Author

Subject: Two Crows

Amy

19:13 22/11/1999 

I was in a desert walking several large dogs (a husky, a retriever, my Sheltie, and an orange chow-chow), when the dogs broke loose and ran into the distance.

I turned around and saw a huge rock structure that resembled an "A." There were two large, black crows on the crossbar. I was intimidated by them.

One swooped down to attack, but I hit it with my hand and the crow fell dead. I could sense that the other crow was planning an attack, but I woke up before it left the crossbar. The desert was very, very orange, and there was an all-yellow sunset. I was wearing a white shirt and pants, with no shoes.

Note:

Sometimes I have dreams about my Sheltie running away, and I get very upset in those dreams, because I am very attached to her. But I wasn't upset in this dream when she ran off. Not much is going on in my life. I'm stress-free and lazy.

Dream edited for easier reading - JT, 2005

2008

Jane Teresa's View

Jane Teresa Anderson

Overview Interpretation & Dream Alchemy Practice suggestion

INTERPRETATION

Animals in dreams tend to represent your instincts. In this dream, the dogs had an instinct to break loose and run into the distance. From the way you described your dream, it seems they ran ahead of you – a long way ahead of you.

What is ahead of you in a dream often represents where you are heading – your future, as you see it. What is behind you in a dream often represents what is behind you – either your past or what is ‘behind’ your actions. For example a feeling like fear or shyness might be ‘behind’ your actions, or a certain belief, attitude or way of thinking might be ‘behind’ the way you decide to act in a certain situation.

In your dream the dogs have an instinct to break loose and run ahead into the future, and the crows displayed an instinct to attack. At the time of the dream these were the instincts playing out in your life. On one hand you had a need to break loose and run, to get ahead, to make your future happen, to adventure new territory. On the other hand, a strong instinct to attack your actions causes you to hold back from breaking free.

You may perceive this attack as coming from someone else, or from your situation. For example, you might see the two attacking crows as two people (parents?) who attack your plans to break loose. But even if this feels right, the wonderful thing about dream interpretation is that it encourages you to look deeper. Everything that happens in a dream relates to you – the dreamer. So the instinct to attack, which seems to come from your past, or which seems to be ‘behind’ your current decision-making, is a source of conflict within YOU. When you think about breaking loose, about taking an action and getting ahead (just as the dogs do), is there a voice deep inside that attacks your plan? Do you stop yourself from taking action by attacking your own plans? This is a form of self-sabotage. If you see the two crows as your parents, for example, attacking your future plans or your bid for freedom, could it also be that you have taken on their beliefs, unconsciously? Your dream suggests your unconscious mind goes into attack mode when your instinct to break loose and run ahead into the exciting distance kicks in.

The crows attack from the crossbar. Dreams often use verbal puns, and the crossbar suggests the feeling of attack comes from anger (being ‘cross’) and a sense of ‘barring’ you from making a move. What are you angry about, and why does this make you dig your heels in instead of breaking loose?

Look for opposites in a dream. You have the opposites of ahead and behind – future and past. You also have the opposites of ‘huge rock structure’ and ‘break loose’. Think about it: the ‘huge rock structure’ is totally anchored, immoveable, firm. This is in contrast to the freedom the dogs have when they break loose. This huge rock structure behind you represents the rock of your life up till now. It represents your rock solid, immoveable beliefs and attitudes. It may also represent a certain stubbornness, a reticence to break loose and move ahead with your life. It’s even shaped into an A, which is the first letter of your name. It’s you – or, at least, it’s you as you have been up till now.

Opposites in a dream define your inner conflicts. So you have an inner conflict between how your past has been and how your future might be, and you have an inner conflict between your rock solid beliefs and breaking loose into an unknown future.

The question is, what are you going to do from this moment on? Are you going to spend your life according to the rock solid beliefs that have been behind all your actions until now, or are you going to let those ‘break loose’ instincts persuade you into action?

As you say in the dream, you felt intimidated by the crows. So do you feel intimidated about taking action? Or do you feel under attack and wish to escape this by running ahead, breaking loose, getting as far from feeling intimidated as you can?

Have a think about what beliefs you have grown up with, beliefs that sometimes leave you feeling intimidated. How do you normally respond to feeling intimidated? Does this response seem a good one to you, now that you think about it?

If you removed intimidation from the picture of your life, and if you removed a sense of attack from your life, how would this affect what you plan to do next? These are important questions for you to consider, questions your dream has posed. In contemplating these, you will begin to see a way forward, and you will feel good about it.

