In My Restless Dreams, I See That Town. Silent Hill.

          A couple of weeks ago, I dreamed I was cycling the Tour de Puke event. Except it was a mixture of Percy Warner Park and the neighborhood I grew up in. The streets were twice as wide, trees like Red Woods. My Dad was behind me as a support vehicle. At the top of one climb was a rest stop. There was a cozy-looking cabin with gentle smoke rising from the chimney. A very serene scene. The ride organizer invited everyone to stop and have a cup of coffee, a very unorthodox beverage at a cycling event. I did not want to stop because my goal was to win the race this year. I didn't need a break.

          I rounded the turn to what would be a view of the river. The scene transitioned, as I reached into my backpack to grab a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a cyclist's favorite during the long rides. It changed to cycling into an opened-up view of an unfamiliar house. I cycled through the living room, kitchen and down a hallway.

          The scene quickly changed once again, into a crossroads area. It was a roundabout in a cramped French-style city. There were 3 streets extending from the roundabout. There were dirty street signs and graffiti on walls. The atmosphere quickly got darker and shifted to a dark orange hue, much like the game Silent Hill. It felt like the same thing was going on. I knew I had to get indoors fast. I climbed a ledge and opened a Venetian-style door.

          I was now in a projection booth above a movie theater. The closet was cramped and was lit by a small lamp. On a box was an old book that had been rebound. I read an extremely disturbing passage, "This is what hell is really like." The book also described that "the underground" was being destroyed by the upper world. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I realized I was underground and that there was a real upper world which was the world of the living and that their excavations and exploring were going to cross that line and destroy the peace of the underground. Then the dream ended.

Symbols

(by dreammoods.com)

• Bicycle: To dream that you are riding a bicycle signifies your desires to attain a balance in your life. You need to balance work and pleasure in order to succeed in your current undertakings. If you have difficulties riding the bicycle, then it suggests that you are experiencing anxieties about making it on your own.
• Larger: To dream that someone or something is bigger than normal indicates that you either have an inflated opinion of yourself or of someone. You may be expressing a desire to be more dominant in some situation or relationship. To see a big figure in your dream represents authority and power.
• Coffee: To dream that you are drinking or need your coffee suggests that you need to gain some insight and knowledge before making a decision or tackling some project/relationship. You may be acting too hasty and need to slow down. Alternatively, it may imply a need for you to change your routine.
• Crossroads: To dream that you are at a crossroads symbolize an important decision that you need to make. You have come to a point in your life where you have several options that you need to weigh. Each option will lead you to a different destination or goal. Alternatively, the crossroads suggest of a change in direction in your life.
• Darkness: To dream that darkness comes upon you signifies failure in some work that you are attempting. Darkness is synonymous with ignorance, the subconscious, evil, death, and fear of the unknown. If the sun breaks through the darkness, then you will overcome your failures. If you feel safe in the dark, then it suggests that you like not knowing about certain things. As some might say, ignorance is bliss.
• Underground: To dream of going or living underground indicates that you are trying to force certain thoughts and issues into your subconscious mind. You really need to confront and explore your subconscious.

