Author

Subject: The aware Drapes

Jazzed

08:28 26/01/2002 

I was taking care of three little boys; toddlers, probably a little over one year old; same size, same height.

They were my grandchildren but had been adopted. I remember wondering why I was helping out since technically they were not my real grandchildren.

In another scene of the same house and dream, I went into a room that had three tall windows covered with greenish/bluish drapes, similar to some I had many years ago. The drapes automatically closed themselves up since it was dusk. After that, they addressed me by name. I don't remember the exact words but it was something to the effect that I am so removed from things.

I don't remember any furniture in this room but perceived it as a bedroom. The three boys were not there.

Dream edited for easier reading - JT, 2005

2004

Jane Teresa's View

Jane Teresa Anderson

Overview Interpretation & Dream Alchemy Practice suggestion

OVERVIEW INTERPRETATION

Hi Jazzed,

The drapes told you that you are removed from things. In the first part of your dream you questioned why you were helping to care for your three grandchildren when they were adopted, not your “real” grandchildren. You were feeling removed from the children, because there was no “real” connection to you (genetically).

The three little boys are symbols for something in your life that you are feeling distanced from. As boys they most likely represent your Yang (outer world, left brain). There is a clue in their age: a little over one year. Think back a little over one year. What was happening then? What is it that has been in your life a little over one year that you are feeling distanced from?

Why three boys? There may be three things that have been in your life for a year, or the three may be an extra clue. For example, you may have started teaching a grade three class a year ago, or you may have started writing a trilogy or taken up playing the triangle. Think laterally when exploring number clues in dreams. Dreams use right brain language to express and communicate, so numbers can sometimes be creative symbols rather than numerical expressions.

We talk about adopting a diet or adopting a new attitude. Is this an expression you use? Dreams often play back our turns of phrase, portraying our clichés as visual puns. What ideas, plans or attitudes have you adopted in the last year, or what plans, ideas and attitudes have you been helping (as in the dream) other people to adopt? Can you identify something you have adopted that you are not really committed to, or that seems to lack a sense of reality and connection for you?

The three is repeated in the three tall windows. Windows can symbolise your view or perception, so perhaps they reveal something about your outlook on this current situation. The drapes reminded you of some you had many years ago: how many, exactly? What else was happening for you at that time? Was it a time when you became involved in helping someone or when you adopted a scheme or attitude and put heart and soul into it? Or was it a time when you first felt a sense of removal from something that you were involved in? As you recognised the drapes in the dream they are a clue to that time, and a clue to what is happening for you now.

The drapes automatically closed themselves and shut off the view. How did you automatically close off to something (your feelings?) in the past (when you had those curtains)? Ask yourself if you are currently distanced from an issue because it is an automatic (conditioned) response based on your past experience rather than one appropriate to today. It may be time to be aware, like the drapes, of an automatic shutting out of your feelings, a distancing. Once you are aware of your responses and understand where they originated, you can change them.

DREAM ALCHEMY PRACTICE

Writing Exercise

It’s time to draw back those curtains, add some daylight, and discover the views you have been automatically shutting out. Now, set a timer for 15 minutes and start writing or typing as fast as you can – with no room for thought – a story starting with. ‘Ah,’ the first curtain sighed, ‘It’s such a relief to be stand aside and share my view. Have a look”. Just let the words flow – a kind of stream of consciousness. Stop when the timer sounds. Read over your story at leisure. You will be surprised how much you learn from this.

How does this work?

By working with dream elements and symbols in writing form you are communicating with your unconscious mind in its own language to create change, to explore your feelings and to resolve and heal past issues.

More details on various writing exercises as Dream Alchemy Practices in: “Dream Alchemy”, by Jane Teresa Anderson, pages 337-338.

Jane Teresa Anderson

You can consult with Jane Teresa or her Dream Team and receive your interpretation by email within five working days.

ORIGINAL THREAD

Below is the original forum discussion on this dream, contributed before Jane Teresa's 2004 interpretation.

Star

20:21 26/01/2002 

Hi Jazzed, been a while - how are you??

Were the boys triplets or were there differences in their appearance i.e. hair colour, facial features etc.?

