Analysis for Matt, 18 September 2000

This is how you described the room:

The room is neither cold, nor warm, but cool. Light filters in through the stained glass pains on the eastern side. The architecture of the room is in the arts and crafts style, and it is occupied by two wooden chairs with large cushions, a desk, a dresser, and a bed all following in the arts and crafts style, a mixture of soft and hard, wood and cushions. There are three paintings on the walls. One by M.C. Escher, and two in the cubist style.

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. The furnishings are homespun, while the art is abstract modern. This could signify a rather earthy childhood, but with pretensions of intellectualism.

You wanted to leave the room.

The subject wanted to become an adult.

This is how you described the forest:

The forest is thick with trees and shrubs, but light filters through the branches. They are mostly hardwoods: oak and maple, with the occasional birch and pine mixed in.

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:

The path is winding, but very easy to follow. It is easily wide enough for two people to walk abreast, perhaps three. It can be seen that it is a well worn path, commonly used by many, and worn down to only dirt; no shrubs or weeds grow directly on it. All along the path you can reach out and touch a tree trunk without stepping off the path.

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. 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.

This is how you described the water:

It is a small stream, and winds around the contours of the land much as the path wound through the forest. The water is clean and clear, but the bottom is sandy and muddy, giving it a light brown color.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Slow, gently moving water suggests a passive, restrained, calm 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 is a large stainless steel pitcher. With the ability to hold roughly a half gallon, it is clean, and looks inviting to dip into the stream.

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 fairly large. The color is golden, though it is apparent by the weight that it is not gold. It is a slightly modified skeleton key, with a few small teeth, like a sharks, protruding from the stem. It may unlock something from within the house I just left.

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). Indicating that the key accesses something along the path (the subject’s history) suggests that a career is to solve a life-problem. A golden-but-not-gold, old-fashioned key is rich with symbolism: the faux gold indicates a desire for a flashy career with little substance; the old-fashioned nature suggests a more traditional career is desired.

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.