Dreaming of Dad

There is a stern, loving, angry, determined father in each of our inner communities. What relationship are you to have with this force in your world?

   I overhear one person tell another that I never knew my father after I was six years old, except through my mother, because he was never there. F/47:6.93

This gold dream reminds us each of the sacrifice between the father, the daughter, and work.

   Riding in car with Dad in dark.
   Going to meet rest of family waiting for us in another car. Snowing. We see them start out and neighbor Betty on motor bike waiting for us.
   Dad is angry with her as she is so interested in the boy friend.
   I defend her which makes him mad and then I'm panicky. F/46:7.14.92

The theme of this dream is riding in the car with dad in the dark. What does this mean to you? Perhaps we have the source of this woman's anxiety about male authority figures and rage. Hillman's work on "Pan and the Nightmare" tells us how the spirit of Pan, unattended, turns into Pan(ic).

   My son has been offered a nine month scholarship in Red Lodge along with several other opportunities not including scholarships.
   My Dad wants me to pay attention to his needs while I am on my knees trying to fix a leaky washing machine in a resort I run.
   My son is waiting.
   As we have an appointment with someone to deal with these opportunities. F/47:4/24/95

We have an appointment with opportunity. What will it take in this woman's life to get her up off her knees and take what the son offers? Marion Woodman's, Leaving My Father's House, tells us much about this riddle.

   I'm in a cluttered room off the back of a house: like a work room but with some furniture. There's another female and two males with me. I talk on the phone to someone then hang up.
   The two men have small rifles. They belong to my Father. I tell them they should put them back, my Dad has a real thing about his guns. They're very important to him and he can get pretty out of control. They jeer at me and leave to go shoot the guns. Just then my Father enters. He sees them leaving and seems okay with it he turns to me and has a crazed look in his eyes.
   He points out that I left the phone off the hook and he heard everything. I'm trying to tell him I didn't say anything derogatory about him. He seems to be calmer but still defiant. He sits down and has me sit on the floor by him. I don't want to turn my back to him. He's rubbing my neck and shoulders. I'm eating a chewy candy when he grabs my face using one hand on either side of the mouth. Like someone would grab a small child's face. He's holding me face down. I can't breathe.
   ``Daddy please let go, I'm getting claustraphobic. Daddy please let go." I wake. F/43:8.20.94

There is a huge temptation to take this to the incest altar. What daughter has not had this dream? Here the father and his guns, crazed look, and eavesdropping, grabs the daughter's face. Stay with the image of the mad father dominating the daughter and her plea to be let go. This father is within her now and she is pleading to let go of him.

Dreamings	Primer	Front

©Dross LLP