Hello! I came upon this website after reading Joseph Campbell and searching google for a quote I read. The quote I found here: http://www.mythsdreamssymbols.com/bliss.html

His idea is, "If you are following your bliss, you are enjoying [the...] life within you, all the time." I have recently fully and completely devoted my life to this bliss, this concept, and the payout is incredible.

Two weeks ago I discarded all of my possessions except for the essentials which I packed into my old VW minibus to drive around America with no plans except to let my intuition be my guide. I am on a spiritual journey, and a literary pilgrimage (I'm a writer), and a mission of social activism.

Two nights ago I had a dream, but it was experienced in my waking life. I drove into the middle of the Francis-Marion National Forest and parked my car at a free "campsite" (gravel clearing in the middle of the green) and there I encountered a man, a hunter. As darkness fell I joined him at his fire where we sat for hours discussing the mysteries and beauty of the Earth and of humanity. We--two supposed strangers--both felt as though we had known each other before, I can't help but to think it was some past life 1,000 years ago. When sleep was too demanding to ignore any longer, and we stepped towards our respective beds for the night, we held each other in a long and powerful embrace, which synched these illusions of time into this transcendental connection between us.

Campbell writes, "When you [follow your bliss], you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you." It's been nearly every day of these last 14 days that I have met someone who is just this to me. I have a long way to go, both spiritually and geographically--there is so much to discover and understand--and I'm so excited for all of it.

I'm blogging about my travels and my progress and my ideas and my stories all at www.redheadwhitebus.com

Please, if you find any of this resonating with you, follow me there and write to me and talk with me. I'm also at Facebook.com/redheadwhitebus

Love and warmth and *bliss*
Cassandra

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 25

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Not

Redheadwhitebus,
Welcome to hero's journey. Or to use proper terms the heroine's journey. It is a journey and adventure you must travel alone but as Campbell explains it:

We have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the hero path, and where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god. And where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves. Where we had thought to travel outward, we will come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we will be with all the world.

The above quote will hold true as long as you stay the path. I speak from experience and you join many thousand other people who were influenced by Campbell {George Lucas, Linda Ronstadt, Christopher Vogler, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, to name a few 'notable' people}. Although it involves a physical journey in life it is first and foremost a psychological journey, an inner journey of self discovery. And what you will find [as you have already demonstrated} is a creative/spiritual identity, better known as the true self. This is the journey, inward and of discovery.

Your dream is what is called a BIG dream, an important dream in that is depicts the true self and the direction you have chosen to take. Usually dreams focus on the negative qualities of the psyche {dreams a a therapeutic tool to help resolve emotional conflicts} but BIG dreams point to the greater aspects of the psyche. They happen when you are experiencing a major transitional phase. Usually they feature a person of the opposite sex, a dark figure {or in your case a figure clothed in dark environments}. I had such a dream which featured a dark female whom I perceived to be Kali, the dark Goddess of transfornmation, death and resurrection. She is also a symbol of the power of the feminine psyche {which in reality is greater than that of the masculine}.

Your dream is a reflection of your journey and where you are in that journey {see Monomyth below}. I will 'translate' the images so you will understand how they apply not only to your life but also to the universal associations Jung and Campbell often expounded in their various works.

---

Interpretation
The forest could represent your unconscious as well as being in a transition phase of life {which fits with your spiritual/literary journey}. The unconscious part could be addressing 'universal' aspects of your journey, tapping into the creative/spiritual soul for which Jung believed was the intent for all humans to strive for in life. Taking note that this is a 'national' forest {whole nation or whole self} that would fit with the universal soul. And there could be associations to the name of the forest, a a military officer in the Revolutionary War. Being a male may relate to your animus, you are require to use great strength and perseverance {masculine qualities} on the scale of 'major' proportions for your journey to succeed. All images must be considered when analyzing a dream since they can reveal seemingly minute details.

The car is you, the vehicle that is carrying you in this direction. Campsites are where you use natural resources {supposedly free} with the gravel clearing {free of practical social encumbrances} in the middle of the green {fertility, personal growth}. The man would be your animus and the hunter your searching an unknown part or quality within yourself. Darkness is often symbolic of the unconscious breaking through with new information. Fire could represent passion, transformation. There is a passion to transform your old self into this new identity, your true self centered around the creative/ spiritual Self. The mysteries of the Earth could have a literal application as well as pointing the highest feminine identity {creativity and spirituality are centered in the feminine psyche}. This is an inner dialog of your whole self, your collective human psyche {humanity}.

The supposed 'strangers' embracing is embracing the unknown qualities that have been with you all the while {we all are born with a set of unconscious instructions {archetypes} that when accessed leads to wholeness}. The past life 1,000 years ago would be a reference {you have tapped into the collective unconscious} to these archetypal instructions, innate energies that are oledr than mankind. Demanding sleep is the demand of the collective unconscious summoning you to your journey {follow your bliss}. You can no longer put it off, you have set forth on your heroic journey {the Monomyth}. You have begun to embrace this powerful aspect within yourself, which has 'synched' itself with the collective psyche, the universal 'soul'. Your blissful journey is not an illusion {as some would insist it is} but the highest calling in your life. When you follow your bliss you transcend all illusionary boundaries and connect with the universal soul which offers you helping hands on your journey {some call them angels}.

---

The dream is a reflection of your true self. For those who are on the hero journey dreams can be a way to assess where you are in your journey. Campbell was a 'Jungian' and his descriptions of the hero path fulfill not only the physical aspects of the journey but also the psychological. They also will tap into the collective 'mind' and can provide insights that are not available through any other sources.

You will find links to both my Myths-Dreams-Symbols website and my newest creation {creative} site The Power of Dreams. Working with dreams and designing websites is my bliss and now that I am retired I am able to do it full time. If you will read all you can from Campbell and Jung, as well as Marion Woodman, Elaine Pagels you will come away with a 'knowledge' that will be most valuable in your adventure. There are plenty of spiritual teachers you can look to but those I have listed are at the top.

If you will keep us informed of your journey by posting future dreams we can discuss those as well as your journey. Take time to learn about your dreams and how dreams function and you will be able to tap into the deepest recesses of your soul as you experience the adventure we call life. At the age of 25 you have undertaken a huge responsibility. There will be obstacles, possibly terrible dragons you will have to slay. But if stay the path there will always be the 'helping hands of fate' to assist you and you will always persevere. ALWAYS!

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 63 Space Coast, Fla.

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? Host Dream Forum