The Great Hunt

[artcat]

Hi, I'm new to the forums and I think I'll enjoy exploring them further more in my free time.
I study to be an Illustrator or an all purpose, hands-on, artist. Just to give you some info about myself :)

I have many dreams that involve violence and usually lots of shooting and guns are involved too, if to be specific about the sort of violence that is going on.
This night the dream was a little different but somewhat similar in a way.

During the whole dream I had a feeling of the whole country I was in, sort of knew what was where in a geographical sense. So I don't really remember what was in the beginning of the dream but at some point numerous bears started hunting myself and the people that were with me. These people were simple people like myself, we were sort of anonymous to one another but united in the purpose of surviving all of this.

I don't know why but I was picked to be the leader and it was obvious to me I should head north with all these people, because the bears were coming from the south (as I remember it the bear ranks were very tight, so there was no option of going south unless you wanted to die to the mighty paws of the bears...).

After heading to the northern part of the country I realized there was no escape from the bears but one option and it is to go south by following the coastline on the west that was protected by cliffs from the east and by this outmaneuvering the bears.
So we did this but were ambushed by the bears coming from the south and north, practically stuck without obvious route of escape on this narrow coastline. I felt terror as I knew that all of us were bear food but kept struggling to think of a way out. As the bears came near me after mauling all the other people in between I woke up on a flat ground of the same dream and had somebody explain to me WHY the bears attacked me.
They showed me a notebook I sent to the bears earlier in the dream (during the part I don't remember) that had some drawings in it. Apparently a specific badly drawn head of a bear with its mouth open in rage really upset the bears and made them come after me and all those people.

Then I woke up, feeling rather confused.
If you could help me with understanding this dream I'd be very thankful :) !

 

[SeekinTruth]

Hi, artcat, and welcome to the forum. :)

It is recommended that new members introduce themselves in the Newbies forum telling how they found their way here and how much of the material they've read. It helps everyone better interact. Thanks.

 

[artcat]

SeekinTruth, thanks for the welcome! I did just that and posted to the newbies forum.
Any help or insights on the dream I posted?

 

[paralleloscope]

Welcome artcat. I think most dream symbolism has to be taken in relation with our own unique life situation, which I obviously don't know. But when I read it I was thinking why don't you guys swim (of course bears swim too). But maybe water is one of the universal symbols; for emotions. I'm speculating perhaps this is a message from your subconscious to get emotionally connected so your life/ art can flow, apart from the predatory personality (bears) ?. I'm thinking the EE link given to you in your intro post will be of great help in that regard wether or not the interpretation above holds water or not. Also, you can use the search function and find threads on dream litterature, journaling and interpretation.

 

[artcat]

Hey Parallel, thanks for the welcome and the reply :)!

Yeah, I think most humans have their unique symbols that can probably be only interpreted by their unique experiences.
However, I think that we also share common experiences too and feel similar things towards some things. A hot stove is something we all wouldn't touch because we know it'll bring us pain and blisters, for example. So, that's why I think some people can get external help with their dreams :)

I didn't give thought to the water (i.e the sea), and now I recall from "Waltz with Bashir" how the narrator's friend explained to him that the sea usually represents our fears. I don't think I considered entering the sea at all but saw it as an obvious obstacle not worthy of thought. Hmmm...

I'll check the link too and see if I can find help on similar dreams.

Thanks Parallel!

 

[paralleloscope]

I didn't give thought to the water (i.e the sea), and now I recall from "Waltz with Bashir" how the narrator's friend explained to him that the sea usually represents our fears. I don't think I considered entering the sea at all but saw it as an obvious obstacle not worthy of thought. Hmmm...

Fear is a limiting emotion that drives us from our expansive and creative selves. We are riddled with mental buffers to cushion us from traumatic memories/ perceptions which echo around our nervous systems, silently consuming our energy. Getting to know this inner landscape from many different angles (scientific and esoteric) and dealing with it, is much of what this forum is about. So if there's anything to this sea=fear-emotions then you came to a useful address :)

 

[artcat]

It reminds me the Bene Gesserit litany against fear - "Fear is the mind killer...".
I used to say it a lot when I was in the army, but I don't think it actually solved any problems :P

Yes, negative emotions munch up as much energy or even more as the positive ones - it would only make sense to eliminate them.
But how do I approach this? How do I know what should I eliminate?

 

[paralleloscope]

Yes, negative emotions munch up as much energy or even more as the positive ones - it would only make sense to eliminate them.
But how do I approach this? How do I know what should I eliminate?

Short answer is that you would have to gain knowledge of who, what and where you are. A great place to start is to read the works of Laura Knight-Jadzyck, which this forum is based on. See http://cassiopaea.org/ for an introduction.

 

[Zee Ley]

As it is said "better late than never". Another comment on the old thread.

I'll start from the end.

As the bears came near me after mauling all the other people in between I woke up on a flat ground of the same dream and had somebody explain to me WHY the bears attacked me.
They showed me a notebook I sent to the bears earlier in the dream (during the part I don't remember) that had some drawings in it. Apparently a specific badly drawn head of a bear with its mouth open in rage really upset the bears and made them come after me and all those people.

Keeping in mind that artcat is an illustrator we can try to make a sketch of the dream.

During the whole dream I had a feeling of the whole country I was in, sort of knew what was where in a geographical sense.

Lets assume that area where dream is taking place is the circle. (1-st attached pic)
The center is the starting point.

I don't know why but I was picked to be the leader and it was obvious to me I should head north with all these people, because the bears were coming from the south (as I remember it the bear ranks were very tight, so there was no option of going south unless you wanted to die to the mighty paws of the bears...).

I can only guess about the nature/symbolism of the bears... The way I picture it is in the second attachment.

After heading to the northern part of the country I realized there was no escape from the bears but one option and it is to go south by following the coastline on the west that was protected by cliffs from the east and by this outmaneuvering the bears.
So we did this but were ambushed by the bears coming from the south and north, practically stuck without obvious route of escape on this narrow coastline.

In the third picture the coastline is added. Don't judge strictly:)

At this point the concept of communicating vessels came in to my mind. People here are one kind of liquid. Let it be water. Bears are the liquid of another kind. For example olive oil. They do not intermix.

I'm pretty sure that from my point of view it is no more than speculation. So it would be interesting some day to read artcats translation of this dream:)

(Sorry, for some reason pictures are upside down)