Shocking Dream ~ Difficult Insights

Our Dreamer Writes:

Dear SMYD,

I’m confused and little bit worried about a couple of dreams I’ve had; and I’m hoping you can help me sort them out, even though I only remember a few details from each one.

I have enjoyed a long and happy career as a classroom teacher.  Working with young people is one of the greatest gifts I know.  It’s true what people say ~ they keep me young!  I love and respect my students.  So these dreams have me very upset!

In the first brief dream, I am at school and in the teachers’ lounge with another teacher whom I’ll call Pat.  Pat is an excellent teacher and fun to be around, though I sometimes think she tries too hard to look and feel “hip,” or “cool” with the kids.  We all want to stay young, but she goes too far.  Then, in my dream, she kisses a student, quite inappropriately.  Mouth open, she was practically sucking the life out of him!  I was startled and horrified to see this!

In the next fleeting snippet of a dream from a few nights later, I only remember one thing:  I am the one who kisses a student!  Just like Pat…way over the top!  It makes me cringe even to write this!  But there it is.

I can’t imagine why I’ve had such disturbing dreams!  I NEVER think thoughts like this at school or any other time!  The very idea has me feeling extremely anxious.  Please help me understand why this happened.

Signed,

Distraught in the Classroom

Dear Distraught,

Even though you’re only left with tiny fragments of what might have been full-blown dreams, those few pictures can tell a memorable story!

As you’ve no doubt heard me say:  Our dreams sometimes choose frightening images to shake us up and draw our attention to matters that we may be oblivious to, or denying, in our waking lives.  Also, one approach to dream images to is work with the idea that each person in the dream reflects a part of the dreamer. 

You have given us several key ideas about your life and your dream.  First are the statements that your students keep you young, and “we all want to stay young.”  Next you comment on Pat and her propensity to try too hard to stay young.  Finally you find your Dreaming Self mimicking Pat’s extreme, inappropriate behavior. 

Could it be that your Dreaming Self is pointing something out to you that you don’t see about yourself ~ that Pat reflects a part of you?  In waking life, are you thinking or acting more like Pat than you acknowledge?  It seems a logical conclusion since you preface the dream with a statement about your students keeping you young, and describe Pat as trying to suck the young life out of her student.  Could it be that you, too, are trying too hard in some way?

It’s hard to be objective about ourselves, Dear Dreamer.  Often our dreams offer up difficult images to startle us into a new self-awareness.

Sweet Dreams to You!

SMYD

sendmeyourdreams@mail.com