Had a few strange dreams last night, one in particular. Was at someone's home when I noticed these strange, rodent type creatures, although not anything I recognized as a something I've ever seen before. There was one in particular, a male who seemed to want to befriend me. Being an animal lover, I picked it up & started cuddling with it. This was to the dismay of all others present in the house. I then knit it a beautiful white sweater with white beading embellishment. When I put it on the creature, I had a hard time getting his had through it. He then growled at me & nipped me a bit, no blood though, more of a warning. I then walked outside to see the night sky FILLED with beautiful stars, seemingly low in the sky, as if I were out west.Literally hundreds of thousands. Next thing, I dreamt I was home & my son was laughing, almost in a delirious way. I then woke myself for it was me who was laughing in my sleep.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 49, New Jersey & New York

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Laurie,

Some thoughts follow. Could be close or not, look for the Aha! feeling and if one, it's close. If not, prhaps this can stimulate your own thoughts as to the meaning. Your feedback would be appreciated!

The house is you although consciously you see it as outside of you, not a part of you. The strange rodent could be an aspect of your personality or a specific behaviour pattern presented by the unconscious as something “socially unacceptable” or a male animus aspect, a typical male trait such as rational thought, competitiveness, aggression, as the animal is male. Not recognizing it could signify the conscious mind is unaware you require the support and integration of this animus aspect. Perhaps, as your inner Self would embrace this aspect your outer Persona, ego, feels a need to clothe it perhaps to make it acceptable to your conscious self. However, by doing so the animus warns that to hamper it’s true being, will only result in remaining vulnerable or lacking the very trait it can be within your Self. And possibly the need you feel to hide or alter this aspect is not fitting with the Inner Self. That the head does not fit this outer image perhaps points to intellect or rational thought. As you look to your true nature, the inner guide shows you the many aspects of Self, all beautiful, all contained within, including the unconscious, all aspects of the Self, of which this male aspect is a part. Perhaps the laughter indicates the emotional release of these feelings.

Many thanks,
Kathy

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 43 Central OH

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Hi Kathy,
Thanks for your comments - quite sure that the animus analyzation is on the mark, I am constantly dreaming of animals, mostly dogs, and they are always male. I also have recurring dreams about clothing w/embellishments like beading, (as was the rodent's sweater), but usually it's me who is wearing them. Any take on what that means? One more question - another recurrence is dreaming of black or brown animals, usually big cats, sometimes bears. Seems that most of the time the brown one is evil & the black one is good. What of it? Thank you again so much,
Laurie

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 49, New Jersey & New York

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Hi Laurie,
Apologies on the very late reply here. Got caught up in a work project & other happenings, too much going on!

The embellishments may be symbolic of dressing up the ego, those little aspects of self the ego would display or desire to embellish. Or perhaps even ego material wants as beads were, still are in some remote tribes & clans, a form of currency.

I too dream of large cats & animals, mainly white tigers & mountain lions. Many times animals may symbolize aspects of our inner nature, our Inner Self. Each animal has it's own innate natural traits of which we may ourself possess and the unconsciuos recognizes. The unconscious uses these animals to communicate. For instance, white tigers are stealthy, playful, like water and their coloring is a mix of white & brown, light and shadow. In Jungian terms my psyche identifies with this animal as I have come to recognize I am cautious (stealthy), humorous (playful), and desire to develop a life of balance in both spiritual (light) and physical (dark) and both male (light) and female (dark).

Perhaps learn about the innate natures and habits of the animals in your dreams to identify what traits your Psyche connects to in these animals. Then you can use this information as a guide of sorts in conscious understanding of aspects of Self.

On brown & black animals, because brown animals are 'good' may indicate an earthy sensual aspect with black 'bad' possibly being Shadow traits.
Read about Shadow on the menu to the left & see if the black animals fit into this aspect of self.

Perhaps you dream of animals because you have a connection or affinity for them. Are you an introvert as opposed to an extrovert? Many introverts are comfortable with animals, sometimes moreso than people because introverts rely much on non verbal communication which animals use almost exclusively.

