Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Dreaming of a Piano


In my dream I was standing in a white walled, white floored empty room. It was a store or something I was renovating. Someone had given me a white baby grand piano. I was pleasantly surprised because I always wanted a grand piano, although the one I wanted was actually black. Some workers, who were also dressed in white, tried to lower the piano into the room from the ceiling with a crane. The piano crashed to the floor. I was relieved to find that the only thing that was broken was a sheet of glass that covered the keyboard called a "tuner". I supposed I could still play it anyways although it wouldn't be in tune.

I have played the piano since I was four but I think this is the first piano dream I have ever had. For me to read that the piano is a symbol for creativity definitely makes sense.

The background of white represents a fresh start or a blank canvas on which to express my creativity.

It was interesting that when the piano crashed the only thing broken was a glass sheet that would not normally belong to the piano. Glass is usually a symbol for a barrier, in this case, a barrier to my creativity? Something that I thought was necessary to be "in tune" was actually not?

I like this dream. I felt it was really affirming of my creative life.

Friday, August 24, 2012

"Checking on My Car": Recurring Dreams

(image by Andrew Curtis)

My friend just told me about a recurring dream he was having. In it, he is inside a house where he feels safe and comfortable. There are different groups of people in the house, friends from the present and past, people that he has known. But he is very concerned about his car that is parked outside in the street. The street is not safe and he obsessively checks the car over and over to make sure it's okay. He also said the dream is "sexually charged".

Recurring dreams usually happen where there is a situation in waking life that needs attention or needs to be dealt with and your unconscious mind will continue to prod you with the dream until you do!

Both a house and a car symbolize aspects of the self. A house reflects your soul (in this case a modest, comfortable, safe house). A car represents your personal space. In this dream, my friend is worried "his space" or his person will be taken from him. I discuss these symbols more in depth in the blog entries "Dreaming of a House" and "Driving a Car".

A street or road usually symbolizes the direction your life it taking. In the dream, the street felt unsafe so maybe the "road" (career path?) my friend is currently on is not a safe or wise one to be on. Maybe he is afraid that he will lose control of himself on it? This could also relate to the sexual feelings he has in the dream (ie. a lack of control)or maybe they are just there to stress the importance of the dream.

In my own dreams, whenever groups of friends appear, I always feel like they are there to judge me, but other people might see groups of people being supportive, helpful or a distraction. It depends on how you feel about them in the dream and in waking life.

A way to stop recurring dreams is to try to change some aspect of them while you are dreaming. My friend could try getting in the car and driving it to another place he felt was safe. (Maybe try parking it in the garage!) He could get one of his friends in the house to help him. Or he could imagine someone stealing the car. What would that do to the dream?

Another way to stop the dream would be to change something in his waking life situation. Maybe he needs to find a new job or change some goals or plans he's made.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Dreaming of a Beard

image by WonderfullyStrange

In my dream I look into a mirror. As I lean in close I am surprised, and a little horrified, to see that my face is sprouting long blond hairs like a beard. I don't want anyone to see me like this so I try to pluck them out.

Beards have been an important symbol throughout history. Certain religions, like Islam, Judaism and the Amish, still place much importance on the beard; it is almost sacred. (see my article on the recent Amish Beard Cutting). In ancient times, almost every culture venerated the beard. It was seen as a symbol of masculinity, virility, prestige and wisdom.

In Islam,the beard image has a great deal of significance if it appears in dreams. A very comprehensive list can be found at myislamicdreams but here are a few interpretations:
- if a beard is proportional it means you will have a nice life, money and prestige
- if it is too long you will have money but not enjoy it
- if your beard is shaved off it means you will be poor
- plucking out the hairs of a beard means you are wasting money

If a woman (like me) dreams of having a beard, according to Islamic interpretation she will 1) never conceive or 2) have a boy 3) she will be ill or 4) her husband's wealth will increase or 5) her husband will be absent.

From more of a psychological perspective, since a beard is such a traditional symbol of masculinity, for a woman to dream of having one usually means she is getting in touch with her masculine qualities.

In dreams, seeing yourself in a mirror means you are looking at a true reflection. So for me to see myself with a beard might mean that I am displaying some masculine qualities like strength or ambition. Or I could invoke the beard image as a symbol of wisdom and say that maybe I am becoming wise. Plucking out the hairs of my beard could mean I am uncomfortable with these qualities in myself.





Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Dreaming of Magic Beans

photo by IvanWalsh.com


In my dream I was holding a small, leather sack that contained white, magic beans. I dumped out the contents and sifted the beans through my hands. The bean that caught my eye had a message on it. It said, "Do it".

Everyone knows the fairytale Jack and the Beanstalk, right? A poor, foolish boy sells the family cow in exchange for some magic beans, which in return, provide him with the means to untold riches. The bean, traditionally, was seen as symbol that could be exchanged for food and clothing.

Dreams about food usually symbolize aspects of nourishment or appetite; however, the beans in my dream weren't for eating. They seemed to serve the purpose of runes - stones that have inscriptions and can be used for divination. Beans were, in fact, commonly used in Europe for this purpose. For example, an accused person would pick a bean from a bag: if it was black he was guilty, white he was innocent.

There are actual packages of magic bean wishes you can buy that contain a secret message that you will discover once they grow. That's kind of cool. So the idea that beans can give you a message isn't unusual, I guess.

I loved this dream because I had been waiting for a message or "sign" to address a particular problem I was facing. "Do it" could not have been a clearer answer.

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