Dreaming as a cartoon

[sailrmc]

Cartoon dreams are as one has already noted, perhaps a slant on things that cannot be taken seriously, but it does go a little deeper.

Just like a dream within a dream, a cartoon dream is a way (or strategy)that the subconscious mind uses to allow you to watch the goings on in your life and how they affect the dreamer. The cartoon characters represent that aspect of self that is being exercised or brought out to interact with what is going on in the dream (I will go into this a bit at the end of this email).It also allows the subconscious mind to interject it's own "what if" scenario. Example, lets say that in your dream an authority figure calls you a name in a degrading way, the cartoon figure can represent you and you can pop him in the nose, or say something back to him and not get penalized. At the same time, you are not frightened because you are fully aware that this is only a dream...after all there are cartoon figures. Once the dreaming mind knows that you feel "safe" with the cartoon figures it adopts them as a standard by which it can "show" you things in your life (in your dream), and it knows that no matter how sensitive the material is tht is shows you will hang in there. You will experience it, without becoming afraid and waking up!!
This gives the dreamer the experience (individuation, as Carl Jung calls it) and allows you to benefit from what ever is shown.

The dragon representing the part of the mind that we name unconsicous...it is enormous (so much so that we cannot comprehend it's full capabilities). So the dragon, depicts the irrational forces of the subconscious and life's urges,
such as sexuality,(and other personal identities that we must work out and face and understand if we are to ever to attain balance in our life. Overcoming such unconscious urges and finding balance within are perhaps the keys to becoming balanced and whole as a person.
I am not making the dragon a sexual symbol, but I am saying that it represents all emotions that are wielded by the unconscious mind, emotions that conscious mind might deep irrational.
So let's say that after an insult in your dream the dragon steps in on your behalf and severely thrashes the person that did this to you...You see, this is irrational behavior (in the conscious world) because of the ramifications that society places upon us. You can, however allow the dragon to do this in your dream (it is only a dream and striking back to protect yourself feels good!).
The duck can really be a formidable angry entity, when it is angry, although most of the time it is cautious and demure. As well, the old saying, like water on a ducks back, can show that the dreamer was likely picked on, or bullied and you let it just roll off your back. (Then the dragon could do it's work).
Weather these cartoon scenarios hold true to what you have dreamed or not you can see the example of how the mind uses them in your dreams).

They can allow the dreamer to maintain a sense of integrity (even if it is just in his dream). It allows the dreamer to not be frightened and wake up...because his attention is focused on the cartoon characters and their actions. It lessens the traumatic effect that a straight forward dream would have presented.
So in essence it allows the dreamer to deal with situations, in dreams without suffering trauma, thus allowing for individuation (the building of self).
sailrmc