About Sheldon Cooper and Dreams
The sound of the alarm jolted me awake, my body drenched in cold sweat. The nightmare lingered, vivid and unsettling. In the dream, I found myself amidst a bustling festival in a vibrant city that was floating above water. People strolled along bridges, laughter filled the air, and distant lights and music added to the lively atmosphere. Then, I realized I had lost sight of Sheldon. Yes, Sheldon Cooper. It felt as though he was an integral part of me, akin to a close friend or family member. The thought of losing him deeply disturbed me. In a way, I knew that I would find him eventually, so as I was looking for him, I also socialized and met new people. Despite my efforts to find him among the crowd, hours passed with no success. Eventually, I returned to the spot where I last saw him, growing increasingly anxious. Suddenly, I spotted my little brother, albeit much younger and with a feminine appearance. Desperate for answers, I called out to him about Sheldon's whereabouts, but he walked through me without acknowledgment. Frantically, I pursued him, only to watch in horror as he plunged into the water and perished, leaving me stunned and grief-stricken. It was then that I awoke.
Lately, I've been experiencing these intense dreams, always leaving me shaken upon waking. Naturally, I discussed them with my therapist, and her interpretation was intriguing, so I wanted to share it here. She emphasized that everything in a dream originates from the unconscious mind, making it a reflection of oneself. She saw my initial perplexed expression, especially while I was thinking about the imagery of Sheldon or my younger brother jumping into the water, and so she encouraged me to start by describing Sheldon Cooper to her as if she were unfamiliar with him. As I did, I smiled because I realized exactly what she meant, and suddenly it all became very obvious to me.
For those unfamiliar with Sheldon Cooper (I highly recommend watching The Big Bang Theory if you haven’t, and if you started and didn’t like it, as I was at the beginning, try to power through because it gets so much better), here's a brief description: he’s a brilliant young adult, who values education and learning, characterized by social awkwardness, has an inability to grasp sarcasm or cynicism, with a rigid adherence to routines and schedules, and has a discomfort with physical affection and warmth, all of which set him apart from his peers. If you knew me, you would have smiled too. Because, except for being brilliant, it is quite an astonishingly true description of me! Everything I mentioned, and even the aspects I didn't articulate to her, made it clear to me; Sheldon, indeed, symbolizes something within me.
Research in the field of psychology suggests that dreams serve as a window into the unconscious mind, offering valuable insights into one's thoughts, emotions, and inner conflicts. Sigmund Freud was the pioneer who first tried to research the unconscious. To Analyze dreams, Freud used the “free association” technique. His goal was to get his clients talking and slowly reveal their unconscious minds. Expanding on Freud’s work, Carl Jung, another prominent figure in analytical psychology, proposed that dreams often contain symbolic representations of the dreamer's psyche, serving as a means of self-discovery and personal growth. Jung considered dreams as messages from the unconscious and suggested that dreams are triggered by natural tendencies to bring resolution and closure to unfinished emotions and mental problems and attempt to deal with fears. While Freud viewed dreams as a manifestation of repressed desires and fears, Jung viewed dreams as a channel that allows us to communicate with our unconscious. A dream, in his mind, is a “symbolic image” that is an integral and individual experience. The communication is with the dreamer alone and uses unique symbols that have meaning only to the dreamer.