In the dream you countered the attack from the first crow. How do you normally counter attack in your life? How do you defend yourself? This action in the dream suggests you are ready to put an end to self sabotage, as well as ready to find the best way to deal with any people in your life who try to ‘attack’ you on an emotional level.

The ‘end’ (of self sabotage) is symbolised in the dream by the beautiful sunset, an ending to a day in readiness for a new day and a new way.

You mention that you have had dreams of your Sheltie running away in the past, and that you get very upset in those dreams because you are attached to her. But in this dream you weren’t upset. This is a turning point dream – it marks the beginning of a change within you, an end to self sabotage if you are willing. You are becoming ready to ‘let go’ of your attachments (rock solid beliefs) and loosen up and move ahead in your life with a sense of freedom, come what may. This may also involve letting go of some aspects of your personality (represented by the four different dogs in your dream*), as you grow and change as you move forward. Don’t be afraid to let your future change you – it’s what personal and spiritual growth is all about.

You say that not much is happening in your life, that you’re stress-free and lazy. Wouldn’t you prefer something to be happening in your life, and wouldn’t you prefer to take an active part in shaping that rather than avoiding the stress of making a change?

* Each dog represents a different aspect of your personality and a different instinct. What is the personality of a chow-chow, in your opinion? The personality that you see in each dog is an aspect of your own personality. As you let go of your attachment to these aspects of your personality – as you move forward with your life and express yourself - these will grow and change in wonderful ways.

DREAM ALCHEMY PRACTICE

There’s no place for attacking crows in your life, as the interpretation explains, so visualise transforming the attacking crows into peaceful, supportive doves. By doing this, you transform your instinct to attack into something more positive and life-enhancing. This works because your unconscious mind relates to these symbols – when you transform the symbols in this Dream Alchemy Practice, you automatically transform your unconscious beliefs.

Visualise yourself back in the desert, let the dogs break loose and run into the distance, then feel the two peaceful, supportive doves fly to your side and fill you with a sense of support as you walk forward in the same direction as the dogs, letting go, letting go, letting go.

Repeat the visualisation 20 times a day for the first week, 10 times a day for the second week, and twice a day for the next month.

Jane Teresa Anderson

ORIGINAL THREAD

Below is the original forum discussion on this dream, contributed before Jane Teresa's 2008 interpretation.

Angela

15:02 23/11/1999 

Hi Amy.

I think there is quite a bit to look at in your dream. These are the things that strike me straight off though. First, your reference to orange where there is double emphasis in both cases -- 'chow-chow' and 'very, very' orange desert. What, in your mind, are you associating with orange? You have a very well-rounded representation of the dog family running through the desert. (Though I don't know what type of dog Sheltie is.) I started wondering if you might think 'in dogs', in a sense, since you seem particularly fond of them. And that each may represent a shade of your personality?

You mentioned a cross-bar in the 'A' which made me immediately think of a bicycle -- an inverted 'A' (sort of). Of course there is the 'A is for Amy' connection and simply A as a starting point. Whichever, it seems solid, stone and unmoving. You mentioned lazy?

I'd like to ask if crows are protectors or vultures to you?

Let us know what comes up. Hope that's a bit of a mind jogger for you.

Angela

Amy

16:35 23/11/1999 

The crows were more like vultures. I don't think they wanted to eat me or anything, just attack me. I am very lazy. A Sheltie is a small dog, like a little collie. She was the only small dog out of the pack. I'm used to seeing deserts as orange and brown, the stereotypical desert. Hope that helps. Thanks!

Lynn

08:31 24/11/1999 

Hi Amy,

I think your comment at the end "Not much is going on in my life. I'm stress-free and lazy." describes your dream well. Most people think of the desert as lifeless, filled with nothing. I think Angela's right about the big A, it could represent you. The fact that it's stone might represent stillness, stuck-ness. You're barefoot and wearing white. Barefoot might symbolize laziness- you can't go anywhere with no shoes, just be a beach bum. The white might be the lack of "color" in your life.

The four dogs running away. Three of the dogs are working dogs, bred for specific tasks. The sheltie could represent your emotional side (you love her very much). These dogs are leaving you- your ambitions, your emotions, leaving you.

Interesting you described the crows like vultures. Crows can be scavengers, like vultures, feeding on the dead. They are also symbolic in some cultures of the journey from the living to the dead.

They're attacking you. Are you feeling "dead"? Lacking stress in our lives isn't always a good thing. Why? because anything worth having comes with an amount of stress- a job, a relationship, even owning a pet. Are you feeling alone? Stuck in a lifeless position? Are you depressed?

Some thoughts.