Thread: Burned up dreams

Originally Posted by mark

ha ha wouldnt we all love a job we got paid to do nothing sounds good to me lol

interesting dream with the running, I like your interpretation of it to.

Interpretation was a bit of guess-work. But I like to run with an interpretation and only modify it if it really doesn't feel right. Sometimes I haven't a clue (e.g. what the bread means). I can smell it now....

And the little one said...(an emotional dream)

It was a bad night. I was being pushed out of bed IRL and seemed to spend half the night pushing back again. My youngest had crept into bed on the far side from me and for some reason he's allowed more space than me

I was awake now (not really lucid) and my son was pushing against me in his sleep. Whatever I did, no matter how I shifted or squirmed he seemed to still be there. I grabbed him and firmly put him on the far side of the bed (which was now huge) on top of the covers and the other way round - i.e. so he was as far from me as possible. My wife was concerned he'd gt cold on top of the covers.

Rather than go back to sleep, next thing I knew I was sitting on the floor. I was still angry about all the sleep I was missing and the conflict. My eldest daughter was standing in front of me, looking down. I wasn't meeting her gaze. She wanted my attention and was feeling despair and sadness that I was not giving her any. I knew this because I could feel these feelings of hers first hand. I woke feeling the sadness.

What a conflict! Both the angry "leave me alone" feelings and the sad "why won't you accept me" in one short powerful scene. It's unusual for me to feel what DCs are feeling and when I do it seems to be from girls. Usually there's this little 7 year old that appears but this time it was my teenage daughter. No matter. The point is that I have known for a while, and was reminded in the dream last night, that this inner female child part of me wants to be valued, loved, accepted etc. But the angry part of me just cuts her out. I've been wrestling with this for a long time but it's the first dream about it for ages.

I have been aware that I have felt very insular lately. I have got annoyed about people using my things or getting in my space. Perhaps "she" is feeling cut out by my behaviour too. Or perhaps "she" is the part of me that wants to share with others. Probably comes to the same thing.

A Dr Who dream

Not sure if US readers will know what I'm talking about

I was in a city with Rose from Dr Who. It was a scary place where people lived in tall 1960s blocks of flats and there was fear in the air. In one flat we learned that power had moved from the authorities to some kind of gang or mafia or tyrants of some sort. The main person, or his liutennant, had a reputation for nailing people to chairs (and I wondered exactly where the nail went ). The Doctor was telling us this.

The Doctor was around and I felt safe with him there. We were in a flat with some other people. He said he would be leaving soon and next time I looked he didn't look like David Tennant any more but like someone I know (who bears a passing resemblance). He went to the tardis and we followed. I gave him a hug and left him with Rose, presumably to give a bigger hug or whatever.

When he had gone I felt alone and vulnerable - a bit like leaving home.

Not sure what to make of this. The Doctor seeme to have taken the role of some kind of parent-like protector. It was nice to have a strong male DC for a change even though he buggers off before the end.

I did not feel my life was in danger although the other DCs presumably did. Perhaps this means my conscious self thinks bad things just won't happen. I guess I've been pretty lucky so far in life. I also felt safe with Rose being around, although in the Dr Who stories she often gets caught and needs to be rescued. But she's not afraid, and I suppose I like that in a woman!

This dream actually took place before the emotional dream I just posted so wasn't affacted by the events that affected the other dream.

I can see lots of symbolism from the one you had yesterday....you seem to have dissected it right and have a good idea what it could mean...I felt rather bad for you reading that dream, not pleasent at al.

Sorry, can't comment on today's dream I'm american (and a bit canadian, am I supposed to know about this "Dr. Who"?) (I can't be sure, I may have heard of him...)

That first dream with your kids sounds powerful! lol it is slightly amusing you put him right at the end of the bed lol, but to be fair I hate to be disturbed so probs would have done the same thing

interesting that "she" in your dreams is requesting so much of your attention. have you often had this relationship with the female part of you self?

Dr Who! sweet dream lol I love those dreams ha ha

Originally Posted by bro

I can see lots of symbolism from the one you had yesterday....you seem to have dissected it right and have a good idea what it could mean...I felt rather bad for you reading that dream, not pleasent at al.

Well, not pleasant but yet very revealing. It was interesting to have what seemed like two feelings at the same time. I would have thought that was impossible? Kind of , like looking at something that is green and red at the same time. But that's what it was. It's like the anger was holding down the despair and I was seeing through the anger.

