Would like help with a long dream...

[allaboutsoul]

I don't remember dreams too often. Lately I've remembered pieces of a lot of them but quickly forgot most of it as I woke up. This is a dream I had last night which I actually remember a great deal of. I would like help interpreting it, please. I'll definitely give feedback on any answers.

Here is the dream.

A guy who sits next to me in one of my current college classes approached me in a classroom and asked if I'd like to be his partner for a project. The classroom in the dream was not the one the real class is in, but an unfamiliar one, and in real life I barely know this guy (His name's Joseph.) but in the dream I was really happy that he wanted to be partners on a project and so I agreed. When he approached me about the project he mentioned something about liking Dungeons and Dragons. I like Dungeons and Dragons and am actually playing it at college right now, although I have not mentioned it to Joseph. The only contact I have with him is through the one class we have together.

I don't remember what the exact project was, but during it Joseph kept rapidly painting small pictures. I was impressed, and he shrugged off how impressed I was and said they were all paint-by-number pictures. We both realized we had to finish up the project quickly as we were running out of time. I looked at a picture we must have been creating, which had a landscape on it, and I suggested adding two people to it. I suggested that the people be under a tree and beside a stream, with one of them fishing, and one picking flowers. I said something like, "That will show that they're benefiting from the natural world." Although I don't remember saying this, I think I meant the fishing one to be a man and the one picking flowers to be a woman.

Suddenly, time was up and we had to go to some meeting place outside of the classroom. We rushed to leave but found our way blocked. I confidently said something to Joseph like, "It's okay. Come with me," and I led him in another way to get out of the building by forcing open some mostly-closed gates and going through side passages. I seemed to be confident because I had done such things before, although only the me in the dream. Through one of the gates, Joseph and I ended up splashing into a pool. I think it had water we could stand in. We danced in the pool. Some kind of remarks were made about my breasts touching Joseph while we danced. Either he was uncomfortable with it or I said I was, although I actually liked it.

I suddenly recognized a Black girl in the pool. I think she was naked. I said (in a hushed voice to Joseph) something like, "She's my arch-enemy. Run!" Joseph and I got out of the pool quickly and ran, being chased by the girl. She chased us through a haunted house. Instead of going the direct way through the haunted house, Joseph and I, like we had earlier, ran through side passages. I'm not sure what happened with the haunted house chase but I think the girl ended up letting us go.

The next thing I remember is Joseph and I running along a road, possibly being chased again. It started to hail. I wanted to keep going but Joseph insisted on stopping somewhere to get out of the storm. We stopped, although I'm not sure what kind of place it was we went to to stop. It had pink arcade machines which we played. Then we found out that we could get all of the money out of one of the machines. We took a large amount of money out of the arcade machine. That's the last piece of the dream I can remember being specifically connected to Joseph the guy from my college class.

Another part of the dream involves a second haunted house. I was with someone else, a male, possibly my brother although I'm not sure. Maybe it was Joseph again, but I can't remember. We entered a haunted house together. It seems we had both been to it before because we knew it was set up with two paths: one scarier than the other. The left fork was less scary but I had been down it before. I chose the scarier, right fork and my male companion went with me. I remember we ended up going through tunnels and climbing through tunnels. That's about all I remember. When we were finished going through the haunted house, I woke up.

[allaboutsoul]

I showed this dream to a friend of mine, and although he's not an expert in dreams by any means, his feelings about it were that it might be about a possible future relationship for me and difficulties related to it (with the Black girl representing someone competing for the same guy, maybe). "Relationship stuff" is always on my mind so I see that as being a possible interpretation, but I'm still looking for more interpretations.

I'm especially curious about what the theme of "side passages" could be about, since it shows up twice.

[mzansi-afrika]

Originally Posted by allaboutsoul

in real life I barely know this guy (His name's Joseph.) but in the dream I was really happy that he wanted to be partners on a project and so I agreed. When he approached me about the project he mentioned something about liking Dungeons and Dragons. I like Dungeons and Dragons and am actually playing it at college right now, although I have not mentioned it to Joseph. The only contact I have with him is through the one class we have together.

The dream is likely showing you that you have an attraction to this Joseph guy. You don't communicate much with him outside of class, with your lessons being the only time that you can see each other. The part about the project and dungeon's game could also indicate your desire for a chance to interact more with him.

Originally Posted by allaboutsoul

I don't remember what the exact project was, but during it Joseph kept rapidly painting small pictures. I was impressed, and he shrugged off how impressed I was and said they were all paint-by-number pictures.

