Dreaming (11/26/05)

I remember my dreams almost every morning when I wake up. They are mostly the type that bring all the random aspects of my life together into one story and I don't often find much meaning in them beyond that my mind is just sorting and categorizing recent events.

When I was a lot younger, I frequently had flying dreams in which I saved friends and family from peril. I've heard that flying dreams mean that you're feeling in control, powerful, and that you can accomplish anything. Maybe that is based in some truth since I stopped having those dreams for many years and only recently started them again. Only recently have I felt in control again.

Very occasionally I have a dream that acts as an epiphany. The strange thing is that I can't remember one ever happenning when I'm sleeping in my own bed. Maybe I have to be outside of my comfort zone for these dreams to happen. The last one I remember having was a couple of years ago when I was on a road trip, and then I had one last night (again not sleeping in my own bed). Last night's involved realizations about my ex and about this guy I've been hanging out with recently, two separate realizations, though I guess since they were in the same dream they must be connected somehow. Not ready to post details yet. Still working through the ramifications.

The first nightmare I remember occurred when I was about six. I was dressed in my ballet tutu and slippers, crossing a bridge. I fell down into what in my young mind passed for hell. (I could now dream a much scarier hell.) I screamed and screamed for my parents but no one ever came. I just sat in the pit helpless. Supposedly dreaming of hell means that you are in a seemingly inescapable situation. The screaming symbolizes suppressed anger and fear. That all fits I suppose, since at the time I was going through a particularly rough period in my childhood.

A friend started a dream journal. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to do the same. If nothing else, it would give me more amusing stories to put here. I mean, most of my dreams are pretty bizarre.