The Id Detangler

"Owies" and a Hair Dryer

2012-04-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

The Id Detangler is back to break the code of a very special dream!

This dream came as a painting request for my other blog, Panda Licking on a Light Bulb: A Paint on Demand Blog.

Here is what I was sent via email by Manola to paint and interpret (obviously part of text conversation):

Whenever I have a dream about someone, I contact them the next day to let them know. Sometimes when I'm telling them the dream, suddenly the meaning becomes clear to me and I get a little embarrassed if it reflects on them negatively. It's like saying, "hey, subconsciously I think you are an ass".

Whoever sent Manola this dream should not be embarrassed. It obviously comes from a caring friend.

Artists rendering of "Super" confronting an intruder.

Here is my interpretation:

The dog "Super" is new and wounded. It is in a very vulnerable position but it is obviously well loved by the ridiculously positive name someone gave it. The new owner is healing "Super" and teaching it tricks to keep it safe. The tricks may be all smoke and mirrors, but they might work. Who knows?

This dream is about recovery in some way. I think Manola is represented by both the owner of the dog and the dog itself. She is healing whatever wounds that the dreamer feels she has and learning new, but questionable, tricks to help her move forward.

-OR, another possibility -

The dreamer hates dogs and wants to see them injured and working as slaves in beauty salons. If this is the case the dreamer is really mean. A total ass.

As far as I'm concerned it could go either way, it's your call.

Waiting on a Quiet Night in the Southwest...

2011-01-28T10:47:00.000-08:00

This Dream is from Ms. M in Minneapolis

DREAM, Part 1:

I was alone in the dessert Southwest area. I seemed to be wandering with no apparent destination. (John, in real life, I do not like the SW area & I avoid earth tones.)

I was cooking broccoli & cauliflower in separate pans for someone. (The sun was setting as I sat there waiting for a woman (?) to return for dinner. I never saw who she (?) was, but I remember talking to her earlier in the day, as we were engaged in some type of work.

Real Butter!

3 older people, 1 man, 2 women (with very wrinkled faces) got in cars & left. 1 older woman, very wrinkled face, serious look & no smiles. Dressed in layers, very colorful. As she walked to her car (or was she just walking home, I never saw a car), I noticed she changed into a pair of new mid-calf moccasins. She seemed to wander around all day until she changed her shoes & went home.

I was waiting for someone to return for dinner. It was dusk outside.

There was REAL butter on the veggies & I could taste them just by looking at them.

I was looking out the window of the small, brown, adobe home. It was a nice, warm evening with no bugs. (John, in real life, I hate being outside when there are bugs flying around.) I enjoyed the food aromas while I water for whoever. It was peaceful & quiet except for the sounds outside - - birds, insects but no people sounds.

I didn’t notice what I wore.

THEN THE ALARM WENT OFF!!

Well, Ms. M, this is really a pleasant dream. It is quiet and warm... with food that smells good. Even if you don't like the Southwest, this has to sound pretty good to someone in Minneapolis in January. I want to live this.
Being alone and wandering in the desert seems like it should be scary but you don't describe it that way. You are alone, but are waiting for something good. An ambiguous friend that you are cooking for.

However, there is the strange appearance of the wrinkled people. But they were leaving anyway, so good riddance to them.
... and the woman with layers of bright colored clothes and moccasins? The only people that I know who dress like that are aging social workers. (The sour face ??? Burned out.)

Overall, I think this is you looking toward the future with hopeful eyes.
Good work dreaming!

This week's recommended listening for increased dream activity...
Search Amazon.com for sun ra

Uncomfortable Rest Room Situation!

2010-12-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a dream sent to me from Canada:

I have a tenaciously recurring dream, or set of dreams, that I was hoping you could help me untangle.

