Ophelia Dream Comes From Inner Work

Thu., Sept. 21, 2000

Nancy Huseby Bloom The Spokesm

Dear Nancy: I’ve had this dream several times in the past two years, and I just love it. There’s something about it that makes me feel good the whole day. I have limited knowledge of Shakespeare and don’t know anything about Ophelia other than that she died. My personal life is good.

I have a wonderful husband who I’ve been with for many years. I’ve been a homemaker and my husband and I have two grown children. Recently I built an art studio above our garage, and I’m busy painting, working with stained glass and creating other artsy things. I’m having fun! - Nettie

I’m flying above the earth. I look down and see myself floating down a river, feet first. I’m startled and I think to myself, “There’s Ophelia!” Then in a blink I am inside myself, looking out of my eyes. The water is perfect and I feel wonderful. When I get closer to the edge of the river, I see that the bushes are covered with lizards. I reach out to them and some of them crawl onto my hand and down onto my body. Then they start to crawl up the other arm, and as they reach my hand they change into beautiful white birds and fly off.

Dear Nettie: My research on Ophelia revealed that she was a young, innocent woman who lost her sense of identity, her strength and her values when she fell in love with Hamlet. She lives only to please Hamlet and her father although she is victimized by both. Of course, she can never please both of them and is torn apart emotionally, trying. In the end, Hamlet rejects her, and wild with grief, she drowns herself in a stream.

In the past our culture has encouraged young women to, like Ophelia, change their thinking from, “Who am I and what do I want?” to “How can I look good enough and be good enough so I will be loved?” In this process we have silenced our deepest and most authentic selves. This is tragic, and nearly every woman has struggled with this issue.

If this were my dream, I would ask myself, “How have I been like Ophelia? What have I sacrificed in order to please others? Who am I and what do I want?”

Although Ophelia is a tragic figure, in your dream she (you) lives and reaches out to the life around her. Lizards are ancient and primordial creatures. Much like a snake, they shed their skin, letting go of what no longer serves them. In dream symbolism, they often represent the shadow, and the original, instinctual parts of ourselves. In your dream, Ophelia reaches out and makes contact with this lizard energy, and a transformation takes place. This is very powerful.

The image of the lizards transforming into birds is beautiful and inspiring. In order to be set free, they must travel over Ophelia’s body, that wonderful vessel of joy, suffering, love and humanity. This is where you find yourself, Nettie. The creativity that springs from you comes from the depths of all of who you are and have been. The innocence, the sacrifices, the joy of life and the pain all contribute to your work.

This dream is an affirmation of who you are and the inner work you’ve done. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Has the current media focus on politics stimulated any of you to dream about the candidates or political issues? If so, please send them to me.

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