Conference hydra::dejavu

    
    K.T.
    
    Among the many other things I have researched over the years, dream
    interpretation has always been one of the most rewarding and
    interesting subjects. Many things that occur in our dreams are attempts
    by our own subconscious minds to voice concerns that we may decide to
    ignore otherwise. You may already know this, of course, but others here
    may not.
    
    The theme of being stripped, particularly by anonymous and threatening
    figures of the opposite sex, is a frequent symbol of a helpless
    situation. In a dream, clothes can represent our sense of security, and
    the removal of those clothes represents a loss of that security, and a
    feeling of having no control over a situation. It also represents a
    sense of vulnerability.
    
    The oil is a strange one, and not one I have ever encountered before.
    Unfortunately, my books are all back in the UK, so I cannot check, but
    I would say that either this was triggered by some recent event or
    experience, or some personal imagery that might not be obvious to
    anyone else. It does however serve the purpose of removing even more
    control from you in the situation.
    
    A bottomless black pit it always a worrying element in a dream. I have
    only had one dream myself with such vivid imagery, and featuring "the
    pit", and it was at a very difficult time of my life. These images are
    all strong, and the fact that you seemed to struggle to escape but
    could not wake up, indicates that this message is very important.
    
    I do not know your situation, and with the limited background you give,
    I can only guess at the meaning, but if I had to make a guess, I would
    say that:
    
    	Your friend's departure has made you look at your new family
    	responsibilities in a different light. You are no longer as free
    	as you were, and you find yourself looking to a long future of
    	being tied to a family. This may not be a conscious thought at all,
    	indeed I would expect you to most strenuously deny it, but it does
    	occur to almost everyone in your situation. You had to make an
    	important decision, and you were perhaps unsure of where your
    	loyalties lay. It may not even have been directly related to "Joy",
    	she may just have been a convenient image, as representing a loss
    	of something. Your child was struggling, as they do, and you wanted
    	to hold onto him, and your friend, but in the end you made your
    	choice. You followed your child, and your instincts, and made the
    	ultimate sacrifice. The fact that you woke at this point is a good
    	sign. Even if I am completely wrong about everything else here, I
    	am sure of that. You had a decision to make, and you made it. I
    	would be extremely surprised if this dream reoccured.
    
    It does not really matter whether you understand the meaning of a
    dream, since your subconscious has already made the decision by that
    time anyway. What does matter is that something is obviously happening
    in your life that you are unhappy about, and that you feel a lack of
    control over. All you may be able to do is be happier in acceptance of
    that fact, since there are often things in our lives which we are
    powerless to prevent.
    
    I hope this helps, but I may be way off the mark with little or no
    background information on you. The best I can say is that I am
    concerned for you, and that I hope things work out OK. I really would
    be surprised if you were troubled by the dream again, so sweet dreams
    from now on OK?
    
    Adam.
    

    	Thanx Adam,
    		   I think part of it also is that my son has become so
    much more independant, toddler years. I feel much better about the
    dream now...I've had time to wonder about it. I record all my dream in
    a journal..as much as I can remember anyways. Thanks for the input! And
    I'll try to have sweet dreams from now on....Sometimes I can control
    them, when it's something I'm enjoying dreaming about...that one was a
    dream of no choice really. Part of mind expressing itself to teach me
    something or force me into thinging about something. Who knows.
    	   	   The stange part is, I don't believe any of it had
    anything to do with any past events in my life.
    		K.T. :)

oh go on, you've mentioned your sons independance 
so I've got to share my first thought on reading the base note... 


Sounded like you were loosing something you value of your 
son due to forces beyond your control.. (being made to drop 
him by the men).  To me that rings heavily of being wary or 
even afraid of his growing up and your having to let go of 
the idea of him being dependant on you for ever 

>The stange part is, I don't believe any of it had
>    anything to do with any past events in my life.

I dunno most of my dreams that are scary and seem to 
be my subconcious trying to get a message through 
are normally about some future event I'm scared of 
(I swear the spookiest ever was walking in a crinoline 
on a glass shelf high above a swimming pool where 
everyone else was swimming - some other people were across 
the side but I was very much proper and aloof .. 
when I made it to the other side I lost the crinoline
- cossie on underneath of course ;-) - and joined the 
other students in the water...    

......just before leaving home and going to art college 
would you believe :-) :-)