Author

Subject: The Mountain, Jacket, Axe

Rick B

02:39 26/01/2000 

In the dream I am a mountain, I am the axe that I carry, and I am the jacket that I wear. My mission is to chop down the mountain with the axe.

Notes:

Mountains:

I live in southern Illinois, where there are no mountains. When I get to visit mountains, I always get a sense of awe and wonder. Mountains make me feel the up and down cycle of life. I used to feel, when on top of a mountain, that something must be made to go down the mountain. Now mountains arouse a sense of reverence for Earth and her workings. Mountains are places where many creatures live and adapt, something like a community. My progress up a mountain inspires me to appreciate the sacredness of "place." Those places, I feel, are really the people in my life. So the mountain feels like the presence of Spirit in my life, and the means by which Spirit works with me is through the people in my life.

Axes:

I have been involved with Shamanism for about 2 years. Shamanism seems like a powerful tool. So, I associate the axe with my Shamanic practices. I feel the dream points out my obsession to obtain results in my spiritual life. I feel compelled to "chop down" the mountain, and to conquer a particular spiritual practice. Many remarkable things have happened to me during journeys and visits to certain places outdoors. None of those have been because of my striving, or from the use of the axe. I feel that the proper use of the axe is on behalf of others who may need some kind of healing that I can provide by cutting away something that is harming them. So I must learn to use the axe in subtle ways, rather than chopping away at the entire mountain in a fit of rage or hurt.

Jackets:

The jacket has me a little stumped. When I think of a jacket, I think of another tool, something that clothes and protects. I own many jackets, and I choose them to fit my mood: one that honors family, one that I wear to feel good about myself, another to reflect bad feeling. I sometimes wear a suit in my occupation, which is definitely about armouring and protection and role-playing. When I put on a suit, I am about control and intimidation. But the jacket in the dream is casual and my impression of it is that it is red.

Dream edited for easier reading - JT, 2005

Read the original thread or Jane Teresa's view.

Jane Anderson

17:56 26/01/2000 

Hi Rick,

Thank you for the expression of unity and wholeness in your dream. "I am a mountain, I am the axe that I carry, and I am the jacket that I wear." Simplified, "I Am".

You sense a mountain as a community, where creatures "live and adapt", and I guess the spirit of our human experience is one of living and adapting within ourselves to create harmony within the self which is then reflected as harmony within the outer world we see.

So, to me, to chop down the mountain is to work right down to the very basis of our being (the basis of the mountain) - to know ourselves so clearly - and then to once more become the mountain: the difference being, the second time round, in knowledge of the mountain.

In this sense, to me, it feels as if your shamanic work with others is - in unity - shamanic work also with yourself. This is perfect.

You worked out, in writing about your dream, that you "must learn to use the axe in subtle ways, rather than chopping away at the entire mountain in a fit of rage or hurt." It's interesting that red often comes up in a dream to express anger or rage (also assertion, physical energy, danger .. amongst other meanings), so there is a sense of the jacket highlighting a relationship between anger and getting down to the basis of your spiritual self .. and/or cutting away to remove hurt for yourself as you do for others.

You say you feel you use the axe for others but not for yourself and that you must learn to use the axe more subtly. My feeling from this is that you may feel that you are harsh (unsubtle) on yourself, especially in your wish to dig below anger .. perhaps using 'casual' rather than 'subtle' techniques on yourself. Do you feel you are harsher with yourself: using harsher techniques than you would lovingly apply to others? I guess this is what you have expressed by decribing an obsession to obtain results in your spiritual life.

You have already done most of the work on your dream, Rick, simply by writing about it. (It's amazing how just writing and allowing a dream to unfold in words generates its own interpretation and insight.) I hope something in my reply helps you to uncover the symbolism of the red jacket ... and, in so doing, helps your work with yourself as well as with others.

Thanks too for becoming a member: see you in the Members Community Forum!

Jane Anderson

Rick B

15:27 01/02/2000 

Thanks, Jane. I have been feeling your words for about a week. I am much harder on myself than I am on others, always questioning my own motives when a friend is hurt or angry with me. I've had occasion to be of service to some people this past week, and, reviewing what I do, find that it's not that difficult to be as gentle with myself as I am with them. I tend to protect myself with the "jacket" of uniqueness, and not part of the unity. The jacket is for the cool morning walk. But I'll need to take that jacket off when I work up a sweat on that mountain!

Angela

15:43 01/02/2000 

Hi Rick.

It has been so interesting to read through this one and your process to understanding. Do come over to the Members Forum and introduce yourself to us. We are waiting... :)

Angela.

Libra Lynn

18:39 01/02/2000 

Hi Rick,

I don't check in to the regular forum as often as I should, but was drawn by your post in the member forum.

You've obviously done much work on this dream, I'd like to add a few thoughts.

First of all, I understand very well what you mean when you say you are very hard on yourself. You give to others effortlessly, but have no compassion when it comes to self. You may find that people in your life often abuse that trait.

Here is something I get from your manner of writing as well as your dream. You are very driven, possibly a perfectionist. All I could think about was that your mission was to chop down the mountain with an axe. It's impossible. You have given yourself an impossible mission, even with the best and sharpest tools.

You mentioned that often your greatest insights and experiences have not been of striving, they have come quietly, whispered in the woods. Perhaps your dream is trying to remind you that some goals (and especially spiritual ones) cannot be obtained by force of will, you must let them come to you.

The jacket, I think, maybe symbolic. Like the Scarlet Letter. It may be the cross you feel you must bear (healing others). This jacket may be simultaneously a hindrance (too warm for chopping) and protection (healing others rather than facing your own problems).

I may be off base here, but I have good intentions :)

Come by the member's forum, Rick. Tell us why you can't be gentle with yourself, when you're ready. This issue is no stranger to us.

Lynn

Jane Anderson

15:28 02/02/2000 

Thanks Rick for replying with your feedback. (And for continuing this conversation over in the Members Forum)...

Dreams are a wonderful introduction, aren't they? I once knew someone who went to so many business social occasions that he decided to change his small talk opening to "What did you dream last night?" It was so successful that he's been doing it at functions ever since!

Jane Anderson

Angela

17:27 02/02/2000 

Hi again.

I'll add a touch to that bit about dreams being a good intro. I was at a Christmas Eve gathering (20 or so people) where everyone was in intimate groups of two or three...until...I mentioned dreams, and this site in fact! Everyone gathered around, fascinated by the concept that they were more than 'just because' they saw an earlier image here or there the day before. Everyone has dreams. They are extremely personal and ultimately, don't we all want to talk about ourselves... :-)

What fun!

Angela.

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