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Cars and Chases

So, I usually would never post on things like these, but after a friend of mine showed a few responses of yours to her dream, I figured you may actually be able to help. Firstly, I must note I never write down any of my dreams (except for once, when the dream was so intricate, terrifying, and odd that I didn't want to forget it. I've lost that sheet of paper, but I remember bits of it.). Anyway, I'm usually in a rush in the morning and never remember what happens, although I can pick out bits and pieces of it.

In nearly every dream I have, or remember, I am running from something. This usually starts or ends in a car. I recall one dream I had where my family and I were riding along a highway or interstate. It was just a normal day. Then the sky started to get really dark, but they didn't notice what happened next. I look up, out the window, and I see, of course, Dementors, from Harry Potter. I believe a few weeks before, I'd just watched the third movie in the series. Anyway, I look up and panic, of course, because it looks as if they're coming after us. I tell my parents and they brush it off without even a word of acknowledgement. Then, as the Dementors come closer, my parents are gone, so I quickly take over with driving, although I'm sure at this point in life I couldn't even reach the pedals well. So, I drive, and the road is mostly clear, as I pass by cars that aren't moving. Eventually, the Dementors do not pose a threat, so I pull over by an embankment and get out to hide instead of being the only moving car within ten miles. I run down the hill there and try to hide behind a bit of that bright orange barrier stuff that has holes in it? I've no idea what it is called, but it's almost like netting, but with wider holes. Anyway, that's not as important. It surrounds/hides a big space I go to, but I pause when I see a woman and man there. The man is sitting at her feet and she's attempting to give birth. I don't entirely remember what happens after that, though, but I think I start running again.

There are thousands of other dreams similar to this that involve chasing, but all of them include cars somewhere in them, and my own home. In each of these dreams, I always return to my home to hide, although this is never a conscious decision, as I am just running. I may open a door on a city street or run through and archway, and I am in one of the rooms in my home (old home usually, that I used to live in). This probably is really confusing, and I keep repeating things, but I need to get it all out, so just bear with me here, heh.

Anyway, the events and people are usually always different, but they always lead me back to my house.

Some other dreams I commonly have, still related to running, involve when someone tries to attack me in my home. One dream I vaguely remember having is me being outside (old home again) and I'm either playing or just reading. It's not closed in, and there is a retaining pond (I believe that's it? It's not full of water, because I think it's supposed to support overflow?), so there's a hill right behind the backyard. Right behind the retaining pond is the thin forest. Alright, so usually I'm in my backyard, and then someone or something comes from the forest and chases after me. At first, I go into my house and run into the garage, or upstairs into my parents' bedroom (one of their windows faces the backyard, and my plan is to jump out of it, since the attacker is coming for me in the house). Anyway, I run into either of these, then somehow escape the house and run many houses down the block (always to the left, not the right, for whatever reason) and try to get them to help me. They never do. Usually they never answer the door, but when they do, they either do not let me in, do not help me, or they ARE the person I'm running from, and I die at the end of the dream, period.

I've no idea why all my dreams are of me running away. Sometimes I get away from the person or thing safely, other times they actually do kill me, and other times I fall from a cliff (this is usually the worst one because I have a serious fear of falling). This could be a very simple thing my dreams are telling me, and I have a few ideas, but I'll let you analyze first so you can generate your own.

Hope you can give me some feedback. Thank you so much.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 17/Female VA

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} No

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Re: Cars and Chases

Anon,
This is a long analysis so please bear with me as I break down the dream. I could provide a summary but I feel it important to explain my thinking as I analyze the dream.

How old were you when you had the dream with your family traveling in the car? I take it you were much younger since in the dream where you could not reach the pedals of the car {which could be symbolic but would also indicative of your age/a child too small to do so}. The importance is a very young child's imagination can influence dreams and there may be nothing to the early dreams.

