A 'bad' (lucid) dream

**TheoryCat** · 08-08-2015 05:45 AM

The dream started off as a false awakening nightmare. I was lying on my bed in the dark and there were these figures in the shadow talking about how much they hate me because all my weaknesses and insecurities. They talked about how much they hated me and that my roommates are trying to kick me out because they are starting to dislike me. Then I tell myself to stay calm - this is just a dream.

I floated on up and out of my bed to use the bathroom. I did another reality check by looking at my hands. My fingers were deformed; it must be a dream then because my fingers aren't broken in real life. I looked into the bathroom mirror and saw that my hair was gray and my skin was wrinkly; this must be a dream since I'm much younger in real life. I jumped and try to fly, but could not - it felt too real. Next, I decided to open the closet. I tried to imagine something magical. But there wasn't: There was a teddy bear on the top rack and a glass of red wine in the lower one.

I was apprehensive about drinking the wine since I don't know what will happen after. Why did my subconscious offer me a teddy bear and a glass of red wine? Why did I turn into an old man with deformed hands? I don't know what possessed me about I held the large wine glass with two hands, bowed to the closet, and gulped it down as though it were an antidote. I blanked out.

Dream Signs: Looking into the mirror. Hand/finger check. Nightmare.

Interpretation: A very literal reflection of my fears and insecurities.

Copy-pasted from my dream journal on here. I have already interpreted (and felt) the general idea but there's some symbolism (namely the wine) that is a bit odd. Anybody wanna look at the dream symbols and what they might mean? I'm curious about how others would interpret this dream...

**ThreeCat** · 08-08-2015 01:59 PM

That sounds kind of cool. What time of the night did this happen, if you don't mind me asking? My advice to everyone (concerning dream interpretation) is to replay the dream, but imagine yourself as the different elements. From a certain point of view, everything in the dream is you, and so you already have some insight into what each symbol means and why it is there. So try it. Replay the dream, but pretend to be the glass of wine. Imagine that you are in the closet just waiting to be found. Why? What purpose do you have in being found? Do the same for teddy:

**Raen** · 08-08-2015 02:50 PM

How do you feel about aging? It seems to me that the common element in this dream was age. The teddy bear, a symbol of childhood and youth, the wine glass, a symbolism of coming of age, both being on separate shelves representing different stages of life, and looking into the mirror and finding that you are an old man when you take the time to reflect upon yourself. Psychologists such as Otto Rank and Ernest Becker suggest that we all have a fundamental fear of death and this could be that innate fear manifesting itself. We all seek out 'immortality projects' or 'causa sui' projects that will let us live on after death, through our achievements in life. Perhaps you fear that one day you will wake up in a literal sense and find that you've become old without acting upon your goals while you were young.

Alternatively, it could represent a change. The beginning of the dream makes me think that because aging is obviously a very visible sort of change and your friends are 'starting to dislike you'. Maybe it's worth having a talk with some friends to clear up any differences you have with them or moving on to find new people who are comfortable with your changing self.

I know nothing about you so if you feel that this doesn't represent you then you're right

**TheoryCat** · 08-08-2015 05:44 PM

Thanks for the replies, you two!

@ThreeCat - The dream occurred early in the morning, after sunrise actually. It was one of those dreams that happen when I go back to sleep and "decide" to lucid dream.

@Ariashu - Well written! I agree with your interpretation. The fear of living a 'wasted life' is one of my greatest fears. The wine in the dream is a puzzling symbol, but now that you mention it as a sign of "coming of age" it makes sense: I chose the wine over the teddy bear, after all. I want to "grow up" and act on my goals.