Thursday, March 17, 2011

Dreaming

Dream interpretation is something that fascinates me. Not to say that I have to decode every dream I have, giving full credence to the interpretations and changing my life accordingly. I know that the interpretations are often vague and there are often multiple interpretations of one symbol, and sometimes it is not symbolic after all (one of the great examples from a dream dictionary: dreaming of sex can represent merging aspects of yourself...or it could just mean you need to have more sex). But I still feel there can be something to it. After all, there are many generally understood symbols or meanings associated with things (red can be anger, passion, or power; snakes can be a sign of evil; birth is a new beginning), so why can't these symbols represent themselves in various forms in our dreams? And often times the interpretations make sense. The other day, a friend had an odd dream, involving mountain climbing and unsquishable beetles. After looking at the symbolism of the important elements, the resulting meaning seemed to fit her situation to a T. Whenever I have a particularly vivid dream, one I'm still thinking about when I wake up, I always try to look up the elements, and it often makes sense. Sure, there are some elements that don't fit, but even those you can usually recognize where they come from and still decode the other elements.

The other night, my dream involved a friend's wedding, flying in an airplane over a marsh and a forest, two free-standing doors in the forest (one red, one beige) with rabbits on them, and grapefruit trees. The whole thing about the colored doors doesn't really make much sense. A closed door symbolized an opportunity denied, someone or something blocking your progress - that would be a bit of a stretch. I don't feel like I'm facing a lot of closed doors or obstacles right now, but I suppose it could fit. Beige refers to the basics, red is raw energy, passion, power, aggression - again, not terribly relevant, especially linked with the doors. Rabbits symbolize luck and success, a positive outlook on life - well, I did recently receive a newly positive outlook, but I haven't been having much luck or success lately. However, I have been watching Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland a lot. You know, the one where she enters Underland through a free-standing door,with nothing on the other side. Even in my dream, this is what I thought of when I saw these doors. So I think it's safe to say those elements weren't so much symbols, but rather just carryover from waking hours.

So what about the rest of my dream? Well, the wedding symbolizes a new beginning or transition in my current life. Hmmm... I'm sort of starting a new job, which will allow me to make a lot of changes, and feels like I'm getting life back on track, though I currently feel stuck in a transition period. Yup, that one fits. The wedding was of a childhood friend - symbolizing regression to the past, without responsibilities and carefree. Who doesn't wish for such a time when faced with a mountain of stressful adult responsibilities? Check again (also, looking this up would explain why I've dreamt of this friend's wedding so many times - lately it seems I'm often in transition, which leads to a longing to leave responsibility behind). The forest? Again symbolizes transition. The marsh: "To see or dream that you are at a marsh, suggests instability in your emotional realm. You may be feeling bogged down, insecure or unsure about the future or how to go about with achieving your goals." Anyone who actually knows me knows how dead on this one is. The grapefruit trees symbolize talents, belief system and good deeds. This is again not quite a direct fit, but given that I was looking at the trees from afar, doubting whether it really was a grapefruit tree, and feeling like it was beyond reach to verify - well, that again fits with my doubts about my talents. Finally, the airplane symbolizes overcoming obstacles and rising to a new level of status. Which is exactly what I hope the new job will help with.

So in all, the elements of my dream seem to be rather contradictory - positive outlook and changes, but regressing to childhood without responsibilities, instability and insecurity about the future, and rising above obstacles. However, my emotions lately have been going through a very similar roller coaster. One minute I'll be thinking everything is great and going to work out for the best, the next I'm feeling a crushing hopelessness that nearly brings me to tears. So yes, my dream pretty accurately reflected what is going on in my life. But what's the point of all of this? Why does it matter? Some of the information I've read regarding sleep has indicated that it's a time for your brain to reset, and in doing so, work through various issues. Clearly this is what my mind was doing last night. As for what the benefit of my knowing all of this... Well, this particular dream isn't that helpful. I'm already aware of all of these issues and emotions, as well as the cause of them. But this isn't always the case. Sometimes looking for meaning in dreams can provide insight into issues you haven't quite identified, only had a nebulous feeling that something wasn't right. Or, as in the case of my friend's dream, can provide encouragement. Walking over beetles while mountain climbing doesn't sound very inspiring, but pushing on without allowing negative influences to distract you from your goals is encouraging.

Dreams really are fascinating. Yes, sometimes a dream is just a dream. But often, it's a fascinating way for our subconscious to communicate in a way we can decipher, to see what issues we may need to address in our waking hours, or perhaps just a way to work through our emotions. Not to mention, sometimes it's just fun.

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