Having said that, if the dreams are continuous and more recent {as I sense they are} then the 'running away from something' would point to emotional experiences that have yet to be resolved. Dreams have a language of symbol and metaphor and are about the dreamer's emotions {in particular those that are in conflict}. Running from something would be symbolic of running away from some past emotional experience that was negative, ie, experiences that possess strong emotional energies that are in conflict. The function of dreams is to help resolve the emotional conflicts by attempting to inform the dreamer they exist {dreams are to the psyche as the immune system is to the body}. Often such experiences are pushed back into the psyche so they can not disturb the waking mind or/and because they were so painful/frightful the dreamer doesn't want to give though to the experiences {if too painful/frightful the dreamer may repress the memories/experience}. Having continuous dreams with the same theme points to emotional experiences that remain unresolved. Let's examine the symbols {images and actions in the dream} in the dream you posted and see what they have to offer.

A car is one of the most common dream symbols {along with houses} and almost always represents you the dreamer , the direction you are going in life, your effectiveness in controlling your life, attaining your goals, etc. In your dreams being in the car would represent you in some aspect of your life {at the time you had the dream}. The highway/interstate could point to how you felt at that time which would indicate emotional progression {influences related to the emotional experience that is in conflict}. Life was pretty much normal when a 'dark' experience occurred {in your life}. The dark sky may also indicate your mood due to the experience{s} {trouble in your normal life}. Windows are often symbolic of viewing contents within the unconscious related to the emotional issues. Dementors would usually be a symbol much like other demons/monsters {which would represent inner demons} but because your dream specifically mentions the Dementors from Harry Potter there may be more to the associations to the film character {which would define your inner emotions}.
Example: Dementors feed upon human happiness, and thus cause depression and despair to anyone near them.
This description could point to how your actual mental frame of mind, or how the emotional experiences could affect your mental life in the future. It could be an energy that could affect or even motivate your personality.

Back to the dream. What is coming at you is the unconscious energies related to the emotional experiences in question. As long as this psyche aspect remains unresolved it will continue to come at you {in your dreams if not in some conscious form or action}. Telling your parents may have point to an actual real life endeavor {in dream interactions with parents or very close persons the actions could be symbolic as well as literal}. The symbolic value could point issues related to parental power, shelter, and love. What may be key is the actions of your 'parents'. They 'brush it off' without a word of acknowledgement. This may point to a specific {and literal} response to an actual waking experience You had {prior to the dream} but could point to the general relationship with your parents as a child {did they tend to not acknowledge you or your needs as a child as good parents should? In other words this dream action may be a statement about the relationship with your parents as a child and could be a part of what you are running away from {away from what was and needing what should have been/good parents}.
But this is still subjective. If it fits then we have probably hit on as least a part of what the dream message is.

As the Dementors come closer {to unconscious acknowledgement/understanding what they are} your parents are gone. This too may point to a 'non-existence' of proper parenting. You have to take control of things in your life {taking over the driving} but because you were so young there were natural doubts to being able to do this {it may be you actually had these feelings when you were a child}. You are forced 'to drive' on your own {not literally of course} without proper parenting. The clear road would likely point to, at least in part, the ability of a child's psyche to see things in a positive light despite negative conditions in their life. Passing cars that are not moving {again the car.cars are you} could point to the fact you were 'driving' but not achieving/accomplishing what you should have if there were proper parenting in your life.
Note: Seeing petals in your dream may indicate a broken relationship. It also represents regret and guilt {children often feel guilty of things they had nothing to do with}. The regret would be not having your parents more involved in your life as a child.

Now the dream seems to take a turn to what your psyche has done with the experiences {a norm to how dreams function}. The Dementors do not cause a threat because you have pushed the experiences back into your unconscious. You have hidden the experiences away from conscious thought, they no longer consciously exist {which may point to some type of actual movement away from your parents}. The 10 miles may point to an actual measurement in your waking life but may signify you have moved a good distance from the negative experiences {all numbers have meaning in dreams}. The orange barrier with holes may suggest you have moved away from actual negative experiences but there are holes in this because the unconscious energies still exist. Netting could represent being caught in complicated emotional situations with the barriers and consciously seeking ways to get out of them {wider holes}.
Note: Everything within a dream is important.

