Dreams and their meanings-- or not

Whenever I have an interesting dream, I always wish I would also find how it applies to my life. Is my subconscious trying to help me see something that my conscious is missing? I have had many symbolic dreams although some have taken years to fully understand. When a dream is particularly vivid, I make more effort to find meaning to the symbols, story, or both.

May 5th, I woke while it was still dark, and in my mind was one of those dreams. I lay knowing I would go back to sleep but wanting to remember all of what had been in the dream; so I could hold onto it for later. When I looked at the clock, it was 4:17 AM. The new moon would be an hour later. Not that it necessarily applies, but many have said that was a powerful time astrologically.

Later that morning, when I wrote down the dream, I felt pleased as I haven't had such a detailed story dream in quite awhile. More often I know I may have had one but can't remember what happened when I wake up. This time the dream was firmly planted.

After I'd written the dream elements down, I spent some time thinking about its meaning. No recent movies or books could explain why. Was there a purpose besides being enjoyable?

Because I do write, I considered whether it was meant to become a manuscript. Unlikely. Although the story was interesting to me, it was sparse for events. I have gotten story ideas started this way, but this one would have an added problem. To write an historical romance about the Middle Ages, where it appeared to have been set, would take a lot of research as those readers know their period and expect any author to know it likewise. Although I have read books from that era (nothing in years), I don't know enough. Nor have I ever had interest in doing extensive research into that time.

There was an obvious second question for me. Could one of the characters in the dream have been me in a past life? It wasn't any period nor story that I got in my regressions; nor have I had any particular interest in it like those who travel to and dress up for Medieval fairs.

The last possibility is, despite my not seeing a connection right now, perhaps the symbols or story are or will be allegorical for my life. There weren't many symbols for the dream dictionary to be of help; however, sometimes it has taken years to see how something applies. When it finally does, I have been glad I hadn't let it go. I think those kinds of dreams give a person faith that there is more to life than biology.

Because I thought it'd be interesting to try and because I have painted my dreams before, I decided to use the computer paint tools to create a digital image of what the couple might have looked like. Since characters in dream stories are rarely someone I have met, no movie stars, intuiting was what was required.

I don't know if any reader here is good at dream analysis, but the story and image follow in case someone would like to give it a try:

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The times are feudal. If it was here on earth, it would most likely be the British Isles or Europe somewhere in the Middle Ages. The dream begins in what appears to be a big castle with a great many rooms where leaders come to stay for periods of socializing, working out treaties, or other negotiations. It seemed the lands were divided into small kingdoms, each with its own leader, but no overall ruler.

The woman is beautiful with long black hair, wearing a long gown, and in her early 30s for age. I would think she had been married and widowed as she appears to have a freedom of choice that would have been unusual in unmarried young women.

The man [neither character had a name that I can remember] knocks on her door. They had previously arranged to meet to decide if they were going to be married. Their marriage would be beneficial to themselves and to the lands they each control. Both are experienced enough in life to believe that arranged marriages are not good unless they are wanted by both parties.

She looks him over and is pleasantly surprised. He is a bit older than she, handsome, big, and tough looking. Their secret meeting is for the purpose of having sex as if that is good, then it decides the rest. She feels relief that she is instantly attracted to him.

The next morning he knows she had been pleased but asks her anyway if it had been good enough. It has [I have to take the dream characters' word for this as I almost never dream about sex and this was no exception but my impression was it went on all night and was very good for them both]. They marry, joining their lands and people together, by simply saying the words to each other. This was the way it was done and the people around them accept it that way [one of several elements that doesn't seem to fit the actual period].

In their culture, the males practice battles to hone their skills. The man goes off with his friends to observe one of these mock battles. Against the rules and any expectations, he finds himself under real physical attack. The battle is to death. He fights and is able to fend off the attackers but is wounded.

When he comes back to her, she is at first angry to realize he had been fighting. War is anathema to her. He does not like it either, but he also had done what he needs to do for the world in which he must function. When he faints from his injuries, she forgets her displeasure and tends his wounds. They grow closer. Their physical pleasure is only part of what works as they are of like minds for many things.

Before they can leave for his lands, the lord, who has been trying to control all of these feudal lands, has arranged a jousting. It is supposedly just for amusement also. The man is not trusting of anything at this point and in no mood to joust but has no choice in accepting.

He picks up a lance and mounts his horse. His opponent, mounted at the opposite end of wherever this was, has some odd kind of weapon, like a circle of some sort on a chain that he could swing. Before the two could meet, the opponent simply throws his weapon down [the opponent's weapon looked more like a double wooden wreathe and like no weapon I have seen]. His opponent's forfeit is something that is not done; except at that point, rather than knocking him from his horse, the man also pulls up his own lance. The two do not do the competition.

The lord who is trying to amass power is very displeased as he wants these contests to determine a winner as apparently the losers pay him a forfeit. Everything he is doing is intended to build his control and become a king over all these lands.

The dream ends with the couple knowing they are finally free to leave for the man’s lands, but they will not be free of conflict. The trouble is growing.

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This was as though reading a book which was the first in what was a series of three, and at the same time watching a film from the 40s-- you know the kind where historical elements are not true to the times but rather to what viewers today would like to imagine. Whatever the case, it was an enjoyable dream, the kind I wish I could experience more frequently. For me, they don't come on demand.

After such a dream, I always question if I was inside the dream, as one of the characters, or was an observer from outside that world. I am not sure, but think I may switch back and forth.