I Dream of FIRE

That's right, I'm back--after summer break I'm here to tell you about my--and YOUR--wildest dreams! And let me tell you, this summer offered me a doozy!

Last week's dream was an odd twist on an old standby. I have occasional, recurring dreams of fires--not simple house fires, but epic, sweeping monstrosities that threaten to take down entire towns. They always come up over a mountain-lined horizon, with me in a dramatic struggle to pack up and evacuate. In real life, I live near mountains that are plagued by fires, including one that made nationwide news the week my youngest was born. Yet, I'm too far "downstream" to be in true danger from mountain fires. Besides, these dreams started well before the vast fire mentioned.

Here's the weird twist: as the fire prepares to crest the mountain and come down my side, an assortment of people I know (cast as neighbors sitting on the border of the fire in this dream) are grabbing lawn chairs and blankets. Not to evacuate, mind you--they are happy, excited. They want to WATCH the spectacle. One friend, with whom I lost contact in real life this year when she moved away, is particularly jazzed. "It's coming!" she tells me. "Come on!" She plops down a pair of beach chairs... "here's a good spot to watch." What the...? Shouldn't she be packing her pets into the back of a car in terror, or at least hosing down the roof?

Fire in dreams can represent many things, depending on the context. As one might guess, fire CAN represent destruction or anger, a sense of being out of control. However, you might be surprised to know that it commonly symbolizes emotion, passion, urgency,and sexual or personal energy. Such things may be coming, transforming, or being damaged--depending on how and where the fire occurs.

Recently I was in a situation where my desirability was challenged (in short, the green-eyed monster came out to play, BIGTIME) and was so upset that I rallied to give myself a life and body makeover. Diet, exercise, new hair style and color, etc etc. Not surprising, then, to see fire in my dream. Here, fire simultaneously represented my anger in having my sense of physical appeal damaged AND the passion and urgency with which I "transformed" myself to regain it.

Where do the freaky spectators come in? People in dreams tend to represent social aspects of our dream issues, as well as qualities we wish to possess. My real life transformation was dramatic and sudden, and did NOT go unnoticed--people have been quite abuzz about it. They talk about it when I'm not around, I'm told; a few folks didn't even recognize me. Thus, their excitement about my "firestorm" turned up in the dream. The friend from my past is a vivacious, popular, and grounded woman who is very aware of her sensuality and not afraid to use it--and others are attracted to her dynamic qualities. These of course being aspects I was trying to gain for myself, she became center stage for my dream performance despite her distance in real life.

Do you ever dream of fires or other natural disasters? Do you have vivid dreams after your eyes have turned a deep, fiery shade of GREEN? Let me hear about it! Post your dreams here, or send me a private message. I'll interpret common symbols for you, free.

Until my next wildest dream...