The space is inner space, unconscious issues that surround your life as it is now {more specifically at the time of the dream} and a big emotional space to fill at that. In this unconscious space is a man and woman. This could on one hand point to parents but symbolically point to an integration of the masculine/feminine aspects of your psyche. Your masculine self is in a submissive position to the feminine {your emotional being in relationship to your childhood without proper parenting and the negative results for your future life}. What your emotional life is attempting to give birth to is a new self that has resolved these childhood issues. But because that has not yet been done you continue 'running'.
End of analysis of this dream

Returning to hide in your home is hiding within yourself {unconscious issues}. It is unconscious and not a conscious decision {hiding the issues from conscious thought}. The old home, the one you used to live in could very well be pointing to your childhood home/environment {and suggest you have moved away from that environment/your parents}. Different images/actions in your dreams but with the same intended message {that the dream is trying to communicate}.

Symbols from other dreams also point to unconscious aspects. A retaining pond is retaining the experiences within the unconscious {water, even when implied as being in the pond, is a common symbol for the unconscious}. The back yard is in the back of the house {you} which again would point to the unconscious {the front would be your waking ego}. Garages are where you store things, park your car, also a reference to unconscious aspects. Running to the left left,symbolizes the unconscious and can represent your repressed thoughts/emotions {right would be conscious aspects}. Getting away from the person{s} is what you wish to do/need to do to be 'safe' emotionally. Falling from a cliff is a fear that would be related to insecurities due to the issues in conflict. Your fear of falling may be a direct result of these issues {resolving the emotional issues may resolve your fear of falling}.

Summary
The dreams do seem to point to childhood issues and parenting. If not parenting then experiences in your childhood your parents 'brushed off', strong emotional experiences that were grave and needed your parents to acknowledge. The strongest indication is about your parents. Let me know your thoughts to my analysis and perhaps we will be able to learn more to what the dreams are trying to communicate.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 65 Cocoa, Fl

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

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Re: Cars and Chases

First off, thank you so much for responding to this. Second, wow, I gained so much insight from your analysis. Alright, so here goes...

I think at the time I had the dream, I was in middle school. I'm a pretty short person, and I was still growing in middle school up to the height I am now, which is 5'2", so me not reaching the pedals could be from seventh grade and under, really. I think I had it early middle school, though, maybe sixth or seventh grade. I'm not sure when I first saw the third HP, but it could've been at that time. In a lot of my dreams, I'm usually smaller than my real self, which I find a bit weird, but after thinking about it, that has been the case in many dreams I've had, even recently.

My dad was a Marine for a bit when he was younger, so he has a very strict way of controlling his household, and he tends to easily lose his temper, even with very simple things. He pulled a gun on my brother when my brother was 12, I think, after he hit my sister, and threatened him with it, which was three years ago, I think. I've pretty much always feared my dad, and still do, sort of, but I have the will to fight back, which is probably why my dreams now rarely ever involve my dad, and hardly ever my mom, too.

I've had problems with people (trusting too easily, being too afraid to let them go, holding onto people that hurt me, etc) many times in my life, mostly through middle school. Sixth grade wasn't as bad as seventh, where I went through one of those darker phases in life, especially after being 'betrayed' by someone I thought was a friend. I suppose a lot of these experiences I had (including some where people have died in my life that I was very close to) could represent those dark times in my life that I'm trying to suppress. I was always the mistake, and my parents let me know early on that they never intended to have me (but they did say they loved me just the same). I think I always just brushed it off, pretending not to care I was the kid they never really wanted, the kid they accidentally had too young, but whenever I joke about it now, I find that I am less amused by it than a little hurt whenever I see that we're in financial trouble. Which also leads to the way I was raised as a kid. Because my dad was in the military, he's always wanted things very tidy, and he doesn't think good deeds earn you anything (like if I do my chores without being asked to, and I want something in return, he doesn't think I deserve it, etc). So, I learned never to ask for anything as a child, and I usually never do now, so I've become the kid that never asks my parents for advice, money, devices, but I always ask permission to do things. I realized our financial troubles early on and learned to live with it and be the kid that wouldn't ask for something even if I really wanted it, because dad would tell me I don't need it and mom would tell me we couldn't afford it.

