The cost of what?

BrightEye

I've not remembered many dreams recently, but last night's sticks in my mind. I was at a conference. It was lunchtime or early afternoon and I was in a crowded cafe with two other women, one of whom might have been my mother, and a man I'm rather fond of in real life. He bought us all coffee and cake in return for something I'd treated him to. He said that the coffees and cakes were overpriced, which made me feel self-conscious.

Then we talked about the conference events taking place later that day and I asked him whether he would be going. I said I would, and he said that I should because I had paid the full conference fee. He hadn't and he wouldn't be going. He would be leaving. It made me sad because I would have liked to have spent more time with him.

This last sentiment is one that I have been feeling in real life, too. I would like to spend more time with him. What also strikes me is the notion of what things cost, things being too expensive, the cost being to high, and getting your money's worth out of something. It makes me think that the cost of something is too high, but I'm not sure what it might refer to.

Numbers are also interesting: 3 women is very archetypal (triple goddess, the Moirae etc.). The man's presence makes it 4, which is a masculine number (I'm thinking Empress = 3, Emperor = 4). I think there might be a message about anima and animus, but I'm not sure what it is.

Any thoughts?

BrightEye

the number 4

After recording this dream I remembered reading about a series of dreams recode by Jung in which the number 4 was important. Jung talks about 'divine quaternity' from Hermetic philosophy, an idea of perfection or wholeness that petered out in the 18th century and was, in the Christian tradition, superseded by the Trinity.

BrightEye

Any thoughts on this one?

watchman291273

When the man made the comment, did he mean to make you feel you bad? and are you fond of the RL man in a romantic sort of way?

BrightEye

watchman291273 said:
When the man made the comment, did he mean to make you feel you bad?

I can't remember now but probably not. On the other hand, why say it if you're treating someone?

watchman291273 said:
and are you fond of the RL man in a romantic sort of way?

Yes.

watchman291273

BrightEye said:
I can't remember now but probably not. On the other hand, why say it if you're treating someone?

I'm thinking he may have just vented his frustration about the situation.

I'd go with your intuition about the dream delivering a message related to your Animus.

The recurring theme of costs could echo something that taxes you emotionally in waking life. Since there's a conference coming up bringing a reference to learning, and factoring in your Animus' reaction, it could be that you've spent quite some time focusing on inner growth and making significant positive changes in your life, thanks to a healthy Animus, and you've come to a point where you feel you haven't reaped much in the outer world from your efforts. That would be the meaning of the overpriced cakes and your animus considering bailing out in waking life through his not paying for the conference ticket.

Concretely, it could manifest as you being under the impression people close to you take you for granted and/or are not giving you any acknowledgment of your positive inner changes. Hence an "eh, what's the point?" kind of reaction of the little guy in your psyche. The man you have feelings for might be one of those whose behavior you're disappointed with.

Anything you can relate to?

BrightEye

watchman291273 said:
The recurring theme of costs could echo something that taxes you emotionally in waking life. Since there's a conference coming up bringing a reference to learning, and factoring in your Animus' reaction, it could be that you've spent quite some time focusing on inner growth and making significant positive changes in your life, thanks to a healthy Animus, and you've come to a point where you feel you haven't reaped much in the outer world from your efforts. That would be the meaning of the overpriced cakes and your animus considering bailing out in waking life through his not paying for the conference ticket.

Thanks, watchman, this makes a lot of sense. I do feel as if I've been developing my animus in a healthy way, which has been quite a new and thrilling experience. But it's also true that I don't feel I have much to show for it in the outer world. I also feel that this dream has to do with investing in something emotionally and the feeling that the price that is to be paid is too high. I think it has to do with the man.

watchman291273

Thank you for the feedback BrightEye