Tall Bookcase
11/2016
I am getting ready to do something and a new young woman who has just joined our group – it is some sort of live together program – is asking about some event she expected to take place right then for new volunteers. So I asked in front of the group what was on the schedule, feeling a little stupid, and then going to look for my copy of a book with related material to cite. Not finding it and walking back, another woman asked me if I had noticed what they had done, which to erect a narrow, tall white bookcase on a narrow wall between two short hallways leading to two different bedrooms. I turn around and look at how it is stuffed with oversized thin books, some covered with green canvas-like binding, only the edges of which I can see, and others are white. No lettering, just binding of old thin volumes that stand out from the shelves that reached to the ceiling. Maybe about five shelves. The bookcase was anchored to the ceiling; otherwise it would surely have toppled over.
I get ready to speak to the group; Marion Schneider is there. There is another woman who comes up to the front to sing a song to the group; she has on a long dress and a hat with a wooden blue partridge or other type bird on it, with a price tag dangling. I am wondering whether wearing price tags is a new style and if so why there aren’t price tags on shoes, shirts, etc. too.
I am prepared to carry on with the presentation though I am feeling a little inconvenienced and like things are not very organized.
My associations to this dream are…
Themes of forgetfulness, confusion and disorganization. Two mentions of books – I am looking for source material in a book, which I do not find, and there is a book shelve full of books. There is an unusual amount of awareness of color for my dreams. The central characters are all women; I am not aware of any men in this dream. I seem to be teasing in my focus on price tags. My general mood is a confident focus on getting the program moving despite delays, changes and interruptions, and I think that is what stands out most for me – the sense that even though I generate problems through forgetfulness, confusion and disorganization and others generate various sorts of changes and disruptions, these do not deter me or cause me to lose focus on my intention or priorities. I would say this is generally the case in my waking life and this dream seems to be skull practice at strengthening that ability. I am mostly curious about all those bound volumes with no identifying information on the binding.
Three fundamental life issues
• Clarity in consciousness in generally, particularly while meditating
• Building IDL community
• Improving respectful interaction in dreams and recall
Predictions:
Most preferring: Marion
Most rejecting: — least preferring — DS
Most preferred character: DS
Most rejected character: — Price Tag
Most preferred action: presentation
Most rejected action: disorganization
Most preferred feeling: joking about the price tag
Most rejected feeling: feeling a little stupid
Dream Sociomatrix Commentary
“The reason I like, like (a lot, love, dislike, dislike a lot, hate, don’t care about, or am accepting toward) (dream element) is…” “What I liked/disliked most about being in this dream is…”
Dream Self: I like myself but dislike my disorganization and forgetfulness in this dream. I don’t like feeling stupid or having the book I am looking for missing, but otherwise I like or like a lot what’s going on. What I like most about being in this dream is being able to support all these people in a relaxed but directed way. What I dislike most about being in this dream is not being as organized as I would like.
Book: I like myself and DS and don’t like that I am not available when I am needed, but otherwise am indifferent. What I like most about being in this dream is feeling needed and useful. What I dislike most about being in this dream is not being available, absent.
Bookshelves: We like DS, ourselves and our books but don’t care about much else in this dream.
What we like most about being in this dream is being a good, efficient storage place. What Iwedislike most about being in this dream is nothing…
Books: We think we are mostly private manuscripts, unpublished works and such. We like ourselves, our book case and the dreamer. What we like most about being in this dream is being available when and if needed. What we dislike most about being in this dream is nothing…
Partridge Hat: I like that I am somewhat gaudy and draw attention to my owner! I am all dressed up for this presentation! What I like most about being in this dream is the attention I am getting!What I dislike most about being in this dream is nothing!
Price Tag: I think I’m pretty funny! I’m really not here to show off the value of this bird hat, but only to look silly. I like being funny in the context of this presentation! What I like most about being in this dream is not taking anything too seriously. What I dislike most about being in this dream is nothing
Dream Consciousness: I like the presentation a lot and DS and the joking, light hearted attitude. This is a great way to approach life: there is going to be some disorganization, forgetfulness and confusion but so what? Keep on focus and enjoy the process! What I like most about creating this dream is presenting an approach to life that makes sense and works. What I dislike most about creating this dream is nothing!
What surprises me about what I’ve heard is…
That this little dream encapsulates an entire approach to life: to acknowledge and deal with disorganization, confusion, changes and forgetfulness within a context that is not only focused but has room for amusement.
Dream Commentary
“If I could change this dream in any way, would I change it? If so, how?”
Book: I would not be lost; I would be on the pedestal, ready for use.
Bookshelves: That would be fine. Everything would proceed as scheduled in a light-hearted vein.
Books: Agreed. We are not really needed in this dream but we are here as resources.
Partridge Hat: Agreed! Everything would proceed as scheduled in a light-hearted vein.
Price Tag: Agreed! Everything would proceed as scheduled in a light-hearted vein.
Dream consciousness: Agreed! Everything would proceed as scheduled in a light-hearted vein.
Dreamage
(A rewrite of the dream based on a consensus of dream group member recommendations. If there is no consensus, there can be no dreamage. A synthesis group dream is usually its own dreamage. Read it over before sleep as an affirmation of a higher pattern of internal integration and healing.)