I love my parents, even if they aren't perfect, but I've been at that point in life since about...seventh grade, but more so in ninth grade, when I feel I could leave them forever and never turn back because I've detached myself from them. Since my dad was raised so religiously, and my mom is a sort of Christian, they've always forced their beliefs on me. So, I guess that made it easier for me to want to be my own person and ignore their wishes constantly. I usually never talk to them, especially in situations where I want to express how I feel because when I told them I didn't believe in God in ninth grade my dad threatened to have me exorcised (since then, they haven't acknowledged that I don't believe). They pretend they listen to me, and then continue to force their ideals on me, which is both hurtful and hypocritical. So, really, I just suppress everything I should say to them, and I feel like they don't know me at all, and if they did know who I really am, they'd disown me (at least, my father would).

My father's really the problem, as he influences my mom's decisions and how she thinks, so they've sort of become the same person to me now. He's just so set in his ways and his ideas that he thinks there is no other way. He wants to be able to control the way his children live and think, while also asking us how we think (and if he doesn't like the answer, you better bet he'll get it to change).

So, there has always been many things I keep repressed. I'm a writer, so I guess I display many of these things in what I write, but I just...am not entirely sure how to deal with my situation, so it comes to me in dreams. My biggest problem is that they don't understand me, and although they ask to, I know they'd hate the answer to: Who is my daughter?

Sorry for the long response... I'd just like to understand if there's something I should be doing, or if I should just save it, because I'm the type of person to avoid so many things, including confrontation.

Thanks for the analysis, again.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 17/Female VA

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} No

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Of course

Re: Cars and Chases

Anon,
You have plenty of things from your childhood you can be 'running' from. The Dementors could easily apply toy your father {and mother by her coalescing to his wishes} . The feeling you are smaller than your actual size suggests inferiority traits. That could be a result of childhood and parenting {people evolve differently although have pretty much similar experiences}. What needs to be understood are the unconscious energies that formed your psyche and personality and how they affect and motivate your actions as an older teen. This will require therapy {we all have issues that do} from a trained therapist or psychologist. The trust you put into people and can't let go of would be a result of these unconscious energies. Getting to those issues would be important since it is likely an ongoing issue and will remain so until the issues are understood and either resolved.

Suggestion. As a writer it may do you well to learn to express yourself through your writing. What is repressed, built up emotional energies that need a release, can find an outlet through creativity. My own negative experiences as a child {which motivated me down the wrong path for the first 42 years of my life} found expression in my learning web design and through my dream work. One important aspect of the psyche that Jung gave great emphasis to was the creative self. Through the muses we not only find universal patterns {mythology} that apply to each individual life {yours may be the Dementors of Harry Potter} but an outlet to express what is within. This is the usual path for most artists whether they be writers, musicians, poets, artists, etc. Mt Myths-Dreams-Symbols {which I started in 1998} was my outlet, my other self expressing my true being as I traveled the path to self discovery {psychological}. Take the negatives and learn to express them in your writing. This is good therapy and in the process you lean so much about yourself that can have a healing effect . Not only that you are sharing your experiences so others who have similar emotional pain can find solace from your writing. You are in essence using your spiritual identity because by sharing from the creative soul is a spiritual endeavor. Immerse yourself in these aspects of creativity and see where it leads. If you are doing what you love most doing then you are performing self therapy, self healing. This was/is my path and the results were a transformation of the old to the new. The new is what is already within you, you need only to bring that true person out. Do it with your writing, your creative self.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 65 Cocoa, Fl

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

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Re: Cars and Chases

Thank you, Jerry. You've helped a lot. Think I'll be doing a lot more writing and trying to repair everything I've been repressing... You're a great dream analyst, and you probably deserve to be paid for this - I'm just glad you aren't charging. It says a lot about you and your character. Thanks for allowing me to discover what I need to do.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 17/Female VA

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} No

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Of course

Re: Cars and Chases

Thank you, Jerry. You've helped a lot. Think I'll be doing a lot more writing and trying to repair everything I've been repressing... You're a great dream analyst, and you probably deserve to be paid for this - I'm just glad you aren't charging. It says a lot about you and your character. Thanks for allowing me to discover what I need to do.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 17/Female VA

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} No

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Of course


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