Analysis for Anonymous, 22 January 2003

This is how you described the room:

The room is cool, flooded with light from the early morning sunlight through large windows that dominate three windows overlook the sea. A few pieces of simple furniture make the large room seem even larger. The walls are white, hung with three abstract paintings in soft pastels. Only the barely perceptible sound of cool air from a vent from a vent can be heard in the total quiet.

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 significant detail in the description of the room tells us that the subject has rich, lasting 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 tall, huge trunks reaching for blue sky. The branches reach for each other and barely touch. Gnarled roots struggle to break the cone covered ground.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Very tall trees imply that the adults had a significant and substantial impact on the subject’s life.

This is how you described the path:

The path is wide, barely visible under the fallen leaves. It is easily navigated, undisturbed, soft to the step, not a human foot has touched it in a long time.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. Poor visibility of the path tells us the subject was often confused by the changes brought on by adolescence. A wide path indicates that the subject had numerous options for emotional growth at this time. The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence.

This is how you described the water:

The clear glittering water is rushing over time smoothed rocks.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). The movement of the water suggests a normal, average if somewhat playful 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 cup is a soft grey tin dented with age.

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:

The key is old and rusted, long and heavy as if for the thick planked door of an isolated forest cabin.

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. 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 jumped over it.

The wall represents death: by jumping over it, the subject not only acknowledges death but has come to accept its finality.