Analysis for Anonymous, 17 December 1998

This is how you described the room:

It's very warm, filled with overstuffed furniture, all in greens and blues and creams and greys. There are many, many books, none of which I have read, but all of which are well-worn, with broken spines. There is very soft lighting, with many lovely lamps. the floor is wood, with a few rugs scattered about.

The initial room is the subject’s childhood. What interests us here is the general atmosphere of the room, in addition to the level of furnishings described by the subject. This comfortable room suggests a childhood that was pleasant. The depth of description tells us that the subject has strong memories of childhood.

You wanted to stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

There are many many trees...thick foliage so that I cannot see what is ahead. It is dark, but not black...there is soft sunlight filtering through the trees, making it very non-threatening, but slightly scary.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Average-sized trees imply the normal influence adults have on a child: neither insignificant nor impressive. A semi-dark forest tells us that the subject felt somewhat oppressed by the attention the adults gave.

This is how you described the path:

There is no path per se, but a few open areas with trees between them. I have to look through the trees in order to see the next open area, but I clearly can, and it is relatively easy to move through the trees to the next open area. All of the areas are blanketed with a thick blanket of fresh green pine needles, deadening all sound, and making it warm.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. Poor visibility of the path tells us the subject was often confused by the changes brought on by adolescence. That plants are the major source of obstructions tells us that the subject’s problems arose mostly from interactions with adults.

This is how you described the water:

It is a stream, almost a river, that is coming down from a higher mountain. It is filled with rocks, and fish, and has areas where it is deep, and areas where it is shallow. One could navigate the rocks to cross the stream, but it would take some thought and planning. There are deer drinking from the stream, and they look at me curiously.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). The movement of the water suggests a normal, average if somewhat playful sex drive. Clear water tells us that the subject has no issues regarding sex. The presence of life in or around the water indicates a strong desire for children.

When you came to the water, you crossed it.

The subject is open to new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

It is a wooden cup, crudely fashioned from a tree limb. It is smooth, and well-worn, and fits comfortably in one's hand. Someone will miss it.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A practical container indicates that the subject is pragmatic when it comes to questions of marriage.

You left the cup behind.

The subject is not interested in marriage.

This is how you described the key:

it is a wooden key and seems to belong to the front door of a small wooden cabin. It is large, and smoothly worn, but fashioned with care. It is simple, but was not easily created.

The key is the ideal career for the subject. What interests us here is how the key appears (representing how others view the career) and what it may open (representing the subject’s goals for the career). Having the key open a house, car, or other commonplace use tells us that the subject has no extraordinary expectations about a career. An ordinary-looking key suggests that the subject desires a nondescript career.

You avoided the bear.

In a crisis, the subject prefers the indirect, non-confrontational approach.

When you came to the wall, you jumped over it.

The wall represents death: by jumping over it, the subject not only acknowledges death but has come to accept its finality.