66
People
YOUR
PARENTS
Anyone interested in the work of
Sigmund Freud will know he regarded
the Oedipus Complex as important—
little boys must work through their
need to kill o their father to marry
their mother, and girls vice versa.
Though outdated in part, Freud’s
theory persists: our dreams can be
evidence of this. Another aspect of the
relational bond—John Bowlby’s
Attachment Theory—also runs through
our dreams to highlight how
dependent we once were upon our
parents’ nearness to feel safe, or not.
YOU DREAM OF SEXUAL
THRILLS WITH YOUR PARENT
Usually this dream occurs in young children who
are unaware of sexual intercourse. However, their
growing sense of connection—and bodily
feelings—can induce sexually red dreams. For
adults, similar activity with the same excitement
can be alarming to the dreamer. There is
nothing to fear, however.
Action This dream is an echo of the Oedipus
Complex. Take a look at yourself: are you missing
a parent and longing for reconnection, but
unsure how to get it? As a 4- to 7-year-old, you
were likely to have experienced sexually charged
dreams as the natural prelude to adult sexual
activity. If your parents were unable to guide
you through this phase by, for example, keeping
rm bedroom boundaries while building
your own growing sense of value, accept
their mistake and move on.
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67
Your Parents
YOU ARE LOVING YOUR
PARENT’S AFFECTION
You are tucked in bed with a mild illness.
Along comes your beloved parent with
remedies—a hot-water bottle and all of your
favorite magazines. You feel so safe and so
wonderfully looked after that you hope they will
make a decision to keep you with them until you
get better—and long afterward. You love them so
much, this is the perfect arrangement, and
you don’t want it to end.
Action This scenario shows you are still too
attached to your mother or father—overly
dependent. It’s time you realized you must start
separating from that reliance on your parent or
parents. Psychological maturity is a long and
painful path, but if you suspect you should,
start taking steps toward autonomy. You will
never lose the love you share.
YOU ARE WANTING TO BE A
CHILD AGAIN
You are with your parents in some family activity.
It’s a lot of fun and you are having the time of your
life, laughing and joking with everyone. Your
whole family seems so special—you are
blissful in the dream.
Action Tell yourself it’s ne to have this kind of
dream: who wouldn’t want that lovely dream?
Being a grown-up can be hard work. Provided
childhood held good memories, don’t blame
yourself for wanting to dip back into those times.
Such a dream can refresh and support you as an
emotional boost while you lead your adult life.
But does that dream reoccur often? You may be
yearning unhealthily for those days, so check out
their frequency. Therapy might be needed.
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