Oil-Covered Animals

[Argonaut]

Last night I dreamed that I saw a pelican flying along, covered in black oil. I was extremely saddened. Then the scene switched to a beach. There was a mixed herd of sheep and goats running up the beach, and they were all covered in oil as well. There was also a large bonfire on the beach. A few of the goats ran too near the bonfire, and the oil on them ignited, starting them on fire. Then in the confusion of mad frenzy, one of the sheep ran directly into the bonfire and burned up. There was also one sheep standing there who had no oil on it at all, and I understood it as the "significant other" of the sheep who ran into the bonfire. After seeing its loved one burn up in the fire, this "clean" sheep deliberately chose to run into the fire and kill itself out of sorrow.

After this the dream changed. I and a group of other people were descending into an underground building. I understood that this building had been closed up because prehistoric insects and spiders from beneath the earth had broken through somewhere, and they now infested the building. We descended a long stairwell, and at the bottom was a hallway. As we started walking down the hallway some sort of large beetle landed on my leg, inserted a "tube" into me (like a mosquito) and began draining my blood. It was immensely painful. One of the other people managed to pull the beetle off of me and crush it. Then I woke up.

I'm not so sure about the second half of the dream, but I feel like the first part may mean something significant. It seems to be referencing the Gulf oil situation, but I don't understand what the whole thing could signify. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks. :)

 

[Buddy]

...
I don't understand what the whole thing could signify. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks. :)

Personally, I've been experiencing a bunch of mixed emotions lately due my recap work and that latest incident seeing an oil-covered seagull standing on the beach, unable to do anything but blink his eyes and wait to die. :(

I don't get a coherent impression based on your description, so I was just wondering if you've been experiencing mixed emotions about things in general, lately? Or maybe it's just me.

 

[Argonaut]

...
I don't understand what the whole thing could signify. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks. :)

Personally, I've been experiencing a bunch of mixed emotions lately due my recap work and that latest incident seeing an oil-covered seagull standing on the beach, unable to do anything but blink his eyes and wait to die. :(

I don't get a coherent impression based on your description, so I was just wondering if you've been experiencing mixed emotions about things in general, lately? Or maybe it's just me.

I do have mixed emotions. I see what's going on the world and I wish there were a way to convey the truth to everyone I know. But I've all but stopped trying to talk to friends about it. Because nobody wants to listen, and I don't want to violate their Free Will by pushing the issue. So now I mostly just joke around with them and have "fun." Which I do enjoy, but at the same time I feel like a giant fake, and I feel alone.

I had an idea that the sheep and goats might be a reference to this Bible passage:

31"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 36I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? 38When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'

40"The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; 43I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'

44"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'

45"Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.' 46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

But I don't understand the connection between this idea and the oil. Or the fact that the only two animals to run directly into the fire were sheep rather than goats.

I looked up the separate aspects of the dream on dreammoods.com to see if anything came together

First part:

Animals
To see animals in your dream, represent your own physical characteristic, primitive desires, and sexual nature, depending on the qualities of the particular animal. Animals symbolize the untamed and uncivilized aspects of yourself.

Pelican
To see a pelican in your dream, represents nurturance, sacrifice, and charity. It indicates your selflessness and how you put others first before yourself. You are always caring for others.

Beach
To see the beach in your dream, symbolizes the meeting between your two states of mind. The sand is symbolic of the rational and mental processes while the water signifies the irrational, unsteady, and emotional aspects of yourself. It is a place of transition between the physical/material and the spiritual.

Sheep
To see sheep in your dream, indicates docility and conformity. You lack creativity, individuality and initiative to venture out on your own. You tend to go along with the group. Alternatively, seeing a sheep signifies your compassion. The dream may also be a metaphor on being sheepish. Perhaps you have done something wrong.

Goat
To see a goat in your dream, represents your lack of judgment and your gullibility. Alternatively, goats are symbolic of sexuality, sexual desire, and lechery. Also consider the associations with the goat as in "scapegoat" or "getting someone's goat". Do you feel that you have been blamed for someone else's deed?

Fire
Depending on the context of your dream, to see fire in your dream can symbolize destruction, passion, desire, illumination, purification, transformation, enlightenment, or anger. It may suggest that something old is passing and something new is entering into your life. Your thoughts and views are changing. In particular, if the fire is under control or contained in one area, then it is a metaphor of your own internal fire and inner transformation. The dream may be a metaphor for someone who is "fiery". It represents your drive, motivation, and creative energy. Alternatively, the dream may be warning you of your dangerous or risky activities. You are literally "playing with fire".

