Mythic Dreams

June 4, 2015 — archetypes, dreams, mythic dreams, symbols

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Symbols in dreams are personal.  We dream only of faces we have seen before, even if we are barely familiar with the person.  The character, or archetype played by the face depends completely on personal experience.  Dream dictionaries and aids to interpret meaning found in dreams can only make references to universal archetypes.  To grasp the personal message brought to the dreamer the images themselves must be savored and visited in waking time.  Writing in a diary upon awaking before moving or engaging in the activities of the day is helpful. By keeping these notes on a regular basis you may discover themes that you can identify in a personal way.

Sometimes at crossroads in life a person will receive a vivid memorable message during sleep. The images and meaning of mythic dreams are significant beyond the every day way the unconscious communicates. The protagonists in the drama make a deep impression that lasts and speaks to the psyche for a long time. Carl Jung identified seven basic archetypes making appearances in dream time.

1. The persona- the mask or personality you present to the public, your image
2. The shadow- everything that is hidden in your personality, the unknown you
3. The anima/animus- the masculine/feminine nature of your being, your sexuality
4. The divine child- you in perfect innocence, uncomplicated childlike self
5. The wise woman/man-wizardry and wisdom, a figure of authority and gravitas
6. The great mother- the maternal nurturing quality that cares for life, provides
7. The trickster- shows the error or the joke at the heart of the matter, points to poor judgement or precarious situations

Loaded images and story lines float through our heads while we sleep.  If we have a problem on the mind it is possible to solve it during a dream.  Practice and meditation on our own dream images will make clearer the point of the communication. Our subconscious warns us, encourages us, and sometimes tells us we are foolish.  It is never straightforward, but over time we can dig more deeply into the messages our dreams deliver on a nightly basis.  Have you ever kept a dream diary, gentle reader?  Have you ever had a mythic dream that changed your thinking?

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