INTERPRETATION:
          In real life, I'm looking forward to a real event called Tour de Puke. It's a metric-century (62 mile) bike ride open to a select few who are invited. It is within a park with very hilly landscape, over 5,000 feet of total elevation. Last year I placed third. This year I'm looking to win, which is reflected in my not stopping for a break in the dream. Dad has been sag support during 2 of my centuries, also reflected in the dream. The big trees and wide streets perhaps symbolize bigger goals: winning TdP and taking on Six Gap this fall.
          The transition from the race through the house to the Silent Hill-like world has a fairly simple meaning. When I'm not on my bike, working, working out, or studying, I'm usually a cave-dwelling ginger at home, pondering various possibilities of my life, traveling through various rooms of thought. But with that comes many negatives...
          Going to a roundabout, a crossroads with three streets, symbolizes decisions. Three physical goals of mine are a TdP win, top 5% finish at Tough Mudder and completing Six Gap. But the three roads could also symbolize something else. Deciding a new job, a different school program or a new place to live. Either way, it's a roundabout, circling endlessly until I make a decision.
          The scene gets darker, many Silent Hill symbols come into play, the darkness, the rusty-hue, the feeling of impending doom. Perhaps diverting to a small place in the projection booth means that I forget about the roads-my decisions, which currently seem dark and foggy, and move to a place of comfort. Yet while in this place of comfort, I realize that no progress is being made. The passage in the book, "This is what hell is really like", is how I feel about such indecision, such agnosticism towards many things, and repeating the same routines.
          Perhaps the part about the upper world means my conscious life, the underground being the subconscious past. I can't explain this phenomena, but lately I've been having strong memories of my past that arise randomly. Maybe it's my diet and exercise having a positive effect on the connections of my brain. They are memories I had forgotten of places or events from my childhood, feelings that were strong back then about life in general, and other random events more recent. 'Nostalgia' comes from the Greek word 'nóstos', meaning 'homecoming' and 'álgos', meaning 'pain'. Nostalgia has historically been viewed as a medical or psychological condition, triggered by various smells, sights, music, locations, etc. The power of the past pulls many sufferers of nostalgia back to more comfortable times, avoiding the gloom and fog of an unforeseen future.
          Maybe the digging into the underground is me tapping into things I should not be dwelling on or thinking about at all.. Disturbing the peace of the underground, the dead, the past. The past should stay dead. The past can be both a comfort like serene landscapes of a home town, but also can be a nightmarish transition to the 'otherworld', reflections of past failure, fear and pessimism. The dream is a reminder to decide on something and stick to it. I completed 3 State 3 Mountain with flying colors. There's no reason I can't do whatever I put my mind to and do what I can right now, so that the fog dissipates and the streets become clearer.

Swift Mountain Wind

       Last night I dreamed I was viewing a vast, jagged mountainous region from above. It was either by satellite or by helicopter. I don't remember. The mountains were dark orange colored by the fading sunlight, almost like Morder from Lord of the Rings. I was going to map out a cycling route, viewing from the sky. My plans quickly changed as I realized I was parachuting down from the sky towards the mountain.
       There appeared a long bridge connecting two of the mountains. Three soldiers were walking across. I targeted them with an advanced targeting system on my headpiece and missiles rained from the sky and took them out! I landed on the ground. The mountainous corridors were complex and jagged, but I swiftly made my way into a complex in the mountain. People were running around in a panic. I was searching for a certain person-of-interest. They weren't a target, but someone I had to capture. I ran through a commercial kitchen area, through a locker room area and long hallways but the person-of-interest eluded me. Still, I ran through there like a tornado, conquering like a man on a mission. Much of the detail in this dream faded.

Symbols

Mountains:
To see mountains in your dream signify many major obstacles and challenges that you have to overcome. If you are on top of the mountain, then it indicates that you have achieved and realized your goals. You have recognized your full potential. Alternatively, mountains denote a higher realm of consciousness, knowledge, and spiritual truth.

Parachute:

To dream that you are in a parachute represents a protective force over you. You have a sense of security. Alternatively, the dream implies that it is time to bail out of a situation or abandon an old idea or habit.

Running:
To dream that you are running alone refers to your determination and motivation in the pursuit of your goals. You will find success and rise above those around you. Alternatively, the dream may mean that you need to hurry up in making a decision.

Search:
To dream that you are searching for something signifies the need to find something that is missing or needed in your life. The dream may be analogous to your search for love, spiritual enlightenment, peace or even a solution to a problem.

INTERPRETATION:

       I went cycling yesterday. We went on a really fun new route that the ride leader organized. He mentioned mapping it on mapquest. Perhaps my initial planning of a ride is a reflection of that. Oh yeah.. And I have 3 State 3 Mountain (100 mile bike ride in Chattanooga) in less than two weeks.

       I believe the mountains do represent challenges in my life. The fact that I was swooping in on the mountain signifies my unorthodox way of approaching things. Whatever I'm doing is working. This militaristic style is perhaps reminiscent of a former waking dream I had of becoming a Pararescue Jumper. The targets on the mountain represent obligations, things I am knocking out one at a time in my life, or in this case, many at once. It's true. Not only have I had 3 exams this week, I have 3 next week including finals and 3 State 3 Mountain immediately that weekend. Multiple targets indeed.

