I feel like there are some things I need to clear up before I get to the actual dream so please bear with me. First and foremost being that I am white and this dream seems to take place in a Japanese-esque (not a word I know) society. I don't know much about Japan or it's culture aside from a bit of pop culture so it struck me as very odd I would have a dream take place there.

Second being that most of my dreams tend to "co-star" a character from fiction in this case Ling Yao from Fullmetal Alchemist. He resides in "Xing" which I think is the China and/or Japan of that fictional universe. He is a prince of his nation.

Lastly if any of the above information was completely unnecessary I apologize.

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So this dream takes place in a village by the sea. The palace is at the furthest point of a peninsula with the town stretching out in front of it. The center point of the palace is a large courtyard with a square on concrete platform, at the corners are pillars on top of which sit small stone statues on thrones (an alter of some kind perhaps? the statues are definitely sacred) the figures all face the center of the square.

I am a high ranking body guard to Ling. (How a foreigner got so high is beyond me for now I'm assuming I have Hollywood director living in my head and I Tom Cruised my way to the top.) Despite being his official guarding most of the dream is spent in a one sided game of hide and seek with me being the seeker (this is in character for him from the show).

As I am looking for him I notice that palace is unusually crowded. Every corridor is crammed almost to capacity with people. I squeeze my way through the crowd and make it to the inner courtyard where I see the statues have been knocked about and are no longer in proper position. I bark orders at some nearby soldiers to right the statues now. Apparently them being in place is all that keeps "him" at bay.

I race to the back of the palace where I can get a good look at the sea and see that there a bubbles churning up from it. "He" is apparently on his way, we were too late. I spy Ling just as "he" emerges from the sea. "He" is a monstrous creature easily 4 times my height (I am 5' 2" fyi). It takes a lot of us to take him down but before he gets to Ling I manage to get in a lucky shot by climbing him and stabbing him in the chest.

With the battle won Ling is gone again and again I must search for him. I find him much easier this time. There is a staircase going to the third floor with heavy rafters above it. Someone has stretched heavy netting across them so one could easily sit up there without worrying about falling off and onto the people below you. As he and I sit and talk (this I realize upon waking up and thinking back on the dream) I am far more casual with him than someone of my rank should be and I am under the impression we may have some affair going (though no sex happens in the dream). We are not in a romantic relationship but neither of us seem to want anymore than we already have anyway. After a while I ask if my "heroic" rescue warranted my own room in the palace again. Ling jokes that he will "think" about it but it implies he will be moving from the common barracks I had been in.

The dream skips ahead and I am once again search for Ling. This time I have left the palace and am wandering the market looking for him. I am suddenly attacked from behind by tall bearded man (he too is white) wielding a two handed sword. I can't get my defenses up in time and have to dodge. Some sticks him from behind with a spear and I see it is Ling. Ling doesn't look happy as the man disappears in black smoke. He walks up to the Catholic altar (I don't know why it's catholic. It could be because I was raised Catholic and am most familiar with their altars or because I am decidedly unfamiliar with Buddhist altars or both or neither) that I landed beside and gives it strong enough kick to break open the bottom of it. The mummified head of the man who attacked me rolls. I pick up the head and feel a cold dread. I explain to Ling that the altar is Catholic and that the head in question belongs to a long dead Saint. I ask if he knows what is going on but just as he is answering I wake up.

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Oh wow that turned out way longer than the last one. Sorry about that and I hope I am not posting this too soon after the first one. Thank you for your time.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 28/ male Texas

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

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James,
First an explanation of why Ling Yao is in your dream. This likely because there are aspects about Ling the hero you identify with. Your interest in his tale/lore/myth fits with who you are on the inside. He is you in the dream, or least you can become him in your own life if you should decide to perform the hero deeds as he has done in his story {metaphorically speaking}.

