went to the bottom}. A horse can symbolize the physical energies, your physical self. The left side would be the superior aspects. Your virtue is what you decide to do in life. Perhaps the choices you now face in life, how you achieve a better life is also a focus of the dream.
What choices are in front of you now that may decide your future?

The second part of the dream, 'Afterward, I was going to another room', may be dealing with 'shadow' issues. The African descent boy is a part of you. Your current waking life is following those experiences/influences from early life, those aspects that are inherent as well as learned when you were younger. If not an issue of income then it could be of attention/affection by parents, a lack of proper nourishment as a child. Those would be the deeper aspects, the other part of you compared to just the waking concerns in life. This may point to decisions you may be considering that will take you 'down' the same roads. This position in life will leave you 'hanging' {as it has all your life already}. The shape you grew up in remains the same if you go down this same path. The darker stairs could be the past influences/experiences that must be overcome.

Two aspects to the dream {a norm for all dreams}. One being trying to determine what group you belong and the second the deeper issues of following, or changing, the direction you will go forth in the future. It seems to be all about choices. The road you have lived in your past has been at best 'bumpy', perhaps a reflection of family oriented/influenced experiences. Do you continue down that same road or make changes to travel a different road? These may be unconscious decisions at play, those early life influences having more of a say on the choices you make than you realize.

A bit of personal info on my behalf that may have relevance. My oldest grandson, who will turn 17 in a couple of months, is coming to visit today and I have been thinking about his future. He is a junior in high school and I have often cautioned him about choices he will have to make in his life after high school. My spiritual mentor, Joseph Campbell, instructions to his college students was to 'follow their bliss'. Find that thing in life you love most and make that your life. This is the true virtue in life and my instructions to my grandson, and one I will emphasis again when he visits, is to ignore the physical/mental temptations at this vital stage of life and follow the 'bliss', the soul's desire. First you have to discover what that bliss is, something that most likely lingers in the mind but is ignored. Then following that path that leads to the bliss.

As a teen my great interest was in psychology. But because of early life psychological influences I failed to recognize the importance and lived a life of 'social duty', obeying the rules set forth by society that are more focused on making money, the desires of teh physical/mental self, than following the desire of the soul. Your dream may be addressing such unconscious influences in your life, the 'shadow' aspects I mentioned.

That gets to 'Research Experience for Undergraduates'. Is this something your soul longs to do? Are there decisions to be made that involve this process? There are forces from all aspects of life pulling you in different directions. The one you should listen to is what the soul desires. Not what makes the most money but that thing brings you to bliss. That is the journey of the hero in myth. Following, and living your bliss makes you a hero in your own life. And perhaps others lives as well. If you love the career you choice in life then it is not a job. It is a daily infusion of bliss.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 60 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

Thank you Jerry for your interpretation.

As a freshman in college, I am definitely faced with many choices that affect my future.

I can identify with lack of parents' affection. My parents generally disagree and each does something different in terms of parenting style, which is something I've paid attention to in my high school years. As for something that needs to be overcome, I see myself longing to change from smart and lazy to smart and motivated. That motivation will probably come when I find this "bliss." I picked a mathematics major as a basis since I have an affinity for the subject, but I always wonder if that is "bliss" to me. I applied to the REU as it is a summer program for mathematics and I hope I can find bliss in that.
Well, there is much to be thought about, and I have a question about the symbols I encountered: a picture of an axe and a bell, each on a separate piece of paper, and my professor whispering the word "evil" while smiling, and holding my hand to guide me somewhere that was interrupted by a loud noise which awoken me.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 18, Pomona

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

Darren,
'an axe, a bell, and most notably whispering of the word "evil" from a professor'. The fact these were written on a piece of paper may suggest something to do with expressing yourself. Often such expressions are of the unconscious type {perhaps something not yet realized of something ignored or put off}. The axe may suggest 'chopping away' at some unconscious barrier. Bells serve as warning devices. The professor may not be an actual person per say but your own higher instincts {and perhaps associated in some way with the actual person}. These symbols may be devices that point to a need to find that bliss you are seeking {our dreams want to help resolve such conflicts}. The evil, or negatives, may be pointing to the 'lazy attitude' you speak of, something that is a warning and needs to be eliminated {axe}. The unconscious expression {paper} would be the true self, that self that seeks the bliss, whereas the mental facilities controlled by the ego would tend to lean toward being lazy.

It may do well to post future dreams and see what they may have to offer. Consciously you know the desire you have to find your bliss but the unconscious influences, which could involve early life experiences, may not be well known or realized. Future dreams may help clarify the barriers that may need to be 'axed'.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 60 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