Author

Subject: swimming in the ocean

Patricia

11:52 11/11/2001 

I was swimming way out deep in the ocean with a friend I'm very fond of. There was no sight of land but there was no anxiety. It was a peaceful, relaxed feeling. Suddenly an enormous whale berthed beside us. It was so close I was worried about our safety. For some reason it seemed to have huge stumpy legs allowing it to be mobile on land. It simply rose to the surface, blew air and gracefully sank beneath the water again and was gone. And we were still safe.

Dream edited for easier reading - JT, 2005

2004

Jane Teresa's View

Jane Teresa Anderson

Overview Interpretation & Dream Alchemy Practice suggestion

OVERVIEW INTERPRETATION

Hi Patricia,

The ocean often represents the unconscious in dreams. Here you are, far from the conscious world (the land), way out in the depths of your unconscious, feeling relaxed and peaceful with your friend. You say that you are very fond of this friend. Why? What are your friend’s special qualities? You might answer, for example, “trusting and creative”. Your answer defines the characteristics you can cultivate, within yourself, to safely explore your own depths. In the example, a sense of trust or creativity will safely guide you.

The whale, being the largest animal to inhabit the ocean, often represents the unconscious too. About 10-15% of your awareness is believed to be conscious, leaving an awesome 85-90% of your being locked away in your unconscious mind. Witnessing the beauty of a whale in a dream is like witnessing the beauty and awesome size of your own unconscious mind.

By definition, once an unconscious truth becomes apparent to you it is no longer unconscious, at least for the time you allow it to remain. Your dream whale surfaced from your unconscious and had legs ready to walk on land, to become a part of your conscious landscape.

It’s interesting that you saw your whale as berthing beside you, rather than just breaching or swimming alongside. Berthing has a sense of synchrony and harmony, of moving as one with you, yet you were worried about your safety as if its size may have pulled you under. Your dream shows a concern about what you might discover below your surface. Dreams express themselves using wordplay and berth may signify birth: what is birthing within you, what you are capable of creating and your fears around this.

Tapping into your depths may produce some creative ideas that “have legs”, as dreams also play with clichés and your whale had legs. You glimpsed your whale. Although it had legs it sank back below the surface again. The dream ended with you saying you were “still safe”. Can you build on that sense of safety to birth something from the depths of your unconscious and let it work for you in your world?

You will find it helpful to read ‘The awesome wild animal’ in Dream Alchemy, pages 150-6.

DREAM ALCHEMY PRACTICE

Affirmation:

Here’s an affirmation using your dream symbols:

“I am relaxed and safe as my whale berths beside me and as we swim-walk peacefully onto the land.”

How to use your affirmation/ and how often:

Say your affirmation out loud and with feeling 30 times a day for the first week. From the second week say your affirmation out loud and with feeling once in the morning and once before you go to sleep for three more weeks.

How does this work?

This works by communicating directly with your unconscious mind using its own language, to transform the belief your dream is revealing.

More details on Affirmation as a Dream Alchemy Practice in: “Dream Alchemy”, by Jane Teresa Anderson, pages 331-333.

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.

Chris

12:59 11/11/2001 

just remember that the ocean is usually symbolic of our deepest emotions...wales are great couse for me ..generally they show me how best to travel through and live with my emotions. Your wale had stumpy legs that helped it stand and come up for air...... Do you feel the need to get grounded also...are you too emersed in emotions right now. You said felt at ease with no sight of land...perhapos the dream was simply a confirmation that you are on the right track..... Also ..friends are reflections of you...what did this friend mean to you...how would you see that person considering he/she is actually a part of you... Just some thought....hopoe they help

Star

18:16 11/11/2001 

Hi Patricia - agree with Chris and thought this may interest you.

Whale is known as "Record Keeper".

Whale is very much like a swimming library and is said to carry the history of Earth as it is said to be a mammal that very possibly lived on land millions of years ago.

Whale teaches us to use the sounds and frequencies that balance our emotional bodies and heal our physical forms.

Humans are the only creatures who do not have our own unique cry or call. Finding ours and allowing our voices to use that sound will release tension or emotion.

Whale signals a time of finding our origins, and of finding the sounds that will release the records of our destiny stored in our DNA.

Whale....

Of mighty oceans, You have seen it all. Secrets of the ages Heard within your call.

Teach me how to hear your words, And how to understand, The very roots of history, Of when our world began.