Originally Posted by bro

Sorry, can't comment on today's dream I'm american (and a bit canadian, am I supposed to know about this "Dr. Who"?) (I can't be sure, I may have heard of him...)

Dr Who - very British. TV series which has been on and off the screens for over 40 years.

Originally Posted by mark

That first dream with your kids sounds powerful! lol it is slightly amusing you put him right at the end of the bed lol, but to be fair I hate to be disturbed so probs would have done the same thing

Yes, it felt very real probably because it could well have been very real.

Originally Posted by mark

interesting that "she" in your dreams is requesting so much of your attention. have you often had this relationship with the female part of you self?

Hadn't thought about it like that. No, I don't think so. Females in my dream tend to be very independent characters. But that's interesting, because as soon as one isn't it feels very painful when I resist being responsible for her.

Originally Posted by mark

Dr Who! sweet dream lol I love those dreams ha ha

Yes it was like being in a story. Didn't manage to get off with Billie Piper though.

Plop

I can't remember the earlier scenes, but eventually I'm at the edge of a loch (that's a lake, folks) with my son and we have this game that involves a catapault of some sort.

We are setting it up and part of that means finding the range of the catapault. We load this small yellow plastic bullet into the device and ping it in the air, aiming for this cat swimming in the water (yes, I know).

We just miss the cat. But the cat notices the bullet bobbing in the water and grabs it, taking it below the surface.

the cat is now some small creature like a newt and it takes the bullet to the side of the loch and I see (chasing by now, below the surface) newt and bullet disappearing into the bank between small fissures or gaps in the rocks. I see water being disturbed around the area but realise that I'll never be able to retrieve it now.

I then look up above the surface to what is like the rim of a swimming pool and see a small (no more than one inch) white plastic cup-type trophy (like the FA Cup) which was a bit like the bullet. I take the trophy back to my son, knowing that we've lost the bullet for good but hoping that this will be some kind of consolation.

If there's something that I find really annoying IRL it's losing a piece from a game, whether a card, a playing piece, whatever. Jigsaws with a missing piece equally do my nut even though I don't do jigsaws. So losing a piece from this catapault game was serious stuff!

Water, I belive, represents unexplored emotions. I can't think why a cat was there. Cats don't like water, right? But this one was quite happy in its thoughts before we distrubed it. I am allergic to cats and I don't trust them anyway. I suppose I didn't really want the cat to be there in the first instance. How could I possibly trust a creature that takes a piece from my game away?

I felt really broken-hearted to see the piece disappear for good. Like a piece of me was missing and I reckon that's what losing a part of a game counjours up IRL. Reminds me of my incompleteness. I have a similar feeling when I with a group of people and one goes home, say. In the dream this all happens below the surface of unexplored emotions. Sounds like I have some exploring to do to start to understand that one.

The plastic cup on the side was like a joke. A totally useless item. On the other hand, is suggests a prize of some sort. Like I've won something. That wasn't how it felt (I'd actually just lost something) but for a moment I did have a feeling of being special.

Wow.
Shooting at swimming cats? tsk tsk.
Interesting dream and interpretation. The trophy at the end is especially interesting. A small victory of some sort?

Originally Posted by Vex Kitten

Wow.
Shooting at swimming cats? tsk tsk.
Interesting dream and interpretation. The trophy at the end is especially interesting. A small victory of some sort?

Hello VK and welcome to my Dream Journal.

If I did have a small victory alas it wasn't for a direct hit on the cat! That's the confusing thing, it wasn't like I succeded at anything at all before getting that trophy. But maybe that's what it's all about. Getting unconditional love?

That sounds very fitting.
It's nice to see you interpret your dreams. It's something more of us should do. I bet many of us would face the day wiser if we did decipher a dream or two in the mornings.

Originally Posted by Vex Kitten

That sounds very fitting.
It's nice to see you interpret your dreams. It's something more of us should do. I bet many of us would face the day wiser if we did decipher a dream or two in the mornings.

I started with the feelings. The images were too complicated so I used to think "when in real life do I feel that?". Only a year or two ago did I start getting into the imagery.

Wider? Dunno. Madder perhaps. I think looking inwards like that needs some kind of health warning!

Originally Posted by Burned up

I felt really broken-hearted to see the piece disappear for good. Like a piece of me was missing and I reckon that's what losing a part of a game counjours up IRL.

