Gustave Moreau, Hesiod and the Muse (1891)—Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Meeting and possibly making love with a very attractive person in a dream is a quite common dream theme, no matter whether it is someone we know in waking life or a mysterious lover who only populates our dreams. In the dream, these encounters are often marked by passion, beauty, and wonder so vivid that upon waking we feel driven to act on the dream—no matter if the person is someone in waking life who is unavailable, a poor choice or someone we don’t know or haven’t even encountered yet!
The importance of the dream is not so much the person referred to but the energy that is evoked in the dream. Powerful energy does, indeed, need acting upon and that is what the dream is asking us to do. However, before going and doing something foolish or regrettable, the thing to remember is that the dream is all about the dreamer. That highly attractive and lovely soul you are encountering is perhaps an aspect of your own loveliness or quality, and it is that which is asking you to recognize in yourself!
Example:
In the dream you are falling for a writer who is physically attractive and highly competent as a writer. Before you go associating this person with someone you know who is a writer, you might ask yourself: Have you thought about becoming a writer? Do you have writing skills you haven’t developed? If so, this dream perhaps is telling you that the profession would be attractive to you and that you would be competent at it! It is like your muse inviting you to this possibility.
If you actually know a writer in waking life that you think this dream symbol represents, you may want to pursue the relationship in real life if the person is available emotionally or otherwise. That person may have a lot to teach you about writing and life itself. The good news is that if this person is a jerk in waking life, or is married with three kids, or you are married, you can still nurture that wonderful energy by recognizing that it is part of you—you can value it by learning about the craft of writing, starting writing, and getting feedback on your writing. Your love will blossom to fruition with the development of a whole new aspect of yourself and you will have avoided a possibly disastrous relationship!
Hi Fran,
This post makes much sense to me. Years ago, I used to have many nightmares of men chasing me. When they did catch up with me, there was often a threat of violence with either a gun or a knife being aimed at me. Once or twice I was shot in the dream, waking up at that moment horrified.
In the midst of working with an analyst, the dreams slowly started to change becoming more benign and eventually I began to have very loving dreams with my dream men.
Debra
Thank you for your sharing. I posted the comment minus a last sentence which I thought was for me only. If you want me to not post your comment as is I will take it down completely. Many of my dream experiences with men other than my father were so worked related and often were tied in with how well I was treated by men on the job!
That’s fine Fran. Whatever you think is appropriate.
Thank you.
Debra