This is a real stab in the dark here BUT does this have anything to do with a belief you may have "adopted" at that age, that wasn't necessarily your own, which you have subconsciously taken on board, that has covered up your view of things and kept you detached/removed/in the dark/ which is now coming to a close - the end of it's day, to enable some sort of unification within yourself to now occur or perhaps once you see it,feel it, know how to change it will allow an inner unification to occur??

Can you remember what your life was like when you had the original drapes??

jazzed

22:43 26/01/2002 

Hi Star, How exciting that you remember me!!! You've asked some astounding, very appropriate questions that I need to ponder...

The boys were bondled up, it seems; I didn't really see their faces.

I had those drapes for a long time. My life was genarally happy, but with the usual ups & downs.

I'll think hard about this. Have a great day and thank you so much.

Jazzed

Star

04:33 27/01/2002 

My pleasure, as always Jazzed. :)

You may find some clues in your subconscious typo - bondled - I know you mean bundled - but in bondled you get bond led - bond as in ties that bind - led to what?

Not seeing their faces - anything to do with not just looking/taking things/seeing things/life anymore at face value alone - needing to face something - you can't clearly see or don't really want to see?

Needing to look below the superficial surface to gain a different view maybe?

Bundled up also indicates to me being bound up in some area, but a feeling of warmth and safety also comes to mind - like how warm and secure a really little one looks for those couple of months after birth when you do bundle them up in a sheet or a blanket so that when they twitch and move in their sleep they don't get a fright and wake themselves up cause they've been so used to the confines of the womb.

It's interesting you chose the word "drapes" rather than curtains. The expression of something being curtains as in the end of something also came into my head which reinforced the dusk/end of day theme.

One of my dictionary's meanings for drape is to position in a casual manner, another is to adjust in graceful folds. The boys were also draped in a sense by being bundled up.

So next question that springs into my head is - do you need to "adjust" your attitude in some area of your life into a more casual, graceful one.

Letting yourself just hang loose rather than being bound up/up tight about anything? Or perhaps needing to let go of something that is keeping you bound up???

The colour of the drapes is also another clue and speaks to me of healing, growth and perhaps needing to speaking your truth about something.

And last but not least if you had the drapes for a long time - to me that just reinforces the original thought I had about a subconscious belief/attitude you may have adopted which you have held onto about yourself for a long time that is more than likely no longer appropriate for you.

You have a nice day too and just a suggestion - don't think too hard, it will click in more than likely when you aren't thinking about it and least expect it.

Take care. Star.

guest

14:13 27/01/2002 

Thank you again, dear Star. I feel you're leading me in the right direction.

I like "adopted beliefs" but they're "bundled up" and I can't see them... So now I'm wondering if there's any clues in the dream as to what they are. And why would I choose 3 toddlers to represent my beliefs? If I adopted them at an early age, I wouldn't remember what they were... or are...

The drapes were in my bdrm. and now I'm no longer married. In the dream the room was bare... I also saw the clue in the colors, green & blue being symbolic of rebirth & liberty.

I feel there has to be a connection between the 3 boys, 3 windows, 3 pairs of drapes, but I can't think of any. I've probably 'adopted' more than 3 beliefs... Anyway, the no. 3 brings to mind body/mind/spirit; mother/father/child; holy trinity. None of these really fit as I see the dream.

Thank you for pointing out the 'closing/end of day/dusk'. I hadn't seen that. So hopefully I'm ready to let them go.

It's great to work this out with you, Star. Thank you so much. It's amazing how I start out thinking the dream was nonsense and I don't need to work it out. Then as I ponder it, all kinds of things turn up. Hah, the mystery of the subconscious! J

Star

15:14 27/01/2002 

Hmm.. you're not alone thinking dreams are sometimes nonsense - ha non sense - make no sense. Sorry, can't help myself. :)

I always find that absolutely everything I remember even it is makes no sense when I "wake" has a message for me.

Hey Jazzed I just got a flash about the old saying that things come in threes, maybe that fits somehow??

Besides what you already have for 3 it also relates to OPENNESS interesting considering we have closed drapes and they are telling you you have become removed - re-moved - re-located??

3 also relates to fun and self expression and to harmony - according to one of my sources. Is it time to get out there and have some fun??? Got any creative projects you are doing or want to do, anything that you want to do for yourself you aren't for some reason???