Thanks,
Kathy

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 43 Central OH

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Hey Kathy,
No problem with the time issue - I know what it's like to be too busy for your own good. I appreciate your making the time for me. I think the idea of beads representing currency might be the right answer, have had financial difficulties & much stress after starting a catering business in NYC. Big concern for me, never really sure if I even did the right thing, my timing was horrible as the economy here is weak. Anyway, to go to the animal thing, you reversed the colors - black is good, brown is evil. I do love animals very much, and no, I am definitely not an introvert. However, I find it easier to communicate with animals as I have been "taken" by many a human. The big black cat is always my protector, and the brown cats or bears seem to be violent & threatening. There was a period in time when I dreamt of a male Lion outside my door which wouldn't let me go outside. This dream recurred for over a year, until the female black cat appeared & kicked his butt, sending him on his way. Don't know if this was an animus related thing, or more of a "wolf at the door", as I was going through some hard times then, both personal & financial. What do you think? I also dream a lot about dogs, always male, sometimes hurt. Appreciate your input & thanks again,
Laurie

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 49

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Hi Laurie,
Thanks for understanding! Just a quick thought for now, more tomorrow.

The lion that kept you inside...was that following the end of a romantic relationship? If so. Wow. Had a very similar dream after my divorce ten years ago. Two lions in a den outside my door. It could again be the animus issue, the one of survival and needing to develope and rely on your own inner male aspect rather than outer reliance on the external male in the relationship.

Again, more tomorrow, getting late.

Kind regards,
Kathy

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 43 Central OH

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

Hi Laurie,
Again, sorry on the late reply. I seem to reach critical mass at work midweek, derailed off the ‘life’ track and solely on the ‘work’ track…

Thank you for the additional personal information. The dream may also be communicating about the new business and current situation.

Possibly you initiated this new venture from a feminine desire for creative expression and it is close to you however it requires more of the masculine traits of aggressiveness, competitiveness, rational ‘business’, financial responsibilities, etc that you had to ‘pick up’ than you expected. While you already possess some measure of these traits you feel a need to incorporate more. The creative aspects of catering- designing menus and foods, cooking, artistic presentation, are probably what you enjoy and behind the decision. The dismay may be the feminine aspects of Self and the artistic, creative outlets in which they thrive but must be put aside much of the time for the masculine to deal with the business needs. You attempt to retain a feminine outlook by ‘clothing the masculine’ as the feminine but use of this type of intellect doesn’t truly fit the situation. The masculine warns it must be in the forefront in this aspect of your life.

Perhaps walking outside to the beautiful star filled sky shows that by allowing the larger measure of masculine as pertains to the business will eventually result in the success you desire and a time when you can return to the feminine creativity you first sought once this balance is achieved.

Black = good, brown = bad. Got it. Are you African American? If so, this may be the reason for the color connections of black and brown. Brown is earthy, sensual. Do you consider yourself more intuitive than sensing or vice versa? (click on this link MDS Jung’s Personality Types for information about Jung’s psychological types Intuitive and Sensing)

Soul Future defines panther as darkness within; feminine or yin energy (Eastern reference); intuition. Perhaps the black animals represent the feminine and intuition with the brown symbolizing masculine and sensing. If you are an intuitive then naturally the sensing aspect would appear threatening as it is opposite your innate type. However, by working in Individuation an integrating of the sensing type would eventually come about providing a balance your Psyche requires.

As an animus or ‘wolf at the door’, it could be both. Dreams hold multiple meaning so it’s likely both meanings are relevant. In one meaning, that of the Psyche in development, the animus would likely be accurate. Depicting a need of inner masculine traits towards achieving wholeness, the integrated Self. In the other meaning those outer societal obstacles and conditions, mostly a result of living in and dealing with our male dominated society, that contantly attack the feminine and the battle to keep your feminine at the forefront.

