Last night/this morning I had the most vivid I can remember. Didn't think much of it when I got up other than its vividness. But a few hours later I'm standing in the shower at the gym recapping it and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Here goes.
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I was the passenger in a car being driven by a friend (not a real life friend actually, just an imaginary friend). For some reason we had to drive through treacherous territory and get to a certain destination. Why we had to get to the destination or what it was is the one thing I can't remember. Just that we had to get there.
Well it was a nice car but he was driving recklessly. Much more so than he had to, again it was rocky terrain. I remember thinking man, this is a nice car and he's beating it to hell. This was a bit like a bump 'n jump game in that some jump-like maneuvers were necessary but he was taking it to the extreme. Finally he decided to get a head start and take a massive jump off a cliff. I was imploring him don't do this, we'll die. But I wasn't at the wheel and he wasn't listening to me. We went hurtling off a cliff at high speed and flew across a huge canyon towards no doubt a violent end at the other side. I braced for death.
The next thing you knew, I was in some random office facing another friend (imaginary, while this dream contained friends, not a single one was one from my real life). It appears we were on two different pages about various things and events. To the point where I realized I was the confused one and I asked her what year it was because something is clearly wrong with me as everything I know seems to be wrong, and I started crying. She said don't worry, come out back and have lunch with us.
There was a vivid lunch spread and I was surrounded by friends. My friend who drove showed up to hang out with them and I said whatever we thought was apparently wrong. For example, a friend who I thought was manager of something was actually assistant manager. Again with the crying as I said it was my knowledge that you were manager and it just seems like I everything I know seems to be upside down.
The only person in this dream that exists in real life was Dennis Rodman, who I had to keep stepping away from lunch to cut his hair (?! - and it was like green too, heh). Eventually I invited him to the lunch and we were able to get some as it was being packed up.
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My interpretation - and it seems spot-on as I re-attempt sobriety after an aborted attempt and a moist holiday season is:
- the "friend" driving the car out of control is me drinking - the horrified passenger is me sober - the car itself = me, and that I'm destroying myself unnecessarily - the wreck is where I am/are headed on alcohol - the fact that I didn't in fact die is the way of saying that there is hope - that I had basic facts around me wrong...not quite sure, maybe that alcohol gave me a warped sense of reality? Or what's right and wrong? - that I was emotional multiple times about my misunderstanding of facts...not sure here either but it's relevant and speaks to possibly being upset about not reaching potential? - that my "friend" arrived on the scene of part two shortly after I did suggests that he'll always be there - Dennis Rodman, no clue what he has to do with anything
Anyway, anyone ever have a dream like this, and any input on this one? Sadly I know I'm leaving things out but as dreams go this is a lot of recollection.
Aloha DBZ...good work and the confusion part is pretty well understood huh? Would have to know what is and has been going on in your life lately without assumptions as my take on dreams is that it is my subconscious metaphorically making me aware of how I'm relating to life around me and in me. Some one else driving the car could be for me the metaphor of being out of control or not controlling...helpless, hopeless and crazy; "nice car" switch to "rough road" I can recognize things that are pleasant and things that are threating at the very same time. Zooming off over a cliff for me meant that my outlook was that I could not survive where I was heading in the way I was heading there. Not knowing my roll or the rolls of others was the metaphor for the reality that I was living (actually) in confusion and couldn't see clearly what was going on with and around me and the invite to lunch was metaphor for relaxation and relief from the insanity of it all. I could move away from the craziness and do something that would make me feel good and satisfied for a while. That you could speak about what was going on with you reveals an awareness that you are less afraid of the situation and feel free to openly discuss it and ask for help. While at times you might feel hopeless that indicates you know you're not helpless...good metaphor and probably very accurate of your character assets. Dennis Rodman? easy one...Rodman is a comparison between where you are right now and how far out you can really get. Cutting his hair is or could be a metaphor that you can entertain having your life get that (Rodman) crazy.
Howzat? I don't know what's been going on in your life lately or over time so that was looking at your dream thru my filters. I dream read.
Don't know what to comment other than it was fun and interesting to read about your dream and your interpretation.
