A Guide to Dreams and Sleep Experiences

by Tony Crisp
Example: ‘I was walking down the steps of a house, leading into the front area of the basement. I was with a man, perhaps a friend. At the bottom of the steps a psychiatrist was talking to a male client. They were having a session there in the open. I sensed the man’s feelings of embarrassment and exposure. But I felt it was necessary to be thus exposed, i.e. the psychiatrist was purposely holding the session in the open so the man could leam to relax’ (Bernard O). Bernard, a prac­tising therapist, is all of the men in the dream. It portrays the interaction between different parts of himself.

The T walking down the steps is the active, fairly adventurous person Ber­nard sees himself as; the man following—a fnend—is a man Bernard knows who has sexual difficulties, and represents Bernard’s own sexual hesitations; the psychiatrist is Bernard’s therapeutic skill used in his own life, the male client is Bernard’s difficult feelings when dealing with groups of peo- pie—the public—which he is trying to expose’ or get to know and transform.

Generally, a man depicts an aspect of self—even in a woman’s dream—depending on the activity and character of the man in the dream. Any indication whatsoever in the dream gives a clue to what aspect of self. In the example, the character of the friend, the role of the psychiatrist and the feelings of the client indicate which aspects of Bernard s char­acter are being dealt with. Therefore a man trying to rape a woman would be her fears about sex; a homosexual would depict those feelings; a businessman, one’s work or business abilities; a loving man, one’s feelings about love, and so on.

Older man: father or one’s accumulated experience and wisdom; perhaps even wisdom from the unconscious if man is white haired or holy. Wild, ape, half animal man: urges which have not yet been integrated and socialised, usually pertaining to sexuality in today’s social attitudes or natural social feelings at odds with present attitudes.

Man in woman’s dream: in general, a woman’s ability to question conventional behaviour and social habits; her strength to look with insight into her own life and change it thereby—but not her feeling values, emotions and intuitions, her creative or business ability in the world, and power to be competitive and challenging, her defence against just know­ing’ out of the power of her emotions and inbuilt prejudices. Man she knows or loves: feelings, worries about relationship. Dreaming the man is looking at other women or leaving is usually fears about same. Two men: might be a triangle.

Idioms: man to man; be a man; front man; hit man; make a man of; odd man out; right hand man.

See family; woman; and other entries pertaining to particular roles or age.

Dream Meanings of Versatile

by Versatile - Anonymous
Any man appearing in a dream shows an aspect or facet of our character in a recognizable form. Each of us has a repertoire or portfolio of behaviours, some of which are acceptable and some of which are not. In dreams those behaviours and characteristics can be magnified so that they are easily identified, often as personalities. By working with the characteristic, more energy and power becomes available. Even when we are threatened by a negative character trait, we can still access room for improvement.

A man in a dream can identify the shadow for a man, and the animus for a woman.

An older man (if the man is white-haired or holy) can represent the innate wisdom we all have. Such a person can also signify the father in dreams. When a large man appears in our dreams we are usually appreciating the strengths, certainties and protection that our basic beliefs give us.

A man in a woman’s dream signifies the more logical side of her nature. She has, or can develop, all the aspects of the masculine that enable her to function with success in the external world.

If the man is one she knows or loves she may be trying to understand her relationship with him.

An unknown man is generally that part of the dreamer’s personality that is not recognized. In a woman’s dream it is the masculine side of herself, and in a man’s dream it is the self.

A Dictionary of Dream Symbols

by Eric Ackroyd
(see also Guru, Wise Old Man / Woman)

(1) A male figure may be a symbol of your self; wholeness, completeness; the inner self that represents the ground-plan of your individual psyche. (For Jung on ‘the Self).

(2) On the other hand, it may stand for one half of the whole, woman symbolizing the other half of human wholeness, which is a union of opposites. The male half of the psyche comprises consciousness, reflection, rational intellect, ‘head1 rather than ‘heart’, competitiveness and aggressiveness, analysis and discrimination, purposive activity (rather than passivity or receptiveness), ambition, getting and achieving.

If, however, the figure is in a meditative posture, like a Buddha or

Shiva figure, it represents passivity and detachment. (In Hindu tradition the god’s Shakti — female partner - represents activity, all the energy and process of Nature; the god represents the still centre of the turning wheel.) See also Hermaphrodite, Woman.

(3) In a woman’s dream, a male figure may represent her animus or her father. In a man’s dream the figure may represent his alter-ego or shadow-self; or the Wise Old Man. (For animus, see Brother / Sister, sections (4)-(6); for shadow) See also Wise Old Man / Woman.