A "spirit" wolf?

[YmirGF]

Greetings intrepid RF junkies,

The other night I had a fascinating dream and I'm wrestling with the implications of said dream and am open to any ideas that members have. A bit of background first to set the stage. In general, life is going very well for me personally. I am still in the teething stage in a relationship with my loopy sister who is now living on the property and that is challenging all my psychological/counselor/motivator/management skills. It's sort of like I've accrued all this knowledge to be in a position to help this odd waif recover her identity that was beaten out of her physically by one abusive husband and merrily carried on in the psychological arena by a 2nd husband who raped and pillaged her mind. I am working in concert with her GP and we both see eye to eye.

My duties as executor of my mom's estate are going very well, albeit at a glacial pace and overall things are good.

So...

The other night I was in a dream. It was not a traditional lucid dream where I am fully aware of myself and aware that I am in a dream. For those of you who have not experienced this unique sensation all I can say is that you still have a few thrills left to encounter.

So, there I was, romping through this dream. I was in the woods, on my second lot, next door. It was dark and quite late at night. I became aware of the fact that I was not alone. I looked over into the dense bush and saw the most peculiar thing and struck me AS being peculiar in the dream state. There stood a full grown wolf, looking at me. I had no sense of fear. The odd thing is that it was multicolored in striking iridescence and somewhat psychedelic colours, much like a soap bubble in the wind.

Immediately I made my way towards it. It turned and instantly became an opaque black shadow, still a wolf, but a completely black shadow, almost 2D. Amused, I said to it not to play coy with me and that I meant it no harm and continued to move in its direction and when I got to where it was standing it had disappeared though I sensed it was still around. (Don't ask... I just did.) Out of the corner of my eye I saw something on the ground that was also iridescent. I walked to it, picked it up, examined it, ohhh and ahhh'd for a moment or two and then stuffed it into my pocket.

I woke up with a huge grin on my face and felt I had just had a genuine encounter with... ummm... errrr... ahhhh.... something wonderful.



Any thoughts?

@Shadow Wolf (for obvious reasons, LOL) @Quintessence @Windwalker @crossfire

I still get a warm glow when I think of the dream and am unable to arrive at what it might mean. I feel like I have a new friend though I don't know what it is.

 

[Laika]

If it was me...

The wolf symbolises something illusive (as it turned away) and hidden or buried (in the woods). It may perhaps be a childhood wish given the colours (because bright colours make me think of toys).

...but I'm guessing...

 

[crossfire]

Interesting how you mentioned your mother in this. Wolves in dreams can sometimes represent mother-archetype complexes. You might also want to check out lupercalia in respect to your sister and her husbands beating her
.

 

[YmirGF]

Interesting how you mentioned your mother in this. Wolves in dreams can sometimes represent mother-archetype complexes.

Hehe. She used to tell me, "You are my favorite son!" to which I replied, "Um, I'm your only son, mom."

 

[crossfire]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupercalia
as well as this article might be helpful:

 

[Windwalker]

when I got to where it was standing it had disappeared though I sensed it was still around. (Don't ask... I just did.) Out of the corner of my eye I saw something on the ground that was also iridescent. I walked to it, picked it up, examined it, ohhh and ahhh'd for a moment or two and then stuffed it into my pocket.

Off the top of my head, or straight out of somewhere else, I'll take a stab at it. There is an emergent part of yourself coming into being. You sense it, and look at it but can't quite make sense of it yet. The subconscious is putting some imagery to it of course, drawing of things which hold fascination for you, such as the beauty of soap bubbles. It also puts forth a certain defense where it takes on a dark of flat quality, menacing, but yet you know not to be afraid as it is a part of yourself. When you get to where it is to really see it and look at it, it vanishes because it has not emerged yet in you and you cannot see it, only images of it. Then you find something remaining bearing that same illusive, yet beautiful and fascinating quality, which you put into your pocket which is your accepting it, and desire to explore what that was you encountered in there. It's a symbol of your transformation, in other words. By picking it up, you are committing to the change.

How did I do?

 

[Quintessence]

I'm fond of saying the best interpreter for your dreams - though this was more of an otherworldly journey by my reckoning - is yourself. For something like this, I would start by telling (and retelling) the story. Let the inspiration from this character take its course; it might develop into something more elaborate and meaningful in your life. Consider your thoughts on light and shadow, on color and colorlessness. The lessons I see here might not be the same ones that you see. But here is a story I might tell about this, for what it is worth.

I see in Spectral Wolf, as I shall call it, elements of the trickster and of illusions. Iridescent coloration is typically structural rather than pigment; that is to say, it's the result of the play of the light upon surfaces. With the light-and-shadow elements to the original story, I think about this in particular. I am reminded of Blue Jay, a bird that is not blue at all, but black. Trickery and illusion are valuable tools. Truly, one might wonder of Spectral Wolf was actually Spectral Fox, but who knows? Form and identity don't necessarily mean the same thing for denizens of the otherworlds as they do in the apparent world.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I'm fond of saying the best interpreter for your dreams - though this was more of an otherworldly journey by my reckoning - is yourself. For something like this, I would start by telling (and retelling) the story. Let the inspiration from this character take its course; it might develop into something more elaborate and meaningful in your life. Consider your thoughts on light and shadow, on color and colorlessness. The lessons I see here might not be the same ones that you see. But here is a story I might tell about this, for what it is worth.