Any chance that you have become closed off a bit from others or feeling somewhat removed from others since you got divorced/became separated.

Do you remember about what time you had the dream, cause therein will lie more clues - was it between 3 - 5 am by any chance??

Seeing as you are wanting to get to the bottom of it perhaps you could also ask for another dream to give you the answer and then work with that.

It's always a pleasure working with others and their dreams Jazzed, especially so when feed back comes, you know others are grateful and people do actually want to do the work.

Hmmm.... I think many times it is what I live to do and besides my little one and my not so little one, it is my greatest passion in life - I JUST LOVE DREAMS - cause once we understand what they are telling us life is so much more fun and becomes a grand adventure rather than a bit of a grind, which you can actually make sense of.

Also find understanding the dreams makes our "processes" much easier to deal with.

Cya.

dianen

22:18 29/01/2002 

Hi Jazzed and Star,

Something about this dream really interested me. Jazzed, you're in good hands with Star as you already know. I've taken some of what you and Star have been talking about and gone at it "as if" it were mine. So I could be way off on some or all of it for you, Jazzed. But I enjoyed it and learned from it. So thank you!

To me when a dream uses spoken words instead of symbols, I think of it as more of a shout. That the subconscious has resorted to plain speech instead of the usual symbols indicates the importance of the message being clear. I have no basis for this other than my feelings about it. So if it were my dream I would feel compelled to start with "You're so removed from things" and look at the rest of the dream from that perspective.

If you look at "being removed", in the first segment you are removed from the boys in that you lack a blood relationship. You feel removed from them in a way that makes you question you're obligations to them. I've learned here that all dream characters represent a part of yourself, so these boys represent a very young masculine or yang side? I noticed your (three) associations to wholeness (the person; mind/body /soul, the family; mother/father/child, the holy trinity; Father/Son/Holy Spirit) with three. Could a removed attitude from a young male side of yourself be a barrier to wholeness? The boys are also draped and "hidden" from view. Subconcious. But your subconscious has brought them up as personal symbol of wholeness and noted out loud that it has been draped from consciousness. Removed.

In the second segment, the drapes close at dusk. This removes you from a view of the night/darkness/ subconscious? And you perceived yourself in the bedroom, where dreams/the subconscious become visible in sleep? (Also where you most often persue joining with yang consciously? Ha! What a boring description of sex!) But seriously, I am talking about connecting with yang energy. The age of the boys makes it hard. I would not be able to remember beliefs from that age. Any chance that as a little girl you may have been somewhat overprotected? Boys can be more active and outgoing in their curiosity about the world. Could you have felt discouraged from being more outgoing? Some energy bundled up? Bonded to your parents expectations of proper little girl behavior? This is a real stab in the dark, Jazzed. As always, my own stuff is mixed in.

What the segments have in common draws attention, so not only do you have the removals, but threes (or as I got from your associations, wholeness.) And your subconcious wants you to look at this.

There is a heck of a lot here to be interpreted and gotten from the details, I only wanted to share how I would start with it if it were mine. Again, all of the above is "as if" it were mine. And it isn't. So this framework may not work for you. Thanks for sharing such an interesting dream! I enjoyed going thru it, and if nothing else I learned a little about myself in the process.

Good luck, Jazzed! Diane

Star

06:23 30/01/2002 

Hi Diane - that's great!

What I love so much about the forum and when I work with groups is when others share their views. We all have so many different ways of seeing the same thing and so many styles of working with dreams. I tend to just disect the pieces from the symbols that jump out at me so when others share it always helps an even bigger picture to emerge and it always helps me gain even more understanding of the many different ways dreams speak to others. Thanks, I enjoyed what you came up with.

I love your "shout" theory!

I was thinking about the 3 connection in this yesterday and not only is the expression often used of things coming in threes but also third time lucky.

Good luck indeed Jazzed. Ha, for a dream that you were initially going to disregard as nonsense it contains some pretty valuable messages and insights. :)

dianen

10:58 30/01/2002 

Thanks, Star!

I've gotten so much from you on the forums for so long that it really makes me happy you enjoyed what I wrote.

Just a note on the "shout" theory; I only apply it to words that are spoken directly to me as the dreamer. Often when I'm a participant within a dream words are misleading and have to be taken in context. Which leads me to ask you, Jazzed, if the words felt spoken directly to you?

