Dear Carolyn,
I read your column in my local newspaper, and here is
a nice recurring dream that I have had every few months for over 20 years.
I am in a cavern with an underground lake that covers
the entire bottom of the cavern. I am on
a ledge hewn into the rock walls about 30 feet above the calm clear water. The ledge circles the lake. The cavern is lit as if it were daytime but I
don't know how. At one end of the lake
there is a waterfall pouring warm water into the lake. It sounds like a bathtub being filled, and
the air in the cavern is pleasantly steamy from the warm water.
An 1870's Mississippi paddle-wheel steamboat comes
into view with all the passengers alongside the boat's railings looking at the
cave and the waterfall. I wave to the
boat and the passengers wave back. The
Captain blows the boat's whistle to acknowledge me. Sometimes he maneuvers the boat up to the
rock wall and a deckhand places a plank from the bow to the ledge and I board
the boat. Sometimes they just sail by
heading for a closer look at the waterfall.
Then the dream ends.
Any insights would be welcome!
By the way, I work in a high-stress job in the
maritime industry.
Signed,
Sailing Along
Dear Sailing,
I agree ~ your recurring dream is lovely! So many beautiful images!
The best way to get a "bead" on your
recurring dream will be to make a note of it when you have it. I'm sure it's very familiar, so you won't
need to write it out in detail unless you want to. Just make a note like, "had the
cavern/steamboat dream."
Then ~ and this is key ~ make another note of what's
going on in your waking life in the days around the dream. Chances are excellent that the dream recurs
when certain circumstances or trains of thought are prevailing in your waking
life. You'll only need to make notes
like this two or three times before the connection presents itself to you!
Now, having said that, Here are some more
general/universal observations about your dream images:
The underground cavern and lake suggest a reservoir within
you, a serene pool of inner strength that sustains you. The entire setting is suggestive of your
being in tune with the beauty and power of nature and your inner self.
If you have a particular connection or
affinity with the 1870's era, or steamboats in particular, and given your
stress-filled work in the maritime industry, old-time paddle wheelers could
definitely represent your desire for serenity!
The reference might also be a link to a long-standing personal calm and
self-assurance, one that harkens back to another peaceful time without your current stressful hurry
and hubbub. Your spiritual self
is well established and feeds you gently.
It is a source of wonder and appreciation for those around you.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful dream!
More Sweet Dreams to You, Dear Dreamer!
(This dream originally appeared here in January, 2011.)
