The Universal Dream

[Tony Crisp]

Recently a woman sent me the following dream:

The dream is still very clear visually in my mind; in fact it was like looking at a picture that had been shown to me. I was shown this amazing place which I was told was my ex husbands home.  I was told it was a Mansion, and it was huge and very beautiful, but I have to emphasize, not in a worldly sense, full of beauty and light.  I saw that attached to it was a small dark, window-less hut, where he lived, as if in retreat, like a hermit. The mansion had no boundaries such as walls, as the hut did, but they were joined, and together were a whole unit. I cannot begin to describe what the Mansion was like because it was beyond description, but in writing this down the dream has become more vivid in my mind. I think this is the best description I can give it.

When I explored the dream I found it led me to a summary of many of my own past dreams; and that led to me to see that the dream was universal and applied to everyone.

We all live in a small dark window-less hut, which is the state of ourselves living in a body. Obviously that is only when we compare it with the mansion without boundaries - suggesting a multi dimensional self we all have but are largely unaware of.

I encourage you all to enter the dream by first being the windowless hut, and then the mansion - http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/acting-on-your-dream/#BeingPerson

I would love to hear from anyone who actually managed to explore the dream.

Tony

[- anna -]

Dear Tony 

I feel the dream expresses how this woman is shown "the whole picture" of her ex-husband and I believe the dream could function as a way to become aware how a woman can deal with seeing both the unexpressed potential in her partner (or any other person) and the limitations that are part of living in a body.

I was aware of the potential - or the More - in my ex-husband as well and of what I perceived as his limitations.
Instead of accepting "the whole picture", I wanted to change/transform him - rather than changing/transforming myself - in order to be able to share my life with an awareness that was "beyond him".
I had fallen in love with "his mansion" only.

I was not aware at that time how unhappy this decision had made me. I do not know how he perceived it; I can see now that it will not make a person feel loved and accepted when I do not love that person for who they are - a windowless hut - and so only for what they are - a mansion, which is a rather abstract level of our being.

I can still see the whole picture in other people and when I am in my "right mind" I can see and love both the mansion and the windowless hut - even more when the person feels comfortable in both.

I am often wondered by the wisdom that comes from the mansion and I am learning step by step to not take the windowless hut so seriously anymore.

Anna 

[- anna -]

Dear Tony 

While listening to you today I saw how this dream may reveal the function we also have in this world.

The windowless hut I see as a way of expressing our "going within" in order to receive as much as we can from "the mansion".
You wrote it all down very clearly in http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/archetype-of-the-ascetic-hermit/

In dreams and visions, the ascetic links us with experience that comes from beyond our personal life and memories. It arises out of a sense of connection with something that unites all the separate people, creatures and objects in the universe. Our relationship with the ascetic or monk depicts our involvement with the rest of life and with this sense of the Whole. In action it may point to a turning of the energies usually expressed in outward action and ambition in a new direction, usually inward toward self exploration or understanding. Perhaps the newly directed energy now goes toward self transformation. Part of this new direction is often the discipline of the mind, emotions and even sexuality.

Carl Jung expressed it this way:

Those who look outwards dream, Those who look inwards awaken.

Because I see this dream as merely "a moment in time or beyond", I can also see how the windowless hut transforms in a hut with windows and a door to share what is explored and understood on Dreamhawk.com and in other forms; with or without words.

Anna