This is the first article in The Mindful Word’s new weekly column, MINDFUL DREAMS. In this column, Aneta Baranek of the School of Metaphysics will be offering free dream interpretations to The Mindful Word readers as well as offering articles on dreams in general.
If you’ve ever been curious about deciphering the cryptic contents of your subconscious mind, here’s your chance! If you would like Aneta to interpret your dream, fill out this form. She will respond with your dream interpretation via MINDFUL DREAMS, published every Thursday.
Dear Aneta,
I had a dream the other night that I have every now and then, and have had it on and off for decades.
DREAM
I’m travelling in a red convertible (mine) with my sister. I’m taking her to show her a house I own. It feels as if I have inherited it from my father, but my father isn’t dead. We’re driving on a main road with beautiful wheat fields on either side. Suddenly on the right side of the road, in a field of wheat, is this massive house… something you would expect in a cotton plantation, or Gone with the Wind. It is mine.
My sister and I enter into a huge entrance hall with a staircase going up to a mezzanine floor that looks down onto this hall. We walk up the staircase and turn to the right. Along this walkway are many bedrooms with closed doors. We open each door and in each room which is decorated in Louis XIV style there is a huge canopy bed and on the bed there are laid out outfits from Louis XIV era (I don’t know how I know the era, it’s intuitive). A dress for women and also a man’s outfit as if waiting for someone to come and dress. There’s a lot of gold colour in the clothing. It’s as if the house is waiting for something—a function of some sort.
My sister and I leave the rooms and walk back towards the staircase and past it to the other end of the hall. There’s a door that is slightly ajar. We open the door and it’s a small room—about 16 x 10 feet. The door is in the left corner of the wall and as we enter we see, the wall immediately to my left has wood panelling and a built in cupboard/desk. There’s a radio playing classical music and an ashtray with a cigarette burning in it. The wall opposite the door is lined from ceiling to floor with bookshelves filled with books. On the floor in front of this wall is a camping bed with white bedding. Someone has just left the bed. I “know” it’s a youngish man—around 30 or so—with dark hair, white T-shirt and faded jeans. I don’t know him, I haven’t seen him, I just “know” this. He lives there and doesn’t want to be seen.
In the right hand wall, there’s a door going outside. It’s open. We walk over to it to see if we can see the young man. The door opens to a fire escape iron staircase which goes down to a lovely wildish garden with a huge tree under which is a swing. It’s a peaceful scene.
There is nothing scary about the whole dream. It is simply recurring. There are no feelings but wonder at what I find. This dream comes every now and then—no idea why.
DREAMER: female, 63 years old, lives in Canada
MAIN SYMBOLS:
Car—physical body
Sister – familiar outer aspect of the dreamer (in this case represents: being kind, organized, loving attention, controlled, opinionated)
House—state of mind
Father—Inner Authority/Superconscious aspect of the dreamer
Road—path in life
Wheat fields/Garden—subconscious existence
Staircase—movement within the consciousness of the dreamer
Bedroom—places in dreamer’s mind
Bed—place of assimilation and relaxation
Louis XIV clothes—outer expression from another era
Books—information
Young man—unknown inner aspect of the dreamer
INTERPRETATION
Dear Jane,
Here is what your dream is telling you about you…since every dream is about the dreamer…
As you’re moving forward in your life you’re discovering that your mind, your consciousness, is very vast and rich. You have appreciation about it and you’re very awake to it. You do enjoy discovering those different places in your mind and you derive a sense of awe and wonder from it. You’re recognizing that your mind, your inner existence, has many facets and many levels.
There’s a sense of connection that you have with your Superconscious or your Highest Self. Those parts of you that your sister represents—kind, organized, opinionated—are those outer/external parts of you that help you in the process of this inner exploration. There’s also an aspect of you that is inner and unknown—this is what the man represents. The Louis XIV era clothes symbolize outer expression from a different time period which suggests that there are ways in which you express which might be more artistic or more ornate. This can also mean that there is a “mask” in the outer expression as in those times people wore elaborate clothing, wigs and used a lot of make-up.
The wheat fields and garden both represent your appreciation for the inner/Subconscious Mind. As you explore places in your own mind you’re also finding appreciation of the subconscious existence.
APPLICATION
In general dreams reflect our state of mind 24-48 hours prior to having a dream. This particular dream is telling you that whatever you were engaging in, a day or two prior to having this dream, gave you a sense of exploration of the inner you, it led you to getting to know yourself on a deeper level. Whatever prompted these attitudes promotes expansion of your inner growth.
Some points to consider is to ask yourself what inner quality the unknown man represents. It’s an aspect of you that you want to get to know and yet it’s a bit elusive.
And what about the Louis XIV clothes? Are there ways in which you “dress up” your outer expression? If so why?
As you ponder these questions your subsequent dreams will bring about invaluable answers. Each dream gives us an opportunity to get to know ourselves better.
May your dreams illuminate the inner you…
