Passing Through a Tight Place
One of the messages that Edgar Cayce had to say about dreams is that they point out the difference between how my higher self sees me and how my ego self sees me. Dreams are always trying to get us to let go of ego and grow into our higher selves.
Nightmares are often caused by this clash between these two parts in each of us. The ego just doesn’t want to let go to that higher self and the results show in fear, anger or depression!
Loss of identity dreams especially seem to be related to this issue of ego letting go. When we worry too much about things like money, status, job opportunities and people loving us, “loss of identity” dreams often kick in, reminding us that there is more to us than our ego identity.
How we think of ourselves is something that seems to be very important in dreamtime. I say this because so many of my dreams and those of my friends, students and colleagues who have shared their dreams with me note the theme of personal identity, or the loss of it, showing up in dreams—especially when we come to recognize our unique symbols or the commonly occurring symbols for this event.
I have to admit it was a long time before I recognized the symbol for what it meant in my dreams, even though I had the dream repeatedly over many years. In the dream I would lose my purse or have it stolen, usually by a bunch of bratty kids. I was aware enough to realize these nightmares usually occurred when I was worried about finances so I just assumed that’s all there was to it. Having the dream repeat over a period of time should have clued me in that I didn’t fully understand or appreciate the dream. Here is a typical dream:
Dream:
I go through a tight place but make it through. I realize I don’t have my purse. I go back to the tight place and see a lot of women have left their purses here going through this tight place.
Reflection:
Going through a tight place evokes the feeling of going through the birth canal, the transition to a new level of being or awareness. At the time of this dream I was just about to undergo a major spiritual event, a kundalini awakening. After doing this, I would realize I don’t have my purse. At the time, I had just come into an inheritance so money wasn’t an issue. So what did the purse mean? Sandra A. Thomson in Cloud Nine: A Dreamer’s Dictionary notes that it is related to identity. The purse holds one’s identity in the form of ID cards such as a driver’s license or passport. Going through such a major transition would cause me to lose the way I look at myself, my identity—which indeed happened to an enormous degree. The kundalini awakening had me undergo such physical, emotional and spiritual changes that I no longer recognized my “old self” on any of these dimensions. However, eventually I was led to experience the fact that at the core I am a being of energy and light, able to receive and transmit healing energy. I was being transformed. What a new spiritual identity! The dream was telling me that it wasn’t just me but there are many other women who experience this loss of identity when undergoing major transitions. The many women could be other women or other parts of myself. As it turned out, I ended up making many changes which totally changed my waking life identity as well. I left my career in IT consulting, moved to Hawaii, and became a writer, educator and life coach.
The emotional intellectual.
Pen and ink with digital colour. 14cm x 6cm. Click to enlarge.
Remember the
fat boy? Well, he's still at it apparently. My illustration originally published in
The Fanatic.
Pen and ink with Letratone and Pantone film. Click to enlarge.
I pickled my heart back in '82. I've been searching for the jar this week, but it hasn't turned up yet. It should be well marinated by now.
Pen and ink with soluble crayon. A4 size. Click to enlarge.
TOP: It's time to replace some of those old worn out religious brand identities with new religious symbols. Here are two of my ideas to get the ball rolling.
BOTTOM: While we're at it, let's think outside the box and make full use of recent technological advances in the design church steeples.
Pen and ink with wash 14cm x 9cm. Click to enlarge.
Playing around with designs for an
ex libris for J.Carraway.
Pen and ink with watercolour 25cm x 12cm. Click to enlarge.
After this evening's rehearsal for Friday's
20x20 presentation at
ASC Open Studios, I got the call that my Robes of Wu were ready for collection. The bespoke hat and gown were made to my specification by the redoubtable
Zoë Cobb aided by the
Gnomes of Dave. I could not be more delighted with the garments which will no doubt boost
my clairvoyant powers. Click pic to enlarge.
I've finished the 37th and final card in the first series of
The Cards of U'ut The first print run is limited to 100 boxes, individually signed and numbered. If you want a deck of these cards you better get your skates on... I sold 5 sets today. I've designed a booklet to go in the box, but am still finalising the copy for it.
Woodcut 30cm x 20cm. Click to enlarge.
The
Raven of Memory has been flying around my studio this week.
Acrylic on canvas 15cm x 15cm. Click to enlarge.
A loved one flew to Amsterdam today. By coincidence I saw these road markings (left) outside my studio that resemble the flag of Amsterdam (right).
Click to enlarge.
A fragment of the artwork from the game board of The Game of Spodunk showing the first two squares. It's very unlucky to land your goose on La Popesse.
Pen and ink on watercolour 28cm x 9cm. Click to enlarge.
Four more sketches for the latest card game.
Pen and ink with watercolour, 11cm x 5cm each.Click to enlarge.
As a keen birdwatcher I also record the dreams of individual birds. Here I have painted a typical wading bird's dream.
Ink and watercolour 23cm x 9cm. Click to enlarge.
The tenth postcard to myself...based on a hobo sign meaning "Take this road - it's better". I certainly felt better after painting it. It may also be a 17th century alchemical symbol for "fuse".
Watercolour,gouache,casein,oil pastel 10cm x 15cm Click to enlarge.
The ekeko is a Peruvian symbol/god of good fortune and prosperity. This lovely metal one was given to be by my mother while I was in Peru last month ... apparently the ekeko has to be received as a gift in order for it to cast its benevolent light upon your life. The original ones were made of clay and apart from the goods that they carry (this contemporary one even has a giant visa card!) they had a hole in their mouths into which you were meant to place a cigarette to make it happy. I assume that no longer applies!
Above was a specially designed for a friend who is turning fifty-five very soon. And below is another special request for
André. Off to spring-clean now. Cheers!
Lucky Metal Ekeko products at Floating Lemons at Zazzle
5ifty 5ive cards and products at Floating Lemons Typography at Zazzle
André cards and products at Floating Lemons Typography at Zazzle
As usual, I love this Fran!! Thank you so much for sharing your new insights about a dream including a symbol that I have seen occur in dream group studies many times. Aloha :)