Analysis for Anonymous, 24 January 2005

This is how you described the room:

The room is warm, with sunlight beaming through the windows and warming me on the French imperial furnishings. The decorations are a combination of classical southwestern and modern, electronic. The furnishings are comfortable. I think it is a room in a mansion.

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 items in the room are average, which tells us that the subject has the normal memories of childhood.

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, tropical varieties growing very high and obviously very old. Very little of the bright light gets into the forest, leaving the forest very dark.

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 semi-dark forest tells us that the subject felt somewhat oppressed by the attention the adults gave.

This is how you described the path:

The path to the forest is relatively easily navigated, although the narrow path twists and bends quite a bit, it is easy to follow. From the wheel and hoof marks in the path, I can tell that it is well-travelled. The brush has been beaten down, and thus the path is clearly marked.

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 narrow path suggests that the subject had limited 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:

The body of water is a river, too wide to simply wade to the other side. The water is turbulent and flowing, like white-water 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). Rushing, violent water indicates a powerful, vigorous, and quite possibly compulsive 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 drinking vessel is a leather-skinned bag, from which you drink directly, and its bladder is filled with delicious wine.

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 but left it empty.

The subject is interested in marriage, but sex won’t be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

The key is quite an old metal key, the kind known as a church key, that unlocks through a rather large keyhole. I think it unlocks a basement to a house, presumably one nearby.

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.