Could this dream be related to a decision I am making?

[paisley]

Yesterday I was really pondering hard about a decision I needed to make and then I had this dream. Could they be related and if so how?
I dreamed my family went to visit my parents. My parents were old and sickly but amazingly active. They were buzzing around doing things that I would not have expected them to do. Then my mother began to tire and she asked me to fix her something to eat. As I was cooking, she began telling a story of her uncle (dream story not real). She said her uncle was engaged to a beautiful woman and went to visit her one day. So he knocked on the huge wardrobe's double doors which she opened and was standing there amongst all the clothes in the closet. He was happy to see her, but then she began saying and doing mean things. He realized there was a demon inside of her. The demon tried to scare him off with threats and then physically attacked him, but the uncle was not afraid. He fought the demon. I then asked if he ended up marrying such a girl, and my mother said, "of course, he married her!". After this our church choir director came by to visit. He is a skinny, wrinkled, 75ish year old man, but he got on a mountain bike and rode up my parents wall and did a flip off the ceiling twice. I was amazed and insisted that my son watch, but he was not as impressed as I was.
Now it was time for my parents to rest while my family went to church. We walked single file (1st me holding toddler, 2nd son, 3rd husband) on a sidewalk next to a busy highway. We went through a lighted tunnel and as we came up and out we could see the church in the distance. When I got to church I looked behind me to see that my son and husband were not there but I was not worried. I figured they just took another route and would catch up with me in the church. The outside of the church was unimpressive. It looked like a Mexican market with chickens running about, a dirt floor, and people just walking about. On the side of the street there were left over old library books to give away to anyone who wanted them. I thought, "I am glad they gave them to church members first because I enjoyed reading them". As I got to the entrance, there was an old car seat that two boys were curled up sleeping on. I smiled. In front of them, the church had set out a few old toys for small children to play with. I thought it was nice and then I entered the church and the outside and inside were a contrast to one another. The inside was like a huge modern day megachurch. It was filled with people so I had to find at least 3 seats together for my family. The entrance opened at the top back of the church and you had to descend down many stairs to get to the front. At the top of the stairs was a mischieveous little boy playing. I could not go down the stairs with him there so I said "excuse me please" a couple of times and finally had to gently move him. I liked this boy though because he reminded me of my son. The mother was nervous though by the way her son was behaving so I sat down next to her for a moment just to put her mind at ease that I did not mind his behavior and we chatted about her son and his schooling. He was going to a Japanese school (I live in Japan). She seemed happy now so I got up to look for seats again. As I descended down the stairs an announcement was made that it was now "blessing time" (a dream thing) where people were to get in pairs and bless and show love to each other. I saw people hugging, kissing (in a friendly manner), and praying for each other in pairs all over the church. The church was filled with warmth and love. Nevertheless, I thought, "I have to find seats. I don't have time for this." So I tried to just look ahead to avoid having to do this, but as I looked ahead I saw the announcer was on the same stairs I was. I was hoping to find a seat before I reached her, but I did not. So as I approached her I thought, "should I just walk past her pretending I don't want to disturb her or should I stop and "bless" her?" I decided to stop and "bless" her. I hugged her and she kissed me (that made me feel a little uncomfortable), we prayed for each other, and then she insisted that I sit with her. The problem was there was only one seat and I needed at least 3 for my family but I did not want to hurt her feelings so I sat down wondering how I would handle the situation when my husband arrived. Then I saw my son and husband walking across the front of the church. To my disfavorable shock, my husband had his hair pulled back in about a 3 inch ponytail, his eyes were barely open, he looked grungy, and he had a dumb look on his face (my husband is always clean cut, handsome, and has an intelligent face so this image did not fit him at all). He found me and I was worried about the seats, but 2 seats just morphed into existence right there on the stairs next to me.
That was my dream. Any help with this dream would be appreciated.

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

Well yes the dream does feature some stairs. They do tend to link to moments when you come to a decision. I will take a closer look and post back when I am next on line.

STAIRS : Stairs in dreams generally mean that you are coming to a conclusion about some issue. The ground floor in dreams symbolises the reality in any given situation - the facts. The upstairs symbolises the higher consciousness or conclusions surrounding some issue. It means that you have come to a decision. Going up and down stairs may suggest that you are coming to some new conclusions or keep changing your mind. Sometimes the upstairs may symbolise your imagination and instincts. But really it is a complex symbol and its best to read through the entire article to understand the various meanings.

KEY WORDS(Try to spot these quotes in your own feelings - especially think of the day before) :
- "I was unable to come to any conclusions"
- "I am starting to comprehend"
- "I think I understand"
- "I was forced to conclude that..."
- "I keep imagining what it will be like"
- "a higher place"
- "greater knowledge or understanding"
- "going one step at a time"

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The obvious link between the brain and dreams is often forgotten. Dreams are part of how the dream mind and the unconscious construct thoughts. Each of the symbols and strong emotions are linked to reality. So think of the exact thoughts that are dominating your waking mind thats probably what the dreams are about. We dream about things that are preoccupying our minds.

http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...ssayhowto.html How to use dreams symbols
http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2000/dreamessay.html DREAM DICTIONARY
http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...ookpolice.html Examples of correctly interpreted dreams

[paisley]

"I was unable to come to any conclusions"
This was and still is my dominant feeling as I weigh the pros and cons to making a decision. The choices I am struggling between are whether to homeschool or send my son to a church school. I am wondering if my visit to my parent's home could represent homeschooling and the church could represent the church school? I am also thinking perhaps the demon in the woman could represent myself in a homeschool situation since my son sometimes frustrates me when he resists doing his work. I would not like to say I become a devil (smile), but I can get impatient.

