Sunday, February 17, 2002		Dream Theme

Dreaming of angels and demons
Vinaya Katoch Manhas

STORIES of angels and demons are a part of one's childhood but their influence on our psyche becomes apparent when we see the people we know as angels or demons in our dreams. When we see someone as an angel or a demon what our mind is actually doing is imbuing that particular individual with those characteristics. In a country like India where parents are authoritative figures and next to god condemning them as demons is not acceptable. Yet a lot of children see their parents, especially their fathers, take the form of a devil of a demon. The reason for this is the overbearing and autocratic attitude of the father who is also the biggest source of fear within the family for the child. Mothers, on the other hand, are often looked upon as angels and hence children see their mothers as angels.

Apart from seeing ones family members as angels and demons one tends to see other people whom one comes into contact with in ones life as either angels or demons.

In the Indian context, to see demons in ones dreams is a bad omen. It foretells that those around you shall dominate you and cause trouble to you. You will want to get rid of these people. Such people can also betray you so beware of them. If you see angels then it means that you shall entertain good friends. Success and respect shall also come your way.

In the western context, dreaming of angels portends disturbing influences. It means that the person's situation shall change. If the dream is pleasing it means you shall hear some good news about friends and relatives and also stand to gain financially. If the dream carries a note of warning, be prepared for scandals concerning love and money. Dreaming of devils otherwise warns you to be careful regarding affairs that concern you. Should you see the demon or the devil bedecked with jewels and wearing attractive clothes and asking you to accompany him or follow him, be warned of people who think ill of you but flatter you. Seeing the devil in dreams is an omen of despair. One is warned to tread cautiously after seeing such a dream.

Seen from the psychological point of view seeing angels in dreams is the personification of the mother-child relationship. It signifies our search for a parental figure who would give us unconditional love and support. It may also point to the need to develop these qualities within ourselves. Such a dream implies the need to view ones mother or a mother figure as a separate entity. The devil, on the other hand, is the personification of the evil side of our personality which we need to confront. If we fear the consequences of the mistakes we make then that fear can also manifest itself as dreams of the devil.

A 45-year-old man claimed that ever since he was a child he had seen a particular angel in his dreams whenever he was in trouble and offered him advice. He spoke openly with this angel in his dreams regarding everything that concerned him. The angel in this man's dream is the figure of authority and friendship which that man lacked in his real life. The man's mother was an illiterate woman who always bowed before the opinion of her husband. His father was the typical head of the family who never interacted much with his children. So whenever this man faced problems during his childhood he had no one to advice him. The angel in his dream became a personification of the role that his parents should have played.