Anyone know of good dream analysis books or sites?

meritaten

JoJoB wrote: »

I think it would really be worth you reading a lot of Jungian-based dream analysis books and getting to grips with the idea of the symbolic in general. Jung is very much different from Freud in that a Freudian analysis (generally) treats the subconscious as a bit like a repository for rubbish that we have repressed from our waking lives, whereas Jung sees dreams as serious attempts by our psyche to reach self-realisation.

The house is a typical symbol the mind conjures up to represent all the different parts of your psyche - and the kids in the dream are not actually your kids - they are symbolic of a part of your psyche, often the child in the dream will represent your true self - the cellar may represent your deepest subconscious, while the turret represents your conscious state (so of course it is difficult to get up there in your dream, cos you're asleep lol). Similar themed dreams will have lifts instead of staircases etc, or large bodies of water representing the subconscious. It's clear that dreaming of a which isn't quite "right" and which has elements of danger nearby indicates that not all is "right" with you generally maybe, and that's something you have to think about and analyse for yourself. Do you suffer from anxiety or feel like something is missing? You've hinted you have lots of "troubles" - are you feeling like you have to be the strong one for everyone and outwardly coping while inside you are worrying very much? If so this repressed emotion has to come out somewhere and your dreams would be the obvious place for your psyche to tell you to face your fears.

The corpse dream would obviously be linked into this - it's obviously representing some big issue that is continuing to haunt you, or an amalgamation of all the worries you currently have that refuse to go away - does it feel like life is a continual battle with overwhelming problems?

I would definitely recommend reading some Jung, starting with beginners guides, in order to understand the different elements of the psyche and how they will manifest in your dreams, then you will probably find your dreams changing and becoming more positive the more you understand what is going on.

Yessss, well put JoJoB!


To me this dream links in with the corpse dream, your subconscious seems to be urging you to DO something! The clocks in your second dream are a reminder of Time running out..........or the Timing of something.
To leave a comfortable home and then move into a hovel - not by your choice - suggests that you once had big plans for yourself and was at least achieveing or capable of them - then its taken away from you and you are living a life which is (to you) second best?
but I am blithering on and really AliasOjo, the best person to understand these dreams is YOU! Jung really isnt that hard to understand (sorry if that sounds patronising, but when I started psychology I was terrified of reading the Greats Like Jung and Freud and Skinner, but, my fears were groundless once I realised where they were coming from).
So, Like JoJoB says, borrow a couple of books on dream analysis by Jung and go for it.

aliasojo

DVardysShadow wrote: »

OK, that seems to make sense of the housing dream. For however long you have had it, you have been preparing to move on and you are mentally rehearsing to avoid getting into a situation you wouldn't like.


What are the up sides and the downsides to moving on from your present home?

I'm not sure this is actual house related, despite my feelings of frustration at the refurb etc. I don't have any thoughts of moving anywhere and have not really thought about upsides/downsides tbh.

meritaten wrote: »

To me this dream links in with the corpse dream, your subconscious seems to be urging you to DO something! The clocks in your second dream are a reminder of Time running out..........or the Timing of something.
To leave a comfortable home and then move into a hovel - not by your choice - suggests that you once had big plans for yourself and was at least achieveing or capable of them - then its taken away from you and you are living a life which is (to you) second best?

This struck a chord with me. I've been thinking about this since last night. For many years, my life hasn't been what I would have hoped for. If I'm honest, it probably started when I was a teenager and met my first serious boyfriend (person who was the corpse in the OP).

I'm conscious of the fact I seem to have disappeared somewhere whilst those around me have a life, mostly because I enable them to do so by being their support etc. I usually accept my lot but now and then I get overwhelmed by feelings of anger or frustration and I want to do a 'Thelma and Louise'. Maybe that's when I have these dreams. I wish I'd paid more attention to timing now.

Maybe I'm the corpse who is all but dead until a little bit of resentment shows itself as me trying to escape? Maybe that's why the corpse always seems to want me and everyone else seems unconcerned? It's me trying to get back to me.

