Observations placeholder
Hobson, Dr Allan - An interesting dream
Identifier
014246
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Richard Newland in this dream is the son of his farmer neighbour. Dr Hobson interpreted the dream without any symbolism simply assuming that it was a reflection of his concerns about the upkeep of his farm in Northen Vermont as he says “I am anxious about my property and about entrusting it to people who are careless about their own houses”.
He admits however, that he was anxious not only about the conference he was going to speak at, which was highly publicised and involved a debate; but perhaps more importantly also about his ‘wife’s interest in another Vermont neighbour’.
Napoleon Carter is ‘another Vermont farmer neighboour’.
I think the symbolism is obvious, if a little graphic!!
I think the blue here takes on the symbolism of 'blue' films.
A description of the experience
Entry from a dream journal – Dr Allan Hobson - 10/5/1987 En route to New Orleans for a debate on dreams at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting: Two night ago, a dream of Richard Newland
It is a house maintenance nightmare. I have too much property to maintain. Richard and a friend are ‘helping’ me but it is an uncertain alliance, with the twin threats of incompetence and inattentiveness.
There are several scenes all with the same emotional theme: anxiety about maintenance details.
In one scene we are walking in hilly country, perhaps towards the house, but the destination is not clear.
Then we are in a house, not at all like mine, but assumed by my dreaming brain to be mine, and Richard’s friend is spray painting the white wall (we have none in the house) with blue paint (neither do we have any blue rooms).
The paint sprayer is a tank device of the type used to apply copper sulphate to grapevines or to exterminate cockroaches. Suddenly, the paint is being sprayed not only on the wall but upon a painting hanging on the wall.
My fears are confirmed. I yell at Richard to bid his friend stop. For some reason he has to go upstairs to turn off the machine (although it appears to be fully portable and self contained) and this takes an inordinate length of time as the painting continues to suffer.
There follows a long dialogue with Richard who, while retaining his continuous identity as Richard, changes physiognomy repeatedly. His face changed as follows: a gnome like Napoleon Carter with a cherubic sun-burned face; a wry smile and a Chinese coolie type hat; a calf face – as in a Midsummer’s Night Dream; and as far as I can tell, never included Richard.
I can’t remember other faces or other action from this long episode.