Analysis for maime, 19 July 2000

This is how you described the room:

Its a paneled basement. There is a 70's sculptured shag carpeting in a mossy green color. I'm on a brown corduroy sofa with an orange quilt. There is a nail and string picture on the wall. a big console TV at the end of the room. It's a cool brisk temperature but not cold.

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 stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

The forest is moderately thick but there are streams of sunlight spilling through in rays, it's neither bright nor dark. You can see everything but in a nice filtered light. The forest floor is mossy and soft to the step. Trees have fallen randomly and there are waves of lush green ferns about.

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. Average lighting tells us that the subject received enough attention from the adults to be guided but not oppressed.

This is how you described the path:

It's about two feet wide. It appears to be easily navigated there are occasional branches and trees that have fallen into the path but are easy to move over. It looks like it has been well travelled in the past but is rarely used now.

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 wide path indicates that the subject had numerous options for emotional growth at this time. That the path appears to have been once heavily used but now abandoned tells us that the subject felt isolated only in the later stages of 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:

a little stream about two feet deep occasional large smooth round rocks jutting up with little rapids.

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:

It looks like a beaten up tin cup. The old camping equipment kind that make your lips stick to it if you put too much ice in your drink. It's not colored red or any of the interesting colors they usually came in.

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. That the cup makes it difficult to drink may indicate that the subject views marriage as a sex-killer.

You left the cup behind.

The subject is not interested in marriage.

This is how you described the key:

It's a silver colored handcuff key.

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). The purpose of the key—handcuffs—suggests that the subject expects the ideal career to provide a way to control and restrict others. 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.