Regarding dogs…jot down a description of ‘dog’. What is a dog to you? What are it’s traits, habits, animal instincts? Write down both intellectual knowledge and your emotions about dogs. (I added my definition of ‘dog’ at the end. Look at it after you complete your definition then compare.) While in some aspects personal definitions will be the same in others they will likely be different. This is illustrates the difference a dream symbol can hold for individuals on a personal level.

As you look at your dreams you will find multiple threads of meaning, multiple interpretations, all in a single dream. The unconscious is very good at communicating on all levels of existence. By training the conscious to read the symbols and organize them into ‘coherent’ messages the unconscious is able to freely communicate and guide the Self.

Thanks ever so much,
Kathy



Intellectual
Descendents of wolves and other natural occurring canine species; current domestic dogs are genetic mutations brought about by human influence of breeding for preferred traits for the purpose of work functions; pack animals that when in a natural environment will arrange themselves in family units with Alpha male and female leaders; within the pack show a wide range of emotions and strict hierarchy. Domestic dogs retain the natural instinct for pack hierarchy understanding their ‘pack’ rank in the human family unit and will work to increase their status in this hierarchy and innately understand changes in a family unit (death, birth, new additions or members absent) and will adjust accordingly.

Emotional
Best friends, loving, curious, abandoned, playful, emotional issues, destructive, protective, aggressive, territorial, ALWAYS following me & underfoot, intuitive, highly communicative; too d**n intelligent, dependent & synchronistic (Moon); mouthy, protesting and independent (Hanah). (Both dogs, Moon & Hanah, have emotional issues including fear/defensive aggressiveness toward strangers. In my dreams this could be relevant and affect meaning. In the dreams of a person not paired with dogs that had been abused this probably would not factor into the symbol.)

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 43 Central OH

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Dear Kathy,
Now I am the one to apologize for taking so long. Been one heck of a year so far, and a very close cousin passed away 2 1/2 weeks ago. Just wanted to tell you, my take - first of all, I am not African American, and I do relate to brown as being the earth, so I don't get why a brown animal is always the threat. Strange. Also, as far as dogs go, I love them, breed Chihuahuas & have 6 of them which are my own pets, also, a pit bull. I seem them as being the ultimate companions, ever loving & giving, sometimes (no, many times) I prefer my 4 legged friends to humans. Also wanted to let you know how sure I am about your suggestion that the embellishments represent money to me. Dreamt that I had on a necklace with a pendant, went out in the sun & found that it had burned into my skin & left a black mark with the pendant sealed on my neck. Thought about yourmention that the beads or embellishment might be a representation of money, and then felt I was going to "get burned" financilly. The next night my business was robbed. One last note, I consider myself to be more of an intuitive. Going to go back to forum & post some more dreams, let me know what you think.
Thanks again,
Laurie

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 49, New York & New Jersey

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

Laurie,
I’m deeply sorry for the loss of your cousin and hope this tragic time passes with grace for you and your family.

Regarding brown animals as a threat the following from the Anima/Animus page seems relevent:

“Your soul-image has characteristics which are the opposite of those possessed by your persona (the self-image you have constructed for the specific purpose of relating to the external world and for 'making your mark' in that world). For instance, if your persona is an intellectual one, your soul-image will be characterized by sentiment and emotion; and if you are the intuitive type, your soul-image will be earthly and sensual.”

Click below for the full text:
Myths-Dreams-Symbols Anima/Animus page

Perhaps these brown animals symbolize an aspect of your soul-image, the persona/ego, and therefore are a metaphor for that which threatens your inner Self, the Psyche. You mention you’re intuitive so this may fit. Then combine that with the ego mask(s) we develop through our lifetime, that we may see them as our companions because internally we know they are created from the outside in rather than the inside out.

The prior dream, reference to financial and additional dream could be a representation of Jung’s principle of synchronicity. Seemingly unassociated events culminating in an event that pulls them all into one connection.

Many thanks,
Kathy

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 43 Central OH

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