Myths-Dreams-Symbols
exploring the unconscious world of Dreams through Myth, Symbols & Metaphor
the psychology of dreams....a Jungian perspective



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Dream Theatres of the Soul:
Empowering the Feminine Through Jungian Dream Work
Dreams
& Their Interpretation(s)
Dreams About The Persona

Dream 1 - Dream 2 - Dream 3 - Dream 4 - Dream 5 - Dream 6
These are personal dreams and interpretations from Jean's book Dream Theatres of the Soul

Being A Good Girl

The Dream
I am sitting in the backseat of an open car. A beautiful, well-dressed, older blond-haired woman is sitting next to me. She is serene and comfortable. She looks at me and says, "You're cold aren't you?" I realize I have been trying to cover myself up with a blue fur coat. Then she says. "I learned long ago not to be afraid to bring along enought clothes to be comfortable".

Symbols


Backseat: Inferior position; the ego relinquishing control.

Open Car: Traveling through life openly.

Older Blond-Haired Woman: A positive shadow figure (see Glossary of Jungian Termnology 'HERE'), an older and wiser part of me; possibly a personification of the Self (see Glossary of Jungian Termnology 'HERE')

Blue: A spiritual color of heaven, truth, purity; tradionally associated with the robes of the Virgin Mary; an unnatural color for a fur.

Fur: An especially warm coat associated with the instinctual world of animals; in our culture it can also be a status symbol that is worn to impress others.

Coat: The persona (see Glossary of Jungian Termnology 'HERE'); an outermost item of clothing worn for protection from the cold.

Personal Meaning


I had this dream almost a year after I began working on my dreams. Its message contained both reassurance and a warning. On the positive side, when it came to my persona, my ego was taking a backseat to the Self, and I was becoming more open about my inner journey (open car). On the other hand, my persona (coat) was still unnatural and unsuitable; it was not keeping me warm enough. I was more concerned about covering (fur) myself with a 'good-girl' persona of purity and spirituality (blue) - a persona that I felt gave me status (fur) - than with something more human and down-to-earth, like a fiery red wool blanket or a natural fleeced-lined jacket or a down-filled parka. The Wise-Old Woman within me (older blond-haired woman) knew that my persona was too cool: I needed to warm up a little. I needed to expand my persona and risk being more natural instead of trying so hard to impress others with my goodness.

Cultural Meaning


Many of us are so well-meaning and concerned about 'doing the right thing' that we cover up our fuller selves with a persona of purity, spirituality, and perfection (See Marion Woddman's book 'Addition To Perfection' under Feminine Psychology). We have been taught to be 'good girls' and never stopped to question this teaching. Being seen by the outer world as 'good' gives us status among certain people; it also makes us feel safe and secure. It may seem risky to reveal the secret parts of ourselves that we think are less than 'good'.

There is nothing wrong with being spiritual and pure, but no one can be this way all the time. Moreover, by themselves, these qualities lack warmth. They are not authentic and full, but one-sided. A real woman is far more complex. In addition to her spiritual purity, she also has an instinctual, raw, earthly, furry animal nature that sometimes wants to cavort through the wilderness and howl at the moon!

As we persist in our soul making, the Wise Old Woman - our mature, inner, feminine potential - may appear in our dreams. She is the part of us who cares more about being real than about wearing an artifical facade of goodness. She has the courage to do what she wants, say what she thinks, and wear purple when she feels like it. She knows that a woman does not have to renounce beauty and manners and grace in order to be herself, and that being herself does not make her a bad person. On the contrary, the most beautiful women radiate inner serenity because they are at peace with themselves and no longer waste unnecessary energy covering up their fuller natures. These are empowered women who know how to live in both the heavenly and earthly realms.

This dream is from Jean Benedict Raffa's book 'Dream Theatres of the Soul'.
About Jean Benedict Raffa <GO>

Dream 2 - Dream 3 - Dream 4 - Dream 5 - Dream 6

12-31-04


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