Cougar in the snow

[farewell2arms]

Outside: Heavy snowfall in the dark night. I am at my old elementary school with my family and my cousins. But something has happened, my cousins have taken ill. There is a disease, a curse, it is spreading and I am at risk of being infected if I don’t leave. I will need to find a place to stay, a place to keep low until it subsides. I realize the direness of the situation, but am calm and collected.

As I leave, I feel hunted, but not afraid. I am on a bicycle, and it is hard and exhausting to make it through the snowy unplowed streets.

My first thought is to go to my parents apartment nearby, but i feel “it’s the first place I’ll be discovered”, so instead I pack my tent and put on storm/ski clothing and go to a nearby mountain/hill (About 100 m high) that lies by a little lake.

In the dark stormy night, I lie in my tent on a narrow ledge with vertical montain walls all around. I keep a fire lit, it is small, but I keep it lit throughout the night.

Sometime when it gets lighter outside a cougar/mountain lion appears above me on a ledge. It sits gracefully, looks at me, and speaks. I am frustrated because I cannot remember the words though.

I do remember feelings of respect towards the cougar along with feelings of unease and anticipation. There was light fear as well.

The cougar then jumps straight into the water from the ledge, a drop of 10 metres perhaps.

I fall asleep in my dream, and when I wake up the fire is reduced to embers, but it’s still burning. I nourish it and it once again flames up. My mother sends me an MMS to cheer me up with pictures of nature (I'm a nature geek )

I realize another person has camped below, close to the water. It’s a woman with a child. I make my presence known, and we speak lightly about camping. Her friends comes later to join us, two of them appears out from under the surface of the water, and walks straight out of the lake.

Down to the left there is a strange runestone that looks similar to this: http://www.library.hartsem.edu/staff/jw ... Stone8.jpg

It seems to have sunken down into the soil a bit, perhaps two thirds of it is visible. There are two obelisks that I also associate with the viking period (even though there weren't any obelisks that I know of made here in the north) I feel surprised, and wake up.

edit: Added a part I had forgotten, the one about the runestone!

[Korpo]

Hello, fw2a.

There's of course the symbolism of a possible totem animal. Especially as it speaks to you. It also seems to exist on a "higher plane" or different level, here presented through elevation. The respect and unease signify the spiritual stature of authority of the being.

Fire is illumination and transformation.

It is important that you fall asleep during the dream, see for example here: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=17113&p=121425#p121425

Maybe more later, I have to run. Interesting dream!

Cheers,
Oliver

[farewell2arms]

Hello, fw2a.

There's of course the symbolism of a possible totem animal. Especially as it speaks to you. It also seems to exist on a "higher plane" or different level, here presented through elevation. The respect and unease signify the spiritual stature of authority of the being.

Fire is illumination and transformation.

It is important that you fall asleep during the dream, see for example here: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=17113&p=121425#p121425

Maybe more later, I have to run. Interesting dream!

Cheers,
Oliver

Thanks Oliver, that sound really interesting. Ill look into it.

edit: I just remembered another part! Ill edit that main post.

Cheers, John

[Korpo]

Hello, John.

Cousins could denote how close an issue is to you. Not the closest family but the cousins could mean the issue represented by the disease is not necessarily a core issue, but close enough.

Dis-ease could mean anything that causes you discomfort, and for example fear is known to spread as well.

The old elementary school could denote the age in your life this issue derives from.

Your sensations stay on the topic of being "endangered" and an "invisible danger" (being hunted but not seeing the pursuers, being afraid of being discovered or a disease). This could denote an ego fear of the unknown larger dimensions of the psyche. This would match well with the paranoia.

There's also the theme of looking for cover, being discovered, everything covered with snow.

You seek isolation and refuge in nature. Maybe you're walling all other influences out (the mountain walls) and look for illumination (starting your fire).

