Analysis for The Enigma, 21 April 2000

This is how you described the room:

This is a very small, cold room. I like the cold, though, and don't mind it although I'm wearing shorts. The room is very cluttered; I should pick up more often, I suppose. Lots of posters on the walls, a chair, two desks, a computer. Not very well-lit, it's dark outside. The cold really is nice.....

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 room is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable; this suggests the subject had a bland, uninspiring childhood. The items in the room are average, which tells us that the subject has the normal memories of childhood.

You wanted to leave the room.

The subject wanted to become an adult.

This is how you described the forest:

The forest is full of trees; most of them are tall, but there are saplings near the trail. They seem to be growing very well; they look healthy. The light comes through the trees easily, very well illuminating the path and the surrounding woods. There are some bushes near the path as well. There are a few pine cones on the path, which I kick as far into the woods as I can.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. A well-lit forest tells us that the subject had considerable freedom at this time. Tall trees imply that the adults had a strong influence on the subject.

This is how you described the path:

The path seems to be fairly well-travelled, but it is still a bit rough and cluttered (damned pine cones). It is wide enough for a few people to walk side-by-side on, and it's easily navigated - nothing is blocking this path. It winds, yes, and in some places it winds a lot - but it is never hard to navigate.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence. The visibility of the path tells us that the subject had a good idea of what to expect from adolescence. A wide path indicates that the subject had numerous options for emotional growth at this time. The pine cones hint at the occasional minor crisis.

This is how you described the water:

It is a river, and it seems to be moving at a fairly steady pace. I pick up a pine cone, toss it in, and see it get sucked into an undercurrent. The pine cone surfaces in a few seconds and continues floating. The water is kind of brownish, but not cluttered with trash. I guess it's muddy upstream or something.....

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Murky, dirty, or otherwise unclear water suggests that the subject has significant issues regarding sex. Fast-moving water indicates a strong, active sex drive.

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's a simple, thick plastic tumbler. It's clear, and it looks very new, as if it's never even been used before. It's slightly heavy, but seems to be fairly thick and sturdy.

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 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:

It's a short silver key, very simple, with writing on it that says Y-11. It looks like it might open a small safe, possibly some sort of security device, or a mailbox. Maybe it's a safe-deposit box key, and Y-11 is the number of the box.

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). An ordinary-looking key suggests that the subject desires a nondescript career. Keys that allow access to treasure or other valuable things indicate that the subject is fixated on gaining wealth through a career.

You confronted the bear.

In a crisis, the subject prefers the direct, no-nonsense 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.

See another test from 2000