being attentive to the unconscious and dream analysis

In M. Scott Peck's seminal work, The Road Less Travelled, one of the main conclusions is that we should remain attentive to our own dreams. They are, in Scott's opinion, a language that we should attend to. By attending to this language, we can start to listen to what the unconscious has to say to the conscious mind. Moreover, the symbols and practice of attending to one's dreams he considers positive. This difficult work of confronting the contents of the unconscious should be considered a means of extending oneself and of aiding spiritual growth.

On a haphazard basis, I have occasionally thought about the contents of my own dreams but this week I have paid more attention.

Last night i dreamt I was in an airplane. I was right in the front and to my left were three or four empty seats. The senior stewardess, stood beside me to make an announcement.

We were half way home from the Canary Islands. She mentioned there was no need for panic, but that there was an emergency on board. We would have to land the plane. There would be an ambulance waiting to take care of the issue.

The next thing I remember, I was outside, watching as we came into land somewhere in France, on what appeared to be a ring road. A moment later, I was told that a person on board had passed away.

I then woke up feeling relieved. This is not the sort of reaction that you might expect, after hearing someone had died.

While thinking about this dream, I have many associations that really make sense to me as the dreamer. The sense of a specific journey, the feeling of being on a plane, the emergency landing and then finally the death.

There is a reason why I have been to Tenerife three times since last October. The notion of being on a plane journey is also important - once you are up in the air, you have no control over your destination. You only regain control once you land. So the emergency landing is also significant - and the death of the person is actually symbolic of the end of one specific dream. My journey with that dream, (note: not real person) has been aborted.

Without going into specific detail - I now feel able to walk away from a situation in my life, without any feelings of ill will or regret. What has happened has come to pass.

Plans

It has been over a week now since I got back from London. It was a fantastic weekend. Every time I go there for a break or with work, my desire to move to the big smoke is renewed.

If I ever do manage to fulfill this desire, it will be next year before it happens. The book I am writing will probably take another month or so to finish. This is plan number one. If I achieve the freedom to live at the edge of society as a published author, I can start doing what I do best full time. i.e. be an observer of life and be creative with that.

If the publishing contract does not transpire- and let's be honest, this is the more likely option- then it's back to the job hunting. At least that way I can start on another fresh novel once I am there. I am encouraged by something that Eddie Vedder said recently: "Try something a hundred times and then ask yourself if you are any good at it." I will never write a hundred novels but I should be getting better the more books I finish.

Of course, even if I always fail to get published, this will still be a worthwhile activity. The primary thing is staying creative and open to the possibility of living the life I want to live.

Who knows where I will be in a years time.