recurring dream

As I wrote in my first post, my search for the meaning of existence moved from an outer journey to an inner journey that I am traversing to this day. However, there is an intersection where outer and inner meet and this is in dreams. Dreams have helped me throughout my life. They have helped me towards growth, and guided me away from danger. My last therapist, Anthony Lunt, was the person who helped me to deepen my understanding of my dream life. I even had a dream that told me I should see him for therapy before I knew much about him.

The dream life of human beings used to be taken very seriously in ancient times, where special places were used to help people “incubate” their dreams for spiritual guidance from the Gods. There were priests who would facilitate this process, and those who sought this guidance would stay until a message was received. Sadly, today, our dream lives have been reduced down to books that give a generalized meaning for dreams, and many of us do not take their guidance seriously. When a client brings a dream, in my private practice, we look at the meaning uniquely to them and not a general interpretation.

I have had a series of dreams, or it could be a recurring dream, over the past 10 years, where outer life and inner life meet. Each dream starts off differently. In one version, I am on a road, or path, at the bottom of a town, like an Italian hill top town. I turn left and there are a row of houses down a narrow street. I am searching for the Piazza, or centre of town, to get to the market. I another version, I am in the same town, but turn right. The path leads down to a beach, with cafes and people all around. I realize that I need to get back up the hill to search for the Piazza. Every dream is in the same town, with the same aim of getting to the centre. I just keep taking different roads. Like a maze, the streets lead me further into the town; some lead nowhere and I have to turn back, others lead me closer to my destination. The town is beautiful, full of flowers and cafes, and small shops. I don’t recognize any of the people, but they are friendly and welcoming. Each dream ends the same way – I become aware, or conscious, that I am getting close to the centre and then I wake up.  The Piazza eludes me to this day! However, I wake up feeling really well, like I’ve been to a place that I am meant to be in.

What I find interesting about this dream is that I have never been to a hill top town in Italy; I have only been to Rome. So, why is the Dream presented to me in this “place” and not in a town that I have spent time in? Hill top towns were built for defense purposes, so I wonder what this is telling me. Another thought is the maze-like quality of the town. Mazes can represent a spiritual path, and a puzzle to be solved, to get to the centre. And this is what makes the most sense to me. The town is a representation of myself, and I am trying to get to my own centre; the centre of my life. It is a continuous journey, but the mystery of my life, and possibly of Existence, still eludes me. But it is not a meaningless undertaking. I wake up feeling like I am in a place I am meant to be in, and this journey brings me a feeling of well being and, on deeper reflection, as sense of inner peace.

Perhaps Italy holds this place for me as a manifestation of the Dream on Earth. I am not sure, but a trip to Italy may be needed for research purposes (and, of course, the food, culture and architecture are added bonuses). Each time I have this dream, I am reminded that Life is a journey, and a path of self-discovery. I would love to know what you think.