Image via WikipediaHere's a weird one. Then again, when it comes to dreams what isn't. Overall the dream is fairly uneventful as I recall. In fact, it's so uneventful that I remember very little of it, although not studying upon the dream events upon awakening is undoubtedly the biggest factor in not remembering details of this dream. The punchline of the dream is what is of greatest significance.
In the dream I seem to be at some large event that may be related to a job situation--perhaps a trade show. There are many people present and many individual events are going on. The setting is a large expanse of land much like a park with trees, grass, and various plants. I don't recall any structures in this setting. It may be a state or national park, but the landscape where this takes place is primarily an open field.
Throughout the dream I am wandering about talking to some people and observing others. The scene is a festive one with much social activity occurring. I don't not seem to have any particular mission in mind other than meandering about. This feels like it goes on for hours, but probably only minutes or seconds in dream time.
I become aware that my blogger buddy Stephen T McCarthy is present and I go to find him. Since I have never actually met him in person I am surprised to discover that Stephen T McCarthy is a mouse. He is a tiny brown field mouse so he cannot talk, but we apparently have telepathic communication. Stevie Mouse is walking and I am following alongside him.
The mouse comes to a place where there is a grassy outcropping above him. A large fearsome looking snake is heaped in the grass looking as though ready to attack my mouse friend. I am afraid of the snake, but I kick at it, not dislodging it from its place. I aim my kick better and soundly kick the snake away. I awaken with the sense that Stephen T McCarthy the mouse blogger is safe from the snake.
Why, why, why! Why in the world of dreams would Stephen T McCarthy appear to me as a mouse? In the dream I accept it as so normal as we stroll along exchanging thoughts. But a mouse? This makes no sense. Can anyone suggest any ideas about this?
My that is a strange one, wonder what Stephen would think being a mouse? One never know what our blogger friends are like do we.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Can't wait to hear Stephen's reaction to the fact you think he's a mouse!
ReplyDeleteI like this dream, so cute. Thanks for stopping by my blog and following, much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the dream has something to do with your fears, or a lack of confidence in an area of your life? Giving the snake a kick butting could be your subconscious telling you you can do it? :)
Mice are tiny, insignificant creatures and yet a good portion of carnivorous wildlife depend upon them for sustenance. They are also very destructive in their own search for food and shelter. Does Stephen subconsciously represent a threat to you? By saving him are you asserting your dominance, your belief that you are superior? Do you depend on him and felt the need to save him for your own use later? Wow....the things you can think of before you've had coffee.
ReplyDeleteCurious dream indeed! I agree with Anna's interpretation.
ReplyDeleteHA!-HA!-HA!
ReplyDeleteHOKEY-SMOKE & HOO-WEE!
BOIDMAN, sit down and hold on to your hat - I have a secret to tell you: I AM a mouse! You are not just a dreamer, you're a psychic!
When I saw the title "Stevie Mouse" in my Dashboard, I never dreamed (pun intended) this would be about me! I was probably thinking something like: Alright, let's see what weird stuffs Lee has dreamed up this time!
But it was even weirder than usual. However, weird or not, this dream DEFINITELY has some meaning, no doubt about that!
Hmmm... I kinda like how a couple of your readers have really given this some thought. Not sure about their interpretations, but their guesses are as good as mine. I will consider this more throughout the day, but here are just a couple ideas right off the top of my groggy mind:
1) Well, one thing we know for sure is that I ain't "as quiet as a mouse". So, could some irony be involved here?
2) Is there a spiritual/religious theme here? You and I are both spiritual-minded, and we both view Jesus as our Savior, but we have some very different ideas when it gets right down to the theological details. Snake = satan? Mouse = snake's potential victim?
You protect your friend from the snake. Could it mean that you are concerned about my spiritual/religious views and fear I may have been diabolically deceived? You feel I'm in need of protection from the wiles of the devil?
3) OK, this last one isn't nearly so deep: Last year, in the comment section of one of my F-FFF blog bits, Sheboyganboy Six referred to me as being as poor as a church mouse. Upon reading that, another friend, Anniee, expressed great concern about it.
Sometime later, on her own blog, Anniee wrote the following about me: "I love when you go on a good rant! It's like the lion inside the churchmouse."
After Anniee died, I wrote a very long blog tribute to her in which I repeated that "lion/churchmouse" quote.
Do you recall ever having read any of those exchanges or blog bits? If so, I'm wondering if for one reason or another your subconscious mind latched onto the image of a mouse being somehow associated or representative of me.
Does any of this seem to ring true at all?
What are YOUR first impressions, McBuddy?
~ D-FensDog- er... Mouse! D-FensMouse
'Loyal American Underground'
Yvonne & Alex-- Stephen did show up.