I see in Spectral Wolf, as I shall call it, elements of the trickster and of illusions. Iridescent coloration is typically structural rather than pigment; that is to say, it's the result of the play of the light upon surfaces. With the light-and-shadow elements to the original story, I think about this in particular. I am reminded of Blue Jay, a bird that is not blue at all, but black. Trickery and illusion are valuable tools. Truly, one might wonder of Spectral Wolf was actually Spectral Fox, but who knows? Form and identity don't necessarily mean the same thing for denizens of the otherworlds as they do in the apparent world.

In addition to retelling, I would suggest reenacting the dream...

 

[YmirGF]

Some really interesting and useful ideas so far folks. If I might, keep them coming.

@Windwalker and @Quintessence I rather like both of your thoughts on the matter. Makes a lot a sense.

 

[YmirGF]

In addition to retelling, I would suggest reenacting the dream...

I find myself running over the dream again and again, but not obsessively, LOL. It was like nothing I've ever encountered before and I've already encountered quite a lot of bizarre things in the dreamscape and am hardly a novice.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I find myself running over the dream again and again, but not obsessively, LOL. It was like nothing I've ever encountered before and I've already encountered quite a lot of bizarre things in the dreamscape and am hardly a novice.

I think it relevant that you find it to be so different from your typical dreamscape experiences.

In some systems, actual physical enactment of such a "different" dream or vision is what "activates" it in "reality"

Just a suggestion from a person who experiences the world this way...

 

[Quagmire]

A wolf , huh?

YmirGF, tell me: during any of this did you happen to notice any red-headed women following you around telling you, "you know nothing"?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Dreams are often very personal, and the same dream could mean totally different things within the psyche of two different people who have the dream.

 

[YmirGF]

A wolf , huh?

YmirGF, tell me: during any of this did you happen to notice any red-headed women following you around telling you, "you know nothing"?

Hehe.... 'fraid not, Quaginator. No sign of Lil' Red.

 

[Terese]

What made this dream so special compared to all your other dreams? Does it feel different?

 

[YmirGF]

Dreams are often very personal, and the same dream could mean totally different things within the psyche of two different people who have the dream.

And I am fully cognizant of that fact, Wolfie. My whole point in asking was to help flesh out my own thinking on the matter. What was so startling within the dream was how unusual the wolf was. It's impossible to describe the odd coloration it had when I first glimpsed it though I may be able to draw it, but since the colours were oscillating, the drawing wouldn't capture it accurately and that was the stand out feature. Here I am meaning oscillate in the "vary in magnitude or position in a regular manner around a central point" sense. I sensed this was an intelligent being and that it was quite aware of me. I got no such impression from the odd "rock/gem" that I picked up, but as I stuffed it into my pocket I was thinking of how I would examine it later. It was my "proof" that I had met this wolf, LOL... so I intended to show it to others. Now thinking of what @Windwalker was saying about being an emergent process that all makes more sense.

For example, I hit on a tangent with my loopy sister today that I think actually got through to her. I asked her where her discontent was? (IE. If you are so unhappy with her state of affairs... where is her discontent? It should be fueling her renewal, her quest for change.) Then it hit me and I felt a real connection as all the duckies lined up in my brain. I told her something like, "You no longer have to fear that anyone is going to beat you up. You no longer have to fear that anyone is going to brow beat you into submission. Your defenses, though once necessary, are now obsolete. It's SAFE to let the real you out. The time for fear is over."

I told my eldest sister this tonight and her comment was, "I think you missed your calling." I laughed. Now, a bit later.. I wonder if I'm beginning to find it and that this dream was a inner recognition of my own maturing talents.

 

[YmirGF]

What made this dream so special compared to all your other dreams? Does it feel different?

As I said, I've had countless lucid dreams and have a fair degree of control over the dream state. This was different in that it was ALMOST a lucid dream. I was almost as conscious as I am during the day, my senses were all functioning. It was mild, not cold. I could smell the leaves and pine needles on the ground. There was no moon, but I can see pretty well in the dark so it wasn't too unusual that I was out in the middle of the night for a stroll, LOL. I did not label wolf as a "spirit" wolf. I didn't know what it was, but it looked similar to a wolf though I KNEW it wasn't the kind of wolf I am used to in the waking world. I simply didn't know what it was and was open to finding out. Something drew me to it, and obviously, it to me.

 

[Windwalker]

Another thing to add about this the multifaceted, undulating nature of this wolf also to me expresses creativity. Creativity is not static, but flowing and dynamic. So what is emerging is a combination of a protector, the wolf symbol, and benevolent creativity as that wolf.

 

[Quintessence]

Why do you think you told the creature to not be "coy" with you?

 

[YmirGF]

Why do you think you told the creature to not be "coy" with you?

I have been wondering that too. As near as I can recollect, it was tied to the idea that things need not be in fear around me. I'm not going to hurt anyone or anything, so there was no need for it to tuck tail and run. It's sort of an extension of my real world interaction with the wild deer that come by for apple bits. I always talk to them in a calm soothing voice to help overcome their skittishness. It's always funny when they are clustered within about 6 feet and suddenly I sneeze and they all bolt away to safety, LOL.... then ever so tentatively inch back for more delectable apples... So, I guess I was assuming that natural wariness and was trying to be reassuring.