Shapeshifting dream

Carol, it is not possible to discuss a dream if you withhold the essential content, such as the species of the animals. Transformations of animals can, for instance, have something to do with transformations of the instinctual focus in one's life. The essential energy source is changing its direction, to the effect that one's essential perspective in life is remodelled. The river is turning and flowing in another direction, as it were. Nietzsche speaks about the transformations of the spirit in terms of animal metamorphosis: "I name you three metamorphoses of the spirit: how the spirit shall become a camel, and the camel a lion, and the lion at last a child" (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). About three months ago I had an animal metamorphosis dream:

"Bats had invaded my apartment. But I opened a little quadratic window, and they immediately flew out, despite the daylight. Then I opened a door and discovered a big room that I had forgotten. The window was wide open and autumn leaves covered the floor. Somebody sat in the armchair with the back against me. I thought it was my mother (who is dead) but it was a male lion, old and weary, who looked back at me. It now metamorphosed into a vigorous lizard, like a Komodo Dragon."

I think the bats represent all the distractions in my head. When I let them out through the window, it starts the transformation into lizard energy, as lizards are, presumably, more or less empty in their heads. The spirit is transformed from an expansive "lion energy" into a "reptilian" contemplation of emptiness. If one follows the 'via negativa' in Christian mysticism, one should become simple as a lizard, and abstain from the majority of one's attachments in life (the bats that fly around in my head). The lion, understood as a fiery sun-animal, must point at a certain symbolic value. In alchemy, it is associated with the old king ready to be rejuvenated in the unconscious. As a representative of the old self, he personifies the passions of consciousness that have grown stale, and perhaps become more of fixations. It's the expressions of libido that keep the "Wheel of Samsara" rolling, such as intellectual passion. A few days later I dreamt the following, as part of a longer dream. In this case the reptilian monster eats the lion. So there is a symbolic similarity between metamorphosis and engulfment.

"...a beautiful mountain lion jumps on a prey, catching it. (Its beauty was emphasized in the dream.) But in the same instance an enormous crocodile (a Sarcosuchus, a Cretaceous monster that ate dinosaurs) attacks the mountain lion from behind, clasping half of its body."

The powerful reptilian represents, I believe, the enormous spiritual energy that is capable of swallowing the sun-animal (the lion). This is the well-known alchemical theme of the sun being engulfed by the moon, the 'coniunctio', when the darkness of 'nigredo' ensues. Sometimes the theme is about two dragons fighting, the one wingless, the other winged. The wingless dragon defeats the winged dragon. This would mean that the chtonic dragon swallows the uranic dragon, synonymous with the moon swallowing the sun. I once dreamt that the raven attacked and killed the heavenly bluebird. The formerly beautiful and heavenly bird was reduced to a skeleton. Thus, the raven is taking over business from the bluebird. The bluebird can be said to metarmorphose into a blackbird.

Animal metamorphosis signifies an upcoming transformation of libido, I suggest. It isn't always that dramatic, of course, although it could point at a dramatic turn, a crisis in life. However, I follow M-L von Franz in her contention that it is not possible to assign a constant meaning to a symbol such as the lion.

Mats Winther

Replies

- Mats Winther > Carol Berzonsky February 4, 2012 at 1:13am
  
  Carol, it is not possible to discuss a dream if you withhold the essential content, such as the species of the animals. Transformations of animals can, for instance, have something to do with transformations of the instinctual focus in one's life. The essential energy source is changing its direction, to the effect that one's essential perspective in life is remodelled. The river is turning and flowing in another direction, as it were. Nietzsche speaks about the transformations of the spirit in terms of animal metamorphosis: "I name you three metamorphoses of the spirit: how the spirit shall become a camel, and the camel a lion, and the lion at last a child" (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). About three months ago I had an animal metamorphosis dream:
  
  "Bats had invaded my apartment. But I opened a little quadratic window, and they immediately flew out, despite the daylight. Then I opened a door and discovered a big room that I had forgotten. The window was wide open and autumn leaves covered the floor. Somebody sat in the armchair with the back against me. I thought it was my mother (who is dead) but it was a male lion, old and weary, who looked back at me. It now metamorphosed into a vigorous lizard, like a Komodo Dragon."
  
  I think the bats represent all the distractions in my head. When I let them out through the window, it starts the transformation into lizard energy, as lizards are, presumably, more or less empty in their heads. The spirit is transformed from an expansive "lion energy" into a "reptilian" contemplation of emptiness. If one follows the 'via negativa' in Christian mysticism, one should become simple as a lizard, and abstain from the majority of one's attachments in life (the bats that fly around in my head). The lion, understood as a fiery sun-animal, must point at a certain symbolic value. In alchemy, it is associated with the old king ready to be rejuvenated in the unconscious. As a representative of the old self, he personifies the passions of consciousness that have grown stale, and perhaps become more of fixations. It's the expressions of libido that keep the "Wheel of Samsara" rolling, such as intellectual passion. A few days later I dreamt the following, as part of a longer dream. In this case the reptilian monster eats the lion. So there is a symbolic similarity between metamorphosis and engulfment.
  
  "...a beautiful mountain lion jumps on a prey, catching it. (Its beauty was emphasized in the dream.) But in the same instance an enormous crocodile (a Sarcosuchus, a Cretaceous monster that ate dinosaurs) attacks the mountain lion from behind, clasping half of its body."
  
  The powerful reptilian represents, I believe, the enormous spiritual energy that is capable of swallowing the sun-animal (the lion). This is the well-known alchemical theme of the sun being engulfed by the moon, the 'coniunctio', when the darkness of 'nigredo' ensues. Sometimes the theme is about two dragons fighting, the one wingless, the other winged. The wingless dragon defeats the winged dragon. This would mean that the chtonic dragon swallows the uranic dragon, synonymous with the moon swallowing the sun. I once dreamt that the raven attacked and killed the heavenly bluebird. The formerly beautiful and heavenly bird was reduced to a skeleton. Thus, the raven is taking over business from the bluebird. The bluebird can be said to metarmorphose into a blackbird.
  
  Animal metamorphosis signifies an upcoming transformation of libido, I suggest. It isn't always that dramatic, of course, although it could point at a dramatic turn, a crisis in life. However, I follow M-L von Franz in her contention that it is not possible to assign a constant meaning to a symbol such as the lion.
  
  Mats Winther
- Carol Berzonsky > James Gamble February 3, 2012 at 11:38am
  
  Interesting thoughts, thank you. Can I ask what you mean by "may suggest it's not quite ready yet?" Do you mean to share the wisdom?
- James Gamble > Carol Berzonsky February 3, 2012 at 11:56am
  
  Yes--the shapeshifter may not be ready yet--though--and not to be coy--maybe the wisdom isn't ready yet, either, or maybe the shapeshifter IS the wisdom. I could probably overthink this--might be useful to just let go and see what develops. Don't mean to intrude on your dream--but you've presented me with some fascinating possibilities in my own life.
- Carol Berzonsky > James Gamble February 3, 2012 at 12:09pm
  
  Thanks James. I guess that was the point of starting this discussion. There is, of course, much about the dream and the context of my life that I haven't presented here. It is interesting and helpful to see how others are affected by an occurrence like the one I described. I find your comments fun to swim around in. And I will, as always, let go and see what develops....perhaps then I will be able to share just how this shapeshifting demonstrated its meaning.

of 3

This reply was deleted.

The Twilight Zone--Dreamwork

Replies