       The search for the person-of-interest could be anything. A final objective to complete before I can relax. Or perhaps its figuring out the mystery of the 'near death experience', a topic I recently became interested in. The answer still eludes me. I felt strong and fast in this dream, fearless, and able to conquer whatever was in front of me. Truly, I feel on top of things in my waking life. But I can't relax yet. So much left to do before the end of the semester and 3 State 3 Mountain.

Snarling Wolves

After cycling for awhile down a trail, I jumped into a river and onto a makeshift raft. Suddenly I was time-warped to the 1400s. It was dark. On the other side of the narrow river were rocky cliffs. I passed by a witches ugly green face with lifeless white eyes that was coming towards me in the water. I continued on, not heeding it.

Around the bend, a wolf snarled from the rocky shore. Knowing my food supply was limited, I waited in waist-deep water for the wolf. He attacked, I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and shoved him underwater. A second wolf attacked my flank. I quickly shoved him in the water and they both drowned. Dinner for the however-long-stay in this time period.

Symbols

Bicycle:

To dream that you are riding a bicycle signifies your desires to attain a balance in your life. You need to balance work and pleasure in order to succeed in your current undertakings. If you have difficulties riding the bicycle, then it suggests that you are experiencing anxieties about making it on your own.

Raft:

To dream that you are floating on a raft suggests that you are drifting through life, not knowing where you are headed. You are confused about your purpose and direction in life.

Time Travel:

To dream about time travel indicates your wish to escape from your present reality. You want to go back into the past or jump forward to the future to a period where your hopes are realized. This dream also represents your romantic tendency and or your desire to romanticize everything.

Witch:

To see a witch in your dream represents evil and destruction. It may point to your negative ideas of anything feminine and your experiences with dangerous or heartless women.

Wolf:

To see a wolf in your dream symbolizes survival, beauty, solitude, mystery, self-confidence and pride. You are able to keep your composure in a variety of social circumstances and blend into any situation with ease and grace. You are also a loner by choice. Negatively, the wolf represents hostility, aggression, or sneakiness. It may reflect an uncontrollable situation or an all-consuming force in your life. This could point to an obsession, an addiction or something that is beyond your control. To dream that you kill a wolf indicates betrayal. Certain secrets will be revealed to you.

INTERPRETATION:

My father actually wrote this very interesting interpretation (must run in the family lol): "Seems to indicate a personal struggle with truth suppressed (dark ages-i.e., 1400), suddenly coming to light via various sources (bike, raft). Because of this discovery, you were hungry and in a great struggle with evil (wolves), you overcame through use of elements or sources not of your own strength (water). But, you were smart enough to fight with them in these elements where you had the advantage. So complete was the victory, that you consumed your enemy (Dinner). But the search for truth is not completed (Dinner for however long stay)..."

I might add that I've had some odd occurrences in the past with wolves or dogs. I've loved wolves since I was in kindergarten and still have a couple of kids books about them. They've always been a good symbol to me. However in this dream they were evil, set out to kill me. I wouldn't ever want to kill one in real life but if one wanted to kill me, I'll do what I must to survive. I did have the advantage in the water. I couldn't have taken them both down on land. The dream certainly had a sense that evil was following me as I searched for truth.

The dark ages aka the time of the church apostasy certainly was a time of truth suppressed. I'm a bit rusty with interpreting dreams lately. It seems to be about not giving in to lies and combating, at least internally, the evil around me. I can't add much more to what my dad said other than this dream reminds me a bit of the verse: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matt 10:16)

To The Cliffs

Last night I dreamed I was in a small, rural town. Though even late at night, early in the morning, there was lots of traffic on a curvy 2-lane road. I don't know where I was going but I went off the road and found a basketball. I dribbled it but kept losing it. Across the road, I saw the house it belonged to. It was a small house with a shed and a nice basketball court. I was going to play on the court but decided not to and left the ball in their yard.



I continued along the road and started to get really hungry. I came to a split. I was now in a more suburban area. One way went to a neighborhood, the other had a sign that said, "to cliffs". I headed that way. The road went up. I made my way to a small shopping center that had a tiny gas-station like store. That was the only place that was open. I intended to buy a bunch of snacks to hold me over til morning.

Then I woke up hungry.