Burning
To see something burning in your dream, indicates that you are experiencing some intense emotions and/or passionate sexual feelings. There is some situation or issue that you can no longer avoid and ignore. Alternatively, it may suggest that you need to take time off for yourself and relax. Perhaps you are you feeling "burned out" or "burned up".

What I basically get out of all this is that the pelican, sheep, and goats might represent programs in me. The pelican may be my "people pleasing," or perhaps it's the "nice guy" I'd like to imagine myself to be. The goats could be my various desires and cravings ("I like"), while the sheep could be my fears ("I don't like"). And maybe the beach setting shows a fusion of the left and right halves of my brain? The fire may represent the part of me that wants to work. The oil - and the fact that the animals were fleeing - may indicate some kind of "disasterous event" that sends my programs into upheaval. The oil also allows the fire to ignite some of the goats (desires) that come too close, which might mean that this "event" is helping destroy certain programs. And the panicking sheep that ran directly into the fire could be a particular fear that unwittingly destroys itself due to its reaction to the "event." As for the "oil-free" sheep who was the other sheep's "lover"... Maybe it's some sort of fear which wasn't affected by the "event," but its continued existence depended on the other fear? So once the other fear was destroyed it no longer had a "reason to live?"

The key to this seems to be those two sheep, so I need to think. What program may I have that would accidentally destroy itself if it felt threatened? And what other program is so dependent on the first one that it would choose to die too once the other one is gone? Maybe I'm totally off base with this interpretation. But if it's even close to right, it means that I saw the dream from the perspective of my predator, due to my feelings of despair, and the tragic nature of the whole thing.

Second part:

Building
To see a building in your dream, represents the self and the body. How high you are in the building indicates a rising level of understanding, awareness or success. If you are in the lower levels of the building, then it refers to more primal attitudes and/or sexuality.

To see a building in ruins or damaged, indicates that your approach toward a situation or relationship is all wrong. You need to change. Your own self-image may have suffered and taken some blow.

Underground
To dream of going or living underground, indicates that you are trying to force certain thoughts and issues into your subconscious mind. You really need to confront and explore your unconscious. Alternatively, the dream suggests that you are expressing a desire to go unnoticed or to lie low.

Groups
To see a group in your dream, refers to the merging of various aspects of your character and personality.

Stairs
To dream that you are walking down a flight of stairs, represents your repressed thoughts. You are regressing back into your unconscious. It also refers to the setbacks that you are experiencing in your life. If you are afraid of going down the stairs, then it means that you are afraid to confront your repressed emotions and thoughts. Is there something from your past that you are not acknowledging?

Darkness
To dream that you are groping around in the darkness, symbolizes that you have insufficient information to make a clear decision. Do your research and do not rush into making choices.

Spiders
To see a spider in your dream, indicates that you are feeling like an outsider in some situation. Or perhaps you want to keep your distance and stay away from an alluring and tempting situation. The spider is also symbolic of feminine power or an overbearing mother figure in your life. Alternatively, a spider refers to a powerful force protecting you against your self-destructive behavior.

Beetle
To see a beetle in your dream, indicates that some destructive influences may be at work in your waking life. You may also feel that your values and beliefs are being compromised.

Bites
To dream that you are being bitten, represents your vulnerability regarding some unresolved issues or emotions. You may be pestered by a problem or obstacle.The dream may also be a metaphor indicating that you have bitten off more than you chew. Perhaps you have too much to handle.

Blood
To dream that you are bleeding or losing blood, signifies that you are suffering from exhaustion or that you are feeling emotionally drained. It may also denote bitter confrontations between you and your friends. Your past actions has come back to haunt you.

In this part, the descent into the underground building may indicate delving into the darkest parts of my subconscious. The "prehistoric" spiders that emerged up from within the earth and infested the building could represent my feelings of isolation and aloneness, while the beetles might be the destructive and entropic habits I engage in to alleviate the isolated feelings. The beetle that bit me and drained my blood could be a particular habit which is especially detrimental, draining away my energy. The group I was exploring with could be similar to the fire from the first part - a group of "I's" that is merging into something that truly wishes to work. And the group member who pulled off the beetle and crushed it may be whichever of those "I's" can defeat that very detrimental habit. Unlike the first part of the dream, if I'm correct in my interpretations I saw this part from the opposite perspective - the aspect of me that wants to work.

I feel wary making such interpretations, because I might be way off. But it was my dream, so maybe I should trust my intuition. Still, if anyone else has insight that they think may help, I'll gladly hear it. I'm basing a lot of my ideas on what Dream Moods said, and I dunno how accurate they are. And I'm not exactly experienced at interpreting my dreams... Although I think that's something I should work on becoming.