DREAM THEATRES DREAM THEATRES OF THE SOULOF THE SOUL

Dr. Jean Benedict RaffaDr. Jean Benedict Raffa

www.souljourney.netwww.souljourney.net

Within each one of us Within each one of us

there is another there is another

whom we do not know. whom we do not know.

[S]He speaks to us in dreams.[S]He speaks to us in dreams.

Carl JungCarl Jung

Understanding Your DreamsUnderstanding Your Dreams

Your dreams are dramas created just for you.Your dreams are dramas created just for you. They show you the truth about yourself.They show you the truth about yourself. Their purpose is to guide you to health and Their purpose is to guide you to health and

wholeness. wholeness. Every dream has many layers of meaning.Every dream has many layers of meaning. Even fragments of dreams can contain important Even fragments of dreams can contain important

information.information.

The Five Dream TheatresThe Five Dream Theatres

EgoEgoPersonaPersonaShadowShadowAnimus/AnimaAnimus/AnimaSelfSelf

Theatre of the EgoTheatre of the Ego

Our ego is our organ of consciousness.Our ego is our organ of consciousness.Ego dreams are about our conscious orientation Ego dreams are about our conscious orientation to life and our relationship to the unconscious.to life and our relationship to the unconscious.Common symbols, themes, and images:Common symbols, themes, and images:– Personal growthPersonal growth (birth, change, problems, death) (birth, change, problems, death)– Ego’s way of moving through lifeEgo’s way of moving through life (traveling, being too (traveling, being too

busy, striving, hiding, being afraid, taking risks)busy, striving, hiding, being afraid, taking risks)– Ego’s relationship to instinctsEgo’s relationship to instincts (animals) (animals)– Ego’s relationship to emotionsEgo’s relationship to emotions (strong feelings, powerful (strong feelings, powerful

natural events)natural events)– Ego’s relationship to the rest of the psycheEgo’s relationship to the rest of the psyche (houses, (houses,

unknown characters, etc.)unknown characters, etc.)

Theatre of the Persona

Our persona is a filter our ego creates to mediate between our inner and outer worlds.Persona dreams are about our personality, social image, and social concerns.Common symbols, themes, and images:

Clothes, masks, costumes, makeup, being naked in publicPublic places where appearances are important (hotels, country clubs, spas, resorts, parties)Performance anxiety (being in a play, taking a test, missing a class, worries about pleasing, impressing, or disappointing others)

Theatre of the ShadowTheatre of the Shadow Our shadow is a composite of all our unknown, Our shadow is a composite of all our unknown,

repressed, disowned qualities.repressed, disowned qualities. Shadow dreams feature disliked or feared Shadow dreams feature disliked or feared

people, places, objects, experiences, and people, places, objects, experiences, and personal qualities.personal qualities.

Common symbols, themes, and images:Common symbols, themes, and images: Our ego’s fear of our shadowOur ego’s fear of our shadow (being afraid, running (being afraid, running

away, hating, avoiding, hiding, killing)away, hating, avoiding, hiding, killing) Our ego’s acceptance of the shadowOur ego’s acceptance of the shadow (confronting or (confronting or

befriending something that scares or disgusts us)befriending something that scares or disgusts us) Night; darkness; garbage; junk; scary people, places, Night; darkness; garbage; junk; scary people, places,

and situations; witches; vampires; dangerous animalsand situations; witches; vampires; dangerous animals

Theatre of the Animus and Anima• The animus/anima is our unconscious

contrasexual opposite.• Our dream ego’s relationships with people of

the opposite gender indicate how well we accept and honor our whole selves.

• Common symbols, themes, and images:• People, known or unknown, of the opposite sex• A negative, undifferentiated animus/anima (fearing,

hating, or being ill-treated by a person or people of the opposite sex)

• A positive animus/anima (being attracted to, fascinated by, befriending, or making love to someone of the opposite sex)

Theatre of the Self Theatre of the Self

• The Self is the center and circumference of our psyche.

• Self dreams depict our psycho-spiritual status.• Common symbols, themes, and images:

– Unusual, wise children or elders– Symbols suggesting pattern, wholeness, union,

centrality, love, the life-giving force– Psycho-spiritual issues (obstacles to climbing, fear of

heights, feeling alienated)– Psycho-spiritual maturity (full participation in

meaningful ceremonies, rituals or events; lucid dreams; levitation; androgyny)

To be psychologically free is to beTo be psychologically free is to beconfident in our own inner world,confident in our own inner world,

responsible for our own strengths and responsible for our own strengths and weaknesses,weaknesses,

consciously loving ourselves and, therefore,consciously loving ourselves and, therefore,able to love others.able to love others.

Dreams guide us in that direction,Dreams guide us in that direction,However crooked the path may be.However crooked the path may be.

Marion WoodmanMarion Woodman

One does not become enlightened One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by imagining figures of light, but

by making the darkness by making the darkness conscious.conscious.

Carl JungCarl Jung

Dreams are pathways to Dreams are pathways to an evolving an evolving consciousness.consciousness.

The beginning………The beginning………