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

Hi Paisley

Well I wrote this last night before having a chance to read your answer. Shows how easily wrong things can go when you are just guessing. I think that your answer would make total sense. I will reread it to see if there is anything I can add.

Well your dream is very interesting. But reading it without background info can make it difficult to understand what each symbol means. But generally speaking the dream features key moments with your boy. It could well relate to him and some decision that has to be made about him

The dream also features moments when you need the family to be together. There are seats for both you and your family members. that could suggest some issue concerning the family or some issue where you hope to come to with the consent of everyone.

I am really guessing here but your marriage is with someone foreign so obviously at times there will be moments when there will clashes of culture. In the dream your husband is looking grungy - to me I wouold associate that with american culture. Also other symbols seem to link to cultural issues such as the mexicans who could well be symbolic of a culture seen in a negative way.

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I have studied a large number of dreams and I keep a collection of correctly analysed dreams. These are linked to real life issues which by experience will trigger dreams. The dream dictionary I have is extremely accurate. It shows the types of real life emotions that symbols may refer to.

http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2000/dreamessay.html Dreams Dictionary
http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...ssayhowto.html How to use dream symbols

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

Well then taking waht you said the mexican market couold represent anarachy. The chickens could represnt the difficulties of trying to homeschool a child with a second toddler there. Its sort of a disorderly situation

I will have a further read later. I have not got my reading glasses with me. I like to use a program that reads out text - it makes dreams a lot more easier to comprehend(specially long ones)

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Dream symbolism generally concentrates on the tradition symbols such as witches, cars, and skyscrapers. Yet many clues to a dream may be hidden in the movements and behavior. If you grab, push or jump in a dream these can all have meanings. Try this page as it features many of the popular dream symbols but also the movements and gestures that are so full of symbolic meanings.

http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2000/dreamessay.html

[paisley]

This dream has been eating me up inside so I have given it a lot of thought. I have some ideas about what I think the dream means, but it is hard for me to determine if I am just making things fit into my way of thinking. Nevertheless, here are my ideas, what do you think?

Since April I started homeschooling my son and have LOVED it! However, I often go to bed tired and I get cranky when he resists studying. At first, he studied very well with me, but lately he has been fighting me a lot which has made me think maybe he is ready to go to a school with other children. Thus, I wonder if that is what my dream is telling me. I am "turning flips" over the ceiling and being more active than I can believe, but he is unimpressed with my efforts. Nevertheless, even though he boldly fights my teaching (the uncle fighting the demon), my dream is reassuring me that he greatly loves me (my mother saying "of course, he married her" after I asked if he could marry "such a girl"). I think that reflects my feelings because I sometimes wonder "does he love me?" after we argue, even though he showers me with love when we are not studying.
Next, I think my dream is telling me, it is time to take a rest (my parent's time to take a rest in the dream) as my dream shows me there is a way out from the cycle of tiredness, arguing, my son being unimpressed, and my crankiness. This is shown with the LIGHTED tunnel leading UP and OUT to a church.
As for looking and seeing my husband and son were not with me, yet not being worried because I figured they took a different path, I think this may reflect my concern that my son and husband may not be in total agreement with me in considering a church school, but deep down inside I know if I make this choice they will come around and join me in the decision so I don't need to worry.
As for the books on the side, I have no idea what those could mean. Maybe it means I am glad I got the enjoyable experience of homeschooling him (I was glad I got 1st pick of the books because I enjoyed reading them), but now it is time to release him to others (after the church members got their pick of the books they were given to others).
I don't know if the chickens and Mexican looking setting would mean anarchy for me because I am from the country so humble settings and the chickens (actually there were roosters crowing and running around too) which is a warm, homelike feeling and the sound of a rooster crowing is a sound I love so in one sense I think it was welcoming which is why I could smile at the sleeping boys and think "that is nice" with the old toys. However, I do think you are on the right track of thinking by this setting because I had a mixed emotion in this setting. It was comfortable but also I felt cautious because this is not the kind of setting one expects when they go to church. I think this can reflect my real feelings as well, I feel somewhat comfortable with a church school but I still feel a little cautious and worried about sending my son to be with people neither of us know.
As for the naughty boy, my son is naughty and one of my big concerns about sending him to a church school is he will be naughty while all the other kids will be so well mannered and studious. I think in my dream when I sat down to reassure the woman, my dream was actually reassuring me that even if my son is naughty in a church school, it will be alright. It will not be the first time a teacher has encountered a naughty child, and the teacher can still like a naughty child just as I did this boy in my dream.
The rest of the dream, I don't understand at all. If it has to do with cultural things, I can't put my finger on it just yet. Maybe you can help me pinpoint that. However, I think my dream has a good ending because the thing I was worried about (finding at least 3 seats together) solved itself in the end.
Am I on the right track? or have I just forced a meaning on my dream?

