North
The head, as opposed to South, the genitals. There is often a divide between the north and south of a country in the way of life.
The four major directions such as North, East, South and West also have unconscious significance, but this must depend upon whether you grew up in the northern or southern hemisphere. What is said is for the northern hemisphere, reverse it for the southern hemisphere. There are polarities in your nature. Two obvious ones are your physical body, that gives the appearance of solidity and is obvious to others, and your thoughts, that are not visible or apparent to others.
The swing between waking and sleeping can be seen as the extremes within the possibilities of our experience. Sleeping and waking are the polarities, the North and South Poles of what we can confront. In quite a real sense we can say there is nothing beyond what is included in those polarities.
As we get older our hair turns white, as we come to our time of winter. White (and purple) also symbolize spirituality. With experience and age we gain wisdom. Now we have time to rest and contemplate the lessons. North is purity and wisdom, a great place of healing. This is the time after midnight, a dream time. The time to be grounded within yourself and deep within, like a bear in a cave.
North is the place of winter – unless we live in the southern hemisphere. This reminds us to stop and listen. That we must have prepared for the long time of winter. Having been in action the other seasons we now rest and contemplate to understand the wisdom we have been given or gathered.
In the Northern hemisphere: darkness; unconsciousness; coldness, suggesting a situation that leads us to seek the light and warmth; death; frozen emotions.
In ancient China the tortoise represented the cold dark of North and death.
In the Southern hemisphere: Light; warmth; life and growth. See: directions.
Example: In the dream I was becoming a merchant seaman. First of all I was looking at the vessel. It had been adapted for very rough weather. We were going to the North Pole, and the waves would be enormous. As I looked however it seemed as if the ship was sound enough to make the journey. It was wooden. I felt this, going to sea, was the new thing in my life I had been looking for and expecting. At first this was all taking place at Ilfracombe harbour. But now in the dream it was in London. The ship was much bigger and more sea worthy. A.T.
The dreamer explored his dream and says of it: It suggests I am now beginning an inner experience that I will have a hard time coping with. The waves of experience may sink me – but the vessel has been adapted. The years of working on myself have helped me to become strong enough to do what is needed to be done. The port means leaving my present position in life, and the North Pole is coming to my own centre – the highest personal centre.
Idioms: due north; great white north.
Useful Questions and Hints:
Have I ever lived in the north of a country?
What you associated with the north?
Did I have any feelings in the dream – if so what?
See Working with associations – Inner World – Techniques for Exploring your Dreams – Jesse Watkins Enlightenment