posted June 24, 2002 07:22 AM         

.....I was taking a friend to see a property I had finally purchased....first i took her to a unit I had looked at, which was nice, but I had decided it was not for me as it was too small and was already outfitted...nothing more to do.
when we got there, the front door was wide open so i took her in so she could have a look. There was a little kitten (only a few months old) inside which wandered out the door as we approached. After looking inside, I realised that someone had already moved in & was in the bathroom...so we left without disturbing them, but first I went and picked up the little kitten who was playing on the road, put him back inside & closed the door so that he could not get out & hurt himself. I felt that I had done all that I needed to do to ensure his immediate saftey and that it was not my reponsibility.

I then took my friend to the property I had purchased....a big old unrenovated & somewhat rundown mansion on a large block of land.
The huge oaken doors had been barred, and were a little stiff, but I knew how to open them, which I did & invited my friend to look around inside. Whilst she did that I went out into the garden (which was a bit sparse & neglected) and found a wooden hutch structure. There was chicken wire on the hutch and some birds had escaped from the cage....I attempted to put them back inside, and only succeeded in getting a tiny one through the wire, & he screeched with agonising fear at being put in the cage....as I was doing this, chickens began escaping from the bottom of the wire...I tried to stop them, but couldn't. I lifted the lid of the cage & I was horrified by what I saw....many, many birds were crammed into a very small space & the cage hadn't been cleaned for a long time! I realised that I couldn't leave them like that, and although I was concerned that they may run/fly away, I released them all into the garden.

I then checked a lower compartment in the hutch, and I discovered (again to my horror) that it was crammed full of cats & kittens! in the same sad & sorry state of neglect.
I was worried that they might chase & kill the birds and was tempted to slamm the lid back down & deal with it later, when I had a better place to keep them and could deal with them in a more controlled manner, but I couldn't humanely leave them like that so I let them out. One cat (which could talk) was very indignant and bitter about the way he had been treated and he squatted to deffecate. he then threatened to deffecate on me, for what had been done to him. I explained to him in a firm voice that if he did that, then I would not be helping to heal him, rather I would have him euthanaised which was quite within my moral responsibilities (considering the state he was in). I explained to him that I was not responsible for the predicament he was in, and I was as outraged as he was! I gave him the choice...do what he said he would & die, don't do it and he was free to leave, or he could stick around and I would get a vet out to heal him & life could be a lot better & even easy with me....and he was free to choose to leave at any time....as long as he didn't sh*t on me ...he chose not to....

I was about to go back to the house, but on a hunch, I checked the other side of the hutch, next to a pot bellied stove. When I lifted the lid, I let out a cry of dismay & disgust!
The box was full of puppies! (at least they had been kept warm by the stove) One was badly deformed and to look at him, brought tears to my eyes! I screamed out for someone to call the vet here now! It was urgent!
Again I was worried that the puppies would chase the cats if I let them out, but the deformed pup climbed out of the box and (yep! he could talk too) refused to go back in, even when I explained that the vet was on his way & it would be safer for him to remain with the other pups as he was very sick.
He flatly & vehemently refused and assured me that he was not going anywhere & he wasn't going to chase or hurt anything, but he wasn't going back in the box!

I went back to the house & I was having a converation with my friend inside (I can't recall what we were saying now) when the doorbell went....& I knew the vet had arrived.
********

Although the dream was horrific & uncomfortable to deal with....I found it so uplifting when I woke up and began analysing it!
I think the animals represent ideas/thoughts/situations that have not been delt with (either mine or others...they were situations not of my making...) and had been placed out of site, out of mind & forgotten....but they were still there! and although I was tempted to put them in the too hard basket....I knew that this was wrong & so I let them out & dealt with it...and the results were not as bad as I had feared!
I suspect the cat who talked represented my boyfriend...(and I'm actually proud of myself that in the dream I was empathetic, caring, willing to go out of my way, but at the same time I was assertive and honest, & I wouldn't take any cr*p from him if he could not appreciate my assistance. and could not acknowledge that I was under no obligation to help him....I could just as easily get rid of the 'problem' easily & permanently)
...glad he chose to hang around!

It was definately a dream of action (long & overdue) and it had an energising & uplifting effect on me all that day. Considering I have spent approx 6 months to maybe a year,(maybe even many years more) feeling frustrated & like I was stagnating, I finally feel as though things are actually going to change now, the critical & most important part of my destiny is beginning....(I felt the forward shift about a week ago....felt like it was my last day alive....realise now it was only the last day of my past....now I am becomming my future, and living my present.
***grin****
Aus

posted June 25, 2002 01:22 PM         

Aus, that IS an amazing dream! And you seem to understand it so well! Perhaps you can help me. I was wondering how you know that the talking cat represents your boyfriend. I am not questioning it, I am just curious as to why. Is it just a feeling? Was it in the mannerisms? Or appearance? And how about the deformed pup, whom do you feel is represented by it? And why?

Thank you so much! Great dream!

posted June 25, 2002 09:58 PM         

...the action has begun...I gave up my job yesterday and am back to pursuing my dreams and making them reality!

Aus

posted June 28, 2002 05:08 PM         

Beautiful and encouraging stories. You keep me . . .

posted June 30, 2002 11:45 PM         

.....me!

....I'm also curious to know what the more "traditional" analyses of the dream might uncover. (If you get the chance)

Aus
....now living outside the box!!!

posted July 01, 2002 12:52 PM         

And you are right about the pup. Why do you think it is deformed? (or undeveloped )

Totally outside the box!

posted July 05, 2002 05:30 PM         

I will not dissect every symbol, there are too many! And besides, you have a good understanding of the dream anyway.

It seems that change is indeed upon you. Instead of choosing a path/life/situation that is already well defined (furnished house), you have chosen one which requires work (rundown mansion) but will be what YOU make of it. It is suggested that this path is an "old" one, but that it will require your touch and your energy.

You head for the garden, which indicates growth/fertility and it will also require your attention because of it's neglected state. This fits well with your statement that you have felt frustrated and stagnated for a long while - you are the neglected garden.

You come upon a "hutch structure," a cage of sorts, which symbolizes the "container" which you have used to store things - your subconscious. It is your subconscious which is full of repressed energies - emotions, thoughts, situations - as you have perceptively stated. So, yes, all of these animals are symbolic of the repressed/suppressed energies that have been accumulating over time - and neglected - not dealt with. Because you have not dealt with them, they appear as young, small, or deformed animals. They are immature, undeveloped, or mal-developed - but because they are young, they also have the potential for growth/development. The only way to develop them is to set them free, give them space, see them - to release them from your subconscious. And you do this, but not without concern, because the very nature of the material/energy is, or has been, disruptive - which is why they were "caged" in the first place.

It seems you are becoming aware of just how damaging this suppression is, and it "horrifies" you. Your new awareness is changing your perspective and your understanding. You worry about control, about what might happen if these energies are loosed - but the alternative is even worse, so out of the box they go! You are kind of being "forced" to have faith that all of these energies will find their places. They will. After all, the "vet" has arrived!

Congratulations!