Tuesday, September 3, 2013

The Present Presents Problems


The Dream: I'm with a group of people in a foreign country. Someone is giving away her things. A large group of old glass items comes up; they are dusty and wrapped in tissue. The disburser looks in my direction as she describes the lot, and I wonder if these objects are for me. How should I respond? Should I gush a bit, so she will know I'm grateful? I like these pieces; they are lovely and might be antiques, but at the same time they present some problems: I have no place to put them; the items are too much for me to carry; they would be expensive to ship, and they are fragile and could break. To top it off, I'm not sure if they are meant for me, and I know I'll feel like a fool if I act as though they are being given to me and then realize they aren't. As it turns out, the disburser has been looking in my direction because the objects are being given to the woman sitting behind me.

Interpretation: I'm in new territory (a foreign country) with the dilemma my dream presents (that potential gift). It must be something that's currently happening (the present), yet it hearkens back to something old (antique) and obscure (it's dusty, wrapped in tissue). As my unconscious attempts to unload these things she no longer wants, I struggle to come to terms with them. (How should I respond?) Once I've gone over all the reasons why I can't deal with this “gift” I side step the problem by denying it altogether. It really wasn't meant for me.

3 comments:

  1. Hello Carla, I am reading "A Gnostic Book of Hours" by June Singer. I came across this passage from The Gospel of Philip she uses in her book, and it reminded me of the glass in this dream. For what is wrapped in tissue are breakable, but are also ready to be reused. And in another projection of this dream, because of my uncertainty, my doubt, these gifts pass me by. In my waking were I have had a dream like this, I would likely meditate and self-affirm my artistic and personal abilities so that the next time a gift is to be presented to me in a dream or otherwise, I would accept it.

    "Glass decanters and earthenware jugs
    are both made by means of fire.
    But, if the glass decanters break, they are done over,
    for they came into being through a breath.
    If earthenware jugs break, however, they are destroyed,
    for they came into being without a breath."

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  2. Your current reading seems like a bit of synchronicity, Emily! Thanks for adding this dimension to the interpretation.

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  3. I have studied Jung for years and his works have had a profound effect on my life as I had mental problems all my life. I am 81 yrs old now and still find new insights in his works . Love your blog and thanks you for your very sharp perceptions.
    Barbara Hilal

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