[paisley]

"The chickens could represnt the difficulties of trying to homeschool a child with a second toddler there." That could make sense to me as well as the "disorder".

" I like to use a program that reads out text - it makes dreams a lot more easier to comprehend(specially long ones) "
I really must apologize for the length of my dream, and I appreciate your taking the time to read it. Even when I wrote it, I was a little ashamed in doing so. I don't know why I can not dream concise, to the point dreams like others do. All my dreams seem to be long and rambling. Even this dream, there was more to it but I could not remember all the details and a few details, I elected to leave out to TRY and make it shorter. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what your program comes up with, and again I appreciate your patience with my excessive dream.

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

Hi Paisley

Well I do not so much interpret dreams as try to spot links between dreams and real life issues. You are right I think in linking this dream to the home schooling issue. Dreams will tend to link to some issue from the previous day that has been on your mind. The dream will symbolise some important emotions and feelings and maybe even a conceptual idea concerning this subject

What i tend to do is try to guess what a dream COULD be about and then work through that dream and spotwhat each symbol means. In this case the dream symbols could mean this

UNCLE DREAM STORY (that was not real) : a possible scenario that you have been working through your mind

75 YEAR OLD MAN : Dreams have very few symbols that can link to the passage of time. I think old people could symbolise the passage of time in some way. In this case its the passage of time within the classroom context - eg your sons ability to stay interested and focused and your ability to teach over an extended time period

DEMON : yes you seem to understand the link to that symbol. That certainly makes sense and seems consistent

BUSY HIGHWAY : Your schooling would have to be mixed together with noraml day to day responsibilities and so it maybe difficult to mix together school and normal life . You would prefer to have some seperation

But the church seats I am not sure what they mean and that whole section. But in general dreams encode within them some conceptual idea. So often its that conceptual idea that may seem elusive. With my own dreams I can make a good guess but not so much with your dream.. (I am not psychic)

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The dream mind is where we form emotions. It makes judgements about the relationships we have and the situations we are in. It gathers together all available evidence and then starts to make a judgement on what your thoughts are. So embedded within your dream is a thought process or concept that captures some current feeling or thought about your situation in some way. A dream could therefor capture the following types of thoughts - "I am not sure if I truly trust my sister any more. She did not back me up yesterday" or "I need to have a better attitude towards my work or I will lose my job" or "I feel I am starting to get over my ex and may start a new relationship". Look for evidence of such types of thoughts in your own life and then within the dreams. If you were thinking about something in particular the previous day then its quite possible that the dream is about that. Try the following three pages on my website as together they show you how to interpret dreams.

http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...howtopost.html Some tips
http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2000/dreamessay.html DREAM DICTIONARY
http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...ssayhowto.html How to use dreams symbols

[unclesirbobbyrobson]

Sorry btw paisley. You should not feel the need to apologize for posting long dreams. ut I simply know by experience that if I try to come to some quick conclusions then I will make mistakes. Dream interpretatioon does involve a high level of reading comprehension. The slightest error can be fatal in coming to the right conclusion.

I am simply aware of my own sloppy ready skills. Thats why I made a program that reads out text. It sounds like steven hawkins(english astro physisist who has a crippling disease that means he cannot speak).

Its just I am not on the internet at home. So sometimes there is a little gap between my posts
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Many dreams can capture very immediate emotions. If you are feeling despreate when you wake up and you need to immediately go to the toilet then its likely that the dream links to that immediate urge. The dream will in some way capture the urgency and immediate nature of your situation. The dream mind will not be able to concentrate on anything else. Its simply caught up in the moment. The following page details several such dreams.

http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...kexternal.html

Also try this page as it explores dream symbolism in great depth. Mnay symbols can have several meanings and each are covered with practical examples. Try looking at the key words and phrases as they show the sorts of words to look for in your own emotions.

http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2000/dreamessay.html

[paisley]

"Well I do not so much interpret dreams as try to spot links between dreams and real life issues. "

This is why I appreciate your input SO much. Everytime I have posted a dream here, you have hit the nail right on the head with my dream so I always hope you will be there to read my dream. I like the way you ask questions that get the mind to thinking rather than just saying your dream means ....... After that you give guidance with dream symbols and that is very helpful especially the way you word it. Through you, I have learned a lot. Before a dream was mere gibberish to me, but now I understand the first thing I should do when I dream is look to the day before and see if there is a link. With that, the dream is half solved. My problem is I can't understand in the details just yet even with a dream dictionary, but I am learning.
Your comment about the "75 YEAR OLD MAN" made a lot of sense because I was looking at my decision as a long term commitment. As for now, even though I don't understand the end of my dream, I am still satisfied because this dream has been very helpful in sorting out my thoughts and feelings which have led me to make the decision to send my son to a church school. I may be posting again with another dream soon though since my mind is now strongly pondering which school to choose! Thank you for your help once again.