Bizarre Tree Dream

[Winterchild]

I dreamt very vividly of tree's.... tree's being pruned in a garden that had been given up on.... the trees were being pruned by a guy who seemed to know his job but I didn't trust him. The tree pruning resulted in a little sheltered bower and some trees were moved.... one tree kept being dug up and moved until it was a part of the bower, which was sheltered by a growth of new green leaves. The pruning/coppicing was ongoing... then at the end of the dream one guy killed another and was going to hang him from the tree, and there was some plot going on....

What on earth is all this about? Any clues anyone? My life is in a sort of upheaval right now... would be glad of some help...

[Roy]

Your dream is telling you to be ambitious. To gather your pride and go after glory. There's something you want but you're putting others first. You need to stop doing that and put yourself first. You want to be remembered as a great person. This dream is telling you to achieve those goals

[wildchilde]

for dreams like these I always find it is good to look to the "emotions" going on in the dream, not just the events that are taking place at face value. without further information on the feelings you experienced in the dream and with no training in dream interpretation just a personal interest in dreams of mine and others who are willing to share them...

I see the pruner as you (or your higher self), this seems to be your subconscious showing you that you are attempting to care for yourself (or your guides are) and that you are trying very hard to create safe and sacred space within you and around you to shelter you from the outside world.

I see the "plot twist" and the murdered hanged man as a representation of the emotional turmoil that is going on in your waking life. Perhaps you are the hanged man...in that people around you maybe want to hang you out to dry or (from the tarot perspective) people either are blaming you for something or you feel that inaction as action is the proper course to deal with what is occuring.

My first instinct is to interpret the dream to mean that you must put your efforts into caring for your emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being, work on trusting your self and your inner guidance, and distance yourself as much as possible from the negative things going on and the people involved while taking care not to "self-medicate" or use unhealthy methods of coping or avoiding.

FWIW, it also couldn't hurt to seek out the shelter, calmness, and wisdom of an actual tree to sit with and commune with as you meditate on this dream and other things.

[Milfoil]

Originally Posted by Roy

Your dream is telling you to be ambitious. To gather your pride and go after glory. There's something you want but you're putting others first. You need to stop doing that and put yourself first. You want to be remembered as a great person. This dream is telling you to achieve those goals

Hi Roy - I would be really interested to know how you came to this conclusion and how it references the symbols in the dream.

From a Jungian point of view, trees can suggest gentle strength, the cycle of growth, structure of our inner lives and connection between heaven and earth. When they are overgrown, this could indicate neglected areas of your life which are concealing your true nature. Being outside in a garden suggests areas of growth in your life which others are able to witness too - ie this issue has wider ramifications that just your personal growth, it will affect others. Pruning the trees back, for me, suggests that you already realise the value in literally 'cutting back' on something. Whatever seems to have become intrusive and pervasive in your life, an aspect of yourself which you no longer like, seems to be being faced. The fact that you considered the trees to be beyond help also suggests a fundamental change in your attitude towards an issue which, up until now, seemed beyond repair.

The untrusted man could be that aspect of yourself which knows what to do but you fear that the change will uncover or bring to light problems which you don't yet feel strong enough to solve alone.

The killing of one man and hanging him from the tree is reminiscent of the Hanged man card which suggests that something needs to give, something has to be 'killed off' an attitude, addiction or habit but it feels overwhelming.

Yet, if this is done and it sounds as though the process has already started, the safe bower underneath will forever be a haven and place of quiet strength as long as the 'cutting back' is maintained.

This seems to me like a very positive dream of change and realisation - does any of that make any sense to you?

[Starshower]

Are you looking for a safe, sheltering 'home', maybe - either literal or emotional? Somewhere safe & sheltered from the outside world, which is metaphorically sprouting new green leaves? i.e. becoming settled-into, as your own nurturing place?
I see the pruning & coppicing as all the sorting-out of stuff (physical things, if you're moving house, or psychological & emotional confusion if you're not). This requires some struggle & work, as is acted out with the trees in your dream. The one being repeatedly uprooted & re-planted could represent you.
I wonder why you didn't trust the gardener?
Do you feel helpless maybe, as if someone else is controlling your life? Is there some authority figure, like a boss, father, doctor, even partner, who you feel has too much say over your life? Or do you need help to sort out physical or mental backlogs in your life that have been building up for some time, overwhelmingly - like the neglected garden - but are unsure whom to trust?

I see echoes of the Garden of Eden Myth here too. The safe, sheltered place ... and the killing, as Cain killed Abel (once they had left Eden.) I don't know if you were brought up with any religious images that could have fed into those your unconscious chose to express your fears in the dream.

I agree with wildchilde that it's usually the qualitative 'feel' & emotions in dreams that matter most in expressing hidden aspects of yourself, your fears, hopes & other feelings.
I also echo wildchilde in suggesting you might like to sit outside among trees to ground & calm yourself, as you meditate on what you really need in order to feel more contentment & serenity on all levels. Bright blessings to you.

ps I don't understand Roy's interpretation at all either. What makes you think it's about pride, glory, worldly ambition & selfishness?!

[Winterchild]

Originally Posted by wildchilde

for dreams like these I always find it is good to look to the "emotions" going on in the dream, not just the events that are taking place at face value. without further information on the feelings you experienced in the dream and with no training in dream interpretation just a personal interest in dreams of mine and others who are willing to share them...

I see the pruner as you (or your higher self), this seems to be your subconscious showing you that you are attempting to care for yourself (or your guides are) and that you are trying very hard to create safe and sacred space within you and around you to shelter you from the outside world.

