A Symbol Of Strength In Silence
Dear Nancy: I had this dream the night before I put my best friend on a plane after a two-week visit. We had a great time together and I miss her terribly. This dream is about her and another friend. What can I learn from it? - Donna
My friend and I are staying at another friend’s house. In the morning we go outside to the front yard to have our morning coffee. My friend is leaving today. The three of us are group hugging, and I look up and see what I think is a hawk or owl flying over our heads. I get excited and point it out to the girls, exclaiming, “This is a very good omen!” The flying figure gets closer and I see that it is actually a bobcat with its legs all stretched out flying right over us. I really get excited. The bobcat lands and approaches us. I shoo it away and it walks over to a family of three bobcats close by. I am even more excited now and I say, “This is so rare!” One of my friends says, “We need to support each other in this separation.”
Dear Donna: This dream seems to be a wonderful affirmation of your friendship and loyalty to these women. It also gives you suggestions to help you maintain and foster integrity and loyalty within that friendship.
Let’s begin by looking at the symbol of a flying bobcat. Cats are generally symbols of feminine energy - the intuitive, creative, receptive, emotional, nurturing part of ourselves. This cat was flying, indicating freedom and new growth in these aspects of your life. Flying also suggests that you are bringing the feminine qualities to a higher, more spiritual level.
The bobcat is a solitary animal and because of this, Native American animal wisdom suggests that it is the keeper of secrets. It is important to anyone with a bobcat totem to be a strong keeper of secrets and not to break confidences. Learning when to speak, how much to say, and to whom is important.
Are you a “keeper of secrets” for your friends? Are you or others around you being indiscreet in some way? Bobcat energy teaches us that there is true power in strength and silence.
Three women and three bobcats show that this secrecy will be important for all of you. You recognize the importance of the omen in the dream and that is the beginning of being conscious of the meaning of the dream while you are in it!
The message is in the last line: “We need to support each other in this separation.” You can do this by keeping confidences and being discreet in your words regarding each other. In this way, silence and the bobcat energy become your ally.
Animal totems: Information on animal totems can be found in the book “Animal-Speak” by Ted Andrews. This book reveals the mythology and meaning of animals when they show up around you, either in dreams or in waking life.
When working with your animal dreams, ask yourself, “What does this animal mean to me? What feelings do I have about this animal? Am I afraid or in awe of it? Do I feel protective and nurturing toward it or do I want to destroy it? Is there a situation in my current life that feels similar to the feelings stimulated by this dream?”
You may find dream dictionaries and other books helpful when working with animal symbolism, but remember to look inside yourself and use your intuition to decide what fits for you. How does a certain definition fit into the content of this dream? Look for the “ah-ha’s,” the golden moment when you connect the dream with the meaning. In this way, you will bring your dream into your waking life.
xxxx