Cheers, Diane

jazzed

11:45 30/01/2002 

You guys are just great!!!! I've got so much help on this board. I love it.

Yes, Diane, the words were addressed to me; my name was spoken! I also feel this is the important part of the dream.

An interesting note: For the past few days I've been having a problem with my equilibrium accompanied by slight nausea. In Louise Hay's blue book, under the problem of dizziness or Vertigo she gives, as probable cause: "flighty", scattered thinking" and, get this, "A refusal to look". The message of the Drapes came back to my mind...

So the question is what am I removed from, what am I not looking at? Do you see any clues in 3 boys?

Yes, I was sheltered as a joung girl; my brothers had more freedom; but I honestly don't remember what it was like when I was 3 yr. old. I thought the 3 boys might represent an age when some part of me was repressed, like Star suggested, it's a possibility...

I liked your "removal from wholeness" Diane, and I must add that for a year & a half I've been on a new Spiritual Path whose purpose is integration & wholeness. So that's a good point.

Again, thanks a bunch love, Jazzed

Star

20:17 30/01/2002 

Hi Diane and Jazzed -

First off - Diane as Andrea just so beautifully showed me in the members forum - it is always a pleasure to be of "service" and it always inspires me when I actually know others gain something, no matter how small, from what I do share.

I am also pleased I am reflecting to you an aspect of your Self that makes you happy. :)

Seems to me the more we share the more we always see about ourselves/our Self and the quicker we remove our self imposed subconscious blinkers and external projections.

I gain so much here and in the members forum from what I myself and others post it's amazing and it would be great to see more posting their views, cause 10 people can stand around a tree and each will see it basically as a tree, but differently and that one different view can make all the difference.

I don't know if you have been following the Renovations thread Diane in the members forum but it's a biggy and Jazzed's dream and my responses to it, helped me with it immensely also. So a big thank you to you Jazzed.

I don't feel it is appropriate to share what it was about here mainly cause it is so long, but like all of us who participate here and in the members forum I too have my own subconscious blockages/barriers/fears I also need to see and move through and the sharing that does occur here and there always helps me do that quicker.

Jazzed all I feel I can add to what I've already said at this stage is much along the lines of what Diane has pointed out - unification, wholeness, 3 coming together as 1 (1 year olds).

When you add the 3 three's together you get 9 which like the end of day dusk theme indicates to me a coming to the end of a cycle and a new 1 (one) about to start. 9 is also the humanitarian number, selflessness, dedicating your life to others.

Perhaps maybe you are coming to the end of feeling removed/separated and the beginning of seeing a different view/things differently to the way you once did.

As I currently have in my life a just over 1 year old I am noticing that he is developing more independence - he now spends 3 days in Day Care most happily, whilst I work again and whilst still very much connected to me he is indeed starting the separation process from me.

In the last few days he has quite literally taken his first steps totally independant of assistance from furniture or our hands to help him balance - naturally he doesn't walk for many steps before he does loose his balance but his legs are getting stronger and he is balancing his upper body better.

For myself I found wholeness and my truth by working relentlessly with my dreams and then bringing that symbolic language into my "in my body reality" which most call "waking" reality. Seems to me however that what we call "waking" reality is more like being asleep for I have found we are most truly open, aware and awake in what we call sleep and dreams.

One other thing that struck me was the title you chose Jazzed The Aware Drapes.

Aware - awear. Clothing for me always represents my attitude/attitudes.

A ware is also a good or a thing ha, a good thing - trading wares/ exchanging ideas/ goods etc.batering.

Aware also means being awake - and a wake for me occurs after a death and becomes a celebration of life.

Oh and Jazzed whilst I really do appreciate you telling me I am great, it seems to me that I am merely a reflection of your own greatness which perhaps you maybe don't yet recognise/see within yourself.

G'nite and Blessings to you both.

Star.

Star

09:25 31/01/2002 

Oh my goodness Jazzed - could this also be about taking care of yourself???? -

Why I say that is because your opening statement is that you were taking care of the 3 boys - they being masculine aspects of Self - that appear in the world - body, mind, spirit + the fact that you didn't feel they were yours to take care of but you were doing it anyway.

Perhaps you may have become removed from loving and nurturing yourself just as you would a GRAND child. As always this applies to me also and how timely it is too!