Symbols

Traffic:
To see traffic in your dream, indicates the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sometimes you feel like you are just going with the flow. Things have become too routine.

Basketball:
To dream that you are playing basketball, indicates teamwork and cooperation. There is a situation in your waking life where you will need the cooperation and assistance of others in order to achieve a common goal. Perhaps you are standing in the way of your own progress and need to ask for help. To see a basketball in your dream, suggests that you need to make the first move. You also need to concentrate and focus on your goals.

Road Sign:
To see road signs in your dream, represent some advice and message that your unconscious is trying to convey. The road sign may be trying to guide you toward certain decisions. Consider what the road sign is saying and how you need to apply its message to an aspect of your daily life.

Cliff:

To dream that you are climbing to the top of a cliff symbolizes your ambition and drive. The dream may parallel your desires to achieve success and to be the at the top of your profession.

Hungry:
To dream that you are hungry, signifies a feeling of unfulfillment in some area of your life. You may be starving for love, recognition, power, sex, wealth, or fame. You are longing to achieve something that you have desired for awhile. Alternatively, the dream may simply be that you are really feeling hungry and it is being manifested in your dream.

INTERPRETATION:

The fact that I deviated from road (traffic, the flow of every-day life) and discovered a basketball (team sport) I think means I stray from the norm and like to do things on my own. Though after awhile I can't grasp it, like how I kept dropping the ball. So I placed the ball in an empty yard, as if I'm wanting to ask for help but I'm not quite asking.

My dream came to a decision-point. The neighborhood, which I think meant to settle down and find a place to rest, or the cliffs, to continue on to greater heights, to my own ambition, my hunger to accomplish more. I chose the cliffs. Though hungry, maybe overwhelmed in real life, I still know how to find sustenance and when to stop and eat (pacing myself).

Don't Hesitate

Last night I had a massive cluster of dreams that I wish I could fully remember.. but they all seemed to have a common theme of overcoming obstacles. I dreamed about obstacle courses and a freezing river. There was an obstacle with cargo netting that you had to climb, followed by running through a creek with turtles. There was another obstacle with a ladder leaning freely on a rope suspended across 2 poles that you had to climb over and prevent from flipping. There were lots of eager, but tired athletes trying to get past the obstacles. Further down, the group of people thinned out and I stand before a freezing cold and muddy river with my team. They were neither an elite group of athletes nor hesitant beginners. Just as I was about to dive in, my team dives in with no hesitation. I immediately dive in and down pretty far. It felt like a long time had passed before I surfaced and then swam across. I exited the water and ran down a road to catch up with the team.



Symbols

Obstacle Course:
To dream that you are going through an obstacle course, symbolizes the hardships and difficulties that you are experiencing in your waking life. It represents the things that you must overcome in order to reach your goals. The elements in the obstacle course is analogous to the barriers and problems in your life.

Turtle:
To see a turtle in your dream, symbolizes wisdom, faithfulness, longevity, and loyalty. It also suggests that you need to take it slow in some situation or relationship in your life. With time and patience, you will make steady progress.

River:
If you are crossing a river in your dream, then it represents an obstacle or issue that you need to deal with in order to move closer toward your goal. It is also reflective of a new stage in your life. If the river is muddy, then it indicates that you are in turmoil.

INTERPRETATION:
I would dive into some of the symbols and what they mean but I already know why I dreamed of such things. A couple of weeks ago I completed an event called Tough Mudder. It's a 12 mile obstacle course with mountains, freezing cold water, tunnels, fire, climbing, crawling, plunging, and running through a field of live wire. It ranked up there with my first Century ride as one of the most mentally and physically challenging events of my life.. but it was so much fun at the same time. After completing it, I experienced a great sense of accomplishment and gained a lot of confidence. I am now planning on running my first marathon in Atlanta in October and Tough Mudder again in Florida in December.

The dreams I had are reflections of the obstacles and cold, muddy water I encountered. And perhaps it's an unconscious night school that is preparing me for the next century ride, marathon and Tough Mudder. The turtles in the dream, I think are symbols telling me that I should slow it down. Because right now I do have a hip flexor injury and I need to rest and heal but I'm ready to step up my training soon. In the dream, I was surprised and also pumped about the team jumping in before I did. It shows that I long to train with a fearless group that pushes themselves and never hesitates to jump in. And perhaps it shows my lack of hesitance when tackling a huge obstacle. I know that I will be ready for the marathon in October and perhaps a top 5% finish time at Tough Mudder.. and maybe even a chance to compete and complete World's Toughest Mudder.