As for the high ranking body guard and being a seeker, that is what you have done with the experiences from childhood and you are seeking your true identity. The body guard is a defense mechanism not to have to confront the early life issues because of the emotional pain associated with them. From your response this would fit how you feel about having to deal with these experiences. Your dream is confirming that and at the same time trying to communicate the need to have to confront the issues because they do have unconscious control over who you are as an adult {unconscious motivators}. A lack of a desire for communication is symbolic of the statues in your dream. The corridors are links from the unconscious to the conscious self and those are crowded with emotional conflict related to your total psychological being. The 'Tom Crusing' to the top is representing the ego attitude of not wanting to deal with the inner issues, a nonchalant attitude that probably fits your personality and s probably associated with early life experiences {another defense mechanism, pretending issues don't bother you when they really do}. Your true self {palace}, the person you should have/would have/could have been if early life were normal is crowded with emotions blocking the 'corridors' to wholeness. The inner courtyard is an enclosure which represents the defense mechanisms you have built to avoid confronting painful early life experiences. Because of these mechanisms you are not in that position where you can be whole. The conscious intent of keeping these issues in a place of not to confront them keeps the issues 'at bay'.

But because of nature's intent to help solve emotional issues {through our dreams} there are 'bubbles' of the unconscious energies the early life experiences possess. Ling may be the hero in your dream representing the hero within you who is able to confront the psychological issues {ling is the character used because you do identify with the character he represents in his story}. There are inner monsters that emerge from those experiences and you being the hero in your own life you have been lucky in life not to have had these unconscious motivators do serious and great harm to you. Although the unconscious motivators have some control over your personality they have not as yet put you in a such a negative position to completely ruin your life. Thus far in life, despite the strong emotional issues, you have been fortunate, something that may be obvious in many ways when you look back at your life and see how lucky you have been. You are able to save yourself but the inner issues are still within you and are stabbing issues {stabbing him/you in the chest}. The monster is your ability to not to confront the emotional issues and this is what needs to be 'killed' so you can and will confront the issues.
Note: all the images in your dream pertains to you and the characters are you.

Because you have won the battle of keeping these issues locked away you must search for the 'hero within' {Ling/you}. There probably has been a stimulus for your posting your dream to be interpreted and this would be the first attempt in many to make yourself confront the issues. The second time {your second dream} was easier to post because you have taken the important first step to 'going inward' {self psychology}. You have begun the process of self examination, created an affair you have long avoided. You are the hero in your own life {see Joseph Campbell's Monomyth for an explanation of the hero journey in myth and lore}. You have moved from the common position of avoidance to one of confronting the inner monsters you had been in {dream language-"Ling jokes that he will "think" about it but it implies he will be moving from the common barracks I had been in"}.

But this is a temporary position and there is a need to discover a permanent position of self discovery {once again searching for Ling}. Being attacked from behind {unconscious contents} by a tall bearded man {again, all persons in your dream are aspects of yourself} represents two aspects {two handed sword} of being attacked. The two handed sword could also represent the inner self as well as the ego self. One is the unconscious energies to do with childhood experiences and the other is the wiser self you have become with age {bearded man}. Both are insisting you confront these inner issues although your ego self has created very strong defenses against doing so. Posting your dreams for analysis has circumvented the usual defense mechanisms you have created and you are able to see the 'hero within' {confronting the issues and attempting to resolve them makes you the hero}. The inner Ling/you possesses a strong Shadow element that can cause any desire to resolve your emotional issues.conflicts to disappear. Look at the mummified head as the position of avoiding the inner issues {again, all images are related to you}. The cold dread is the thoughts of having to confront these issues. The dead saint and the Catholic alter relates to the 'special message' your dream is trying to communicate. This could have associations to the spiritual realm, either recent waking life experiences to do with religion or spiritual concepts, of the inner spirit which is a part of the hero journey. Again, you become the hero/Ling in your own life when you begin the process of self examination, confronting the inner demons and sincerely attempting to resolve the issues.

