Wandering empty buildings

[DougM]

This is the first time I've thought to toss out this recurring dream of mine for the interpretations of others, but I've had this dream so many times that my curiosity is breaking down my typical resistance to analysis.

It goes like this:

In this dream, I typically find myself wandering around some large, empty building.

Sometimes I have a sense of why I am there. Other times I dont... I'm just there.

Sometimes the building is a huge, empty warehouse or oceanside resort. Usually when it is either of the above, it is in disrepair... the warehouse is old, rusty and dusty; the resort is ramshackle. Often, the roof is leaking and rain is pouring in. Often, it is cold. I distinctly remember a "resort" dream in which the resort was virtually encased in ice, including a tobogan run that led down to a beach.

At other times, I'm in a home. Often, like last night, it's quite a nice home... though still rambling, huge and mostly empty. In last night's iteration, there were others in the home, all strangers, and, I'm pretty certain, none of whom actually lived there. We all seemed to be squatters, although I don't think any of us were itinerates or panhandlers. We just didn't belong there.

The owners of the home returned just as I was about to leave. I didn't know them -- it was a family of mom, dad and kids -- but they didn't seem too concerned that a stranger had been living there while they were gone. I don't believe they even talked to me. It was as though they had discovered me taking a shortcut on my way through their yard and thought that to be OK.

None of these places ever is recognizable. It's not as though I find myself at a factory I worked at as a college student or in a big home of a friend. They're always foreign to me.

I should add that nothing inappropriate ever happens in these dreams. There is no sex or violence or anything like that. Often, I'm alone, but not always. In many of these dreams, I'm with high-school friends (although I'm never sure if they are represented as I knew them in high school, or as older people). A couple of very good, old friends appear quite often in these dreams. In last night's dream, my high-school girlfriend appeared... along with a stranger who I interpreted to be her husband. They were with me at some event before we returned to a big building where I had left a backpack full of valuables (which included, oddly, a blanket). The backpack, however, had been stolen. While I was quite perturbed at losing the backpack, neither my former girlfriend nor her "husband" seemed the least concerned about it, which annoyed me.

So, there it is. As I said, I have different versions of this dream quite often. They typically are not terribly agitating -- which is to say they are neither gloomy or depressing, although they certainly are not what I would call happy dreams.

But, they most certainly are vivid. When I awake, I often have a disoriented sensation... wondering where I am, even though I'm usually at home in my own bed. And the atmospherics are quite intense... the darkness is quite pervasive, usually. And, as I said, it often is raining, and sometimes quite cold.

I do look forward to any serious interest anyone might have in helping me analyze these dreams. I'm not at all unnerved by them. But I am very curious about them. There must be a reason why I so often find myself wandering in these big, empty places.

Regards,

Doug M.

[Wolfjk]

Hi Doug,
I had many similar dreams. When you go to sleep, you still have thoughts, and your mind wanders like it does in waking life when there is nothing very interesting happening. Dreams are sometimes dreamt to take the sleeper on an interesting journe and unusual places to to stop him/her waking up.

Sometimes the building is a huge, empty warehouse or oceanside resort. Usually when it is either of the above, it is in disrepair... the warehouse is old, rusty and dusty; the resort is ramshackle. Often, the roof is leaking and rain is pouring in. Often, it is cold. I distinctly remember a "resort" dream in which the resort was virtually encased in ice, including a tobogan run that led down to a beach.

Perhaps I detect a slight discomfort in your sleep caused by air conditioning or low temperature. Your bedroom is colder than your body would like it to be.
That is reflected in the big rooms
Cheers Wolfjk

[Varzandeh]

Hi,
I couldn't read your dream to the end but as far as I know wandering from a room or house to another and another if you did't lock any means if you are ill you will cure and if you are sad you will be happy.
Good luck.

[sophieb]

This is also my first time to the site but it seems really good. I am by no means an expert - I am searching for answers myself - but my suggestion would be to read the information on this site on Basics about Dreaming. He lists some basic thoughts on many of the things you mentioned in your dream.

Here is my shot at it based on the things I just read earlier. The building represent something to do with your job, work or career. The fact that they are in disrepair would mean that you are unhappy with your current work enviornment.

The strangers or people in your dream are all reflections of yourself. On the webpage, he mentions that you should consider those people and how they are acting in the dream. The squatters could mean that you really don't feel you are giving or getting your full potential from your job. The Mom, Dad and kids could mean your family or your responsibility to your family is okay about a change because they seem fine with you being in their home.

The blanket could symbolize security and the fact that the backpack was stolen could mean that you are scared of making a move to a new job but it will be okay because you still will have the blanket (security). The fact that you were annoyed could be that you are mad at yourself for not making a move but the other people (other areas of you) don't seem to be bothered and there are two of them and one of you.

So for what it's worth - which is nothing but reading the Basics about Dreaming in the last hour - I say that you are stuck in a job you are not happy with and should move on. It may be scary but you can do it. You will be secure in your new job and end the unhappiness that you are in now.

Sophieb