...With These Words

A few years ago, my dad told me about a very powerful dream he had. I asked him to tell it to me again so that I could share it. Read it below. Comfort one another with these words...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This dream I am about to describe is very special to me because it came after wondering (and fretting) if God would forget me if I died and my body turned to dust. As you know, I believe when a person dies, his body returns to dust and his spirit returns to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7, Psalm 104:29). There are many verses that state that a man’s thoughts perish (Psalm 146:4) at that point and they are not conscious until Jesus return. That person is “asleep” until that great day (John 11:11-45). Our hope is in the resurrection not in dying and going to our reward immediately. Years can pass, but this sleep is like a second to those who wait for his return.

This “fretting” came during a time when I had trouble sleeping. It was after my heart attack and my heart had a funny rhythm that would often wake me up with a shortness of breath. I quickly learned to give my fears up to God and I would fall back asleep, but I would think, “Lord, there have been billions of people who have died over the last 6 or 7 thousand years, will you forget me when you come?”

One night, I dreamed and saw my funeral and people standing around, this part of the dream was very quick, because the next thing I experienced was two angels, very playfully and with joy, helping me out of my grave. They seemed to be like two little children who have been anticipating a long trip with their family and everything around them is exciting. At first they are talking to each other, but as I awake, their attention turns to me. As I look up at them, I can’t see them too well, but I feel like I have known them for a very long time. The sky is lit up with brightness, and although I can’t see him, I know Jesus is just beyond the horizon. As I come up, the angels say, “See we didn’t forget you!.” My dream ends abruptly right there and I awake feeling happy and encouraged. Since that time, I have never worried about God forgetting me."

Job 19:26
26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness

I Thessalonians 4: 13-18
13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

For It Is Dreamed, So It Shall Snow

I wish I had remembered more of my dreams last night. I'm not sure where I was exactly but I was outside. And it was raining.. then it turned to sleet and finally snow. The snowfall got more and more intense. That's all I remember. I usually don't post short fragments of a dream I barely remember... but today it snowed.



Today I heard that we had snow on the forecast. I had read about prophetic dreams before. There are many theories, one being that your subconscious mind is really good at piecing together information to predict an outcome. I'm not convinced that prophetic dreams tell the future but they are interesting. I'm not sure if my dream was foretelling of the weather today or if I dreamed about it snowing because I wanted it to snow. Either way, it will be pretty sweet if classes are cancelled tomorrow.

Here's what dreammoods.com says about prophetic dreams...

Prophetic Dreams
In a prophetic dream, you see the future through your dream. It is difficult to determine that a dream is prophetic because we can only confirm such a dream after it has taken place. Even then, we only hear of the success stories. There are so many other dreams that do not come true. Thus, prophetic dream may just be mere coincidences.

In the science world, it is believed that psychic powers do not exist. Scientists rationalize that dreams that seemingly come true may actually be a suggestion or guide for you to follow, thus making it seem as if the dream is coming true. You are willing it to be true. Another argument is that you may have a tendency to self-edit your dream to match the outcome. Because dreams are so easily forgotten, your memory of the dream may not be accurate. Yet another theory is that your dreaming mind is able to piece together bits of information faster that your conscious mind. Your mind is able to see what will happen based on information that it has already collected.

Still, there are believers that dreams can indeed predict or foretell the future. Prophetic dreams are linked to major disasters, wars, assassinations, accidents, lottery numbers or even with winning horse races. Such dreams have helped solve crimes. In history, Abraham Lincoln was said to have dreamt of his own body laying in a coffin two weeks before his assassination. British engineer, John Dunne dreamt of the eruption of a volcano in France which came true.

Having a prophetic dream suggests that you are experiencing anxiety and that you are expressing a desire for certainty in the future. You are looking to your dream to help you make an important decision or to reassure you that you are on the right path.

More Info:
Types of Prophetic Dreams