Maybe that piece of you isn't really missing. It is just hidden by your unexplored emotions. Yes, it looked like it disappeared for good into the rocks, but looking through water gives a distorted view of what is happening. Besides, the bank could be considered a wall of sorts, and walls are nothing more than a barrier or obstacle that impedes your progress. Walls can be broken down.

Raklet has a good way of looking at it...certainly very symbolic. That incompleteness you say...ah but unconditional love, that strikes me as more likely..something upsetting your child maybe and you hoping you can still keep him happy...just a thought.

Anyway.. mail me that big trophy.

Originally Posted by Burned up

Yes it was like being in a story. Didn't manage to get off with Billie Piper though.

ha ha that would have been the perfect ending ......

Originally Posted by Burned up

Plop

ha ha ha aiming the catapult at the cat lol I laughed at that!

I like how it changed to a newt...wonder what that could mean, maybe something below the surface? maybe a emotion you dont recognize.

By this I mean whatever the cat represents maybe there is more to it, represented by the change in form.....dunno im trying to interpret but I dont think im very good at it ha ha

Originally Posted by raklet

Maybe that piece of you isn't really missing. It is just hidden by your unexplored emotions. Yes, it looked like it disappeared for good into the rocks, but looking through water gives a distorted view of what is happening. Besides, the bank could be considered a wall of sorts, and walls are nothing more than a barrier or obstacle that impedes your progress. Walls can be broken down.

Well, Raklet, that all kinda fits in with belief system. Agree with you that the piece is not missing, just inaccessible (other than in dreams). Can't argue against the unexplored emotions etc either.

To stretch the metaphor further, perhaps the cat/newt is some part of me that is responsible for this feeling of frustration of missing pieces. No wonder I'm allergic to the buggers.

Originally Posted by bro

Raklet has a good way of looking at it...certainly very symbolic. That incompleteness you say...ah but unconditional love, that strikes me as more likely..something upsetting your child maybe and you hoping you can still keep him happy...just a thought.

Anyway.. mail me that big trophy.

You guys are on form tonight

Yes, I've often thought of unconditional love as being something I "ought" to give. But allowing myself to receive it is probably a bigger challenge. Like, why shouldn't I have that trophy (even though it's small and plastic?). I'm sure my child would have treasured it, yes!!!

Originally Posted by mark

ha ha that would have been the perfect ending ......

My dreams just don't do that . Not any more. Perhaps it's age.

Originally Posted by mark

ha ha ha aiming the catapult at the cat lol I laughed at that!

There was something very satisfying about it. I'm not a naturally sadistic person but I do giggle about the idea of getting a cat annoyed
Like, you know, they're asking for it.

I'm learning a lot about what cats mean to me today

Originally Posted by mark

I like how it changed to a newt...wonder what that could mean, maybe something below the surface? maybe a emotion you dont recognize.

By this I mean whatever the cat represents maybe there is more to it, represented by the change in form.....dunno im trying to interpret but I dont think im very good at it ha ha

It's almost impossible to interpret someone else's dream. I know I do it but what I offer is a mix of tentative suggestions and what I've learned from spotting repeated themes, including my own.

What really irritates me about the interpretation forum is that people post their dream, I and others answer and they don't follow up. Dream interpretation is next to useless unless some kind of dialogue is going on.

In this forum, we're all enthusiasts together and that's for more rewarding. Why am I saying all this? Oh yes, it's not a case of being good at it or not. It's about engaging with the person, asking questions, responding to what strikes a chord in you (and hence may in the other person). "Good" is about engaging in the discussion, in my opinion.

So, where were we? Yes, cat changing to newt. Well for one thing it's harder to kick a newt! This newt was a devious creature. More like an underwater squirrel, running away with something and hiding it. I wonder if I've come across "the joker" - one of Jung's archetypes. A character that appears in dreams we all have (allegedly). And a tough character to integrate with our own conscious self. Hmmmmmm...

See - you found something that got me thinking. That means you're "good".

If you wannabe my prisoner...

I was in a hospital complex and it was dark. Something sinister was going on and I knew that the place was under threat. The first bits of the dream are sketchy but at one stage I was looking up at this enclosed walkway/bridge linking two of the buildings. A group of doctors was crossing it, unaware of it being booby-trapped. Next thing, the bridge collapses next to me and this is the ingenious part. As it collapses, it separates into many sections like a row of beach huts. Each section has a doctor trapped inside it and there was no escape.