Also what strikes me this morning is the reference I made to my son - about independence - not relying on others so much for his mobility/movement/ re- moved - which is for me at least linking in with what I just thought about.

What do you think??

dianen

03:06 01/02/2002 

Hi Star and Jazzed,

Oh yes, Star. I have been following all the renovations! Inspiring, powerful stuff. And I can understand how this thread could help you, as it has helped me. You know I don't respond to many posts. I read, but stay removed or withdrawn. So I ask myself "Why did I respond to this one?" I was DRAWN to this aware drape thread. I am AWARE of my drawn drapes. So now I'm thinking on how to change my drawn drapes to aware drapes and on to open drapes. Jazzed, do you see how much your dreamwork can help others?

Star, I was wondering when we would get to looking at "aware" in the post title! I'm glad you brought it up for Jazzed. It was such a personal trigger for me that I didn't feel I could address it. Well, I guess I just did.

Jazzed, what about trying a visualization with the boys? Imagine taking them out of the house on a warm, sunny day to a place that's so safe you won't need to be worried about what they get into. Perhaps a garden or a playground. Somewhere that you would have found fascinating at that age. Unbundle them for the bright, warm day. Let them explore and play. What a pleasure seeing kids just being themselves! They may ask you to play with them. Perhaps their faces will become clearer to you, or you may feel what they mean to you. Want to try it? Or make up one of your own?

Diane

Star

06:04 01/02/2002 

Hi Diane - I'm really really glad you have opened your drapes!

What a wonderful view you have!!!!!! Personally I'd love to see more of it. :)

"Jazzed, do you see how much your dreamwork can help others?"

Diane do you see how much your dreamwork can help others?

Just love your suggestion for a visualisation Diane - it's amazing just how effective they can be.

As Jazzed, I think, doesn't have access to the members forum - I feel like perhaps I should share what I got out of this one in connection with Renovations, so that we are not leaving her in the dark - (I think her??)

I saw the drapes as being a barrier to my work and so much of what I want to be happening in my life from opening right up due to an attitude I subconsciously had myself adopted in childhood.

I grew up in a situation of abuse Jazzed. I left home at 14 to survive, more abuse, rape, drug and alcohol abuse followed and so it went on and on until I became so ill at 28 from all I had suppressed I was quite literally dying. Due to Doctors telling me nothing was wrong despite a horrendous list of physical symptoms - the only solution they offered was Prozac which I refused - I began looking for causes, no longer treating symptoms and began a massive journey of self discovery. I desperately needed to find meaning in my life and a purpose for it cause suicide was a common thought. I could not have possibly understood what was going on for me without working with my dreams. I am now nearly 38.

After a couple of dreams and some fantastic input from some of the other members I realised that what Tom, fondly - I think, refers to as my Zena Warrior Nature - sometimes comes across (pulling drapes) as arrogance and brutal honesty.

Subconsciously I was, when I needed to speak my truth, coming from a place of defence and protection - the only way as a child I could fight back was with my words and they often cut like a knife. It was all I had learned. Subconsciusly expecting to be knocked down verbally or physically for saying what was truth for me.

Whilst I was believing I was coming purely from my heart with the best of intentions when I did need to speak my truth, what I realised was that I was also unknowingly coming from a space of de-fence (a barrier) and protection and when I went even deeper this was actually coming from fear and agression.

Then I saw that my subconscious invisible barrier would then be reflected back to me by others - they couldn't see who I truly was and where I was really coming from due to it - The Barrier would come up/they'd become defensive themselves and we'd both withdraw. Due to all this I have spent a great deal of time alone and whilst I don't mind being on my own I also want a balance of alone time and time spent with others which wasn't happening.

As Andrea pointed out there is NO ROOM to be coming from that space when you are working with others - particularly in my area of work.

I think one of the biggest lessons in that whole thread (and there were many) Diane was Jane Teresa's turn it around message in the last newsletter.

Many days I would think, why don't these people "out there" want to spend money to work with their dreams. I know I am good at what I do so what is their problem. WRONG WRONG WRONG - turn it around - what is within ME that is stopping those people coming to me. What barrier do I have up that they can't yet move through to reach ME. As always when we focus purely on the internal the external reflects our changes and shifts back to us beautifully.

