Sunday, July 6, 2003		Dream Theme

Dreaming of shepherds
Vinaya K. Manhas

THOUGH uncommon, dreams of shepherds tend to have different interpretations in different cultures. A nomadic quality and the presence of sheep or other cattle are commonly associated with such dreams.

As per Indian thought, seeing yourself as a shepherd in your dream portends gains in business or profession. It means that you stand to gain financially. But to achieve success, hard work shall have to be done. To dream of a shepherd searching for the cattle that he has lost, warns you against taking blind chances. If you take such chances you could face losses. To see a shepherd selling his cattle and doing business portends profits for you in the near future. It means that you will stand to gain monetarily. Among the hilly areas of India the shepherd also has a religious significance as one of incarnations of Lord Shiva was a shepherd.

As per western thought, seeing shepherds herding their sheep foretells financial gains. Should you see them sitting idly about while their cattle graze warns you that listlessness shall harm you. Among Christians a shepherd also has great religious significance. It is a symbol that heralds good tidings.

Psychoanalytically speaking, shepherds portray the down-to-earth aspect of our personalities. The shepherd is known to have very basic needs and he mostly meets these needs through the resources that are naturally available. It could also denote an escapist tendency within us to do away with worldly ties and go off alone in the mountains. This could be the desire to cut oneself off from the outside world. It also denotes a desire for peace and to be one with nature. The religious importance of the symbol as per the culture of the dreamer is also of significance.

A 31-year-old woman would often dream of a small shepherd boy grazing his sheep on a meadow. The place would be beautiful, unlike any she had seen in real life. At first she would be observing him from a distance. Suddenly she would find herself among the sheep following this boy to the mountains some distance away. The dream obviously portrays a desire to escape from the situations prevailing in her life. The symbols of green meadow, mountains, beautiful surroundings, obviously point to a hunt for mental peace. The lady obviously desires to break away. Her following the nomad boy like a sheep has to do with leaving the desire to think about he own welfare of herself and indirectly that of others too. In other words she also wants to stop being responsible for the welfare of the people around her.