Analysis for Peach Synapse, 29 March 2004

This is how you described the room:

The room has walls of a soft yellow. There is a window, hidden by bamboo blinds. Red tassels dangle from the bottom of the blinds. Orange paper lanterns dangle throughout the room.Someone is humming. It's warm in here.

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.

You wanted to stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

There are tall coniferous trees here. It's dark. Shadows lurk between and behind every tree. The trees are a very dark green, almost blue-green. Mist is rising from the forest floor.

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:

The path is a very narrow gravel path, barely noticeable. It looks like nobody's been this way in a long time. It appears to be relatively clear of debris, but it isn't flat or easy to travel along.

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 narrow path suggests that the subject had limited options for emotional growth at this time. The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time. A few, scattered obstructions indicate the occasional problem in adolescence, but nothing consistent nor insurmountable.

This is how you described the water:

It's a small lake in the depths of the forest. The water is very clear, and rocks and small fish can be seen in its depths. The water is very cold - you wouldn't want to swim.

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. The presence of life in or around the water indicates a strong desire for children.

When you came to the water, you went around it.

The subject is not interested in new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

It's a red thermos cup. The top unscrews. Someone must have been here more recently than I thought. It's made of solid plastic.

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's a small gold-coloured key. Looks like a typical house key. It might unlock a house somewhere just outside the forest - a place of refuge. Someone might be looking for this.

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. 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 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.