Juniper Trees & T-Rex

[emmers]

I had this dream sometime between 12/21-12/27, while out of town visiting family for Christmas.  It has lingered with me, as its one of the most vivid dreams I've had in quite some time.  So many of the symbols resonate with things now affecting my life.  I post it because I would appreciate some interpretation ideas.

It is a sunny fall day, I am walking into my house when my neighbor and coworker John comes up to me and stops me to say “I don’t want to worry you but I want to give you a heads up, every year the juniper trees outside your front window spontaneously burst into flames.  Its fine, it happens every year, no need to worry, your house won’t catch on fire.”  Astounded I thank him and go inside.  

I tell my housemate Julia everything he said and she exclaims, “No way! I wonder if it will happen soon” and we run to the window and watch and wait.  There are two tall juniper trees a short distance in front of the window and as we watch its deep green needles, branch by branch ignite into roaring flames (no smoke, no decreasing in size, similar to the roar of a fake fireplace.) I am amazed by the beautiful contrast in color, the deep green and deep red, the texture of the green needles and sleekness of the flames. Eventually both trees are in wild flames.  

Suddenly a giant T-Rex comes jaunting into view just behind the trees.  We freak out.  He looks like he intends to walk past the house but his eye catches us shortly after we see him.  He bends down and brings his face towards the window to look in.  Our eyes meet his and Julia and I turn and run away from the window.  She shouts, “where do we go?” I reply “hide in the basement” she shouts “You first and moves me in front of her.” I fling open the door to the basement and start running down the stairs, but instead of being a straight flight down they turn into M.C. Escher type stairs.  I take a right turn then all of a sudden I am back at the top in the doorway.  I go down again and take a right and the same thing happens.  Julia shouts, “Turn left, turn left”. I turn left and we are in the basement.  

I look back up at the stairs in bewilderment and they are made out of clear glass.  There is a small basement type window high in the wall beyond the glass stairs, it is one of the few sources of light in the dark dusty basement.  The walls are stonework and there is a very old archway into another section of the basement.  As I look through the archway my deceased Grandfather comes walking out.  He is dressed in pajamas and looks like he just woke up.  He is pale and dusty, and carrying a bowl of cheerios. I shout, “Grandpa hide there’s a T-Rex!” But he seems unaffected and walks up a few steps in the stairs. He sits on a step, rests the bowl on the step above where he is sitting and starts eating his cereal. I think, “Oh right, he’s already dead.” Suddenly, the T-Rex’s eye is peering in the small window.  Julia and I scream, turn and run towards the archway to go into the next section of the basement. I wake up.

[Tony Crisp]

Emmers – The start of the dreams shows you in good health, and because of that you are ready to meet and inner adventure. Such adventures are about your growth, and cannot be undertaken while the person is weak. As far as what growth means, I quote from Marie von France in Man and His Symbols.

“Our dream life creates a meandering pattern in which individual strands or tendencies become visible, then vanish, then return again. If one watches this meandering design over a long period of time, one can observe a sort of hidden regulating or directing tendency at work, creating a slow, imperceptible process of psychic growth-the process of individuation.

Gradually a wider and more mature personality emerges, and by degrees becomes effective and even visible to others. The fact that we often speak of “arrested development” shows that we assume that such a process of growth and maturation is possible with every individual. Since this psychic growth cannot be brought about by a conscious effort of will power, but happens involuntarily and naturally, it is in dreams frequently symbolised by the tree, whose slow, powerful, involuntary growth fulfils a definite pattern”.

I take it that when John comes to tell you about the Juniper trees, it is suggesting you associate him with being a good helper and having some wisdom; this because the Juniper tree has magical connections according to folklore. And also the fire is like the burning bush that does not consume itself. Truly a wonderful sight to see.

The burning bush is a sign – in dreams – of a love that does not consume the body; an ability to move beyond the influence of the changing world. It can be seen as a sign or initiation into the spiritual, a sign of recognition. It is a baptism into the realisation that You Are It – I Am That I Am. So it can represent the beginning of spiritual awakening in you. It may indicate your spiritual purification and preparation or your need for this, with the promise of a great spiritual awakening to come.

What we have so far is a readiness for an inner adventure, and then a full blown initiatory experience, or promise of it. Then you glimpse the T-Rex.

You may not be aware that dreams are much like computer games; you can be killed a hundred times, eaten my monsters and even be consumed by flames – and yet no harm comes to you. Each time you emerge unscathed, although perhaps a little wiser. And like a game you can continue to fail, through fear, through not learning the rules of the game, until hopefully you get past the things that wiped you out – figuratively. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/what-we-need-to-remember-about-dreaming/

Therefore you can continue the adventure, because you went into the unconscious, where all our inner growth occurs – the basement – and the unconscious is obviously older than you are with its stone walls. You have not been in this area of you much because it is still very dusty. And you are being chased by the ancient part of you, the T-Rex. It is important to meet it and come to terms with it, otherwise your inner adventure will be stuck.

You are in the unconscious because you meet your dead grandfather there, and you got there via the Escher type stairs.

Remember the T-Rex is not in the outer world but is a creature of your dreams – a virtual reality.

What this may mean in your everyday life is that you feel confused by what is happening.

Tony

[emmers]

Tony,
Thank you so much for this beautiful and insightful interpretation.  At the time of the dream I was doing much inner work, trying to discern new avenues for learning and spiritual exploration.  I did feel so blessed to watch the vivid colors bursting in the juniper tree.  Your comment that this was an initiation really resonates.  A week after this dream I started with chronic fatigue and joint pain which has last 2+ months now.  Way too much blood work, scans and doctors later and no clear picture.  Any advice?

[Tony Crisp]

Emmers – Sometimes when we start real spiritual work we face a clearing out process, like facing all ones negative karma. It can produce all sorts of physical symptoms. I went through exhaustion, strange pains and things I cannot even recall. What cleared it was to open myself and my body to the action of Life within me. But it has to be a real surrender of oneself to being moved by what I call the Life Will – see number 6 and beyond in http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/what-we-need-to-remember-about-dreaming/

Also if you can manage it, I would try using http://dreamhawk.com/body-and-mind/the-arm-circling-meditation/  - It needs to be practiced at least once a week for about 30 to 60 minutes until you feel the spontaneous process taking over. Then it needs continuing weekly – it takes a long time to clear out all our rubbish.

Tony