Dreamscapes - Animals

Three Wolves, © D. Loren Champlin

It's not surprising that many people dream of animals. Humans have co-existed with animals for millenia, as both predator and prey, so it's only natural that they would make their way into the human dreamscape.

When an animal appears in a dream, its meaning depends on the dreamer and its association with that particular animal. Pet owners often dream of their pets; there might not be much more to such a dream, unless there is some anxiety about the pet's behavior or health.

A wild animal, on the other hand, can symbolize the dreamer's latent emotions that are too powerful to be dealt with by the conscious mind. How the dreamer interacts with the beast can be revealing. Is the dreamer chased by the animal? Some aspect of the dreamer's self is threatening. Or can the dreamer subdue or control the animal? This more positive outcome may indicate a willingness to deal with whatever is rattling around in the unconscious mind.

Not long ago I dreamt I was living in the upstairs flat of a home (there's that house theme again). I had a dog, which I don't in waking life. At first, I was worried that I wasn't taking good care of the dog - when was the last time I fed it? But it seemed perfectly happy.

Then I looked outside, down into the backyard, where I saw a shocking sight: the two dogs that belonged to the downstairs neighbors were lying in the yard, dead, having been severed in two. The neighbors knew about this, but didn't seem especially concerned.

This extraordinary image occupied me for quite a while the next morning. When I considered the idea of a dog representing loyalty ("man's best friend"), it began to make more sense. I had shared some positive information with an individual just the day before, then received an unwarranted and surprisingly negative response. It occurred to me that I might be better off taking that person out of the loop. Whatever hesitation I may have had was dispelled by the dream, which seemed to indicate that my loyalty to that person (and his loyalty to me) had been severed.

I don't want to come across as petty or as someone who demands unquestioning loyalty. Obviously there was some additional history there. Still, why such an extreme image? Dreams often exaggerate to make a point, which, in this case, seemed to be that enough is enough.

The animals that make their way into our dreams are there for our consideration, whether they are playful, baring their teeth or lying dead in the yard. Like the other dream symbols, they can offer both guidance for daily living and the opportunity to delve ever deeper into the pool of the unconscious.

Lullaby for Grown-Ups - Christina Lux

German singer/songwriter Christina Lux provides this week's lullaby with her song, Coming Home at Last. I really like this song for its intimacy, honesty and sense of a difficult road traveled, followed by a time of rest.

Diversions for Insomniacs #9

Credit: Hubble Heritage Team/ESA/NASA

Still sleepless? Why not make use of that time? You could even contribute to science. The folks over at Galaxy Zoo need your help. They use thousands of volunteers to categorize galaxies so astronomers can better understand the cosmos.

Their web site explains: "The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) is taking images of a large portion of the sky and will eventually find a million galaxies. With such a large number of galaxies, astronomers can finally begin to understand how they form and evolve by comparing various populations to each other with large enough numbers to draw real conclusions about their origin.

"But out of these million galaxies, how do we know which are spirals and which are ellipticals? The answer is simple: look at them! Indeed, until now galaxies have been classified by visual inspection of their images. And in fact, technology is of little help here. It turns out that the human brain is far better than a computer at recognising the patterns that divide ellipticals from spirals. ... There are just too many galaxies for even the most dedicated of astronomers to look at. We need thousands of people to inspect galaxy images and to classify them as spiral or elliptical."

The first phase of Galaxy Zoo is completed, but they're gearing up for phase two, where volunteers will look at images of merging galaxies. So sign up and use your stargazing abilities for the good of science.

Lullaby for Grown-Ups - The Dead Texan

Here's an engaging video creation from The Dead Texan, an artistic duo that features musician Adam Wiltzie and video artist Christina Vantzos. Curious images interplay with soothing ambient tones. The song is Aegina Airlines.

Dreamscapes - House

Van Gogh, The Parsonage at Nuenen by Moonlight

When I first started recording my dreams, the first pattern that emerged was the setting of a house. I found myself in a friend's house or a stranger's house, a childhood home or a boarding house, dormitory, condo or hotel. The action varied - there were people I knew or didn't know, various activities and conflicts. But the theme was undeniable.