I see the "plot twist" and the murdered hanged man as a representation of the emotional turmoil that is going on in your waking life. Perhaps you are the hanged man...in that people around you maybe want to hang you out to dry or (from the tarot perspective) people either are blaming you for something or you feel that inaction as action is the proper course to deal with what is occuring.

My first instinct is to interpret the dream to mean that you must put your efforts into caring for your emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being, work on trusting your self and your inner guidance, and distance yourself as much as possible from the negative things going on and the people involved while taking care not to "self-medicate" or use unhealthy methods of coping or avoiding.

FWIW, it also couldn't hurt to seek out the shelter, calmness, and wisdom of an actual tree to sit with and commune with as you meditate on this dream and other things.

Wildchilde this is so insightful.....mespecially the part about the hanged man and the general theme of caring for me that several of you have broguht up... thanks so much!

[Winterchild]

Originally Posted by Milfoil

From a Jungian point of view, trees can suggest gentle strength, the cycle of growth, structure of our inner lives and connection between heaven and earth. When they are overgrown, this could indicate neglected areas of your life which are concealing your true nature. Being outside in a garden suggests areas of growth in your life which others are able to witness too - ie this issue has wider ramifications that just your personal growth, it will affect others. Pruning the trees back, for me, suggests that you already realise the value in literally 'cutting back' on something. Whatever seems to have become intrusive and pervasive in your life, an aspect of yourself which you no longer like, seems to be being faced. The fact that you considered the trees to be beyond help also suggests a fundamental change in your attitude towards an issue which, up until now, seemed beyond repair.

The untrusted man could be that aspect of yourself which knows what to do but you fear that the change will uncover or bring to light problems which you don't yet feel strong enough to solve alone.

The killing of one man and hanging him from the tree is reminiscent of the Hanged man card which suggests that something needs to give, something has to be 'killed off' an attitude, addiction or habit but it feels overwhelming.

Yet, if this is done and it sounds as though the process has already started, the safe bower underneath will forever be a haven and place of quiet strength as long as the 'cutting back' is maintained.

This seems to me like a very positive dream of change and realisation - does any of that make any sense to you?

This makes a lot of sense to me, and I thank you.. I saw the pruning as cutting away dead wood very literally in my life, parts of me I do not need, or possibley dealing with stuff to do with my children.) All of which are very applicable. I was slight confused by the murder but both you and Wildchilde have made it clearer to me.

Thanks!

[Winterchild]

Originally Posted by Starshower

Are you looking for a safe, sheltering 'home', maybe - either literal or emotional? Somewhere safe & sheltered from the outside world, which is metaphorically sprouting new green leaves? i.e. becoming settled-into, as your own nurturing place?
I see the pruning & coppicing as all the sorting-out of stuff (physical things, if you're moving house, or psychological & emotional confusion if you're not). This requires some struggle & work, as is acted out with the trees in your dream. The one being repeatedly uprooted & re-planted could represent you.
I wonder why you didn't trust the gardener?
Do you feel helpless maybe, as if someone else is controlling your life? Is there some authority figure, like a boss, father, doctor, even partner, who you feel has too much say over your life? Or do you need help to sort out physical or mental backlogs in your life that have been building up for some time, overwhelmingly - like the neglected garden - but are unsure whom to trust?

Its very literal as well as emotional in my life at this moment.... and your first

I see echoes of the Garden of Eden Myth here too. The safe, sheltered place ... and the killing, as Cain killed Abel (once they had left Eden.) I don't know if you were brought up with any religious images that could have fed into those your unconscious chose to express your fears in the dream.

I agree with wildchilde that it's usually the qualitative 'feel' & emotions in dreams that matter most in expressing hidden aspects of yourself, your fears, hopes & other feelings.
I also echo wildchilde in suggesting you might like to sit outside among trees to ground & calm yourself, as you meditate on what you really need in order to feel more contentment & serenity on all levels. Bright blessings to you.

ps I don't understand Roy's interpretation at all either. What makes you think it's about pride, glory, worldly ambition & selfishness?!

Your interpretation is spot on for how my life is right now, the confusion the wild garden, the sense of losing control and not being able to see the wood for tree's. I also feel taken over and I think that safe bower is my sanctuary, my one remaining safe pace, whic is getting smaller and smaller.
I too wonder why I didn't trust the gardener... maybe he was the one who was trying to do the relanscaping and I was afraid of what he would kill in the process?

[Winterchild]

Originally Posted by Roy

Your dream is telling you to be ambitious. To gather your pride and go after glory. There's something you want but you're putting others first. You need to stop doing that and put yourself first. You want to be remembered as a great person. This dream is telling you to achieve those goals

Thanks Roy.... your interpretation is interesting.... can you tell me more about how you got there? I see tree's as representing the self, both inner and outer in dreams. I wonder if it means that by the care and pruning I am taking care of others and forgetting me?

[Lotus Padma]

when I first read your dream, Winter, I immediately thought of the gardener as being yourself, or an aspect of the self. I felt you simply didn't trust your self, or your intution/instincts.

I see the murders as being aspects of your own ego that are in conflict with your new growth (pruning etc) - much as the others did. I think that before you can grow and change, certain outdated aspects of you must die to make room for the new growth.

I thought this was a really healthy dream! Very positive message - "don't worry, you are safe, it's just a bit of landscaping! No matter how much things change around here, we are looking after it, and you will always have your safe spot". Kinda like a nice, reassuring hug message from your spirit guides...