Summary
The dream is dealing with your attitude of not dealing with the inner emotional as you should, the defense mechanisms you have built to avoid doing so. But you have begun to dismantle, are at least an attempt to do, these defenses and because you have {posting your dreams is one measure, there may be others you have consciously begun} done this your dream is attempting to communicate where you are in relation to this 'hero deed'. The question is will you continue to try to confront the inner issues or will the inner hero be a mere saint, past efforts that no longer live {continue to avoid the issues and letting them continue to work as negative unconscious motivators}. The dream is about becoming whole, the need to confront your emotional issues and becoming the hero you most want to be in your own life. This is my analysis of your dream.

As for what needs to be confronted are the issues from early life that have become the unconscious motivators to your personality and actions as an adult. What experiences/influences from childhood are there you may repeat that need to end? The experiences from childhood have a profound affect on your personality. What negative impact from those early years that you need to recognize, confront and resolve? Are there any traits you possess that fit people in your early life? There are probably deep seeded issues that will require a more extensive examination by a professional therapist but the first step is to remove the barriers to allow yourself to think about those early years. Only by confronting them {and in some cases people related to them also} can you begin to understand the impact from them. To resolve the issues you first must know what they are and admit they are there. Then by staying with a process of self discovery you will be able to start over and become whole, discovering the inner child that was never able to express itself. You become the hero when you do this but it takes a strong will and desire to stay with it. That is what makes the hero, not giving in to what the ego wants and instead what the true self needs.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 64 Cocoa, Fl

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes

James,
First an explanation of why Ling Yao is in your dream. This likely because there are aspects about Ling the hero you identify with. Your interest in his tale/lore/myth fits with who you are on the inside. He is you in the dream, or least you can become him in your own life if you should decide to perform the hero deeds as he has done in his story {metaphorically speaking}.

As for the high ranking body guard and being a seeker, that is what you have done with the experiences from childhood and you are seeking your true identity. The body guard is a defense mechanism not to have to confront the early life issues because of the emotional pain associated with them. From your response this would fit how you feel about having to deal with these experiences. Your dream is confirming that and at the same time trying to communicate the need to have to confront the issues because they do have unconscious control over who you are as an adult {unconscious motivators}. A lack of a desire for communication is symbolic of the statues in your dream. The corridors are links from the unconscious to the conscious self and those are crowded with emotional conflict related to your total psychological being. The 'Tom Crusing' to the top is representing the ego attitude of not wanting to deal with the inner issues, a nonchalant attitude that probably fits your personality and s probably associated with early life experiences {another defense mechanism, pretending issues don't bother you when they really do}. Your true self {palace}, the person you should have/would have/could have been if early life were normal is crowded with emotions blocking the 'corridors' to wholeness. The inner courtyard is an enclosure which represents the defense mechanisms you have built to avoid confronting painful early life experiences. Because of these mechanisms you are not in that position where you can be whole. The conscious intent of keeping these issues in a place of not to confront them keeps the issues 'at bay'.

But because of nature's intent to help solve emotional issues {through our dreams} there are 'bubbles' of the unconscious energies the early life experiences possess. Ling may be the hero in your dream representing the hero within you who is able to confront the psychological issues {ling is the character used because you do identify with the character he represents in his story}. There are inner monsters that emerge from those experiences and you being the hero in your own life you have been lucky in life not to have had these unconscious motivators do serious and great harm to you. Although the unconscious motivators have some control over your personality they have not as yet put you in a such a negative position to completely ruin your life. Thus far in life, despite the strong emotional issues, you have been fortunate, something that may be obvious in many ways when you look back at your life and see how lucky you have been. You are able to save yourself but the inner issues are still within you and are stabbing issues {stabbing him/you in the chest}. The monster is your ability to not to confront the emotional issues and this is what needs to be 'killed' so you can and will confront the issues.
Note: all the images in your dream pertains to you and the characters are you.

