Severed Head May Depict Struggle
Dear Nancy: I’m very concerned about my marriage. My husband had an affair about four years ago and since then I have questioned our relationship. I love him but am afraid to love him fully. Deep within me, I don’t trust him. This dream has really stuck with me, probably because it was so disturbing. - Doreen
“I am holding a head that is severed from a body. It is a miniature head, and it speaks to me. We have disagreements but I don’t remember what they are about. I am very angry. I take a pair of scissors and cut the hair off in chunks until it is very short. I put the head in a plastic bag and throw it into a dumpster. I feel relieved but only for a short time. Then I become very worried that someone will find it and somehow link it to me, and I will go to prison.”
Dear Doreen: I love this dream! I know it was a grotesque, difficult and emotional dream for you, but I love how our minds come up with images that are the perfect metaphor for our lives.
You shared with me on the phone that you keep asking yourself for answers, but only get more confused because your heart says, “Leave,” and your mind says, “Stay.” This is probably the argument that is going on in your dream.
A head that is severed from a body is separated from all the other parts that support it and give it life. This severed head is most likely a picture of how your thinking self and your emotional self are separated from one another. Not only separated, but in extreme conflict.
The head is a miniature which could show that the position your mind is taking is becoming less important to you. Obviously you are tired of this conflict and are ready to be rid of this argumentative part of yourself. Cutting the hair is also a symbol of taking someone’s power - remember the biblical story of Samson and Delilah?
Perhaps this dream is showing you your present position on this issue with your husband. When you discard your head, you feel relief but only for a short time.
Most of us need all the parts of ourselves to make the big decisions in our lives. Do you really want to disown or discard any tool you might need?
It might be very enlightening to do a Dream Re-entry with this dream. Just sit quietly and with your imagination go back into the dream. Talk to this severed head. Listen to what it has to say. Get familiar with it, ask it what it wants, what it needs. You might find that it really does have your best interests in mind, and that it is a valuable asset. But if you really feel that it is a negative and disrupting force in your life, then go ahead and throw it in the dumpster.
I hope you are seeking counseling as you go through this process. Continue to watch your dreams for more guidance and insight.
Reader tip: Are you an active participant in your dreams or do you tend to stay on the sidelines, observing the people and activities around you?
If you are usually involved in the action, it shows that you are a person who is creative and active. If you normally just watch the scenes in your dreams, you probably do the same in life. This may be a reminder to gather your energy and get involved.