Friday, October 02, 2009

The House Dream

I've had the House Dream for years. There are several basic configurations to the house, and they rotate. It's usually a very large house, and typically, English or European. Generally a Victorian pile, but occasionally Georgian. Sometimes it's divided into apartments or student housing. Sometimes it's falling apart. Occasionally it is being renovated. The basement is featureless, neglected and terrifying.

Once, I got to a lovely, sunny room in the attic.

I have read about the Jungian archetype--basement is the place of fears, attic is the place of aspirations, etc., etc.

Last night, it was a totally different house, in a totally different location. It was not as large. Two storeys, with an attic. It was more American Colonial than any other style. The rooms were occupied, and I was a long-term visitor. As in my usual House dreams, many of the rooms had an air of neglect. This house had, for instance, a second living room which was both tidy and shabby.

When I opened the door to the attic stairs, the stairs were rough-hewn lumber, and recently painted a light, buttery yellow high-gloss enamel. I did not go up, uncertain about whether I was allowed. In a later exploration, I found a second staircase to the attic. This one was modern, and metal, with a lower section that folded flat to prevent unauthorized access. Eventually, I went up, and discovered a secret room, furnished only with a few built-in shelves. It was wallpapered to coordinate with the light yellow on the stairs.

It was a nice dream, though a little mysterious.

6 comments:

  1. For the longest time I've dreamed that I moved to another house and discover later that there's several other houses within that house. Hidden rooms with armoirs stuffed with interesting things, duplicate kitchens, like that. I always wake up before I find something really cool in those extra rooms.

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  2. But you know the interesting stuff is there for you to find during another sleep...

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  3. Exactly! I go back now and then and poke through drawers and cabinets.

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  4. I have house dreams too. Sometimes its this huge log cabin all varnished insides. With a shower that has showerheads from all sides. And yes, I always discover new rooms.

    Sometimes its my parents house lol.

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  5. I get these dreams too, and I love them. The last one was just the other week, after a long interval of nil- I was relieved I could have one again. Usually a big Queen Anne, often in the Boston area, only bad thing is I can never afford to get it repaired properly! My son was in this last, running from room to room finding problems and leaks!

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  6. The general consensus in the dream analysis books I have read is that your house is YOU.

    Remember the ghost story about the woman who dreampt of a house, and then found it in RL, and she had been a ghost in it all that time?

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