Ooooh that's getting a bit deep isn't it? :undecided

Whilst the corpse dream could be touching on my general life unhappiness, the house dream could be referencing my unhappiness with my physical self. I have put on so much weight over the last few years I don't feel as if I'm the same person. I'm aware the old joints aren't what they used to be and that everything is just harder than it was when I was younger. I'm also aware the longer this goes on the harder it will be to do something about it. Clock reference?

Does that all make sense?

Even if it does, the only thing I could feasibly change is my physical self, the rest is pretty much a static.

DVardysShadow

Yes, it is getting deep. There is a flavour of 'something has to change, but change is somewhere we cannot go' about this.

Did this start while you were with bf or after? How did it end? Any sense of loss? Not necessarily expecting an answer, just putting some starter questions. It seems to me that this time is the best clue you have as to any possible underlying event.

ETA, I wouldn't suggest that you try too hard to work it out, but just have a walk down that part of memory lane

aliasojo

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Yes, it is getting deep. There is a flavour of 'something has to change, but change is somewhere we cannot go' about this.

Did this start while you were with bf or after? How did it end? Any sense of loss? Not necessarily expecting an answer, just putting some starter questions. It seems to me that this time is the best clue you have as to any possible underlying event.

ETA, I wouldn't suggest that you try too hard to work it out, but just have a walk down that part of memory lane

After.

I have no thoughts or feelings about old b/f. No sense of loss with regards to him whatsoever other than it was 4 or 5 years of my life 'wasted'.

However, my eldest was born (disabled) during this period and that was the first change in my life not being mine and having to be given to someone else for their benefit. Something I was happy to do but I think this was the start of a pattern of being other people(s) foundations rather than my own building. Iyswim.

I wonder if my sense of 'duty' (which I believe I do have a strong sense of) is why my subconscious is scared in the dreams. To do something to improve my life would mean making negative changes to others around me.

DVardysShadow

OK, an idea in this. The 2 dreams are having a dialog with each other - each using your day to day conscious self as a kind of a rod to try and influence the other. The corpse dream is saying 'Do the Thelma and Louise thing'. The house dream is saying that that the downside of doing Thelma and Louise is that you could end up with a herd of unforseen problems. Over the months they push back and forth at each other, usually at a sort of equilibrium. And then one or the other decides it needs to push its own way. Does the one dream predominate when you are thinking in a certain way about your duty?

I don't know too much about your situation, but I am wondering whether there is a cost reward conflict here? Like you are happy with what you have and would not change it, but you have a some unhappiness [resentment?] about what it has cost you?

aliasojo

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Does the one dream predominate when you are thinking in a certain way about your duty?

I don't know too much about your situation, but I am wondering whether there is a cost reward conflict here? Like you are happy with what you have and would not change it, but you have a some unhappiness [resentment?] about what it has cost you?

No idea. This is the first time I've ever actually tried to look in to the whys and wherefores. I've never paid attention to timing before.

If I'm honest, I'm not happy and often wish my life was different. I would gladly change what I have but to do so is a) too difficult at my time of life after taking into account all the relevents and b) would mean the rest of my family (especially the eldest and the youngest) would suffer, and I can't have that, so I'm pretty stuck with things as they are I think.

Perhaps I have my own little version of good v's evil playing out in my subconscious.

DVardysShadow

The Undertakers are Duty, which is burying something which is still alive - hope and future plans as yet unformed. You feel safe with the undertakers, because you understand them. But the undertakers have a job - they must do as they are told - they must not be in charge of the show. The houses are wrong because you make your choices without the corpse. I would say you need to put duty in its place and let future plans speak. You have been doing so much for other people that as you say, you are defined by who they are and what they have done - so it is time to take time for yourself and do something you want to do. Put like that, it is probably as scary as talking to the corpse. Have you ever had any respite from your duty over the last 24 years?

meritaten

aliasojo wrote: »

I'm not sure this is actual house related, despite my feelings of frustration at the refurb etc. I don't have any thoughts of moving anywhere and have not really thought about upsides/downsides tbh.