These dreams involve me being in a huge house, usually as a guest. I wander through a series of rooms, searching for something. What I am seeking is unclear. Often it seems like I am checking out every bedroom, trying to decide where I most want to sleep. I am on my own, but sometimes there are people in some of the bedrooms. It is like some big summer camp or sleepover; people are staking out their spots. The mood is more or less creepy/ominous/suspenseful. I am not really afraid, but there is the sense that I do not know what I will find. Sometimes I am actually scared, especially if I wander into a bathroom. The worst is when the bathroom will suddenly be a huge public washroom with multiple toilet stalls and showers. There are other people there, but I don't talk to them and try to avoid them. The place is filthy, and I am just trying to find a place to pee or shower, all the while trying to look casual so nobody knows how horrified I am. Sometimes the bathroom is not a part of the house dream. Sometimes it is all about some secret attic room. I get the feeling this room is mine, like some inner sanctum, but getting there is very scary and dangerous. There are rickety ladders and that kind of thing. Sometimes I find unexpected rooms and even whole suites or apartments. I consider moving into them.

What do you think it means?

In dreams, houses are said to represent the self and walking through houses is a way of exploring your metaphorical "rooms". I tend to agree with this. Unfortunately, you are uncomfortable or scared in many of these rooms.I think this dream is about your uncertainty of self and your trying to find your place in the scheme of things. It is a search for your true self, which here seems to be the attic (which is certainly better than it being the basement).
The other people here? Maybe they are foreign influences that you should make peace with but are ignoring. OR maybe they are other aspects of yourself that you need to address but are tiptoeing around.

Artist's "expressive interpretation" of uncomfortable rest room situation.

What is the bathroom stuff about??? Being in the shower or on the pot is a very vulnerable time. In these circumstances we are unprepared for ... well almost anything except the task at hand. And public rest rooms can smell and be disgusting. I don't know about that part, I'll leave it up to you...

8ft Tall Inflatable Vegas Showgirl

2010-11-29T07:35:00.000-08:00

This colorful dream was sent to me by Todd in Newport, Minnesota:

My wife and I are driving in a beat up old BMW through a snow storm on a slushy back dirt road. There are three Tiger/bears (hybrids?) chasing us, one on either side crashing through the forest and one right on our tail. We narrowly escape and pull into the empty parking lot of a roadhouse.

I pull around back and we enter through a loading dock. We go through a doorway that is to a dressing/prep area for the band, there are guitars and such sitting around. A waitress enters through another door, and tells us we need to go around to the front. When we step outside some people 5 or 6 are gathered just hanging out smoking cigarettes and talking, we join them.

Down the road a couple of old 70's era ragged looking big V8 4 doors come roaring into view. The lead car has a tire blowout, and they both pull into the rear lot. The driver in the car with the flat gets out and stoops down to inspect the tire, the driver from the second car starts hoopin and hollerin and starts dry humping the first drivers back, which gets him some high fives from the other 6 or so people that were in the two cars. They end up joining us, they seem to know everyone. Then a commercial van, like they use to deliver bread pulls into the lot and a guy with a bullhorn gets out, joined by musicians. They pull an 8ft tall inflatable vegas showgirl out of the back of the van, and then start handing out beer to everyone, it seems as though it is some sort of promotion. It turns into a big party with everyone dancing. Then I woke up and thought wtf was that all about?

Visual interpretation of "Inflatable Showgirl" by Brooke Dale

Well, Todd, this could be pulled apart into tiny pieces and put under a microscope... but I don't think that's necessary.
In my mind, this is two dreams melded into one. The first is about driving through the woods and having bear/tigers chasing chasing you. This looks like the start of a classic anxiety dream. BUT, you are able to turn it around. In the second part, you morph the dream into a partying dream with everything from rock bands, to 70's muscle cars, to dry humping, and showgirls. This is what I would call an entertainment dream. Just for fun. Your mind at this point is just having playtime.
So, Well done! Nice way to avert unnecessary anxiety!!!

In general, I don't believe that there is always one definitive answer to what a dream is about. There could be many valid interpretations that hit upon different areas of subconscious thought. If you feel that you have an alternate interpretation to any of the dreams on this blog, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.

An Emerald Beetle.

2010-11-24T08:33:00.000-08:00

Here is a dream sent to me from Terr in the UK:

My fella had a dream the other night that has left me a bit worried.