The most common interpretation for this dream symbol is that the house represents ourselves. Different rooms in the house are different aspects of the dreamer. The basement is the unconscious, the most hidden part of a person, where we shove things to get them out of the way, then forget about them. Cleaning out the basement in a dream could indicate a time to sort through the past and its effects on the present. The upstairs may represent the rational mind, while persistent dreams about the bathroom might indicate a need for emotional cleansing.

To dream often of a childhood home may mean that there are unresolved issues, as is the case with other homes from the dreamer's more recent past.

For a long time, my dreams took me to so many different types of houses, it was hard to get a handle on what was going on. Sometimes I would be in a place, then realize that, for some reason, I could no longer live there. Then I would remember I had another home to go to. In the final dream like this, I was actually able to recall, in the dream, my current address (although not without some difficulty). I also had one dream where I found myself in a home that I clearly understood to be my own.

I still travel to different dream houses; but it's nice when the unconscious gives us a nod that we're headed in the right direction - slowly, gradually, eventually finding our way home.

Lullaby for Grown-Ups - Sam Clemann

This week's lullaby is an improvisation on the Navajo native flute by Sam Clemann, accompanied by images of the Grand Canyon. He writes, "I was inspired by the story of Kokopelli leading his people, the Hopi tribe, through the Grand Canyon. It is said that the sound of his flute could be heard reverberating in all the canyons." This is a lovely, meditative piece. I especially like it for its warmth and depth of spirit.

Fire in the Sky

© Rui Vale De Sousa | Dreamstime.com

Time has gotten away from me this week, so I'll pick up the dream posts again next week. In the meantime, I thought I'd consider an awe-inspiring natural display that can also sometimes disturb sleep.

Last night strong thunderstorms moved through the area. Summer is a great time to see some spectacular lightning. I have to say, though, I could have done without the very loud thunder.

© Andra? Cerar | Dreamstime.com

I have been known to sleep through heavy storms, but not last night. Having a skylight in the bedroom lets the lightning's illumination reach me directly. Then I have to consider whether the storm is severe, which would require me to take shelter. Usually I consider the possibility, then just stay in bed.

© Rui Vale De Sousa | Dreamstime.com

Because my home is at the top of the hill, I have a long view to the south. If there is bad weather in that direction, I sometimes wait until nightfall and watch the lightning dance across the sky. Very impressive.

© Jerry Horn | Dreamstime.com

I hope you like these images of night lightning. I think the secret to these shots is to have a high vantage point. It's still not an easy shot. Here's
one final lightning image from a photographer who tried for years to get a good lightning picture. It wasn't taken at night, but I love the three bolts and the mall in the foreground - humans can make as many changes to the landscape as they want, but nature will continue on as it always has, and will always have the last word.

Lullaby for Grown-Ups - Elliott Smith

The extraordinary music of the late Elliott Smith has the ability to move listeners on a profound level. Dark themes are somehow transmuted into comfort and acceptance. The song is Independence Day, and the images are of Smith. His tragic death at the age of 34 is still felt by his many fans.

Dreamscapes - Water

If there is magic on the planet, it is contained in the water.
~ Loren Eisley

Most people who remember their dreams, even if only occasionally, will have a memory of a water dream. The symbolic power of water, that essential element, is immense. It flows into our dreams to reveal the symbiosis between our conscious minds and our emotions, or even the contents of the unconscious mind, the unexplored terrain that houses either repressed traumas, the wisdom of humanity, or both (depending on who you read).

As it related to emotions, water in a dream can evoke calm and relaxation (a babbling brook, a fountain, a beautiful waterfall) or, perhaps more commonly, anxiety and fear (flooding, drowning, a tidal wave, a raging river). Turbulent waters can mean that the dreamer feels out of control in waking life. A tidal wave (a dream I used to have with some regularity) can signal a time of emotional upheaval or unusual stress. I'm happy to report having made it through that time, and that the tidal waves have since subsided.

But within my own dreams, water has also played a role in places that I visit again and again. There is a tree-lined brook I frequent. There isn't any strong emotion associated with it - it's just a lovely place to go. There is also a waterway lined with carved stone that looks like something from a medieval city. No one goes swimming in it because of strong currents. There is an implication that people have drowned there.

These dreams about specific places are harder to interpret, in that they don't seem to directly relate to anything going on in my life at the time of the dreams. So they remain mysterious destinations of my dreaming self, scenes for me to puzzle over, then accept as part of the dream landscape that offers clarity one night and enigma the next.