Painting though an art is a form of communication as whoever looks at it besides appreciating the beauty of the work, also on some level may try to imagine what the artist was feeling, thinking and how they are able to portray certain ideas (e.g as in abstract paintings i never get them! lol ). Also how you relate to it matters as well cos you could decide you not interest in that art and look at other more interesting real paintings or artwork. So is what he painted interesting to you, in your dream it looks like that way cos you're impressed by him and he in turn is chuffed that you like it which to him may translate to liking him. This then further builds up what you have in common. This scenario i believe is sort how you'd like things to work out if you'd have a chance to take on some project with him, so I m not suggesting that Joseph would think or feel this way. From his painting ability it could also suggest that Joseph is slightly shy, but i am not too sure i came that understanding.

Originally Posted by allaboutsoul

I looked at a picture we must have been creating, which had a landscape on it, and I suggested adding two people to it. I suggested that the people be under a tree and beside a stream, with one of them fishing, and one picking flowers. I said something like, "That will show that they're benefiting from the natural world." Although I don't remember saying this, I think I meant the fishing one to be a man and the one picking flowers to be a woman.

Like your friend said it clearly is about an interest in a relationship. I mean perhaps it might not be with the actual Joseph. Joseph might have certain qualities that you like and wish you could have in a partner so that's another thing to consider. In this dream you seem quite bold (not aggressive) but more like less afraid to tell the guy what you like and also what you hope for in the future by making suggestions above what to include in the picture. You have an idea of how the ideal man for you is like and your role in a relationship. In your dream you're quite open and it makes me wonder if in waking life you are less so. If so you could take these ideas and see what else the dream suggests or if there are any other dreams that have the same theme which you could analyse. You might be surprised that as you analyse more you might remember other forgotten dreams related to this one.

Originally Posted by allaboutsoul

Joseph and I ended up splashing into a pool. I think it had water we could stand in. We danced in the pool. Some kind of remarks were made about my breasts touching Joseph while we danced. Either he was uncomfortable with it or I said I was, although I actually liked it.

Water shows the emotion involved there but also being cautious as you say you not sure whether it was you or him that was uncomfortable. There's a fear to face or show your emotions to the other, maybe due to fearing rejection.

Originally Posted by allaboutsoul

I suddenly recognized a Black girl in the pool. I think she was naked. I said (in a hushed voice to Joseph) something like, "She's my arch-enemy. Run!" Joseph and I got out of the pool quickly and ran, being chased by the girl. She chased us through a haunted house. Instead of going the direct way through the haunted house, Joseph and I, like we had earlier, ran through side passages.

Here i don't think the black girl is to do with competition from others for his affections. It seems more fitting that this black girl represents a part of yourself that you run away from. Just using my imagination here, this may be quite possible if you were raised in a very strict family and a strict religion. She naked which symbolises truth and running away from her shows wanting to hide from the truth or not wanting to have certain things about you with regards to Joseph (since you tell him who this girl is and lead him away as well) revealed. Eventually you outrun her, you perceive that as her letting you go but it could also be that you overcome whatever restrictions are enforced on you by persistent resistance to them.

Originally Posted by allaboutsoul

The next thing I remember is Joseph and I running along a road, possibly being chased again. It started to hail. I wanted to keep going but..

Being chased again may mean you worrying about your what you were doing again and if you've made the right decision in running away from that girl.

Originally Posted by allaboutsoul

Another part of the dream involves a second haunted house. I was with someone else, a male, possibly my brother although I'm not sure. Maybe it was Joseph again, but I can't remember. We entered a haunted house together. It seems we had both been to it before because we knew it was set up with two paths: one scarier than the other. The left fork was less scary but I had been down it before. I chose the scarier, right fork and my male companion went with me. I remember we ended up going through tunnels and climbing through tunnels. That's about all I remember. When we were finished going through the haunted house, I woke up.

Haunted houses scare more people than they intrigue (am thinking of those interested in investigating haunted houses here lol). A house is normally haunted by a presence from its past , so here its a fear of something to do with the past like your past actions. You seem to be with another male so maybe the fear is to do with your being with this male. The emphasis on the different paths represent choices you dread being faced with, having to do the right thing when faced with the other path you'd actually like to take.

That's all i could come up and have i hope not been too assuming with my interpretation. It could very well be just a dream with no special meaning but i hope its given you something to think about. Sometimes though dreams are just dreams.

[allaboutsoul]

Thank you for your interpretation.

I am at least very slightly attracted to Joseph, the guy who was in the dream, although since I barely know him I can't be sure, and I think a lot of it is just because of my general desire for a relationship. I have thought that I would like to be able to interact with him a bit more.

Joseph does seem shy. I don't know if he acts any differently outside of class, but he doesn't speak much in class, although he has spoken to me when I talked to him first. Recently I mentioned a book I started reading over spring break and he had read it so we talked about the book. When he does talk he talks pretty quietly.

It's interesting that you mention the possibility of my being raised in a strict religion. I was raised Catholic but my religious views have changed a lot over the years, to the point where recently I decided I'm kind of agnostic, at least for now. I still am very uncertain about what to believe in, which goes along with your interpretation of wondering if it was right to run away from the girl.