ReplyDeleteAnna -- The only fear element in the dream was the brief encounter with the snake, but that could represent some element of facing and overcoming fear.
Delores -- Since so far I've had no interaction with Stephen in my tangible life and only online I wouldn't say that I depend on him or am threatened by him in any way. I consider him a blogging mentor in a sense. I see him as an equal in some ways though of superior knowledge to me in certain aspects of politics and religion.
Paula --Yes, I think Anna may have touched upon something.
StMc -- Ah, the star of the show and guest of honor arrives. We've been waiting for you.
I don't recall the church mouse reference and I didn't feel any spiritual sense to this dream. Since I don't recall much detail to this dream I probably can't come to an absolutely accurate interpretation, but let me try this:
1) The theme of this dream has to do with work. I am at a work related event, but it is outdoors and not confined to a specific working type of environment. This could symbolize my current state of unemployment and my lack of direction in obtaining reemployment.
2) The mouse is a symbolic representation of you in the type of relation we have. I have never seen you in person so your physical presence does not have a great impact on my life. However, we communicate with fair regularity via internet which is an indirect communication similar to telepathy. I feel an attachment and kinship to the mouse even though the creature would typically be unseen by me and not an influence in my physical world--rather like the relationship you and I have now.
3) The big ugly snake represents more of a threat to me than it does to you since you don't know everything about my life and the situations I face. I see the snake as something that could threaten a relationship with which I feel comfortable. The snake might represent something like a job that I would not enjoy and that would interfere with activities that I do enjoy, like my blogging and other activities in which I am currently engaged that might be more difficult if my time were taken up by drudgery.
My conclusion: The dream represents my current problem of lack of income (unemployment) and my dream response is to get rid of the obvious solution (a job that I may not like). This has been something I've been grappling with for the past couple of years. This may also be another side to my dark Disneyland dream.
That's my initial thought on this dream.
Lee
BOIDMAN ~
ReplyDeleteInteresting interpretation. I particularly like your thinking in #2. If you're right with that idea, then the "mouse" is pretty much an ideal symbol. We communicate telepathically (i.e., the Internet) and the "mouse" is a basic piece of computer equipment.
The question I initially thought to ask was: But why me and not one of your other many blog buddies?
But then remembering that I was your first "Follower" and first "Commenter" and that my blogging played some small, early part in inspiring you to blog, I realized that I'd probably be the ideal person for your mind to use as a symbol of your blogging relationships. Me and the "mouse" - it works like hand and glove.
The thing that threw me off (assuming you've nailed it) is that the way you described the dream, it very much seemed as if you were playing some sort of "protector" role for me. But, if we look at it differently(as you have), in that it's not "me" as a person you're protecting, but an activity you enjoy that I merely "represent", then your analysis works very nicely.
This is a good example of why I have always said the best person to interpret a dream is the dreamer himself/herself.
I have read a couple books on Dream Symbolism and Imagery, and I definitely accept the idea that there are some "universal symbols", such as a car or a cliff/mountain, etc. But for the most part, I think the symbols we see in our dreams are very uniquely tailored to our individual view of things. Therefore, I think the best starting point is always the question: "What does a dog [or whatever symbol one is dealing with] mean to ME?" Not, "What does a dog represent to the world at large?"
Very interesting, Brotherman!
~ Stevie Mouse
'Loyal American Underground'
The mouse was the Greek god Apollo's favorite animal. It could go where he couldn't, and learn secrets which they would pass on to Apollo. Granted, mice are rodents, scare lots of ladies, and sneaky. But maybe you see Stephen as having access to many secrets and information?
ReplyDeleteWeird dream, Arlee.
Odd, but kinda funny. I like Stephens confession that he really is a mouse.
ReplyDeleteArlee,
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining my blog.
What a coincidence. I've been studying dream analysis (I'm a passionate of Jungian and Freudian psychology) for years now.
I know, dream analysis is so difficult!
Maybe you're interested in reading how I analyzed one of my dreams years ago: http://jacopopaoloni.blogspot.com/2011/11/stanislavski-is-pathetic.html
Great blog!
I think it is all based on what you think of mice? Do you like them, did you have one as a pet once? Or do they creep you out...see depends on your view. I think it is anxiety ridden, but you are going to find a way around it. Something to do with publishing...I suspect. Stephen is helping you through it. The editor is the snake... See I'm psychic! ;D
ReplyDeleteOk, going out on a limb here, but on a far shallower level: mouse... computer mouse... online friend you haven't actually met... tenuous link?
ReplyDeleteNah, I'm sure I'm not looking deep enough. But it's a thought!