Interpreting A Dream

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Getting Started
The first step is to break the dream down by sentence {and paragraph in longer dreams}. Then take the images and actions {symbols} from each sentence and amplify/reduce their possibilities using the best application that fits a continuing narrative with your personal emotional life {for assistance consult the Dream Dictionaries}. Take the results and put them into a narrative where the interpreted images form a coherent statement/story. Compare that to your actual life. If it fits it is most likely a proper interpretation.

Analyzing A Sample Dream: Crazy Insane Man
Dream: A man walks into a cell, confronting his friend who suddenly went insane. the cell is filled with knee high water, the man enters wading in the water, his friend sits in the water at chest height. The room is dark, barely any light, the walls blackened and rusted.
This is my original analysis as posted at the Power of Dreams Dream Forum

This is a dream by a 23 year old female posted on the Power of Dreams Dream Forum {Two Odd dreams}. It is my analysis of the opening paragraph of the dream but goes to the emotional state of the dreamer's psyche and pretty much laid out what the dream message was {my analysis was verified by the dreamer in her response}. The dreamer was able to recognize from the amplification of the symbolic images and actions how they fit with her actual life experiences and personal psych{ology}.

Note: The only information I had about the dreamer was her age and gender {as is the case with most all dreams posted at the Dream Forum}. Using this method of amplifying the images and actions I am able to provide an outline of the emotional energies that govern the dreamer's emotional life. This is generally sufficient for the dreamer to recognize the associations between the amplified images/actions and their personal life. My analysis of the opening paragraph {which lays the ground for what the dream is about} was enough for her to recognize the associations {her response was, "You hit the nail on the head"}.


Amplification of Symbols/The Images & Actions
Dream: Crazy Insane Man Dream

Click on words in red will take you to that word in dream dictionary
1-man walks into cell-going through life being held prisoner by masculine aspects/male experiences
---man-masculine aspect {she being a female}
---walks-progressing through life
---into cell-held prisoner {cell} by inner emotions {into}

man-masculine aspect
This would represent inner masculine aspects in a female {Jung's animus} as well as a literal male in the dreamer's life . As an inner masculine aspect the female dreamer is held hostage to what was lacking in her relationship with a particular male {in this case and as in many cases her father} which can influence relationships with men in later life.

As for the literal application. We know from the dreamer's response {see Dreamer's Response} there were serious issues with her father. These issues with her father are the emotional energies, the inner masculine aspects, that affect her life as an adult. The man in a literal application would likely be her father
Note: As an analyst I would need to know the personal information from the dreamer's response about her father to state who the man is. Otherwise I could only provide an outline of masculine aspects and not the literal application

walks
Walking in a dream usually means progression in life. Because of the emotional issues/relationship with her father as well as the inner macsuline aspects that have been negatively affected by the relationship the dreamer's progression has been 'adulterated', weakened. Her life has been greatly affected by the experiences and relationship affecting progress in life and likely affecting personality.

into cell
A cell is where you are held prisoner {link to cell will take you to word prisoner}. Emotionally she is being held prisoner by the negative relationship with her father. I noted the 'into' because it would point inward, a psychological condition more so than a literal prisoner {although there may be associations related to her present relationship with her father which is 'constrained'}.

Translation: Going through life being held emotionally prisoner {cell} by negative inner masculine energies brought about by the negative relationship with her father

2-confronting his friend who suddenly went insane-rejected masculine aspect/retreat from reality/aspects that are out of control
---confronting
1] emotional aspects/inner and outer masculine conflicts that need acknowledgement/resolution
2] literally confronting a male you have repudiated {his friend}
---his friend-rejected masculine aspects {when acknowledged will lead to healing/positive aspect}
---suddenly went insane-redrawal from reality/waking ego life

Additional Amplification
confronting-a conflict or a fear the dreamer is facing in her waking life and one that needs acknowledgement. Possibly a need to confront an actual male in her life that is or has caused emotional distress {father}

his friend-inner masculine aspects that have been diminished/rejected which in her waking life could cause a 'diminished' perspective of herself {such as low self esteem}. Once these issues are confronted and resolved the masculine/animus aspects becomes a 'friend'. The dream is attempting to help resolve the masculine issues.

suddenly went insane-personality issues as a result of male experiences and inner masculine aspects. When yo go insane you withdraw from normalcy. This can cause a loss of control over her conscious life.