The dark, stormy night seems likely to denote a "dark night of the soul." The term is a bit misleading, as not the soul is causing the dark night. In fact, the higher being brings with it illumination from above, and from your description this contact seems to denote the end of the storm (or it subsides while you sleep).

Note the reverence and respect. You engage your soul with devotion. Your love of nature is transposed on the greatness of the soul, depicted as an animal of great strength, agility and cunning. There's also a connotation of danger, of being somewhat afraid (note the similarity and differences to the beginning of the dream - these could be two things: fears about an idea of the soul, and some residual fear when actually encountering the soul). Hey, and all kinds of cats denote a certain mystery to many people.

The descent of the cougar seems to coincide with you falling asleep - this seems like a magic or mystical experience, where the higher descends.

Your love of nature seems to be validated in the MMS, your mother here as a symbol for a motherly, protective energy interesting in fostering your growth.

Then there is a boundary. You see people beside the water (close to the boundary) and emerge from the water (from beyond the boundary). Given the mystical nature of the dream the water could be another realm or plane and these people spirits you relate well to. Do you think you are a "happy camper" in their presence? (Remember the chat you're having here.)

I don't know what the stone symbolises, I don't know about runestones. But it being buried / obscured to a degree could denote that something needs to be uncovered.

Does the association with the Viking period for the obelisks arise within the dream?

Cheers,
Oliver

[farewell2arms]

Hello, John.

Cousins could denote how close an issue is to you. Not the closest family but the cousins could mean the issue represented by the disease is not necessarily a core issue, but close enough.

Dis-ease could mean anything that causes you discomfort, and for example fear is known to spread as well.

The old elementary school could denote the age in your life this issue derives from.

Your sensations stay on the topic of being "endangered" and an "invisible danger" (being hunted but not seeing the pursuers, being afraid of being discovered or a disease). This could denote an ego fear of the unknown larger dimensions of the psyche. This would match well with the paranoia.

I see. So there lies the opportunity for growth, I just need to find the issue. Perhaps this has something to do with what I need to learn from my totem animal, which I'm quite sure the cougar actually was.

The dark, stormy night seems likely to denote a "dark night of the soul." The term is a bit misleading, as not the soul is causing the dark night. In fact, the higher being brings with it illumination from above, and from your description this contact seems to denote the end of the storm (or it subsides while you sleep).

That's what I feel aswell. I read that the cougar totem chooses it's time to appear very carefully. This is a good time - I'm leaving the old me behind, and will be shaping a new reality based on new values along with some of the old great ones (thanks Tim).

This totem’s gift is how to balance power, intention, strength and grace.
It is the balance of body, mind and spirit.

It's what I wish to learn. Sweet.

Note the reverence and respect. You engage your soul with devotion. Your love of nature is transposed on the greatness of the soul, depicted as an animal of great strength, agility and cunning. There's also a connotation of danger, of being somewhat afraid (note the similarity and differences to the beginning of the dream - these could be two things: fears about an idea of the soul, and some residual fear when actually encountering the soul). Hey, and all kinds of cats denote a certain mystery to many people.

I think both fears were actually present, along with respect. This is one other thing that makes me think the cougar was a totem teacher: fear means there's room for learning.

Then there is a boundary. You see people beside the water (close to the boundary) and emerge from the water (from beyond the boundary). Given the mystical nature of the dream the water could be another realm or plane and these people spirits you relate well to. Do you think you are a "happy camper" in their presence? (Remember the chat you're having here.)

I would say I felt out of place. Cautiously welcome, perhaps. I remember being introduced, and then sitting quiet and listening to their conversation as a stranger.

I don't know what the stone symbolises, I don't know about runestones. But it being buried / obscured to a degree could denote that something needs to be uncovered.

Does the association with the Viking period for the obelisks arise within the dream?

Cheers,
Oliver

Yes, the association was that the obelisks belonged to the runestone in some way. I don't feel especially connected to vikings either. Hm, perhaps the future will tell more.

Thanks for the interpretation!