An example of how awareness can lead to impactful shifts to occur.
I woke up from a dream where I was walking naked through a brothel. Lots of naked bodies. Only woman. I was looking for a place to pee. As I climbed the stairs from the basement to the first floor (it was in the middle night, pitch dark) I saw a black painted special force helicopter, it was landing out front. I thought about running but decided to face the threat head on, for some reason I can’t recall, but there was a reason. Armed soldiers undertook the lobby. Next part of the dream, I was outside in the forest, still looking for a place to pee. It was hard to get off the beaten path. I knew I would be exposed no matter the direction I choose… (Being naked and/or having to pee is a regular btw, nothing new under the sun.)
Upon wakening I knew the dream was important and I decided to do my favorite dream interpretation exercise. I wrote down every single object in the dream and took note of whatever I associated with each object. I then re-told the dream but replaced the objects with the associations. Helicopter turned into “operations, mission oriented, sent where it’s most needed, can be taken down”, soldiers became “comradery, brothers in arms, are they fully committed to the mission, calculate risk”… The association for forest: “vast, unknown, a new and different vibe, observe and take in”, and path became “leads somewhere – do I want to move in the direction of the path?”. Not to forget the brothel: “sticking together, unconscious behaviors and patterns, dark energy, people want to take advantage”, and myself – I was in the dream too (it’s funny how the associations I have of myself changes): “somber, quiet attitude, in reality, present”.
Re-telling the dream gave me the following meaning to ponder… “I am in reality” (first aha-moment, good job me for succeeding in being more in reality). As a result, my attitude is somber (validation. It makes sense to feel somber when being in reality). I’m moving through unconscious patterns and dark energies (with emphasis on exploitation) (again, validation. I’m doing the work, I’m doing good, keep going). As I’m exiting the unconscious patterns and dark energies, a mission presents itself (reassurance, maybe the tides are turning, a bigger mission is unfolding, can it be the web portal?). It will take me where I’m most needed (mm, hm, curiosity for this one). Comradery and brothers in arms will be a part of the picture (reassuring, it’s coming, let it unfold). The question is whether they are fully committed or not. (See, my dream is giving me advice. I might want to be mindful about who I commit myself to. Smart.) I entered the forest as the last part of the dream… Entering into a vast and unknown space. It’s a different vibe entirely. I need time to take it in. The path, I’m led somewhere. Do I want to follow the direction? (A question that doesn’t culminate in a finite answer. Instead, I feel invited into the energy of continuous re-evaluation as I keep moving forward. Nothing is set in stone. Life is beautifully unpredictable; part of the mystery and the magic is in the unknown).
The biggest take away though… Feeling like I am different and that it’s ok. I see two levels in others (and myself). Our deeper emotional truth, the real and raw, our needs, vulnerabilities, yearnings, the things that satisfies our soul, our quirks… And what we have learned is acceptable – the version of us we cast forward in social interactions. I thrive when there is a desire to become aware of, be present with, and communicate, both. I’m “that” woman, the let’s-get-personal, I-want-to-go-deeper and my-questions-has-no-bounds. That’s me.
Gunhild Archer, counselor 