Don't let the pond scum keep you down!

In dreams, animals that live below the surface can signify thoughts kept private.

When the action of a dream takes place underground or in the back yard, or behind any building, it suggests thoughts or a state of mind that is private or behind the scenes.  Today’s dream provides an example of how background can affect foreground.

Dear SMYD,

I dreamed that whales and dolphins were swimming in my backyard!  They were leaping and splashing, extremely playful and fun to watch.  I was thrilled, and so excited and happy to see them.  I knew they were a good sign, that they meant good things.  I couldn’t wait to tell my husband about them.  But I also felt frustrated when I tried to find him.

Then, when I went back to see the all the animals and to show them off, there weren’t as many there.  There weren’t any whales at all.  All that was left were seals and dolphins and they seemed less playful.  And the water had some scum in the corner nearest the house.  It was green like algae that forms on stagnant water.  This was upsetting to me.  I didn’t know what to do.

The next day, when I tried to talk to my husband about it, all he said was that I worry too much about pollution!  I am concerned about the environment, but even though the pond scum bothered me, I think the dream is about something else.  What do you make of it?

Signed,

Sad about the Whales

Dear Sad,

Your dream has selected an image and a concept that are important to you to draw attention another aspect of your life that may be languishing.

In your very own backyard, or below the surface of your consciousness, are playing some beautiful and powerful animals.  Whales and dolphins inspire awe not only fortheir wild beauty, but also for the intelligence we are learning more and more about.  Even in your dream you knew their appearance signaled positive things.  For you, this dream illustrates those powerful, positive and playful energies playing just below the surface.  You have kept this part of yourself behind the scenes, but now you’d like to show it off to the world.

The scum suggests a negative element creeps in and keeps you from expressing the joy and creativity that is thriving within you and ready to burst forth.  Don’t give in to pedestrian or pessimistic thoughts that seep into your mind, Dear Dreamer!  If allowed to expand, like the algae in your dream, they can suck the air out of your playful self, limit your creative impulses, and consign you to frustration and acceptance of the mundane.

Your husband mentioned your caring concern for the environment, and this may the appropriate focus for your talent and energy.  But you may also have an idea that you have not yet expressed to the outside world, something that you have dreamed of, but are shy to pursue.  Find anoutlet for this part of yourself and you find a richer life.

Sweet Dreams to You!

SMYD

Security doesn't always mean happiness

Our pets may appear in our dreams acting as an aspect of ourselves.  Is your pet courageous?  Always there to protect you?  Or, is she timid and afraid of her own shadow?  Her personality trait in your dream most likely points to a trait of your own that is helping you or holding you back.

Dear SMYD,

My mother is impatient with my love life.  She has thrown up her hands at me.  I was divorced more than 10 years ago and she wants to see me remarried, settled down and secure.  I have dated a few men since the divorce and mom has approved of every one.  But each one has had a personal habit or a character flaw that I did not want to live with.  She thinks I am too picky and unrealistic.

Now I have been dating Don for several months, and mom and I are going through the same argument.  She thinks I should marry him (he seems inclined to propose sometime soon) and I am feeling uncertain.  He is a good man, but holds on a little too tight if you know what I mean.

Here’s my dream:  I have Sweetie, my dog, under my arm and I am running toward a storm shelter.  Sweetie didn’t like what was happening and struggled to get free and run away.  I kept her with me knowing what was good for her – that she would be safe with me and that I would know where she was, which would make me feel better.

Storms were coming.  There were big clouds coming toward me.  They were white and the sun was also shining.  We had to run up a hill to the shelter.  A man was there showing us the way, waving his arms like he was directing traffic.  He looked kind of like Don.

So what do you make of this dream?

Signed,

Running from a Storm

Dear Running,

It seems clear that you and Sweetie have a prominent trait in common:  Neither of you likes to be held too closely or prevented from enjoying your freedom. 

In your dream, you force Sweetie to go with you toward the “shelter” where Don beckons.  But she struggles to free herself, even though you, or more likely the mother in you, purports to know what is good for her. 

What is there to run from, Dear Dreamer?  Sure, there are clouds in the sky, but white clouds on a sunny day, not dark threatening stormy clouds.  Why would you go into a shelter?  Don calls you to join him.  He clearly represents a safe place, but perhaps more safety than is called for.  That kind of “safety” can be stifling, as you already know. 

Your mother’s intentions are good, Dear Dreamer.  She “knows what’s good for you,” and for her that means security above all else.  But you, not she, will have to live in the confined space where Don controls the traffic.  Your dream says to trust your own instincts. 

Sweet Dreams to You!

Dreamers are not alone!

Famous dreamer John Lennon

Dear Dreamers,

Can you think of anyone you know who hasn’t puzzled over the cryptic images of a dream?  Research shows that everyone dreams every night!  Some say they never remember their dreams.  Too bad for them!  They’re missing a wealth of readily available revelations and inventiveness. 