The prisoners were taken to a gym hall in the complex. Their captors was a small group of women and the captor I was watching looked like Mel B from the Spice Girls and I could only hypothesise the identity of the other captors. [Imagine that - held prisoner by the Spice Girls]. She was wearing lycra and was about to get the people in the gym hall to do some sort of work-out.

Somehow I was not part of the battle and I was sharing a joke with "Scary Spice" as she went past me. Not sure what she said back but I slapped her backside in a kind of superior way as she went in.

Powerful women again. (Spice girls LOL). What sort of internal conflict pitches spice girls against medics? "Powerful" women against experts? Well, I suppose that's the conflict I have all the time. Although some of the doctors were also women, the group first and foremost were experts who had high social standing and held in a structure that sustained them (the hospital environment - a medic's bastion of power). On the other hand, the women were in charge. Ultimately. Their presence was felt before the coup and they brought the "structure" down.

Maybe my "structure" has to come down?

As the conscious observer, I did not feel threatened by either side. It was like I was playing along with the scene and was happy for the women to be in control as long as I could be free. So is it in fact the medics that are the bad guys here??? They seemed ignorant and felt secure. I aspire to be like them but not if that's my destiny.

A complex conflict between my rational (medic) side and my oppressive (powerful woman) side. The powerful women have the fun, though.

Legging it

Some friends from my counselling course and I were gathered in a basic room which was probably a church hall. We were in a circle and I was aware that I was with only two or three near me, one of whom was my good friend L, whilst on the other side and sitting alone was M.

We were about to pray (must have been a church hall then) and I had the urge to go to M and pray with her. I asked if it was OK to touch her while we prayed and she was reluctant at first but then agreed.

I was aware now that the dream was fading and also that I was getting closer to her. I could feel our legs together and woke up knowing that I was feeling my own legs against themselves.

If this dream suggests anything, it's how I'd use an excuse like praying to get physically close to someone. Indeed M and I shared a close moment earlier this year, so there was some RL recall there.

I felt I'd been in this church hall before, though. With the same crowd. What connection am I making I wonder?

I seemed to see M's alone-nesss not as something to feel sorry for but as an invitation to use her vulnerability to get physically close (IRL she isn't like that!!!) I felt really like a predatory male here, full of cynical manoeuvres and no compassion. On the other hand, the lonliness I could feel and was projecting onto M in the dream was mine and my desire for closeness was very real.

Interesting how my legs played out this scene like puppets!

Yeah...it does sound like there is a strange desire there for connection like you said..i'm not going to try much more than that, you're far better at this than I ,a yearning for contact of sorts.

Originally Posted by bro

Yeah...it does sound like there is a strange desire there for connection like you said..i'm not going to try much more than that, you're far better at this than I ,a yearning for contact of sorts.

Yes, I don't think there's anything complicated about that bit. The first bit is more complex - in a circle in a church hall about to pray and lots of empty seats. I've been there before with this crowd but having looked back in this DJ I can't find reference to it. It does look like the church hall I used to go to Sunday School when I was ...oooohhh..... 8 or 9 years old.

This leads me to another thought which I hadn't considered before. When we think of dreams we think of them as a complete story. But is the end of the dream known at the start? I mean just because I start by dreaming of sitting in a circle, is that a meaning in itself (I could have woken up at that point) or is the dream to only be understood as a whole?

Has that been discussed before anywhere?

That's a good question...and the answer is, I have no idea. I think you can find meaning anywhere you want to...some see no meaning, others, like yourself, try to find meaning wherever you can. In my opinion, you could just as well say there is no meaning as you could there is a whole lot (if that makes any sense). It all depends on your own eye. You can look at every bit as meaning or the whole thing and to try and find something in it...I'd look at the whole dream...it seems to be a bit easier to draw a lesson or thought out of a whole mass of thoughts rather than random bits of it...as we know, dreams are lots of random jumbles with some meanings mixed in.

Just a few of my thoughts...hope your brain is still intact.

I'm not sure if that's been discussed, if it has, not sure where.

Originally Posted by Burned up

I was in a city with Rose from Dr Who.

Did you hear? She's coming back next season! Best companion ever!

Any chance the title of your Plop dream was inspired by the comic book of the same name?