Another dream interpretation question

[Mithril]

I had a really intense dream last night. A werewolf was loose in the building, which was probably part of the college. I ran into a bathroom, and this girl from my hall was standing around whining about it. I was so scared, and frantically looking for a place to hide. I run into a toilet stall, but there's no toilet, just smooth floor. The door doesn't lock, either. I brace myself between the door and the wall, but before I can get secure, the door is wrenched away with surprising force. I'm still bracing myself off the floor and look over my shoulder. Someone's screaming off somewhere as I begin to wake up. But before I wake up, I catch a glimpse of him: a large, grey wolf standing right behind me. He's not feral, but calmly watching me. He's beautiful, and his blue-grey (very human eyes) are all I can see as I wake up.

I'm not sure how to interpret this. Am I running away from something that won't turn out to be that bad? That doesn't fit, really. What does the wolf symbolize? Some part of myself? But what?

Any advice or ideas? Someone on another forum suggested (I'm not sure he was serious or not) that the wolf could be *other*, ie not me. I find this idea interesting because I very rarely dream of animals, and his eyes were so gripping. But I also shield most nights before I sleep as practice, so would that prevent anything from entering my dreams?

[drekfletch]

Any advice or ideas?  But I also shield most nights before I sleep as practice, so would that prevent anything from entering my dreams?

 
If the wolf is a message from your mind about an other, then it wouldn't be affected by a shield.

I don't really have enough context to go on.  But that won't stop me.

*Werewolf.  In your waking life, how do you think of werewolves?  Are they merely shapeshifters, or are they monsters.  Were you running from a scary person, or a dangerous animal.  Or were you running because that's the thing to do?
*College building.  Representative of local environment, or of education/safe space.
*Girl whining.  What kind of whining?  Was she complaining or panicking.  What's your relation to her, and how does your panic compare to her whining.  Were you validated "even she's whining" or reduced "I'm as bad as her."
*Toiletless stall, door ripped off.  Rushed decisions lead to imperfect choices.
*Still braced.  Exercise in futility.  Hiding when the door is gone.
*Over shoulder look.  Were you hoping you were still hidden despite the door being gone? Mistrusting your senses?  Or just frozen in panic?
*Screaming.  Was is the whining girl?  Someone else in the bathroom or out in the halls?  Screaming because she's scared for herself, or scared for you?
*Wolf, calmly watching.  (I'm presuming that not feral refers to not growling or other aggressiveness)  Was it a restrained-strength calm or friendly calm.  Protective?
*Human eyes.  Is there a color significance for you?  What did you see in the eyes, body language/eye expression.

*Further thoughts.  Was the wolf the same as the werewolf?  If so, was the calm bewilderment at why you were scared?  Laughing at you?  Passing you over?

[Mithril]

If the wolf is a message from your mind about an other, then it wouldn't be affected by a shield.

I don't really have enough context to go on.  But that won't stop me.

*Werewolf.  In your waking life, how do you think of werewolves?  Are they merely shapeshifters, or are they monsters.  Were you running from a scary person, or a dangerous animal.  Or were you running because that's the thing to do?
*College building.  Representative of local environment, or of education/safe space.
*Girl whining.  What kind of whining?  Was she complaining or panicking.  What's your relation to her, and how does your panic compare to her whining.  Were you validated "even she's whining" or reduced "I'm as bad as her."
*Toiletless stall, door ripped off.  Rushed decisions lead to imperfect choices.
*Still braced.  Exercise in futility.  Hiding when the door is gone.
*Over shoulder look.  Were you hoping you were still hidden despite the door being gone? Mistrusting your senses?  Or just frozen in panic?
*Screaming.  Was is the whining girl?  Someone else in the bathroom or out in the halls?  Screaming because she's scared for herself, or scared for you?
*Wolf, calmly watching.  (I'm presuming that not feral refers to not growling or other aggressiveness)  Was it a restrained-strength calm or friendly calm.  Protective?
*Human eyes.  Is there a color significance for you?  What did you see in the eyes, body language/eye expression.