This struck a chord with me. I've been thinking about this since last night. For many years, my life hasn't been what I would have hoped for. If I'm honest, it probably started when I was a teenager and met my first serious boyfriend (person who was the corpse in the OP).

I'm conscious of the fact I seem to have disappeared somewhere whilst those around me have a life, mostly because I enable them to do so by being their support etc. I usually accept my lot but now and then I get overwhelmed by feelings of anger or frustration and I want to do a 'Thelma and Louise'. Maybe that's when I have these dreams. I wish I'd paid more attention to timing now.

Maybe I'm the corpse who is all but dead until a little bit of resentment shows itself as me trying to escape? Maybe that's why the corpse always seems to want me and everyone else seems unconcerned? It's me trying to get back to me.

Ooooh that's getting a bit deep isn't it? :undecided

Whilst the corpse dream could be touching on my general life unhappiness, the house dream could be referencing my unhappiness with my physical self. I have put on so much weight over the last few years I don't feel as if I'm the same person. I'm aware the old joints aren't what they used to be and that everything is just harder than it was when I was younger. I'm also aware the longer this goes on the harder it will be to do something about it. Clock reference?

Does that all make sense?

Even if it does, the only thing I could feasibly change is my physical self, the rest is pretty much a static.

See? Alias?? I said you were the best one to decode these dreams!

That the corpse is YOU is something I was thinking, but didnt want to freak you out! but it is just as likely to be the death of your dream or ambition! The house is also you - you start off with the house as perfect as it can be - yet you are forced to 'downgrade' let things go and 'live' in a house you dont want to be in!

you are almost certainly right about the clocks and the fact that in the second house the clocks all show different times is significant to you in some way. could be your subconscious is pointing to either missed opportunities or is reminding you that none of us know how much 'time' we have left!


Now your paragraph which I have highlighted in green...........you are dissatisfied hun and aware of it, but so far you feel you can do nothing to change things.........yet my instinct is that your subconscious disagrees with you! that is why its sending you dreams to urge you to DO something! doesnt have to be a 'Thelma and Louise' but there may be some small things you can do to make your life better - another good reason for having a chat with the corpse in your dream land! who better to help you than you? you may find it easier to do a meditation/visualisation though. you would have far more control over that. if this interests you let me know and i will either recommend a site or give instructions by pm or even on here if the board guides dont object!

lol - I dont think you need books about dream analysis - you are doing damn well on your own!!!

DVardysShadow

meritaten wrote: »

... Now your paragraph which I have highlighted in green...........you are dissatisfied hun and aware of it, but so far you feel you can do nothing to change things.........yet my instinct is that your subconscious disagrees with you! that is why its sending you dreams to urge you to DO something! doesnt have to be a 'Thelma and Louise' but there may be some small things you can do to make your life better - another good reason for having a chat with the corpse in your dream land! who better to help you than you? you may find it easier to do a meditation/visualisation though. you would have far more control over that. if this interests you let me know and i will either recommend a site or give instructions by pm or even on here if the board guides dont object!

lol - I dont think you need books about dream analysis - you are doing damn well on your own!!!

I would agree - something is stirring which is not going to be put down by the Undertakers. It is incoherent, it is not fully rational or thought through, but you need to agree to meet it and listen.

My take on how to take it forward is not to go digging it out. I would suggest you find yourself a week or 2 of respite away from duty and do very little other than agree in your own mind to meet the corpse and listen. I think it probably won't speak while you take respite, but it won't be wasted time. It will speak when it is ready or it may even not need to speak because you reconnect with it.

meritaten

Nice post DVardy! Alias is begining to realise the dreams significance and a little R&R can only be helpful! She may well find that having insights like this may cause the dreams to change too! her subconscious will be thinking 'At last!!! she is listening!' and the dreams may well become more easily understood - or they may stop altogether if her subconscious thinks that the message has 'got through'!

DVardy has a good point AliasOjo. if you want to take time out to think on things or just see what happens, then, IF or when you feel ready do a visualisation - then I would be happy to help. or just keep talking on here if you want? up to you hun...........whatever you feel comfortable with!