Baring the Breast

Have you ever had a dream that seems to resolve a previous dream? Jung tells us that this is to be expected, and that it is part of our natural psychic regulation. This is similar to the way natural physical adjustments take place, for example, sweating to cool the body when you get too warm. In my chat with Jane Teresa Anderson (Episode 44 of The Dream Show) she pointed out that the title of the dream The Bodice Ripper could refer to an opening (exposure) of the heart. I had this dream the night after our chat.

The Dream: I am sitting at a table of arty and intellectual architects. After a while I realize I have no clothes on above the waist. One of the men comes and sits next to me, kissing me on the cheek and saying, “I’ve missed you.” I notice the softness of his youthful face, although his hair is thinning and he must be in his 40s. I say, “I’ve missed you, too.” His name is at the edge of my awareness but I don’t quite get it. We’re happy to be together but can’t think of anything to say.  I notice my bare breasts and think I should cover up, but do nothing about it.

Interpretation: The bodice is off; my heart has opened. The rapprochement is not only with the part of me that can deal with the outer world (my animus) but also with my first image of a man, my father. The exchange about missing each other refers to my grief over his death. That I am sitting with a table of architects tells me that something new is being built.

A Bodice Ripper

Do you find that certain images recur over time in your dreams? There’s a force I’ve come to call my “inner Nazi” that appears and reappears. It’s oddly tacked on to the end of this long dream that starts more like a bodice ripper. I’ve broken this dream down into five segments.

Dream Scene 1: A young woman, certainly not a member of the nobility, marries a Viscount. The dream is set in a Nordic country; both the Viscount and the Lady are tall, very attractive, and blonde. Initially, the dream appears to be set in the 18th c, judging by the clothing. Panniers are not in evidence, but the clothing is long, bodices are tight, and undergarments are long, white, and ruffled. This might not be a love-match. The man wants an heir and is attracted to the woman’s beauty. The woman is making a large leap socially. Both are very concerned that the woman’s behavior should be correct and appropriate.

Interpretation: The roles characters take on in your dream represent your different abilities and weaknesses. In this dream I see a beautiful, naïve, undeveloped part of me (the lady) that is striving to unite with a stronger, noble part (the Viscount). My Lady aspect is socially uncomfortable and not sure how to behave. My Viscount aspect (Vis-count, I count!) is most likely an animus figure (a woman’s inner man) which needs unification with the Lady, symbolized by his desire for an heir.  At this point in the dream this is an uncomfortable marriage, a marriage of convenience. The tight bodice suggests I’m feeling restricted, which is further emphasized by concern over the woman’s behavior. Set in the past, the dream deals with a long-standing issue.

This dream has also been interpreted by the well-known dream worker Jane Teresa Anderson in The Dream Show.