Sunday, September 29, 2002		Dream Theme

Dreaming of the sky
Vinaya Katoch Manhas

THE openness and the vastness of the sky have different implications for different people. A person’s cultural background determines what a dream of the sky would mean in his context. In some cultures a cloudy sky represents luck while in others it foretells ill-luck and bad days.

As per Indian thought, to see a clear blue sky is a good omen. It foretells that your health shall bloom and you shall gain financially. Fate shall also favour you with its benevolence. Should you see white stripes in the sky, then it means you shall have to face serious problems. Should the stripes be bright red or be the colour of fire, then you are warned to be careful about your health. You might fall prey to some serious illness. But if the sky is overcast with heavy black clouds then it is a bad omen. It indicates that a very serious trouble might come your way.

As per western thought, to dream of the sky foretells honours and interesting travels with cultured companions, if the sky is clear. Otherwise it portends disappointments, and trouble with the fair sex. To see the sky turn dark red is indicative of public disquiet and rioting. If you dream of yourself floating in the sky among weird faces and animals, and wondering all the while if you are really awake or dreaming indicates that jealousy might spoil your relation with your loved ones.

Psychoanalytically speaking, the sky is generally thought to represent the mind. A dark sky reflects a gloomy mood, and a bright one a joyous mood. Objects floating in the sky are an indication of your attempts to avoid the mundane, or even of attempting to actualise your potential. It is also a symbol of that which is unattainable. No matter how hard you try to reach it, the sky remains unreachable. In spiritual terms it suggests infinity, the never-ending limits of knowledge.

A 33-year-old woman would often dream that she was flying and was fascinated by the different colours of the sky. The sky would be predominantly red, as is generally seen during sunset.

Here flying does not indicate escapism, as seems obvious at first, but rather the positive interpretation of joy and pleasure. The dream has a sexual connotation. The presence of the colour red, a symbol of passion and sexuality, the symbol of flying, and the resultant feelings of pleasure and of being fascinated, all indicate a sexual encounter or the desire for one.