Dream Interpretation 10

DREAM 10

15 December 2011 

Main environment

I was in a school hallway, near a row of lockers. It was not my real-life school or any other college I have attended, but it felt familiar in the dream. There was then a transition and I was walking through a restaurant in the Chapelfield area of Norwich. I exited the restaurant via the entrance door and there were some tables outside. To my recollection, this was quite an accurate version of the real-life location, although as I have never been inside the particular restaurant located at the spot depicted in my dream, the interior may not be the same. The final scene was the most unusual and did not appear to be linked in any way to the earlier part of my dream, which had some form of narrative flow - I was looking down from an aerial perspective onto a huge, luxious Alpine lodge/wood cabin-style mansion. The roof was sliced away and not only could I see into all rooms of the house, but also the landscape beyond, which was rolling green hills lush green fir/pine trees; lakes and mountains. The scene looked like it had been created on The Sims as it had an animated quality.  

The actual restaurat on Chapelfield Plain, Norwich - the same location as that in my dream

Chapelfield Plain, Norwich

Timing

Daytime.

Characters

Myself (as I appear in real-life); PS (boyfriend); FCM (mutual friend – appeared by way of reference/phone); a (dyed) red-haired female adult (unknown to me in the dream and real-life, presumed by dream ‘me’ to be FCM’s dream ‘girlfriend’); a white male adult, dressed in urban clothing and a white New Era cap (unknown to me in real-life and the dream); a group of girls, dressed the same as me, apparently part of a dance group I was a member of in the dream (all unknown to me in real-life); many other strangers/members of the public; the cartoon chipmunk/beaver.

Narrative

I was in the school by the lockers, surrounded by a crowd of people. I saw I was wearing black ribbed leggings and a glittery top. Random people were encouraging me to show them a dance routine and I was quite excited. I walked to the end of the lockers where the dance group were standing, wearing the same outfits as me. I asked them to join me in dancing, and suddenly I was laying on the floor, with my legs spread wide open in a ‘V’. I locked my thighs around one of the girl’s necks. I was looking up at them from the floor and I felt happy. It didn’t seem sexual however – I was looking at my legs, admiring the leggings. The dance group started to break away from the routine, telling me it was too over-the-top. I was then back on my feet and joined by PS. At first I was telling him about the dance routine, then I was in a state of concern, saying I thought FCM’s girlfriend (who I knew at this stage in the dream I had never actually met) wanted to kill me. PS and I walked from the school directly through a door into the rear of the Chapelfield-based restaurant. As we reached the front entrance doors, located by a big glass window, there was a table adjacent to the door, upon which two young adults were seated on stools or tall chairs – the red-haired female and the white-capped male. They seemed hostile. As we left via the door, I told PS I thought the female might in fact be FCM’s girlfriend. I asked him to call FCM on his mobile and check. We were then seated at an outside table, looking directly in through the window of the restaurant. I could see the female and male still sitting at their table and felt uneasy. PS was on the phone to FCM and talking about random subjects. I urged him to mention the female, but he didn’t pay attention and kept chatting away. I turned around and saw the male crouched down by my side on the pavement. He snarled at me and raised both middle fingers, waving his hands in my face before returning to the restaurant. I asked PS (still on the phone to FCM) what we should do and said that we couldn’t let the male get away with it. My next recollection of this dream, was looking down at the big Alpine lodge-style house. It appeared to be either a cartoon or computer animation. I became aware that a person was in the house. I then focused on a room containing a bubbling hot tub, in which was sat a cartoon chipmunk/beaver. I woke up.

Potential triggers

I had very recently bought a pair of black leggings, exactly the same as they appeared in the dream. I do spend a lot of time dancing. I had seen FCM around the time of the dream. I had been thinking about Norwich, in particular with regard to my place at university there.

Interpretation

To dream of a school/learning institution represents some form of social or cultural change – a desire to expand knowledge and awareness. A locker is symbolic of aspects of yourself that you have kept hidden away.

Telephones represent messages from the unconscious, but most dream interpretations refer to telephone calls made or received by the dreamer, as opposed to another dream character.

Dancing symbolises a freedom from constraints and restrictions – life is in balanced and harmony. Dancing also represents frivolity; sexual desires; sensuality; gracefulness and happiness. If you dancing with a partner, this signifies a union of the masculine and feminine aspects of yourself (this seems to indicate that the dance partner in the dream is of a difference gender – although in my dream all my dance partners were female). If you are leading the dance, this means that you are in control of your personal life or that you are being overly aggressive/assertive. Alternatively, a dance class may be an indication that you need to learn to let go or are learning the steps to a new process/stage of life. If the dance is reminiscent of a ‘lap dance’ or is sexual in any way, it may be symbolic of sexual repression and inhibited sexual desires. You may be craving more intimacy and sexual pleasure in your real-life. 

A ‘V’ shape seen in a dream is symbolic of victory; success or peace. 

To dream of a shopping mall/centre (i.e. Chapelfield) represents your attempts to make a favourable impression on someone. You are trying to establish an identity or sense of self. The mall is symbolic of materialism and a desire to keep up to date with the latest trends and tastes. 

A middle-finger (not the dreamer’s own) represents an insult or the male phallus.

A cap is symbolic of informity/ease or a need to be more tolerant of others.

Male in dream: assertive; rational; competitive or aggressive aspects of own character/characteristics which should be embraced more. If the male if known to you – reflection of subconscious thoughts about that person.

Female in dream: passivity; nurturing; caring or love; your own female characteristics of those of your mother. Alternatively, may symbolise temptation/guilt.

To see others appear as cartoon characters in a dream means that you are not taking them or their opinions seriously. Additionally, it may also be a way of dealing with such persons in a less tense/confrontational way - the transference into cartoon form makes the individual appear harmless. However, in my dream, I was not aware that the cartoon chipmunk/beaver represented a human person known to me in real-life - I accepted it as an animal with human qualities in the dream and did not question it's actions. I was a passive observer. Beavers represent energy; productivity and ambition - a sign that it is time to put ideas into action. Chipmunks represent a holding onto of the past and need to let go.

Here are some further interpretations of motifs appearing in this dream:

1. Wood cabin - success via own means; self-reliance and independence; humble attitudes; simple life; need for refuge from emotions.
2. Mansion - growth and success; feelings of inadequacy and not reaching your full potential.
3. Hot tub - the unveiling of parts of your subconscious self; relaxation  and recuperation; a  need to escape everyday stresses; anticipation of trouble/turmoil.
4. Mountains - obstacle/challenges yet to be overcome; high realm of consciousness; knowledge; spiritual truth.
5. Fir trees - a need for clarity in a given situation; endings and beginnings.
6. Pine trees - immortality; life/fertility; high aspirations; knowledge; the offer of hope in the midst of despair.
7. Lake - your inner self/subconscious. A clear, calm lake represents inner peace.
8. Green grass - an aspect of yourself you can always rely on; natural protection.

Analysis

This is an interesting interpretation as this dream occurred at a relatively calm period in my life and one which involved dressing up and dancing – perhaps I have subconscious concerns that my behaviour can sometimes be provocative or over-the-top. I think the references to aggression and confrontation may be projections of my own characteristics as I have been far more assertive of late.