He dreamt that he was gardening with his dad (dead since 2008) and he was using his hands to dig through some leafy detritus when he felt pain on his middle finger (right hand). He turned over his hand to see what was causing this and saw an emerald green beetle with large black pincers clamped into his finger near the base.

Using his left hand he flicked the beetle off hard. The finger began spurting blood violently. He was going light headed because of the lack of blood. Next his dad was driving him to the hospital. His finger was still spurting blood, and it was fading in and out from view, like a ghost disappearing in movies.

I have tried to work out what this means, but I think I'm too close to be objective. What are you thoughts on this dream?

Despite the all of the blood, I actually think this is a positive dream.
Your fella and his father are gardening, which is literally a life giving practice and is a bonding thing to do together. He feels pain and in the middle finger of his right hand. This is possibly symbolizing the the pain he has from losing his father. Sometimes in dreams we have the realization that what is happening is not real, can not be real. Possibly at that moment he realized that his father is no longer with him in the real world, hence the pain. The spurting blood is a visible sign of the loss. The loss of blood symbolizing the loss of family.
But, the positive spin here is that his father brings him to the hospital. He is caring for your fella. The hand fades and comes back? Maybe a letting go.

Chart of Pressure Points on the Hand

Why the middle finger of the right hand? For most people the right hand is the dominate and injury to it is a great loss. Also, in acupuncture, the tips of the fingers are the pressure points for the sinuses and head. If your fella has sinus problems it could have made it's way into his dream. I think that there is sometimes a back and forth between the images in your dreams and your real sleeping life. This could be an influence.

Regardless, I see this dream as being about positive growth! ...which sometimes can be a little bloody!

A car that drives itself.

2010-11-20T09:43:00.000-08:00

Here is a dream sent to me by Ashley in Minneapolis:

So this is the first dream I can remember ever having-- it's stuck with me since I was four.

In the dream, my mom and I were driving in a car that drove itself. We had no control over it. It brought us to a clinic where we were escorted into a white-tiled room with lots of doctors in white lab coats. They led my mom over to a sink where they used water from the faucet to wipe away her eyes and her mouth.

That's pretty much it.

This is a dream about not being in control. A "car that drives itself" represents you and your mother allowing yourselves to be guided by the hands of fate. It brings you to doctors, who are authorities on how to care for yourselves. But instead of helping your mother, they wipe away her eyes and mouth, important sensory organs to allow her to know what is happening and respond to it. The doctors render her powerless to take control of any situation.

Essentially, this dream is about feeling out of control and at the mercy of authority figures who are not helping.

-OR-

Visual interpretation of "car that drives self" by Brooke Dale.

You have subconsciously masterminded a new devise that allows cars to drive themselves, giving us all more ease in our lives. The doctors got rid of that pesky mouth and those annoying eyes and finally your mother can get some rest without worrying about outside stimuli . In this case, it could be a relaxation dream...

But I think the first is more likely...

A Found Dream!

2010-11-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a vintage found dream for you to contemplate:

Click image to enlarge

Leave a comment with your own interpretation...

A beautiful bag lady.

2010-11-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

This dream was sent to me by Karen in Pittsburgh:

I had a long dream about the West 4th Street subway station. My old writing teacher was a beautiful bag lady with a shopping cart full of [I don't recall]. There was all this scaffolding on both sides of West 4th Street near NYU so it felt a little like a trap. (Does this mean I have poison ivy?)

A beautiful bag lady? This is something new to me. But why not? I guess you can be a hoarder and a hottie.

What makes this dream difficult is that we don't know what the writing teacher is hoarding? Is it something of value.... or the usual bag lady crap (heaps of smelly cloths, aluminum cans, an old air conditioner... useless stuff.)???
If her collection is of value, then it may be that you feel this teacher had a lot to offer but it didn't get either of you very far.
If it is junk, then maybe you feel ripped off by your education. Either way, this is a frustration dream.

Woodcut depiction of a "Bag Lady", circa 1999.

...and do you have poison ivy? I honestly am not sure what this means. I looked it up on UrbanDictionary.com and these are the 2 slang definitions that may be applicable here:

The gentrification of Ivy League cities.

