Author

Subject: Earthquake

Anne

11:30 13/01/2002 

I had three dreams in one morning. The dreams were all in the same room, which I had never seen before. The room was a long (seemed narrow) room, with a fairly wide long table or bench along a wall. The room seemed to be dull, like all the blinds were closed, and appeared to be a dusky pink/red in colour, although that felt like more of a suggestion, than anything else.

I was sitting at this table with someone else. On this table were large tins (like the old tins that biscuits came in wholesale), a small yellow electric jug (china type) and some other things.

There was an earthquake, and with each dream the earthquake got bigger. I could see everything including table/bench and the left wall moving from left to right. The last dream about 6.15 a.m. was the worse and seemed to last well more than a minute in time.

It got so bad I stood up and was trying to save the electric jug and tins from falling, as I knew the jug would break.

The one and only earthquake I have experienced some years ago was in Aussie, but I found I had to lean against a wall to keep upright.

Dream edited for easier reading - JT, 2005

2004

Jane Teresa's View

Jane Teresa Anderson

Overview Interpretation & Dream Alchemy Practice suggestion

OVERVIEW INTERPRETATION

Hi Anne,

Earthquakes, when they are strong enough, can change the shape of the land. They shake our foundations. Places where we felt safe (at home) or where we felt in control (driving a car, standing on our own two feet) are threatened.

Earthquakes in dreams often represent shifting foundations at some level of our lives: physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. The world as we know it is shifting, changing – or we feel the threat of it.

An earthquake may appear in a dream to reflect your fear of change, rather than actual impending change. We need change in order to grow. Fear of change can leave us holding onto the past or trapped in control mode.

Your dream has two other symbols of potential change. One is the shape of the room. Long, narrow rooms (or hallways) in dreams often symbolise transition, being like a birth canal. Perhaps the dusky red/pink colours underline this, being the colours of flesh and blood. Potential change: will you birth a new way or stay with the old?

The other symbol of potential change is the falling jug because you “knew the jug would break” if you didn’t save it. Dreams do use word play and ‘break’ can express a breakthrough – or, a potential breakthrough in your case. Will you let the jug go and move on with the times, or will you save the old way?

There were old tins (the old way) emphasising the theme of old and new.

Are you faced with change in your life now, changes you fear? Do you seem to be continuously challenged to hold on to the old way, to keep some control over your life?

The yellow jug is a clue to what it is about your life that you are trying to save (that you feel you are losing). I’ve suggested a dialogue dream alchemy practice to help you identify it. Once you’ve identified what you’re trying to hold onto you will be able to identify the potential change you may be resisting. You will be able to examine that fear and see if it … I was about to type, “see if it holds water”, which is exactly what a jug does!

As you have experienced an earthquake in waking life, your dream earthquake may be a symbol connecting you to that time. What else was happening for you back then that might relate to the issues you are facing today?

DREAM ALCHEMY PRACTICE

Dialogue:

Your dialogue is between yourself and the yellow jug. Start with you saying, “What’s the best part of your job as a yellow jug?” and see what the yellow jug automatically answers. Keep it going for 20 minutes.

How to do this:

Give yourself no longer than 20 minutes. When you do this exercise do NOT think! Don’t plan ahead. Just let whatever happens happen. Let the two entities speak to each other on paper using whatever words come up. It’s a bit like writing a film script or play – but without the brain being involved.

How does this work?

By not thinking, by keeping the words flowing, you are letting your right brain and unconscious mind do most of the work. They created the original dream so they know what these symbols mean for you. They will reveal. You will be surprised.

More details on Dialogue as a Dream Alchemy Practice in: “Dream Alchemy”, by Jane Teresa Anderson, pages 321-4 and 333.

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

16:54 14/01/2002 

Earthquakes can sometimes indicate that a massive shake up is about to occur in your waking consciousness, great change is about to occur, or that perhaps there is fear of the changes you are presently going through.

Long rooms, hallways etc. can be similar to birth canals - perhaps this is indicating that a new way of being in the world, due to the inevitable shake up that is coming, will be born within you.