Sunday, October 6, 2002		Dream Theme

Dreaming of gardens
Vinaya Katoch Manhas

God Almighty first planted a garden; and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.

ALTHOUGH seeing flowers in dreams is fairly common, dreaming of gardens too is not unusual. The garden may not necessary be beautiful, it can also be unkempt and bereft of flowers or a frightening place. One can even dream of being lost or trapped in a garden as its gates close for the night.

According to Indian thought, to see yourself walking or strolling in a garden and enjoying it is a good dream. You shall have good health and can hope for a lot of happiness. Businessmen can expect success and gains in their enterprises. If someone else is also walking with you in the garden, then it is an indication that your partner or lover is faithful and trustworthy. Should the garden be without flowers and have thorny bushes and weeds instead, then the dream does not spell well for the dreamer.

As per western thought, to see a garden full of colourful flowers denotes peace of mind and comfort. To see vegetables growing is a sign of prosperity and happiness in family life. To be walking with your partner through a garden full of flowers is an indication of unalloyed happiness. Ill-kept parks, devoid of green grass and foliage, indicate unexpected reverses in fortune. Gardens generally symbolise female attributes and the quality of wildness which need to be cultivated and tamed in order to create order. Closed gardens, in particular, represent fertility. These can also be an indication of growth in our lives. It often represents the inner life of the dreamer and that which we appreciate about our own selves.

A 41-year-old woman often dreamt of being trapped in a garden at night. She would be pursued by strangers and would attempt to escape. But when she would reach the gate of the garden she would find it shut. Thus gardens had begun to spell fear for her in real life too. The reason behind this dream was not some past experience but rather her increasing desire for sex and the resultant fear of losing her virginity, as she was still unmarried.