Author

Subject: snakes and little dogs .. that talk

chris

08:13 07/05/2003 

I was in the countryside somewhere. My little brother was walking barefoot through some grass and there were snakes everywhere, black ones and brown ones. I knew they were all deadly and tried to get him to stop but he kept walking, missing stepping on the snakes by inches.

Then I saw my little dog, a Chihuahua. (I don’t have a dog.) It was on a leash but asked me to pick it up, so I did. It then kept grumbling in my ear. Nothing that I could make out - it was just moaning about everything.

Dream edited for easier reading - JT, 2005

2004

Jane Teresa's View

Jane Teresa Anderson

Overview Interpretation & Dream Alchemy Practice suggestion

OVERVIEW INTERPRETATION

Hi Chris,

You described two things as little in your dream: your little brother and your little dog. First you were aware of your little brother and then you noticed your little dog. The ‘little’ links the two.

The beginning of a dream is often symbolic of the situation or problem your dream then goes on to explore.

As the focus changed from brother to dog, your dream was probably describing the problem in terms of the brother and the solution (or further insight) in terms of the dog.

The problem was that danger was all around and was being narrowly missed. The solution or further insight was to pick up the dog and, perhaps, to listen to him. He asked you to pick him up and this got him away from the dangerous snakes, didn’t it?

It’s interesting that although your brother was in danger, he did manage not to step on the snakes. So, was the danger real or imagined? What kind of danger might you have been in when you had this dream and how real was it?

Snakes in dreams can represent healing potential: people are often bitten by a snake in a dream when they confront an issue and heal it. (You need to face pain to heal an issue.)

What painful issue might you have been trying to ignore or step over at the time of your dream? (The little brother, the dog … everyone in a dream … represents something about you.) As your little brother wasn’t getting bitten it seems you were getting away with not facing painful issues. But, as the little dog’s grumbling suggested, there is a part of you that is moaning and grumbling about this issue and that needs to be heard. But, in the dream, you couldn’t understand what it was saying!

Sounds like it’s time for you to notice when you hear yourself grumbling and moaning and to ask yourself what painful issue you are trying to avoid. Grumbling does not solve an issue. Doing something about it does.

You will find it helpful to read ‘Snakes’ in Dream Alchemy, pages 176-82.

DREAM ALCHEMY PRACTICE

Dialogue:

Your dialogue is between the Chihuahua and you. Start with you saying, “Okay. I’m listening. Give that to me again but in plain English please. Now, what are you grumbling about?” and see what the Chihuahua automatically answers. Keep it going for 20 minutes.

How to do this:

Give yourself no longer than 20 minutes. When you do this exercise do NOT think! Don’t plan ahead. Just let whatever happens happen. Let the two entities speak to each other on paper using whatever words come up. It’s a bit like writing a film script or play – but without the brain being involved.

How does this work?

By not thinking, by keeping the words flowing, you are letting your right brain and unconscious mind do most of the work. They created the original dream so they know what these symbols mean for you. They will reveal. You will be surprised.

More details on Dialogue as a Dream Alchemy Practice in: “Dream Alchemy”, by Jane Teresa Anderson, pages 321-4 and 333.

Jane Teresa Anderson

You can consult with Jane Teresa or her Dream Team and receive your interpretation by email within five working days.

ORIGINAL THREAD

Below is the original forum discussion on this dream, contributed before Jane Teresa's 2004 interpretation.

Beth Richardson

11:08 07/05/2003 

Hi Chris,

Is there something going on in your life or within yourself right now which is making you feel unsafe, threatened?

How to you view your little brother in waking life? Is he young, vulnerable, unwary of dangers? Or is he courageous, trusting, and goes where angels fear to tread?

It is interesting that in the dream he wasn't bitten even though he continued to walk through the snakes?

Our pets in dreams can symbolise a part of ourselves too. Was it just a dream pet? Or was it your pet in waking life?

How do you see your pet in waking life? Chihuahua's are the smallest dog in the world, and to me they seem very vulnerable. What colour was the Chihuahua? It could give your more information about the dream's meaning?

What a cute image that is of your little pet complaining in your ear? It is not happy at all, eh?

What is upsetting you in waking life and causing you to feel anxious and unhappy?

Do you feel responsible for the safety of your little brother and also your unhappy pet?

Both the Chihuahua and your letter brother represent parts of yourself. Can you relate these feelings to your life right now.

Could it be that in life, that you are going into a new area/rough patch in which you are feeling decidely insecure, you are not happy about it but you are moving through anyway.

Your brother seems to be managing just fine. What could you do to soothe your little pet, and therefore yourself, so that this passage can be more comfortable?

Were you walking through the snake infested patch or were you watching your brother do it from a safe distance?

Was there another way around the snakes? Or are you going to follow in your brother's footsteps.

Is there something you have to do in waking life that is filling you with dread?

Hope this helps, Beth.

Chris

12:19 09/05/2003 

wow.. youve really hit the nail on the head... something has been filling me with dread... and I have had to take a step back and allow my best friend to go through something horrible.... I felt helpless and very frightened for him.

Its quite funny about what you said about the Chihuahua being the smallest dog... cause the next night I dreamt of yellow cannaries singing .... they were all the same colour of the Chihuahua. They were massed on a branch that seemed to be in the corner of my room at the ceiling... only I could not see the ceiling. It was just a white mist in the background... but it was definately indoors..

I will think on this dream some more and keep you posted with any breakthroughs..... thanks for your help Chris