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Author Topic: Spiders and fish  (Read 5953 times)

rawwar73

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Spiders and fish
« on: July 29, 2012, 10:09:21 PM »
Two dreams I'm wondering if you can help me with.

The first is one that I had last night about spiders. There were spiders everywhere and they were making webs on every surface. Even on people if they got too close or stood still for too long. In my dream I was working to clean up the spiders and their webs using a vacuum cleaner. I had to stop frequently to clear clogs in the machine and empty it. I was being very careful that once a spider went in, it did not come back out again. I think there was some concern that an unhappy spider would bite me. I know there was someone else with me, but I don't know who. It seemed like it might be one of my sisters, but I was in charge and mainly focused on what I was doing and handling problems that came up in the clean up process. Along with frequent clogs, I had to empty the canister of the vacuum frequently. At one point, I realized that some of the spiders had made it through alive so I started emptying the canister into another container with a lid I could screw on and dispose of. The whole thing was not alarming. I was a bit nervous and squeemish perhaps, but not scared or terrified or anything like that. However, dealing with a bunch of spiders and their webs all over everything was pretty unpleasant so after a while I remembered that it was just a dream and decided to wake myself.

The second is something which has been showing up repeatedly in my dreams. It's a fish tank. The particulars vary - sometimes it belongs to me and sometimes it's a relative's - like my grandfather who passed away a few years ago. Other times it's in a pet shop or aquarium. Often times there's more than one fish tank. In my dreams the fish tanks are anxiety inducing because they have been neglected. I am expecting dead fish and feel guilty for not taking care of the fish and grossed out by the thought of slimy dead things needing to be cleaned out. However, in my dreams the fish tanks have somehow become self-sustaining. They are often overgrown with aquatic plants and have become crowded with fish. Because it seems so unnatural this makes me uncomfortable. I feel like I should clean out the tanks but I don't supplies to give them proper space. And like I said, because the whole thing is so unnatural, I'm a bit freaked out about the fish and gross, slimy plants. I don't really want to come in contact with them. The fish tanks often aren't the subject of the dreams, per se, but they keep showing up. I've also had similar dreams with different small animals living in some sort of enclosure - birds and gerbils are the two I can remember now. The premise was the same - not cared for, should be dead, instead have become self-sustaining and multiplied and I'm disturbed by the whole thing.
So, writing this I'm seeing that these two things are probably connected in some way. Both involve small, living things that exist in abundance and are dirty and anxiety inducing to me that I think of as needing cleaning up. But beyond that I'm not sure what to make of it. Any ideas? Thanks!

Tony Crisp

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Re: Spiders and fish
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2012, 12:19:29 PM »
Rawwar – It sounds like the spiders webs are about slightly unpleasant emotions that you could get caught up in. It often relates to your mother or family, emotions you prefer not to get caught up in, or feeling you might get in a sticky mess with.

The live spiders are probably about are probably similar to snake bite, the poisonous emotions that you might get mixed up in. That is why you want to ‘keep the lid’ on them.

The fish tanks are a different matter; they usually represent things going on within you, not unconscious but visible. I am reminded of the little fishes that are in the bible, given as food for the multitude, also the symbol of the fish for Christianity. If that is so there is a lot going on in you that needs release.

Maybe you could try visualising setting them free in their own environment, or at least try http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/peer-dream-group/#carryforward

Tony

rawwar73

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Re: Spiders and fish
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2012, 05:18:56 AM »
Thank you, Tony. I know you are busy right now, but this was helpful in understanding the dreams. I followed the link you provided and tried it out. Immediately it became clear that the fish tanks are about my relationship with my husband. We're trying to recover from a separation and frankly, I don't want to be in relationship with this man anymore. But my religious beliefs and kids (fishes) and my lack of resources (see the lack of resources/tanks and supplies needed to provide the fish with new, proper homes) are holding me in place. And the issues involved are so messy and intractable that I view trying to work them out as a dreadful option requiring me to delve into gross, slimy contaminated things I don't want to deal with. I suppose it says something that the fish aren't dead - the relationship isn't completely dead either. Neither are my feelings about the issues involved. At this point, I'm just trusting that time will reveal and open a way forward or a miracle will occur and my husband will remove his brains from his posterior and start dealing with his problems. But in the meantime, life must go on. Shove the fishies in their tanks so I can function and keep conflict to a minimum. It all makes sense, but doesn't do much to point a way forward, unfortunately. Maybe I'll try your technique again and see if I can't visualize a way of dealing with the fish that isn't so repressive and unnatural.

And the spider webs is right on as well. You would not believe the day-to-day petty problems we're dealing with. Everything we own has broken in the last year (2 cars, washer, dryer, dishwasher, 6 flat tires, 3 dvd players, computer, video game system, camera, water heater, 3 kitchen chairs - just to name a few). I've been sick and had to quit my part-time job as a result. My husband got a big promotion 4 months ago which we thought would ease the strain, but it's been 4 months and they still haven't given him his promised raise. He got rear-ended while driving. It was 2 days after getting out of the hospital for a variety of health problems he had been neglecting and his back's all messed up. Just on and on. Day after day after day. But all you can do is keep going and try not to be overwhelmed or let one of the spiders bite and throw us completely off track! Miraculously, my tendency towards severe clinical depression hasn't taken over, so I guess what I'm doing to cope is working.

Still, I wish I could do like in my dream and just wake myself up!