*Further thoughts.  Was the wolf the same as the werewolf?  If so, was the calm bewilderment at why you were scared?  Laughing at you?  Passing you over?

 
Thanks so much for breaking down all the dream elements for me! I wasn't very successful doing that for some reason (beyond scream, whiny girl, wolf, and messed up toilet stall I didn't know what else to look at, and I couldn't make sense of anything except the whiny girl)... probably because it has such an emotional character.

In waking life, I love werewolves. One of my first introductions to the idea of werewolves was through Harry Potter, so I have positive associations with them. I was running because I didn't want to get bitten, not because I was afraid of the person behind the werewolf, or the idea itself.

The girl lives on my floor and is supposed to be the RA, but she never does anything but whine about how people don't like her or how hopeless everything is. So pity, but mostly annoying. I was frustrated by her in the dream. I suppose that directly relates to real life (If things are so bad, DO something!). That seems like an aside, and not super important to the rest of the dream.

I think I was frozen in panic or trying to figure out just how bad the situation really was.

What's interesting about the screaming was that it was not the whiny girl, but coming from somewhere else.

The 'not feral' part refers to how werewolves in Harry Potter lose their human consciousness -this was like the werewolf had taken Wolfsbane Potion, to continue in Harry Potter terms; the human was in control.

"Was it a restrained-strength calm or friendly calm.  Protective?
*Human eyes.  Is there a color significance for you?  What did you see in the eyes, body language/eye expression."

That is a really good distinction I hadn't thought of. They seemed fascinated, protective, definitely positive, and yet maybe restrained does describe them. I'm not sure about the color significance, other than I really like that color eye.

[drekfletch]

I was running because I didn't want to get bitten, not because I was afraid of the person behind the werewolf, or the idea itself.

So you didn't want to become a werewolf.  Relating to the feral interpretation, you didn't want to lose yourself or be subsumed in the animal.  Would it be correct to assume an aggressiveness or violent nature into the dominant animalness?

(If things are so bad, DO something!)

Does this sentiment play into the dreams purpose?

That is a really good distinction I hadn't thought of. They seemed fascinated, protective, definitely positive, and yet maybe restrained does describe them. I'm not sure about the color significance, other than I really like that color eye.

 
With 'restrained' I was trying to convey held tension.  A calm before the storm.

Given all this, I'd posit a meaning along the lines of you having something to start, but you're not sure if you're up to it, if it'd be too much.  That you should take a step back, and re-evaluate from the stance that you are about evenly matched to the task, 50/50.  But if you succeed you'll be in a better place.

I don't know if the calm before the storm relates to the calm before you take on the task, or to something about to break that'll impact your chances.

[Mithril]

So you didn't want to become a werewolf.  Relating to the feral interpretation, you didn't want to lose yourself or be subsumed in the animal.  Would it be correct to assume an aggressiveness or violent nature into the dominant animalness?
Does this sentiment play into the dreams purpose?
 
With 'restrained' I was trying to convey held tension.  A calm before the storm.

Given all this, I'd posit a meaning along the lines of you having something to start, but you're not sure if you're up to it, if it'd be too much.  That you should take a step back, and re-evaluate from the stance that you are about evenly matched to the task, 50/50.  But if you succeed you'll be in a better place.

I don't know if the calm before the storm relates to the calm before you take on the task, or to something about to break that'll impact your chances.

That's exactly it! Thank you! This makes sense now. We've been having a lot of discussions on our floor about alcohol, which I will never touch beyond a glass or so of wine because I don't want to lose control. That combined with what people call "parties" which basically just seems like a mass attempt to loose yourself to a music-and-alcohol-induced frenzy makes me very uneasy.
I'm also about to attempt a very, very difficult course load this semester, which I've been afraid I'm not up too. I don't see your logic, though -how did you know that part from my dream? I think my original, incomplete analysis plays into this -what I've been afraid of won't be as bad as I thought (as was proven true today, with the start of classes).

You are so good at this! Thank you!

[drekfletch]

I don't see your logic, though -how did you know that part from my dream?

