Louis Comfort Tiffany’s, The Mermaid, on loan to Chicago’s Field Museum
This post is non-fiction. In my dream class that has now turned into a continuing dream group (on hiatus until September) we’ve talked about some misconceptions about dreams. One particular misconception is that you can observe or experience something through in vivo (you do the experience literally) or through multi-media observance (artwork, books, movies, music, etc.) and if you have dreams about any of those things, the belief is that the experience of it made you dream about it. In one sense that may be true, but there is another way to look at those experiences.
When you go to the “dream world” you are bypassing the filters of the ego and find yourself swimming in the collective unconscious. The collective unconscious is all thoughts that have ever been thought, all flowing together. You can see how overwhelming it might be for the you in the dream state to link onto bits and pieces of it. How the collective unconscious is able to reach you, the dreamer, is to use signs, symbols, and your in vivo and observed experiences as a language that you, with some knowledge and patience, are able to decode.
For example, you could watch a movie with a certain plot and characters and then find yourself dreaming about them that night. But it doesn’t mean you only dreamt about it because you saw the movie; your dream world is using symbols it knows you will connect with.
I don’t remember any dreams from my youth and never journaled then so those dreams are gone forever. I do remember spending a lot of hours in the back yard of our house in the sand box, playing make believe with whatever was there. Sand tray therapy is used for children and adults who have suffered trauma. I believe the sand box in my back yard is one of the blessings, in retrospect that kept me sane as a child (Yes, children can be driven insane; I saw it too much in my work as a juvenile probation officer.) I think the sand box play served as a healthy outlet for the traumatized child that I was.
As an adult, I’ve had zillions of dreams, most not remembered. Also, to reassure anyone who is afraid they might be missing vital messages from the dream world, the messages will continue to be sent until you get them.
Recurring dreams can be regarded as urgent messages. I’ve never had a recurring dream; however I do have what I call a recurring motif that adapts to whatever waking circumstances my world is in at the time. The recurring motif is aquarium, and I thank Fandango for having it as the One-Word Challenge today or I wouldn’t be writing this. Over 20 years ago, I had a dream about the K’un fish in Chinese mythology. It was a giant red fish that had swum up to shore and was resting there. That was probably where the first aquarium dreams started, even though the K’un was not contained in one. From then on, over the years there have been dozens of variations on aquarium dreams. One of the most common themes is there are several of them in a room, like at a pet shop, and their care has been neglected so I’m rushing around trying to feed the fish who are still miraculously alive.
A dream I had last fall had me following where the aquariums led, which was to a path that ended on a giant sea on either side of the path. It was a wild and beautiful place.
One of the last aquarium dreams I had, the tank was gigantic, so big that the back of it couldn’t be seen. Not only that, but the back was open to another body of water. There were sea creatures riding on the backs of black lobsters who came in, then left.
Have I broken these dreams down yet? No. Should I? Yes.
I’d be very interested in hearing anything anyone has to say about dreams, dreaming, etc.
Fandango’s FOWC is aquarium and the Word of the Day Challenge is youth.
Tao Talk 
I got nothing.
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Wow. I don’t know what else to say. So “wow.”
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Wow as in, can you give me an adjective of some kind?
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Fascinating.
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OK, thanks. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t like, wow what a nut 😉
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By the way, you mentioned recurring dreams. I wrote about mine here, in case you’re interested.
https://fivedotoh.com/2017/08/16/recurring-dreams/
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I thought they sounded familiar, and yes I read them and commented on it before. Remember, I sent you that dream “cheat sheet”? The 3 dreams you have are common recurring dreams, but only you can decide what the real message is for you for each. Sounds like each time you have one you are in a different, but similar circumstance, depending on which of the 3 dreams it is. You can figure them out if you want to stop having them, but if they don’t bother you, then no need.
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Interesting post…deep post. My last nightmare was me climbing mountains as big as Everest and I looked around and it was a huge tidal wave coming OVER the mountains at me…I would assume that means I felt pressure at work…the climbing part was the work and the water was the pressure it coming at me.
Awesome post Lisa.
This date breaks my heart…I spent July 4th in bed sick and it was Jennifers and I 20th anniversary. At least the dream didn’t come then.
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Sounds like you know what the symbolism was of the mountain and tidal wave. Great day to get married, July 4. Happy belated 20th anniversary! Power is back on as you can see and all of the fish are ALIVE. Sometimes it takes a few days for fish to show affects from stress but keeping my fingers crossed.
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GLAD YOU ARE BACK!
I hope the fish are ok! We had a salt water tank at one point…and fresh water…we loved it…
What is wrong with your generator?
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Thanks Max 🙂 I love my fish but the stress of these power outages hurts me and them. I moved them out here with me in 2011 and it’s been a fight to keep them alive ever since!!!!!! I wish I knew what was wrong with it. It’s virtually brand new, got it last August and has only been used once. It has let me down twice so far and I’m clueless as to why it isn’t starting and why the power didn’t work when it did start yesterday. I’m guessing a saltwater tank is a lot more work. I was surprised when I was told that even freshwater fish need salt in the tank. This fish care has been an ongoing learning experience.
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Yes the salt water tank is alot of work…really cool fish…I loved the Puffer Fish…but yea…too much work and too expensive.
That is strange being that new and messing up. They probably are expensive to work on also.
Yes we went through it all with the fish…when one gets sick you have to hurry and separate them or all will…it is a lot of work.
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This is an amazing post about dreams. I often thought in the past that you dreamed about something because you saw it or heard it in your everyday life, but now I’m beginning to see that dreams can actually give you messages. Dreams can tell you so many incredible things, in symbols sometimes.
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Even though familiar things you saw or heard can show up in the dreams, it is the dream world using them as tools to communicate. It’s pretty amazing and so underappreciated and underutilized.
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Hi, sorry it took so long to reply. I’m trying to get this blog together. I don’t want to infringe on others’ copyrights, so I’m taking down some of the pictures. You are right, the dream world can communicate beautifully with us, as long as we are open to receiving the messages.
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