Another thing that emerged was that due to my experiences as a child I have always felt like I am weird and different to most folks and I have never understood half of what occurs around me. A beautiful confirmation came to me in the past few days that I had changed this subconscious belief by working with the Renovations dreams when another said - so you are the special lady that does this as she pointed to one of my brochures.

Personally I don't see myself as being any more special than anyone else - BUT I saw from that that yes indeedy I do actually have gifts, skills and knowledge that is valued and that can be used to "serve", not "help" others. People are actually now paying me for my opinion and are interested in my viewpoint.

Once I truly got it big time - the phone has been running hot. Not just for enquiries about my work and several bookings but also from people I haven't had contact with for ages and many new people are beginning to enter my life.

Outer reflects inner always and I can't even begin to express the immense value of others sharing their dreams and views nor the depths we explore and go into in the member's forum.

Truly life changing stuff.

Star

06:22 01/02/2002 

Oh AND Jazzed I also saw from your dream that I was coming to the end of a cycle, that I needed to develop a more graceful, flowing attitude and that due to my subconscious barrier (your drapes) I had stopped movement in my life and had become somewhat removed/separated from others.

How timely it was too that my son who symbolises my love fully entering the world took his first three (see the link??) steps totally unaided and in perfect balance during this process.

3 has been a number that has always appeared for me when I am on the right track. Although it strikes me that there really are no wrong tracks (curtain tracks) as all lead to the same place within and we always get what we need when we need it most. The number 3 and multiples of it when they appear are like comfirmation signs for me.

Goodness me.... comfirmation links in with my childhood religious upbringing that I abandoned at 12 cause it made no sense to me.

jazzed

08:16 01/02/2002 

Dear Star and Diane,

I'm all chocked up from reading your posts... I could have never imagined my "drapes' would trigger so much, for so many people!

We're truly blessed to find all these synchronicities and clues that spark that feeling that will eventually lead us to discover more about our true selves. It's all about understanding ouselves and moving towards our higher self.

I send you love, Jazzed

Star

10:53 01/02/2002 

' Tis just brilliant ain't it, Jazzed???

I just gotta say..... :)

Re "wholeness" and finding truth for me - that came when I truly realised (real eyesed - saw) that I alone create my reality, that whatever I saw in another existed in me cause otherwise I just would not be able to see it. This helped when people I had become attached to left my life and whilst that often brought sadness I was able to see a little deeper and saw that they were symbolising to me that that part of myself was going - I wasn't like whatever they had symbolised for me anymore.

In effect we are all One, animals, trees, birds, plants, ocean EVERYTHING and it is often only our projective/seperate conditioning that stops us seeing that.

Absolutely everything exists of energy - moving molecules - appearing in different forms - it is just our perception of solidity that makes it so.

This also came for me when I knew without a shadow of doubt that absolutely everything and everyone who crosses my path/enters my reality be that supposed "awake" reality or "dreaming" which for me is as one as it is all part of my experience, has a message for me about myself, just that those messages were always rather cryptic until I knew what they were saying via their symbolism.

This brings to mind an incident that happened recently which I would like to share as an example - I was walking home with my son in his pram - a 'P' Plate teenage driver was coming towards us - he deliberately swerved off the road as if he intended to hit us and at the last minute turned away again, laughing the whole time.

My conditioned immediate re-action (re-acting of an old pattern) was you *!!!!***** MORON. Part of me felt like I wished he had of stopped so I could have torn strips off him. I didn't however move from where I was walking i.e. I had no fear that he would hit us, I just kept walking.

When I got home and digested this incident I realised the gift he had given me and was now most grateful for it - his actions were saying very loudly to me that in effect he was symbolising my teenage masculine energy and he was showing me that it was time for me to use the energy of that part of Self in order to "take a risk" about something I wanted to do in my life without fear, that would then enable me to come "home" to my true self.

Messages for our guidance are ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE in everything we encounter.

In effect I am you and you are me.

Love to you also too Jazzed - and boy am I ever so grateful you did post this dream of yours. THANK YOU!

Oh and by the way ..... at present it is absolutely pelting out the sky here and the frogs are being extremely vocal - my inner cleansing and transformation is indeed being reflected beautifully.

Blessings. Star.