Analysis for db, 6 March 2000

This is how you described the room:

I'm in a cave. The walls of the cave are grey-mauve. The wall curve in towards the top. It is dark and you don't see the perimeter of the cave without looking closely. There is a bed in the middle of the cave. It looks very comfortable. It has a canopy top. It is high off the ground, with a nice fluffy comforter. The mattress is big and rounded. The bedframe has round pillars that also taper towards the top. The pillars are topped by Hershey kiss shaped tops. A billowing sheet drapes from the top of the canopy. Warm light filters in the room, though the source is not seen.

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. Few, simple furnishings tells us that the subject has few memories of that time.

You wanted to leave the room.

The subject wanted to become an adult.

This is how you described the forest:

The trail leads to the forest. The trail is brown made of dirt. Dried leaves line the trail, faded brown. The crunch lightly beneath the feet. Two towering trees mark the entrance to the forest, but trees are seen stretching out in all directions on either side of the guarding evergreens. The forest is giant sequoias. The air is moist and cool as you enter their protected guard. A musty smell fills the senses. As you look forward, the trail seems endless, fading into the darkness of the thick trees. The tree trunks feel cool, and at the same time rough and smooth to the touch. The trunks reach up and up and up towards the sky. The treetops crowd the sky and the glimmering light of the fading twilight meets the eye.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Very tall trees imply that the adults had a significant and substantial impact on the subject’s life. A well-lit forest tells us that the subject had considerable freedom at this time.

This is how you described the path:

The path is easily navigated. Many interesting objects line the path along the way. A colorful bird perched on a limb. A large boulder. A fallen tree. It is beautiful and wonderful in the forest yet the is a hidden sense of foreboding. One knows to remain alert. There is no visible sign of other travelers having ever been on the trail. It is clean and pristine, untouched, but it is clear and steady.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. The visibility of the path tells us that the subject had a good idea of what to expect from adolescence. A narrow path suggests that the subject had limited options for emotional growth at this time. The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time. A few, scattered obstructions indicate the occasional problem in adolescence, but nothing consistent nor insurmountable.

This is how you described the water:

The water is very deep and fast moving. The trail ends abruptly at the waters edge and continues on the opposite shore, disappearing quickly into the forest on the other side.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Fast-moving water indicates a strong, active sex drive. Clear water tells us that the subject has no issues regarding sex.

When you came to the water, you crossed it.

The subject is open to new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

There is a tall, ceramic vase on the shore. It is shaped like a pear, with a lily shaped mouth. A wide handle arches from the side of the vase. It is decorated in abstract designs.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A container that is both decorative and practical indicates that the subject considers both romantic and pragmatic aspects of marriage.

You took the cup and filled it.

The subject is interested in marriage, and sex will be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

The key is golden. It is heart-shaped with a long stem. It is the key to a door.

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. Decorative keys suggest that the subject wants an attention-grabbing, one-of-a-kind 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.