My dreams are vivid and epic. And I've always given them weight in my waking life. I decided to take a Dream Analysis course through NYU's continuing education program, this summer. After the first class, I thought about dropping the course, because I didn't feel like I was learning anything new about dream theories. As I'm prone to bailing on just about every commitment in my life, I saw this as a challenge to "stick it out." I have reluctantly returned every week since.
The dogmatic approach of my professor to categorize dreams began to shake my belief in my own dreams. This week's class, however, was a baptism....me, born-again...into my dreams.
I shared, with the class, a dream I had on July 4th, which I will recount here:
I am on a train, as it rumbles along a stretch of tracks parallel to a city, which lies along the sands of a beach. The city is a barrier to the ocean, but it appears almost two dimensional and made from cardboard, soft orange glows of light are visible in the windows. I somehow know, that the city is under a power restriction and is only allowed 4 hours of electricity a day, which includes the rail. So, I know the journey is not long, because it can only take 4 hours at the most. There are co-workers and students on the train, but I only notice Lewis' presence. He's busy socializing and I'm busy wondering about the school and classes that lay ahead.
When we arrive at school, the dream jump-cuts to a whaling dock on the water's edge. I am bundled in a big parka, standing on the cement dock with two men on either side of me, about 40 feet apart. Each man has a rope in his hand that is attached to a pulley system 30 feet in the air. At the end of the man's rope on my right, is a large wooden whale. It's constructed poorly, and at first I think it's the carcass of a whale, but I soon realize it is just weak patchwork of different wood materials. The man on my left holds a rope with a real-life Eskimo in a kayak, attached to the other end of the rope. They both use the pulley system to dunk their respective objects in the water. I think to myself, I must catch a fish and I'm not sure this whale is the best object to be fishing near.
I shoot off a spear, hitting a 5 foot long fish, immediately. With the rope, that is still attached to the spear, I pull the fish onto the dock, about 60 feet in front of me. Suddenly, a small Japanese man runs over to the fish and starts hacking at the tail. I realize the fish is still alive, and I'm very angry with the man. I run over to him, see to large gashes in the fish's tail, and instruct him to kill the fish before inflicting any more pain. He guts the fish, and then cuts the fish up onto two plates of sushi.
I take the two plates and walk to a room adjoining the docks. Inside is a business man, tall and dark, and another man who is Robin Williams, although he doesn't look like Williams. I serve each of them the plates of fish. The businessman is very pleased and gives me a rolled $20 bill. I'm thrilled with my tip and more so with his approval. I ask if there is anything else I can get him, but he replies no and thanks me, again.
Elated, I return to the school classroom, where I should have gone when I got off the train. My sister is waiting for me in the classroom at a desk. She points to the desk next to her, where a notebook and book are laying, and she says I'm late, and that I have missed part of the lesson. She tells me to catch up quickly and turn to the correct page in the book. Lewis is there, standing. I turn to him and he hugs me. I feel safe and at peace and I want to stay snuggled in his chest where it's quite.
(the end)
After sharing this dream with the class, my professor had me act out a Jungian "Interview Technique," where I ask questions to the archetypes in my dreams, and I answer as the archetype, as well. It was awkward, as such a thing might be in front of 12 strangers (12 strange, strangers), but I discovered an ability to articulate my dreams on a new level. This made me appreciate them, once again, for their intuition and complexity.
Self discovery... I'm a believer again!
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