Analysis for Anonymous, 28 April 2000

This is how you described the room:

The room is cold and dark, yet I find some comfort in it. There is not natural light in the room. The only way I can see a thing is from the dim light of candle affixed to the walls. The bed that I have been laying in is a huge, oak, 4-post bed that requires a step stool to get into. There are no blankets on the bed, yet I feel extremely warm, though I can tell how cold my surroundings are. I like this room.

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 items in the room are average, which tells us that the subject has the normal 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:

The trees are thick and unfriendly. They are all around me and with their large thick branches, I can not even tell if it is day or night. It's as if they are keeping all light out of this cove, not purposely however. There is a chill in the air that I feel comes from these trees.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Tall trees imply that the adults had a strong influence on the subject. A very dark forest tells us that the subject felt considerably oppressed by the attentions of the adults. The chill may suggest that the relationships with these adults was dysfunctional.

This is how you described the path:

The path looks as though it was formed yesterday, yet I feel as if many people have ventured down it before. I am fearful of the path. I fear that it will take something away from me if I step on it. I am not quite sure what, though. My freedom. Maybe it will swallow me up and I will be no more. There is a place as the path gets further down where there seems to be a fork in the road. One side goes to a place where there is a break in the darkness of the trees, and the other continues into darker and darker places. This is the one I will choose.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. The strong evidence of fellow travelers tells us that the subject received a lot of support from friends and family during that potentially troubling time. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence. Note also the extreme reluctance the subject has to following the path.

This is how you described the water:

The water is a large river. There are no dams, it is just as natural as the day that is was formed. The water is warm and pleasant. A great relief after the darkness of the trees. I almost have to restrain myself from jumping in and letting the current take me through it's course.

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:

The vessel is a large flagon with a dragon etched on it's body.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A decorative container indicates that the subject views marriage as a romantic adventure.

You took the cup but left it empty.

The subject is interested in marriage, but sex won’t be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

The key is a gold key that seems to be quite old. I think it is the key that I had when I was little, the one I used to open the doors to the secret land of Terabithia.

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). Magical or fantastic keys suggest that the subject has unreasonably high expectations of what will result from a career. Old-fashioned keys suggest that the subject desires a traditional career.

You avoided the bear.

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

When you came to the wall, you turned around and walked back along the path.

The wall represents death: by avoiding it altogether, the subject shows complete denial about the possibility of death.