Dream Inspirational Cards Study Group, Card 17 BILLY GOAT

LWB meaning for card 17 Billy Goat is "Obstinacy" "Initiative" "Success"

I always seem drawn to this card for some reason, I think it's a great picture that is really trying to show something happening...but what?

To be honest I'm not the cleverist of guys and I had to look Obstinacy up in the dictionary and the meaning I found was "stubborn/Strong-willed" where as this might sum up a Goats personality I'm not sure that a Goat would be Initiative or Successful, although the one in this card seems to be. Has he managed to escape from the community he was in (presuming the building in the background would belong to a community) in which case he probably DID use his Intiative to escape and the fact he has, has meant Success.

What does everyone else see in this card?

Paul

This cards sounds like a card of abandoning something. It may be the family, it may be the job, but, in any case, it's something that gave this goat stability and comfort for a while (house/church at the back). His eyes are frightened and a bit anguished so this escape is not easy. It probably has to do with keeping his integrity, his strength as a person and possibly as a man. He's doing it in hiding and decided not to tell the others about his decision (the sun hasn't set yet). The goat is suspended so it may imply that he still does not know what to do or where to go next. He's just on an "away" mode at this point.

Billy Goat... billy goat (shuffles through cards), aha there it be.

Very in one's face he is, so I think boldness, being forward.
He's leaping so I think of taking a leap of faith, especially since the structure in back reminds me of a church. Leaving traditions behind, forging a new path.
He's above the water so he's not influenced by his emotions. His head is disproportionally big in comparison to his body... big ideas.

Ah! I have always liked this card too.

And I like what you all have come up with as well!

There are always a few things that strike me about this card...

First...that he doesn't really look much like a billy goat!
He reminds me more of a bull or a buffalo...and actually looks like one of those classical Greek masks of a bull...rather than an actual animal to me.

and this, to me, has always suggested bravado, and big talk, while being rather insecure and hiding your true nature...overcompensation comes to mind.

and also that title..."Macho Cabrio" isn't that just a great description?

The other thing that strikes me...is that he walks on air...rather than walking on land (being grounded or normal) or walking on water (being truly magnificent or godlike)

Walking on air, again suggests a fragility, or maybe that he has a dreamy,"out there" personality...he talks big, but he's all hot air.


I always like that little southwestern looking church building too...
it reminds me of a place I visited in New Mexico.

It has a higher/spiritual...or maybe religious/family home vibe to it...but I agree that out friend the billy goat seems to be walking or running away from facing it.
Also...the shadow looks like the daylight is waning...it's too late in the day to start anything...but tomorrow may be another story!

So...over all...not a very successful card to me. Much more a procrastination, macho posturing, illusionary courage, refusing to be grounded or face day to day reality, stubborn sort of card.

Alone on the range...

To me, he looks like a surprised buffalo.

Buffalo used to walk the plains in herds so large they were a sea of brown across the land. This buffalo is surprised because he is alone and there is not ground for him to walk upon.

The setting appears to be the Southwest, which also surprises the Buffalo (funny how in dreams things change in such odd ways). The waters of the unconscious are seeping in and have eaten away much of the solid land. Water is so scarce in the Southwest that this is a blessing of sorts. The mesas in the background confirm that we are in the Southwest, but those tall green trees can only grow here because of the water.

The changes bring a mixture of good and ill. The buffalo is too surprised to decide, just yet, how he feels about this. He just wants to know where he stands (like a cartoon character who just realized he does not have solid ground under his feet).