References to dreams are all around us and have been since the beginning of time.  Cultures across the globe, from primitive to advanced, have reported their dreams and relied on them to be visionary and stimulating in every facet of life. 

So the current fascination with dreams in the United States is not new, but dreams are ever fresh and rich in layers of meaning, as well as a deep reservoir of inspiration.

Consider these examples of creativity based in the dreams of well-known artists:  Both John Lennon and Paul McCartney attribute the source of some of their extensive playlist to their dreams.  For example, John Lennon said that he heard the lyrics to his song “#9 Dream,” in a dream.  And his writing partner Paul McCartney attributes the tune for “Yesterday,” his most often covered song, to a dream.  He woke with it complete in his mind, went straight to the piano and worked it out on the keyboard.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the dreamlike artwork of Salvador Dali was inspired by his dreams.  One of his most famous works, “Persistence of Memory,” depicts Dali’s conception of time as it felt in his dreams.  Indeed, Dali expressed his deep reverence for dreams when he said, “One day it will have to be officially admitted that what we have christened reality is an even greater illusion than the world of dreams,”

Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, of “Matrix” among others, credits his experiences with lucid dreams for the inspiration for his expansive and complex movie about lucid dreaming, “Inception.”  In both films, Nolan, much like Dali, challenges the traditional concepts of dreaming and waking, depicting them as interchangeable, each influencing the other.  

          

When he was recovering from critical injuries suffered after being hit by a minivan while on his evening constitutional, Stephen King got the idea for his story “Dreamcatcher” from a series of dreams he had about four guys in a cabin in the woods.  One cannot help wondering if all those scary stories King wrote reflect many years of nightmares!

Even this tiny sample from the arts makes it clear that all of us who marvel at our nightly sojourns are in good company.  The quality and caliber of those who ponder dreams and are inspired by them is exemplary.  You are among the stars, Dear Dreamers!

To expand your dreaming horizons even more, I suggest exploring the International Association for the Study of Dreams at www.asdreams.org.  There you will find depth and breadth in the investigation of dreams, from the clinical analysis of the biological and psychological origins of dreams, to the soaring spiritual implications of our universal, human experience.

Sweet Dreams to you, Dear Dreamers!

SMYD

sendmeyourdreams@yahoo.com

Dream's advice: Celebrate new love a little at a time

Champagne may be the perfect metaphor for a new relationship:  Just like love, it can burst forth on the happiest of occasions.  It is bubbly and exciting by its very nature.  But it can lose its sparkle quickly too.  What’s a lonely man to do?

Dear SMYD,

It seems that the men in my family have always had bad luck with women.  My dad and his brothers all were married and divorced at least once!  I’ve probably gotten most of my attitudes toward women and marriage from them.  It hasn’t helped me much.  I’ve been divorced once and had three other long-term but doomed relationships with women!  

But I think I’d be happier if I were married, or at least in a committed relationship, so I am pretty excited about a new woman that my friend introduced me to.  She seems down-to-earth and is fun to be around.  She has a great sense of humor and she is easy on the eyes.  But with my history, I can’t have much hope for our future!

Here’s my dream:  My uncle hands me a very large bottle of Chanel No. 5 cologne.  I really wanted it.  When I started to open the bottle, I saw that it was effervescent – bubbly like champagne.  I opened it a little, then recapped it quickly to keep it from gushing out or going flat.  I wanted to splash it on but I was afraid to have it open long enough to even get the fragrance!

My sister thinks this dream is about my new girlfriend.  What do you think?

Signed,

Afraid of Cologne!?

Dear Afraid,

Your sister may be on to something.  Based on the background you included, one divorce and three failed long-term relationships, the new woman in your life might be considered No. 5.  But she comes to you from your uncle’s point of view, that women are hard to understand and harder to live with.  So this new opportunity may be fresh and different, but it is filtered through not just your negative experiences, but also those of your family members and their unpleasant history. 

And, even though you truly want to enjoy the fragrance, or to celebrate with some bubbly, you approach the prospect timidly, with skepticism and hesitance.  You seem to be saying, “What if my emotions overflow and I wind up getting hurt again?  What if the relationship loses its thrill and goes flat?”

Those are the risks you take, Dear Dreamer, any time you take a chance on love.  You may have better odds this time given your reflective state of mind and strong desire to try again.  Instead of being ruled by your past, and assuming this new relationship is doomed like the others, why not learn from them?  You have gained some insights about women and about yourself.    As your dream suggests, take a little at a time, don’t let your emotions surge too far in front.  Let your better self emerge.  Sip and enjoy.

Sweet Dreams to You!

SMYD

sendmeyourdreams@yahoo.com