Translation:

3-cell is filled with knee high water-consciously restriction with unconscious energies causing feelings of inadequecy
---cell-restricted aspects in personal growth
---filled-total self full of emotional energies
---knee high water-small part of self controlling your emotions

Additional Amplification
cell-the restricted aspects related to masculine/male issues affecting personal growth. An inner prison.

filled-her whole life has been affected by the negative experiences.

knee high water-water is a common symbol for the unconscious and emotional energies. These are unconscious energies {related to masculine aspects} affecting personality, attitudes and her life in general. Possible issues with overall masculine relationships. The knee represents the level of emotional energies which results in feelings of inadequacy {low self esteem}. Issues of power/control are involved, of her own inner aspects and possible power/control of her father {or the relationship with him}.

Translation:

4-man enters wading in the water-masculine aspects controlling emotions
---man enters-surreptitious {unconscious} energies infiltrating masculine aspects
---wading in water-power and control {wading} of unconscious energies {water}

Additional Amplification
Translation:

5-his friend sits in water at chest high-emotionally submissive to unconscious rejected aspects of inadequacy
---his friend-rejected/imposing masculine aspects
---sits-passive/submissive
---in water-unconscious energies
---chest high-level of the heart/emotions

Additional Amplification
Translation:

6-the room is dark-a specific aspect exists in the unconscious
---room-a specific aspect
---is dark-exists in the unconscious

Additional Amplification
Translation:

7-barely any light-scarce understanding/illumination
---barely-scarce
---any light-illumination

Additional Amplification
Translation:

8-walls are blackened and rusted-barriers and limitations that exist in the unconscious causing damage because of neglect
---walls are-barriers/limitations exists
---blackened-unconsciously
---rusted-neglected/damaged

Additional Amplification
Translation:

Summary of Total Analyzed Parts
1-going through life being held prisoner by masculine aspects/male experiences
2-rejected masculine aspect/retreat from reality/aspects that are out of control
3-consciously restriction by unconscious energies causing feelings of inadequacy
4-masculine aspects controlling emotions
5-emotionally submissive to unconscious aspects of inadequacy
6-a specific aspect exists in the unconscious
7-scarce understanding/illumination
8-barriers and limitations that exist in the unconscious causing damage/feelings of inadequacy

Summary of Opening Dream Statement
You are going through life being held prisoner by emotional energies related to masculine characteristics*/characters. These controlling energies cause a retreat from reality because they lead to a loss of control of your emotional self. Consciously this results in feelings of inadequacy. There is a specific unconscious aspect, probably the result of a negative experience{s} in life, that consciously you are not aware of {at least not fully} that is the cause of the feelings of inadequacy.

Comments
The feelings of inadequacy are usually the result of early life 'learning'/experiences. The masculine aspect would be, on one level, a lack of development with/in masculine aspects {example: not having a father in early life or a father that did not fulfill his proper role which causes a lack of inner masculine traits}. On another level it could point to actual negative masculine experiences which psychologically are at the center of your feelings of inadequacy {self esteem may be a more appropriate word}. These experiences have caused limitations to your personal growth which is essential in living a fulfilling life. You can not reach your potential as long as these energies exist.

Let me know your thoughts as I work on the rest of the dream. In my analysis of this dream I am testing how well consulting my dream dictionaries works. I am in the process of creating a page{s] that will allow a person to analyze/interpret their own dreams using my dream dictionaries. Thus far, from the amplification of the opening sentence, the results looks good.

Dreamer's Response to Analysis
You hit the nail on the head. This dream was from years ago I was roughly 17 at the time, sorry if I didn't include that information. I was going through some heavy mental health issues, some had steam from the situation I was in living overseas. Some from a divorce with my parents, and some from childhood issues with my father.

My Mother always recounted our good relationship as mother and daughter, she said my father was jealous of it. Things only became worse when I grew older. At its zenith, I seriously began to retreat into a fantasy world, recreating a world I wanted in a virtual reality game.

During this time, the nightmares had started too. They weren't as violent until between 16-22 years of age. However, they did wake me up in the middle of the night, feeling as though I was going to vomit.

I'm not going to discuss anymore personal details than that, its just to add context to what you had analyzed. Which is completely correct.I understand this is a dream interpretation forum, not a place to air out all my grievances. And honestly I have been getting better, I'm pretty much over the mental health issues, a few things pop up here and there though.

Thank you for your time and analyses.
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