Your analization was sure thorough. Wish you could interpret my vivid type dream of last night: Me in an giant old house with meandering rooms, some paranormal entity and many attractive young men. It was both scary and pleasant at the same time. I woke up confused.
Good interpretation DBZ. I was thinking along the same lines except the Car = your life, the Crash = your bottom, That you're alive = 1 more chance to get it right, Not getting the facts right = your intermittent reccolection that your brain is not working too well and you can't rely on it, Being emotional = you're scarred, Your "friend" = your disease, and Dennis Rodman = homophobia lol.
OK... all the therapy I have is dream work & it is very powerful. Not knowing you, not knowing really anything about you, I will say my fifty cent analysis of the dream is not far off from what you think. The person driving the car to me sounds like alcohol, cars usually represent your life & your control over it. Ideally you'd like to be driving a nice car, maybe even your dream car, and be in control. You definitely don't want someone else at the wheel beating up a nice car. Wouldn't read too far into going over the cliff, this is something that you are totally aware can happen with alcoholism. Believe it or not, I would take a look a little more at Dennis Rodman in the dream. Yeah, it might seem like an insignificant part of the dream, but how do you feel about him? Is he someone you admire, or do you think of him as being a joke? Him being a very successful professional sports figure who has attained the goals he wanted in life could mean that you are trying to pull yourself away from your current situation and spend more time with those types of people. If you're newly sober, don't be surprised if you start dreaming about babies, either. And what you're looking for is for you to drive that car and keep it nice. Believe me, you can train your subconcious to do it. Dream work like I said is really powerful.
First, I must say that I don't have any credentials other than a BA in Psych and a lifelong interest in dreams. In my opinion, dreams mean exactly what the dreamer interprets them to mean. I dream a lot and I can usually recall vivid details in the first 15 minutes after waking up. Often, like in this case of yours, it's not until later that I can suddenly understand the meaning. Most of my dreams have symbolic meanings in my real life, but now and then they are just utter nonsense. In those cases, I think the images are just neurons firing at random. I think your explanation of your dream is right on target, as I believe it would be.
Incidentally, I dream a lot more since being sober. I've heard others say the same thing and this phenomenon is backed up by science. Alcohol interferes with our normal sleep patterns and also deprives us of the full rest we need. Sleep and all its phases serve a biological need.
Some people get upset over "using dreams" or "relapse dreams." I don't. I think those dreams are just expressions of our healthy fear of relapse and memories of our frightening past. Recently, I had what I'd call a "recovery dream." In it, I bought a big bottle of vodka. When I got home with it, I suddenly became terrified and I didn't open the bottle-- I threw it away. I woke up feeling good. In real life I've relapsed many times and I think this dream was a reminder of that possibility. But it was also reassurance that I'm living a new way of life now and I have no lingering delusions that I can safely drink.
angelov8 wrote:Wish you could interpret my vivid type dream of last night: Me in an giant old house with meandering rooms, some paranormal entity and many attractive young men. It was both scary and pleasant at the same time. I woke up confused.
Maybe you're the contestant on the next season of The Bachelorette (now with 100% more ghosts)?
Aside from that, thanks for the feedback to all and excuse the delay - work happens. The alternate theories are interesting and appreciated.
Also, I don't know what to make of the Rodman thing - maybe he is "where I see myself", especially actually watching him booze his way around Manhattan on last season's Apprentice. There is presumably some symbolism there. While being a big NBA fan, I was never a Bulls or Pistons fan, and not really of Rodman in particular. In fact I was pretty indifferent to him - extremely talented but problematic at times. Hmmm, maybe that's the correlation. :) (Imagine for the sake of this argument that I am in fact supremely talented.)
Yesterday I thought someone said something about Rodman being scheduled to do a new reality show about recovery to be aired soon.
Re: the Bachelorette-Jeez, I hope it wasn't about seeing myself choosing from a cornicopia of multi-faceted men; I'm married. My hubby is straightforward; what you see and hear is what it is. I love that. Joking aside,
Thanks for the topic, I think dreams are infinitely fascinating.
Yes, Dennis Rodman is going to be on a celebrity detox reality show. I was told it's the third season. While he is notorious for many things, the latest being alcoholic escapades on the Celebrity Apprentice last year; I wonder if that's how he relates to an appearance in your dream.
