Blocking the ego

**gypsybug89** · 03-24-2015 03:40 AM

Hello! My name is Iris and I'm hoping someone can help me interpret a dream I had recently. Just some background information- I'm a graduate student, graduating in a couple of months. I'd say the biggest worry for me at the moment is finishing up my thesis and finding a job...My knowledge of psychology is pretty fundamental. Additionally, haven't read anything on Freud recently that would've influenced this dream.

In my dream I am sitting across a man whom I presume is a professor. He is wearing a heavy tweed jacket, old-looking spectacles and sitting in a big, leather chair. He is talking to me. From what I can remember, I hear him say "Id" and "ego." He then advises me to "Start blocking the ego." After he says this, I wake up from my dream.

I've never heard of the term "blocking the ego." Is anyone familiar with this term that could possibly explain the significance? I greatly appreciate any help!

**Occipitalred** · 03-24-2015 04:20 AM

From first year psychology:

The Id: Only cares about itself and pleasure, desire and lust.
The Superego: Wants to be righteous, ideal and follow social norms. Wants to be the perfect person and doesn't care about its own desires.

The Ego: Is realist. It mediates the Id and Superego. It's the conscious part. It's the one that says "I can't rape a person, but I can win a person's heart and then have sex."

It makes no sense to repress the Ego in the Freudian sense. Unless he wanted you to become a sociopath. Don't listen to him!

From my own experience, I would say that what people say in dreams doesn't matter as much as how you felt in the dream (not after when you think into it). How did you feel at the moment. Did you feel he was talking down to you? Then you could have to work on self-esteem. That's just an example.

Good luck!

**Dthoughts** · 03-25-2015 12:49 AM

I have little idea what "blocking ego" would mean. I take it it is simply supressing urges that come from the ego. But I think I will need to delve deep into buddhism for an answer. I woulden't look for a Freudian perspective.

What does ego mean to you? I think that is the simplest way to look at this kind of dream symbol. Ego is a word so it is a symbol just the same. And in Jungian perspective the symbols are meant to be interpreted by the dreamer only he can know the meaning. Or follows archetypes which are collective. I am unsure which category he would place this symbol.

He also said to take the dream literally.

Edit: I see he said "id" and that is a freudian term. I'd say ID is pretty similar to the buddhist ego. I think the symbolism is to repress that part.

although the ego in the freudian sense doesn't sound too good either. lol. it sounds unstable. fuck it. I don't know!

**gypsybug89** · 03-27-2015 03:38 AM

After reading your post, he may have said "stop blocking the ego." Or at least I hope so, haha. Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to help me out with this interpretation!

**gypsybug89** · 03-27-2015 03:43 AM

Haha, no, what you've said is really helpful!

Lately, I've been feeling really self-conscious about my own abilities from stress. I think seeing it from a Buddhist perspective sounds like it could greatly enhance my understanding of the dream and help me out mentally, seeing as the Freudian interpretation is kinda wacky. Thank you for taking the time to help me out!

**JoannaB** · 03-27-2015 10:23 PM

My understanding from Buddhism and Hinduism is that the ego is an illusion: thinking of self as separate, rather than part of the whole. The idea is to not think dualistic ally in terms of an I that is seperate from a them. Could this be more of what your dream is about?

In dream interpretation we often say that other dream characters also represent a part of one self, so the professor is also a part of you. He is not just instructing you, you are instructing yourself in this dream.