 
I didn't know that part, which is why you don't see the logic.  I thought that the task was related to the tame/feral element, kind of like a Boss fight in a video game.  You were scared of being feral, and then the feralness wasn't feral.  In retrospect I can see the separation of the two issues.  You said 'werewolf' at the beginning, and 'wolf' at the end.

I feel the scream needs to be considered.  Who/why?  I want to say it might be related to others' alcohol use affecting your studies.  But that's guesswork based on the werewolf in the halls while the wolf is being calm at you.

It's your dream, you know what it means better than I can.  You threw up a bunch of dots, I asked where they should go, you nudged them, then I connected the dots into a rorschach.  I didn't do all that much.  Although, in my head it's more like a tag cloud with attached context-definitions.

You are so good at this! Thank you!

Again, I didn't do much.  Basic tools of fake psychics: ask the right questions and they'll give you the answer.  Almost divination by headology.

I like dream interpretation as a subject, and the things peoples minds come up with.  I once represented extravagant and lavish wealth with a solar powered hamburger grill because I had read about how demand for solar panels so overreached supply.

[Smokebender]

I had a really intense dream last night. A werewolf was loose in the building, which was probably part of the college. I ran into a bathroom, and this girl from my hall was standing around whining about it. I was so scared, and frantically looking for a place to hide. I run into a toilet stall, but there's no toilet, just smooth floor. The door doesn't lock, either. I brace myself between the door and the wall, but before I can get secure, the door is wrenched away with surprising force. I'm still bracing myself off the floor and look over my shoulder. Someone's screaming off somewhere as I begin to wake up. But before I wake up, I catch a glimpse of him: a large, grey wolf standing right behind me. He's not feral, but calmly watching me. He's beautiful, and his blue-grey (very human eyes) are all I can see as I wake up.

I'm not sure how to interpret this. Am I running away from something that won't turn out to be that bad? That doesn't fit, really. What does the wolf symbolize? Some part of myself? But what?

Any advice or ideas? Someone on another forum suggested (I'm not sure he was serious or not) that the wolf could be *other*, ie not me. I find this idea interesting because I very rarely dream of animals, and his eyes were so gripping. But I also shield most nights before I sleep as practice, so would that prevent anything from entering my dreams?

With due respect; it's been my experience that dreams don't mean much unless the dream is repetitious.

If your dream was a repeated happening:

1. The grey wolf is your guardian, hence the human eyes and s/he is the one watching out for you and delivering the warning.

2. The werewolf is a predator that you may or may not know and intends to cause you harm, possibly a date rape which is common for college women.

3. The bathroom stall signifies the event will take place where you may have nowhere to run unless you take some precautions.

4. The screaming person can signify a possible witness, ie, someone you cannot see yet will make themselves known.

This could be a warning to take care, make sure your dates are double dates, take place in public places and make sure you're never alone with someone or it could be the dregs of something you have read or watched recently such as twilight perhaps.

[Mithril]

This could be a warning to take care, make sure your dates are double dates, take place in public places and make sure you're never alone with someone or it could be the dregs of something you have read or watched recently such as twilight perhaps.

I don't really think dreams can tell us that much about the future, rather that they're tools for understanding our deeper consciousness. Thanks for the concern though you don't have to worry... As I'm especially reminded of on Valentine's day, I've never even been asked out on a date.

[Mithril]

I feel the scream needs to be considered.  Who/why?  I want to say it might be related to others' alcohol use affecting your studies.  But that's guesswork based on the werewolf in the halls while the wolf is being calm at you.

Hmm... logically that would fit, but emotionally that doesn't feel right. Maybe it was just a displaced expression of my fear before I realized the wolf was benign?

[drekfletch]

but emotionally that doesn't feel right.

 
Which is far more important when trying to decipher dreams.

[Mithril]

Which is far more important when trying to decipher dreams.

 
I think I know how to find out. Last night I had a semi-lucid dream in which I attempted to call up the wolf/person behind the wolf and ask them, but I got too excited that I was lucid dreaming and woke up. I say it was semi-lucid because it didn't occur to me to stabilize the dream first and it was a little fuzzy.