Dream Interpretation 8

DREAM 8  

November 2011

Main environment

I was in a dark building with high brick walls and a glass doorway which was not known to me as it appeared in the dream yet in the dream, my experience was that of I standing in was part of the Student Union bar at my university in Norwich, something also confirmed by the content of my text conversation (see below).

Timing

I recall that it was daylight, from looking through the glass window from my early third-person perspective.

Characters

Myself  (as I appear in real-life – at the start of the dream I could see myself from a third person perspective, viewing myself at ground level, but the dream quickly shifted to normal first person perspective – possibly as I was using a mobile phone and looking at the screen); random persons, unknown to me in real-life or the dream, milling around in my immediate area (adding to my understanding that I was at university); CSD (a male friend in real-life).

Narrative

I think I was at university in Norwich, although as stated, the buildings seemed different on recollection. I saw myself standing against a tall brick wall inside a dark building, although glass doors to my left (looking onwards) revealed it was broad daylight. The dream switched to first person perspective and I was aware that I had travelled to this location from my normal home in London for the day and was hoping to meet CDS in the building (for social purposes – as I think I was in a bar and I mentioned a drink – see below). I wasn’t sure if he knew of the plans and decided to text him. My mobile phone was suddenly in my hand and I sent a text asking if he wanted to meet for drinks. Immediately, CDS text back telling me (I cannot recall the exact words I read in the dream) he was going to kill me and he hated me. At this point I experienced some degree of lucidity, as although I’m not sure I was aware I was actually dreaming, I could control how I was able to respond to events and was able to refer to real-life facts/details. For example, when I text back I asked if he was angry that I hadn’t Facebook messaged him prior to the text (in reference to an actual real-life conversation where he had suggested I text or contact him via Facebook if I were in Norwich and wanted to meet up). He responded with more insults and threats and I felt panicked. I tried to find my way out of the building, not through the glass doors, but an exit at the rear of the building (this is the lay-out of the actual university building, making it more likely this was the location I was dreaming about). I was thinking anxiously about what the best thing to do next might be; I wanted to find CSD and find out what I had done to upset him, but I feared he might try and kill me. I woke up and for a short period, actually thought I had fallen out with CDS in real-life.

Potential triggers

 A few weeks prior to this dream, I received a text message from an unknown number, stating that this was the new contact number for an unidentified person. As I knew CSD had recently got a new phone, I messaged him on Facebook to ask if it was him who sent the text, but he said it wasn’t. I haven’t ever fallen out with CSD nor had I had any significant altercations with anyone else around the time of this dream, most definitely not via text message. The location in the dream most likely relates to the fact I had been thinking about when I should visit Norwich to attend university next.

Interpretation

As stated on a previous dream interpretation, to dream of a male generally refers to an aspect of yourself – typically traits associated with masculinity, such as assertiveness; competitiveness or rationality. It may be that these qualities need to be incorporated into the self. If the male is known to the dreamer in real-life– as is the case in this particular dream, then the dream may reflect the dreamers waking thoughts/feelings about this person.

To dream that you are in university or college is representative that you are undergoing some form of social or cultural change – and a desire to expand your knowledge and awareness. It is the perfect time to experience new things, or take a break from a stressful real-life situation. A college or learning institution is also symbolic of achieving merit or distinction for recent hard work.

A telephone appearing in a dream is symbolic of a message from the subconscious – you may be about to confront a situation which has been avoided for some time. Alternatively, the phone may represent your communications and relationships with others. If a conversation occurs with a person known to the dreamer, this indicates that there is an issue which needs to be resolved. To dream about a text message is symbolic of your connection to others and network of friends or alternatively may represent romance. A further interpretation of the meaning of a telephone in a dream is that of harassment or meddling by strangers. A female using a telephone may represent sexual rivalry and jealousy.

If you dream of a threat made towards you, this represents some internalised fear and feelings of inadequacy or oppression. An argument or conflict is symbolic of some unresolved issue in real-life which needs to be dealt with. Additionally, the person with whom the dreamer argues with may reflect a facet of their own identity and it may be that one part of your identity/life has come into conflict with another aspect, creating turmoil. Anxiety in waking life may be reflected in the dream state by feelings of fear.

Analysis

The symbolism which appeared in this dream seems directly linked to stimulus in my waking life – recent conversations (text-based, albeit via computer, not phone) with CSD; a recent unexplained text message (which I then contacted CSD about, possibly linking my confusion over a message and that individual in my memory).