Analysis for Michelle, 28 April 2001

This is how you described the room:

The room is rectangular in shape. The air is cool, but not cold. There are several ultra-modern looking yellow sofas against the walls, and a glass topped coffee table in the centre of the room. There's also a red vase filled with purple flowers.

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. A cool room normally suggests an uncomfortable childhood, although the subject explicitly reassures that it is not “cold.” This could indicate self-deception, or an optimistic view of a depressing situation. The depth of description tells us that the subject has strong 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 very dim and cool. The trees are thick and ancient, and very tall. The trees are very thick, and cut out a lot of light.

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.

This is how you described the path:

It's a wide path, well travelled, made of sandy dirt. It's quite easy to navigate.

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's a natural river. The water is very clear and cold, and the river itself is quite wide.

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:

A clear plastic water bottle, without a brand label.

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 gold, heavy, and very ornate. It probably unlocks something important, like a chest or a room.

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 it open “something important” implies that the subject expects the career to provide something monumental, but is unsure what. Decorative keys suggest that the subject wants an attention-grabbing, one-of-a-kind 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.