In the case of my dream, Sheldon Cooper emerged as a symbolic figure, embodying traits and characteristics that held personal significance. As I've been on a journey of self-improvement, challenging ingrained behaviors and beliefs, and basically rewriting all the harmful narratives I inculcated in my mind throughout the years – my mind has resisted this change. Our brains instinctively seek the familiar as a means of safety. Stepping into uncharted territory triggers panic, compelling us to retreat to what's known and comfortable. During this past year, I’ve been opening old wounds, removing layers of the mask I wore, and looking straight at all that I once ignored. This caused an internal struggle that has manifested in my nightmares and physical symptoms, a subconscious attempt to halt my progress before it's too late. In my dream, losing Sheldon symbolized losing a part of myself that I once deemed unconventional or unacceptable. However, as I've grown more self-assured and compassionate towards myself, I've come to embrace all facets of my identity, quirks included. My subconscious conjured Sheldon to provoke fear and resistance, urging me to revert to familiar patterns. Freaking me out about losing myself, so that I won’t change, making me feel insecure or vulnerable about losing this sense of stability or this part of my identity. The search for Sheldon amidst the crowd may indicate my desire for reassurance or a need to reconnect with this aspect of myself. Socializing and meeting new people in the dream may suggest my willingness to explore new experiences or relationships, but the underlying anxiety about finding Sheldon persists.
The bustling festival in a vibrant city floating above water could represent a sense of excitement or liveliness in my life, perhaps related to a new self and therefore, to new social engagements or new opportunities. However, the fact that the city is floating above water may suggest a feeling of instability or uncertainty beneath the surface. This all makes a lot of sense, as there are many unpredictable aspects at this stage of my life, and all is new to me. It’s exhilarating but also very scary and threatening.
As for my encounter with my little brother who appears much younger and with a feminine appearance, in other words, looks like, well, me. Since he is younger than me, and I do very much feel responsible for him, I immediately thought that he represents aspects of my inner child. As if I were supposed to keep her safe inside myself, and I’m choosing by my actions to let her go, choosing to let her jump into her death which symbolizes a sense of loss or disappointment in myself.
“Here I ought to add a word of warning against unintelligent or incompetent dream analysis. There are some people whose mental condition is so unbalanced that the interpretation of their dreams can be extremely risky; in such a case, a very one-sided consciousness is cut off from a correspondingly irrational or “crazy” unconscious, and the two should not be brought together without taking special precautions. And, speaking more generally, it is plain foolishness to believe in ready-made systematic guides to dream interpretation, as if one could simply buy a reference book and look up a particular symbol. No dream symbol can be separated from the individual who dreams it, and there is no definite or straightforward interpretation of any dream. Each individual varies so much in the way that his unconscious complements or compensates his conscious mind that it is impossible to be sure how far dreams and their symbols can be classified at all.”
In the biblical story of Joseph, found in the Book of Genesis of the Old Testament, dreams play a significant role in the narrative. Joseph, the son of Jacob, is known for his ability to interpret dreams, which leads to his rise from being a slave to becoming a prominent figure in Egypt. While dreams are considered potentially meaningful in Judaism, there is also a sense of caution and skepticism regarding their interpretation. Not all dreams are believed to have divine significance, and individuals are encouraged to approach dream interpretation with discernment. Jewish tradition advises against placing too much emphasis on dreams or making major decisions based solely on dream experiences. With this in mind, my father used to tell me about this one interpretation of the story of Joseph that resonates with me a lot. In the story, every dream that Joseph interprets comes true. Joseph's own dreams, in which he sees himself ruling over his brothers and his parents, spark jealousy among his siblings and contribute to his initial enslavement only to then be liberated and ascend to power. Both Joseph and his siblings believed Joseph’s interpretation so much that they started to act upon it, leading it to become a prophecy. Nowadays, we hear a lot about The Law of Attraction or Manifestation, concepts similar to what Joseph practiced. So the advice I received from my father was to always share my dreams with someone who cares about me because then the interpretation hopefully would be a kind one, which then might lead to kind and pleasant outcomes.
Dream interpretation is a highly subjective process, as the meaning of a dream can vary greatly depending on the dreamer's personal experiences, emotions, and current life circumstances. That said, self-interpretation of your dreams, based on common themes and symbols, could be fun and helpful for reflection on life circumstances and any underlying anxieties or unresolved emotions that may be contributing to these themes in a dream. While only you can truly decipher its significance for yourself, exploring these feelings in waking life through journaling, therapy, or discussing them with trusted loved ones may help provide clarity and insight.
Sweet dreams.