Many host cities of Ivy League schools are being taken over by the university's. They are buying up property's and the local residents are being pushed out. Locals call it a bad case of poison ivy.

The eminent domain of Columbia university case in West Harlem is a side effect of "poison ivy".

.... or ...

2) a word used by young women, usually in groups, to announce that they will be flashing their breasts.

So if your referring to the first then, yes, I think you may have a case of poison Ivy.

If you are talking about the second... well... I don't know... what kind of school did you go to???

Lift your tricycle over your head!

2010-11-11T07:49:00.000-08:00

Ashley from the UK sent me an incredible email that detailed 11 challenging dreams! I'll detangle one every now and then. Here is #5 on his list:

Last night, I dreamed I was in the USA and walking through a ravine type landscape. Lots of loose rocks etc. Then I saw a mountain lion come running down a hill straight past me at speed. Almost immediately behind it was a massive over sized cougar chasing it. The cougar was enormous, much larger than usual and it also had huge whiskers.

The cougar stopped and began to come towards me to attack. It would easily have eaten me alive there and then. I managed to see a child's tricycle nearby and picked it up. I swung the tricycle at the cougar to put it off, then held the tricycle above my head to make me as large as possible.

At that point a truck drove past and the cougar ran off.

I think it's fair to say that this is a fear-based dream.

You are in a foreign country, far from home in an open landscape littered with rocks. The ground beneath you is literally unstable. (... and rural America can be a little scary). This is a situation of extreme vulnerability.

Artists depiction of tricycle strategy

So what do you do at the point of attack??? ...you find a tricycle...???? Okay, weird, but you use what is available to to protect yourself. The tricycle will probably not really be useful in fighting the cougar but it creates an illusion that buys you time until the cougar is scared off.

So, to make it clear, I think this dream is about an unstable situation in your life which could get scary. You're not sure if you have the tools to deal with it so you have to fake it with what you have. That's life for all of us, right?

If I were you, I'd lift the tricycle over my head! My tricycle is way up over my head. It seems to work...

Sliding down a hill... with a knife...

2010-11-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Allen sent me this dream....

Last night I was sliding down an extreme hill/mountain, kind of like an ice tunnel, with a huge knife, in order to save a small girl who tried to slide down it...I did save her, then carried her up the hill.

Well, Allen, this starts like a classic anxiety dream, steep hill, someone in danger... however, you do quickly take control of the situation. You did save her, so anxiety averted!

And you have a knife? Sliding down a hill???? A grown man sliding down a hill after a child with a knife in his hand is a scary image. (You weren't intending to rob that girl, were you? Kids don't carry much money.)

Artists depiction of Allen "saving" young child.

Here's how I'm going to break it down. Your fear and vulnerability is being represented by the child. You on the sled with the knife is a confident reclaiming of an anxiety causing situation. You went into battle and indeed you came out on top. Well done!!!

...OR... you really get a thrill scaring kids with knives. So, just in case, I'm keeping a safe distance... and please forget my email....

Como Zoo is Drowning

2010-11-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new Dream Interpretation blog! The first dream comes from Laura. Here's what she sent me.

All I remember of last nights hellish journey through dreamland was this:

A groundskeeper at Como Zoo standing there watering the already flooded and over saturated grounds, which were atmospherically miserable...cold, dreary greens.

Bad. What do you think?

Yeah, that sounds pretty bad, Laura. I love how dreams like this can be scary without anything really scary happening. A groundskeeper watering? ...But it is creepy.

Water is essential and life giving and a zoo is usually connected to fun, and again, teaming with life. (Except for the depressingly cramped giraffe ironically named "Sunny" and the obsessive compulsive polar bear that won't stop repeating the same movements and tapping the same piece of wall with the same paw over and over again.) In your dream, what should be life giving is drowning life.

Artist's rendition of "Sunny" in carelessly flooded Como Zoo

So, to spell it out, you feel like something that should be good for your life is instead suffocating and damaging the ground you stand on.
... or your having bladder problems and hate the disgusting restrooms at the zoo. Take your pick.