Everything proceeds as scheduled in a light-hearted vein. I acknowledge the impressive nature of the woman’s hat, bird and price tag. I have my book to refer to. Everyone is engaged, enjoying themselves.
Dream Summary Commentary
(“What part of this dreamer do you most closely personify?
“My strengths are…
“The reason why I am in this dream is…”
“This dream group came together to…”)
Book: I most closely personify knowledge you want but is not always available to you when and where you want it. My strengths are I have the knowledge you want. The reason why I am in this dream is to help you move with the punches, to be flexible and adaptable. This dream group came together to encourage those qualities.
Bookshelves: I most closely personify storehouses of knowledge, like dreams. My strengths are that I can hold whatever you want. The reason why I am in this dream is to remind you that the knowledge you want and need is readily available. This dream group came together to support you in sharing your work with others.
Books: I most closely personify the same as the bookshelves.
Partridge Hat: I most closely personify outlandish attention-seeking that is harmless and humorous. My strengths are my humor. The reason why I am in this dream is to bring a little absurdity and cosmic humor into it and life. This dream group came together to reinforce dealing with the vissitudes of daily life in a lighthearted yet focused way.
Price Tag: I most closely personify silliness and mockery of fashion. My strengths are my ability to derail people. The reason why I am in this dream is to lighten it up. This dream group came together as indicated above.
Dream consciousness: I most closely personify creative contexts that can see a broader picture than you do. My strengths are my objectivity. The reason why I created this dream is to show you a way to juggle life that will work for you.
Dream Self: This is a good example of misperception of dreams by DS and waking identity. His perspective is one of failure, disorganization and problems. The perception of the group members and the group as a whole is fundamentally quite positive.
Waking Commentary
As (this dream group member), if I were living this dreamer’s waking life, how would I live it differently? Would I handle this dreamer’s three life issues differently? If so, how?
• Clarity in consciousness in generally, particularly while meditating
• Building IDL community
- Improving respectful interaction in dreams and recall
Book: I don’t think I would do anything differently. Just remember your check lists…
Bookshelves: Same.
Books: Same.
Partridge Hat: Be absurd and stupid! Don’t worry about drawing attention to yourself! Why not??
Price Tag: The same – be ridiculous!
Dream consciousness: I think simply doing this interview and hearing our perspectives is a great step forward. Congratulations!
Identification Commentary
If I could designate specific occasions in the dreamer’s waking life when I would recommend that he imagine that he is me, what would those occasions be?
Book: When he wants to feel he has the knowledge he seeks already, at hand.
Bookshelves: When he wants to feel in touch with vast reservoirs of support for moving forward.
Books: Same, particularly personal dreamwork support.
Partrige Hat: When he is taking himself or life too seriously and wants to lighten up.
Price Tag: Same!
Dream consciousness: I am always great for stepping back and grasping a bigger picture…
Action Plan
(All of the above recommendations for waking life application are not of equal importance. You have to decide how you wish to prioritize them and what you want to do with them. But take some action! It is a way of demonstrating that you take your inner direction seriously. If you have it wrong, future dream groups will cybernetically correct your course.)
• Read over this interview on occasion, particularly if confused or feeling off course.
Sociogram Commentary
Overall Pattern: Minor opposition on Process and Affect axes. For a large group not a large spread in preferences. No strong preferences.
Acceptance Axis: All positive preferences, with DS being the most accepting, followed by the ridiculous characters: hat and price tag. The least preferring is the lost book.
Form Axis: DS is again the most preferred as well as most preferring character! Why the Tag is least preferred while the Hat is highly preferred is a mystery, but all are preferred.
Process Axis: The bipolarity here is between the highly preferred presention and disorganization and “missing,” implying confusion and forgetfulness. Between them is perhaps the solution: “prepared.”
Affect Axis: “Joking” is preferred while “feeling a little stupid” is slightly rejected. Clearly the former is a good antidote for the latter.
Dream Group Dynamics Commentary
(In which the various dream group members are provided with an opportunity to express their thoughts on their relationships with their fellow dream group members.)
Book: I like my place in this group; I am here somewhere! I will turn up! Just temporarily misplaced!
Bookshelves: Nothing really to add. We are sturdy and do our job.
Books: Nothing to add.
Partridge Hat: Nothing to add.
Price Tag: Nothing to add.
Dream consciousness: Nothing to add.
Predictions:
Most preferred character: DS √
Most rejected character: least preferred character: Price Tag √
Most preferred action: presentation √
Most rejected action: missing
Most preferred feeling: joking about the price tag √
Most rejected feeling: feeling a little stupid √
5 of 8 not bad
“What I am saying to myself is…”
Statements from elaborations are rewritten here as “I” statements.
Keep on focus and enjoy the process!
This little dream encapsulates an entire approach to life: to acknowledge and deal with disorganization, confusion, changes and forgetfulness within a context that is not only focused but has room for amusement.
Move with the punches, be flexible and adaptable.
Deal with the vissitudes of daily life in a lighthearted yet focused way.
remember my check lists…
Some of the basic issues addressed by this dream group are:
• Don’t allow yourself to get bent out of shape by stupid shit.
• Keep and develop your sense of humor.
• Know that a strong and clear focu
