May 7, 2003
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Update:
InvisibleAng, JennyG, dolly, and Crazymomma all expressed interest or curiosity about the dream I reported Monday. Jen even asked if I had any theories. How could I resist such an opening?
I don’t place any trust in old-style quasi-metaphysical or magickal “dream books” which list symbolic elements in dreams alphabetically and assign meanings to them. I think C.G. Jung had a pretty good handle on the language of dreams. Dr. Jung said that each of us has a dream language of our own, that a snake in my dream does not necessarily mean the same thing as a snake in your dream. That works for me. I love snakes… and spiders, too. Do you?
Jungian analysis recognizes several types of dreaming including wish-fulfillment fantasies, fear-based nightmares, and subconscious processing of waking events and experience. They might also recognize prophetic dreams too. I don’t know. I never studied Jungian analysis. As with many things, I know only enough about that to be slightly dangerous and in some danger of misquotes or misattributions.
Even if Jung didn’t recognize prophetic dreams, I do. I also respect the Native American tradition that says some dreams are “little dreams”, just fantasy or processing, while other dreams are “BIG”. Big dreams, like prophetic dreams, come not from one’s subconscious, but from the collective unconscious or Spirit.
This dream had some elements that are pure wish-fulfillment fantasy. It has been years since a man asked me for a date, or since I’ve felt that electric thrill at someone’s touch. I’m married to a man who does not like touching. Ever since the last of his Xanax wore off in 1991, he hasn’t shown any sexual interest in me. I’ve subsequently lost interest in him, but not in sex. Erotic dreams and autoerotic play are the sum total of my sex life, so that part of the dream is easily understood.
Jung said that each character in our dreams is a facet of our own personalities. The woman warning me about messing with two younger men at once is obvious to me. I frequently stifle my own urges to try and stir up a bit of fun with someone, because I am aware that I’m in no position to finish what I start. But I can dream, can’t I?
As I considered the other elements in the dream, it occurred to me that the “engine” and “fuselage” could refer to my health. I’ve lost a lot of weight lately. I’ve found the frame that was under all that fat. But my motor’s not really running any better: I still hit the fatigue wall ‘way too quickly, get laid low by opportunistic infections in cascading bunches, need meds that stress my heart in order to keep my lungs working… but the old frame still causes an occasional younger man to say he can’t believe this old great-grandma has grandkids. I’m thankful that I don’t look as sick as I am, but I’m still looking for that new engine.
I think that the one woman’s concern in the dream, that people would think she stole the fuselage (which she didn’t), could refer to the importance I place on presenting an accurate image, being understood and accepted for myself. My diet is almost universally misunderstood by everyone who knows about it. Even when I explain that weight loss was an unexpected and long-unnoticed side-effect of my eliminating the addictive allergens from my diet, it seems to go over people’s heads.
I’m a fragile addict in recovery, hoping that the pains and effort of abstinence will have some payoffs in improved health. It’s nice not carrying that extra 70 pounds around, but that’s not why I lost it. I just LOST it, somewhere, while I wasn’t looking. I want people to understand that.
Why my dream was set in a little coastal Alaskan town, and all the rest, I don’t know. I wonder why it was the husband of that couple who (so uncharacteristically for a male) picked up on the vibes between me and the pilot. [afterthought: Can there be another man around, paying more attention to me than I realize? Has he noticed my two young friends?] I haven’t a clue what the noisy, happy crowd of little kids was all about, but if my dream needed set-dressing I can’t think of many things that could be better than that.
Comments (9)
I’m flat-out Jungian in some respects, dreams being one of them. Dreams are a platinum mine for me, when I can remember them. Plus they keep my mind busy while I’m asleep – something to be thankful for, come November.
I’ve never read Jung, nor have I heard much about him, but I agree with what you just wrote about dream interpretation. Randy and I had a discussion about this the last time we were in a bookstore… He was looking for a dream interpretation book and I was explaining why I don’t bother with them.
Makes sense to me.
I don’t know much about this topic, but it sounds rather fascinating (and yes, I don’t mind spiders, but I’m not big on snakes – - of course, it all depends on the sauce – - LOL!!)
Thanks for your comment on my site, and for putting a smile on my face: I got a kick out of your words!!
Hope you’re managing your health OK. Have a pleasant evening, SuSu!
I’m glad you saw something in that piece of writing you commented on today. It shows my feelings with, literally, my biological brother. We have had conflict for as long as I can remember and he’s always despised me for things that I cannot help or change, family issues and other. I was surprised, I didn’t think anyone would see anything in that writing, even though it means allot to me. Thanks.-Lynx-
ps. I made it to where no one could comment on that blog for a short period of time, and xanga did something strange. It says there are no comments or eprops and yet your comment is there.. heheh. It’s odd.
Well I spent hours here yesterday trying to read up on all your links { they worked fine this time } must to have missed the dream but will check back in when I have more time to read up
hope you are having a great day {{ Hugs }}
LOVE AND LIGHT
That’s an incredible analysis… I wish I could do the same with mine (in fact, I think I’ll start trying). Very interesting, especially the part of how every character represents a facet of yourself.
I knew you would have a theory….
. You are the most interesting and unique person I have met thus far in life. 
I understand prophetic dreams….