Apparently, It’s A Weight Concern

Dear Nancy: At the time I had this dream, I was a little stressed out about an upcoming business trip but, in general, I’m really happy with my life. This dream was very strong and I couldn’t get it out of my mind for weeks. - E.K.

I am driving down a main street in my city, heading home. Ahead, I see a rhinoceros cross the street causing drivers to swerve and slam on their brakes. I think, “A rhino escaped from the zoo!” Then I see four more and two of them are running toward me. I turn into a car lot to try to get away, but a rhino jumps over the high chain link fence crushing cars as he makes his way toward me. I’m scared. I pull back out onto the street and try to get to the freeway, but there’s a chain link fence that separates me from the freeway. I see a few breaks in the fence but there are rhinos blocking those. The one is still chasing me. They are crushing cars all over and getting closer to me.

Dear E.K.: Through the dream work we did on the telephone, we eliminated the possibility that the rhinos represent someone in your life who is overbearing and pushes his weight around. When I asked what was weighing heavily on you, either emotionally or on a physical level, you cried, “My weight!” It became clear that the rhinos in your dream symbolized your feelings of being overweight and out of shape. The rhinos were pursuing you relentlessly as were your constant thoughts about your physical condition.

This dream, although baffling, was a catalyst for change. You shared that within two weeks of having this dream, you joined a health club and began a change of lifestyle. You made these changes before I called you. This is a perfect example of how dreams can work on a subconscious level to transform our lives.

May you soon be dreaming of running with gazelles, E.K

Ice storm dreams: Have you been having ice storm dreams? Please let me hear from you soon.

Tips for readers: Being pursued in a dream is often nightmarish in nature. We become paralyzed, our feet feel intolerably heavy and at times we feel trapped with no way out.

Usually we are being chased by something we fear or that desperately needs attention and resolution. These fearsome pursuers can represent people or material issues and decisions we must address in daily life. They may also apply to our own inner evolutionary growth.

For instance, your pursuer may be a part of yourself that is demanding attention and care. That particular part may appear to be angry, dangerous and destructive but most often is just asserting itself in a way that cannot be ignored.

When we identify and acknowledge these parts of ourselves, we can then give them what they need. Sometimes acknowledgment is enough.

For example, you dream you are being chased by thieves. You might ask yourself, “How do I feel I’m being victimized? Is there a situation or person in my life I feel is stealing from me in some way?” On a more personal level you may ask, “How do I steal from myself? What robs me of my time, energy, or interests?”

This column is intended as entertainment. But psychologists who work with clients’ dreams say that dreams can hold a tremendous amount of significance; a particularly disturbing or repetitive dream may indicate the need to see a therapist.

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