Because you have won the battle of keeping these issues locked away you must search for the 'hero within' {Ling/you}. There probably has been a stimulus for your posting your dream to be interpreted and this would be the first attempt in many to make yourself confront the issues. The second time {your second dream} was easier to post because you have taken the important first step to 'going inward' {self psychology}. You have begun the process of self examination, created an affair you have long avoided. You are the hero in your own life {see Joseph Campbell's Monomyth for an explanation of the hero journey in myth and lore}. You have moved from the common position of avoidance to one of confronting the inner monsters you had been in {dream language-"Ling jokes that he will "think" about it but it implies he will be moving from the common barracks I had been in"}.

But this is a temporary position and there is a need to discover a permanent position of self discovery {once again searching for Ling}. Being attacked from behind {unconscious contents} by a tall bearded man {again, all persons in your dream are aspects of yourself} represents two aspects {two handed sword} of being attacked. The two handed sword could also represent the inner self as well as the ego self. One is the unconscious energies to do with childhood experiences and the other is the wiser self you have become with age {bearded man}. Both are insisting you confront these inner issues although your ego self has created very strong defenses against doing so. Posting your dreams for analysis has circumvented the usual defense mechanisms you have created and you are able to see the 'hero within' {confronting the issues and attempting to resolve them makes you the hero}. The inner Ling/you possesses a strong Shadow element that can cause any desire to resolve your emotional issues.conflicts to disappear. Look at the mummified head as the position of avoiding the inner issues {again, all images are related to you}. The cold dread is the thoughts of having to confront these issues. The dead saint and the Catholic alter relates to the 'special message' your dream is trying to communicate. This could have associations to the spiritual realm, either recent waking life experiences to do with religion or spiritual concepts, of the inner spirit which is a part of the hero journey. Again, you become the hero/Ling in your own life when you begin the process of self examination, confronting the inner demons and sincerely attempting to resolve the issues.

Summary
The dream is dealing with your attitude of not dealing with the inner emotional as you should, the defense mechanisms you have built to avoid doing so. But you have begun to dismantle, are at least an attempt to do, these defenses and because you have {posting your dreams is one measure, there may be others you have consciously begun} done this your dream is attempting to communicate where you are in relation to this 'hero deed'. The question is will you continue to try to confront the inner issues or will the inner hero be a mere saint, past efforts that no longer live {continue to avoid the issues and letting them continue to work as negative unconscious motivators}. The dream is about becoming whole, the need to confront your emotional issues and becoming the hero you most want to be in your own life. This is my analysis of your dream.

As for what needs to be confronted are the issues from early life that have become the unconscious motivators to your personality and actions as an adult. What experiences/influences from childhood are there you may repeat that need to end? The experiences from childhood have a profound affect on your personality. What negative impact from those early years that you need to recognize, confront and resolve? Are there any traits you possess that fit people in your early life? There are probably deep seeded issues that will require a more extensive examination by a professional therapist but the first step is to remove the barriers to allow yourself to think about those early years. Only by confronting them {and in some cases people related to them also} can you begin to understand the impact from them. To resolve the issues you first must know what they are and admit they are there. Then by staying with a process of self discovery you will be able to start over and become whole, discovering the inner child that was never able to express itself. You become the hero when you do this but it takes a strong will and desire to stay with it. That is what makes the hero, not giving in to what the ego wants and instead what the true self needs.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 64 Cocoa, Fl

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes

I plan to seek a therapist and meditate on what is wrong with me. Thank you so much for your time I appreciate the thorough analysis.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 28/ male Texas

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? yes

James,
If the issues are as deep as I read in your dreams a therapist is good idea. Working through the issues will not be easy and help will be necessary. If you can find someone who works with dreams that will be helpful {dreams are a direct link to the unconscious}. Later after you have worked with a therapist post a dream and perhaps we can see any progress that has come from your therapy.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 64 Cocoa, Fl

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

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes